I am often asked who my favourite guitarist is, bit like asking what is your favourite food really (curry). There are so many to choose from and so many influences, but the first guitarist to really grab, inspire and shape my sound (his use of echo especially) was Bill Nelson. Be Bop Deluxe was one of the first live bands I saw, it was the most amazing show I had ever seen. Sister Seagull, Ships In The Night, Maid in Heaven (don't worry I'm not going to go through the whole set list, but I could) these great songs took me to new musical landscapes and were very inspirational for a young player like me. Brandishing his Gibson 335 Bills playing was breathtaking and his 15 minute solo spot remains with me to this day.
Be Bop Deluxe were a great band and Bills vision was very forward thinking, and the cover for Axe Victim is a classic.
After Be Bop Deluxe he had a short stint with the band Red Noise and I absolutely loved the single Revolt Into Style.
The 80's saw his music became ever more experimental and influenced David Sylvian (who collaborated with Bill) the album "Do You Dream In Colour?" was hardly ever off my turntable, (turntable? this is an old term referring to how music used to be listened to, I mention this as recently my partners 16 year old twin daughters had never seen a record before, and were fascinated by the fact that it could be played on both sides!! anyway back to Bill) recorded in his home studio in Yorkshire it inspired me to get a Tascam 4-track porta-studio and explore my own musical visions. Through him and his music I also discovered the films of Jean Cocteau.
Though not a very public figure today, Bill Nelson has a devoted core audience who admire his perseverance, his integrity to his art in the face of commercial rejection, and his versatile musicianship. In recent years Bill has begun to perform live again.
I have included this live clip of Be Bop Deluxe from 1978 as this was when I first saw and heard him and it shows off a lot of his styles, i particularly love the little riff he plays near the beginning.
Bills website "Welcome To Dreamsville" is here
