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I have been fortunate enough to have met Bill quite a few times, including immediately at the end of that initial gig where I was too starstruck to do more than ask for the bands autographs on the ticket stub (which I still have) and also at the "Nelsonica" Convention in 2010 where he autographed my Eggle Berlin Pro. That is one of my favourite guitars, but I have hardly played it since he signed it — its as though it has been touched by guitar royalty! He is a very intelligent, aware and articulate man who seems to be driven to create.
Apart from a spell in the 1990s when I lost touch with his output, I have followed him since 1973 and have around 60 off his albums. His solo work is impossible to categorise as it crosses so many genres and whilst I find something to like in all off these, I cannot pretend to say that I like all that he does, but the best off his work hits me in a way that no other guitarist does. If I had to choose a particular style, it would be his approach to melody, something about his choices and tone just do it for me. Here is an example of this
Fact is, over 43 years after first hearing Be Bop Deluxe, Bill Nelson is still my guitar hero, a musical god!
Bit late to the party here, but yup, BN/BBD and BNRN are long-time faves.
I was aware of them fairly early on, but they really gelled with me (strangely enough) at the height of the whole Punk thing - particularly when Bill started working with the Skids (aspects of Drastic Plastic and Days in Europa - not *that* dissimilar really?)
Re. BBD - looking back at the trajectory through their career and forward into Bill Nelson's Red Noise and beyond - as @AlexC says - they never seemed to find a particular niche/audience. Nevertheless (for me), the dots I joined up between Be Bop Deluxe, Bowie, Foxx-era Ultravox, Japan, Kraftwerk, Tubeway Army/Numan, Magazine, Neu, Krautrock, Human League, DoM, OMD, TG, CV, Psychedelic Furs, and the rest of the whole Punk/New Wave/Post-Punk thing have stayed with me to this day.
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/
The guys must have been mortified when they were sacked after making the first album.
But what happened next is very strange.....
http://dangerousminds.net/comments/bill_nelson_record_label_ripped_off
Maid in Heaven is still my top D-I-Discs track and even more so cos at the time I had a new Yamaha RD200 electric start and the sound of it turning over on that was the exact same sound as in the song where it goes - "She's a Maid in Heaven" wocka wocka wocka wock....! Every morning when I heard that as I started off, those fantastic riffs filled my head as I ripped it up the road trailing two white plumes...
When I saw the original band at the Staging Post in Leeds, (I think it was there), Bill walked onto the stage holding an early sixties white Sg Custom. (Could not see if "Les Paul" was on the headstock).
Now that got my full attention.
At the end of the first number.....he looked down at the guitar, and started speaking to the crowd packed into the gig. From memory, he said:
I got this today........drove all the way to Derby and back.......this was my dream guitar.......(big sigh, long pause).......I wonder if I can take it back??
And with that, he put the guitar down and did the rest of the gig with the Es-345.
I never saw him with the Sg again.
Funnily enough........an Original 3 Pickup white Sg Custom was also my dream guitar.
Until I actually played one.....
Couldn't do it these days, people demand note-perfect covers, but back then it was not the done thing - you went for your own version. That meant no sax solo on "Ships", I just played something similar on guitar. However I did try to get most of the fills right on "Maid in Heaven", since they were so much part of the song.
Happy days!
A D'Angelico semi-acoustic and an e-bow there in the midst ?
i met one my guitar heroes - Michael Schenker - a few years back before a gig (Cat House, Glasgow ??). He was signing and selling CDs before the gig so i stood in the queue and when it came to my turn for signing i shook his hand and he gave out a right old yelp !! He just laughed and faked injury regards my over-zealousness in the handshake Dept. ;-))
By the way, where was the Bill Nelson gig - am assuming Edinburgh, due to your moniker ?
Here's another gem from that night
Having had only a vague acknowledgement of Bill Nelson and Bebop Deluxe before reading this thread tonight, it looks like i have some serious digging that has to be carried out on the record buying front.
Suggestions welcome.....(noting as well the previous replies, above, in the thread)