Acquitted by Mirrors, Issue 9 |
| pictures forthcoming.... Welcome to A.B.M.9 (at last !) Chaos reigns supreme at Nelson Acres as I write this. I am currently engaged in a last minute attempt at finding and rehearsing musicians for an American tour to support the promotion of 'Vistamix' If everything works out I will be touring as you read these words. I haven't toured with a band of my own since 'The Practical Dreamers' trek of 1981, so there is a huge amount of preparation involved. Most of the material has never been played live and the problem of translating studio- orientated songs from the records to the stage is to put it mildly, somewhat complex. Inevitably, in the three short weeks I have been given to audition and rehearse musicians many compromises will have to be made. Given a serious amount of time and a liberal supply of expensive technology, I'm sure it would be easier to guarantee something of the expected quality, but as usual, I'm under pressure to deliver the goods yesterday at least a third of the price of the nearest competitors ! Whilst on the subject of tours, Yukihiro Takahashi (who can afford to do it in style !) has asked me to work with him again in a band he is currently assembling for a Japanese tour sometime in June. The problem is it looks like I will be in the studio at that time, recording my new album, so I doubt if I will be able to help him out. Talking of recording....... I've just spent time in the studio recording three new songs with a view to releasing a single in May. Mark chose "Living for the Spangled Moment" as his favourite for a single, but the record company prefer a song called "Age of Reason" The irony is that everyone I've played the three tracks to outside the Record Industry (i.e. people who buy records instead of getting them free) have chosen, without fail, a song called "Because of you".......they seem to think it the most commercial thing I have done for ages. Confused ? How do you think I feel ! However "Age of Reason" still has some work to be done on it, so we will see.... After the American tour, I'm hoping to bring the band (to be known as 'Mountains of the Heart') back to Britain to play two or three concerts here. But that will only happen if the performance is good enough to warrant public scrutiny. Otherwise it will have to be later in the year when (hopefully) things can be planned sufficiently in advance to qualify the term 'professional' (ho, ho) On a totally different subject.... I've received a letter from a club member, (I will not disclose his name) who has expressed a desire to no longer associate with myself or the club for a very odd reason.......he has become a born again Christian and feels that my interest in matters arcane and Rosicrucianism in particular is a sinful and evil practice. This, I'm afraid, is a grave misconception and while I intend to write to him personally at some time in the future, I feel that the question he has raised warrants some discussion in the pages of this magazine. First of all, I do understand his point of view because I belonged to a born again Pentecostal Church for a number of years in my early twenties. I even taught in Sunday School !! Religious commitment is a complex and highly personal subject and it is foolish to take it far within these pages, but for the record this is how I stand today:- I believe totally in the power and mystery of God and would say that anyone who doesn't has looked either too hard for him or not hard enough. My own belief isn't based on books, dogma or orthodox religious practice, but on simple observation and revelation. I believe that discovering God is a unique experience for each individual and that the rigid, dogmatic approach of most western religious systems only reveals a fragment of what must be considered as a universal truth. I believe that everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe, but that the kingdom of heaven is within. With regard to Rosicrucianism, it is a constantly evolving synthesis of many thousand years of spiritual wisdom and even the most cursory glance into its history will reveal to the student its profoundly Christian bias As for magic, it is neither good nor evil, but simply exists as a natural force like that of electricity. There is no such thing as black or white magic, there are only black or white magicians It is as with all sciences, it's use in human terms that determines its moral status. Can we blame God for the atrocities committed throughout history by the orthodox church..? Of course not, we can only blame men......men inflamed with religious fanaticism, honed by hypocrisy, men who, in the name of God, misuse His power and authority. We should be wary of any religious practice that denies the intellect its freedom and replaces humanitarianism with blind ignorance. No one is truly worthy of the knowledge of God but only by diligent attention to our inner-self can we even hope to approach the problem . We are in a sense our own guardian angel. No matter how hard we strive to understand these things, revelation will always be God-given. I can assure you that there are no dark sinister intentions involved in my Rosicrucian studies, in fact the very opposite is true, so please don't condemn what you don't yet understand. Any search for spiritual illumination is to be encouraged in our grossly materialistic society. I think I have already said too much..! Change of Subject More news - there is a possibility of me producing some recordings for the Armoury Show, a band of no small stature, fronted by the ever passionate Richard Jobson and featuring the talented guitar playing of John McGeoch. It all depends on timing and my work schedule, we will keep you informed of developments. After the U.S. tour I will be giving the 'Echo Observatory' studio a face-lift, updating my system from eight to sixteen track therefore enabling me to record the basic structure of the next album at home. Wen the refit is complete I will take some photos of the new equipment for the next magazine. Well that is all for this issue. Once again, many thanks for your continued support of my work and I hope to see you at the concerts Kind Regards BILL NELSON Confessions of an Orchestra Wife I often find myself reminiscing about the good old days before I had children. When tour were tours, groups were groups, groupies were groupies, men were men and sheep were nervous. Yes you have guessed it I am talking about being backstage with BeBop Deluxe at the height of their career..... They were the best years of my life. The tension, the lights, the makeup the booze. Then there was the group - calm collected, big-headed and inevitably drunk ! I often found myself on tour with 23 men (Oh lucky day !) I can remember the tour manager staggering in with arms full of tour sweat shirts, all bearing our position in life. All the crew had shirts with their names printed on the front and 'CREW' in large letters on the back. The band had shirts that funnily enough said 'BAND' on the back. On the front of mine just underneath 'BeBop Deluxe Tour' was 'MS DELUXE' ( Bill was Mr. Deluxe of course) On the reverse of mine was written the legend: 'Secretary, Mistress and Nurse' I had at last been accepted as a member of the BeBop Deluxe entourage. I wore my sweat shirt with pride. But of course there was not room to print my full occupation on the shirt - I was also bar tender, make-up, wardrobe and chauffeur to Mr. Deluxe. In fact I found myself doing lots of little jobs like bouncing people from the dressing room including one Joe Jackson. American tours were by far the most exciting. Travelling everywhere by airplane, everyone hung over, sleeping in getting stopped for speeding on the way to the airport. It's a wonder we ever made the right plane. Simon Fox (BeBop's drummer) was always getting asked for his autograph, usually when we were hanging around in airport lounges. After he had put his mark in their autograph books the fan would look at him, frown, and say "Simon Fox....?....Who are you....?....I thought you were Barry Manilow" It used to be great watching Simon's ego shrivel up ! Every time we flew into the USA we would get stopped by Immigration I would be questioned intensely, thumb screws, spot lights etc as to why I was touring with a bunch of lads, without a work permit... but most of all because we were not married at that time. "Why is this man paying for your travel and accommodation when you are not married ?" "love I suppose" was my innocent reply, "Why don't you ask him" Well that was the last time they would embarrass me. We had nine days off in the middle of a nine week tour. The band were flying to Puerto Rico and Bill and myself decided to fly home to England and get married (I think I said marry me or else I am not coming out to play anymore) We got a special two day license and married on Bonfire night, November 5th Two days later we flew back to Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet with the rest of the band to complete the tour. It was great, presenting Immigration with my new Marriage License To our amazement when we arrived at the hotel, the band and crew were having a reception on our behalf. I still don't know how they knew we were married. Nothing was spared, all the works including champagne in plastic glasses whose stems actually unscrewed from the body of the glass, for what purpose I do not know. The next day we had to leave bright and early for the long drive to Phoenix Arizona. Bill and myself were driven in a car by Bill's ex-manager. We drove through the Arizona desert, what a sight, and saw real Indians. Their caravan sites were great, but instead of caravans they have tee-pees. Anyway, after a day on the road, we stopped for something to eat at a Mexican restaurant. Then it was back to the beaten track. Not long after if I remember rightly, we were in the middle of no-where when we ran out of petrol. We followed a tiny road down the mountain side to some thicksville place. It was like something out of Bonanza...They had rails to tie your horse to, and saloons with shutter swing doors. There was not a soul about, mind you it was about 10.30 at night. So we all drew straws and Mike (Bill's then manager) got the shortest - so it was his turn to go into the bar and ask for a garage. ( I don't know if it makes any sense going into a bar to ask for a garage, but you know what I mean ) Anyway they said we had to go to another bar and ask for 'Sunshine Base' (A C.B. call sign) So off we went. Mike went into the next bar and asked for 'Sunshine Base' It turned out to be a little old lady with a C.B. We told her our problem and she switched on, tuned in, and started using a strange language.....something about Horseless carriage out of gas man!! As it turned out they had one fuel pump in the area and she managed to contact the owner on her C.B. We had to wait for him to come and open up his pump. I can safely say I have never been so pleased to get out of anywhere as I was that place. We eventually arrived at the hotel in Phoenix at about 2.30 in the morning. The band who had taken the plane had been there hours. Bill was muttering something about 'Bloody scenic We both look back with fond memories but BiIl's philosophy is 'There's no time like the present' So here's to 1984 Jan Nelson I suppose we might as well continue this page on the subject of BeBop Deluxe. George Smart has been co-ordinating your votes to give us a BeBop favourite tunes pole, so let us print it:
If you would all like to write to us here at the PO Box on your favourite songs since Red Noise, we will do a solo Nelson pole. On a card or the back of an envelope please, and in time for ABM 11 Touch and Glow City of blood red birds Where every dwelling has it's tenant Girl found on girder bridge How do you build your home sweet home..? These are things a young girl ought to know... When lights are low, we'll touch and glow.... Windows of broken glass This frozen landscape holds me here with you Beneath this girder bridge Are these discarded clothes your property too..? City of light at last Tonight I love you like my Ford.. Each hour marks the dial A world where work and toil have their reward These things a young man ought to know.... When time is slow we'll touch and glow... With this magazine you will find included the first of the club EPs. Hard Facts from the fiction Department was recorded in the autumn of 1983 for the BBC as part of a programme about the Orwellian 1984 The remaining three pieces come from the instrumental archives of the Echo Observatory. Your club membership card is still at the printers and will have to come to you with ABM 10 Again I will repeat that this replaces a new club badge The deal with Phonogram having finally expired in the UK. We are now able to re-issue the 'back catalogue' This means that we are putting together a compilation of 12" and double single B sides remixes etc, to be released on Cocteau in July/August and make them all available again easily at sensible prices. We might even be able to include some unreleased versions. Watch out '' On the mail order front may I firstly remind everyone of you souls to please put your name and address onto the forms even if you post it in with something else. They do get separated. This has happened already and if you are (a new member I suspect) who has ordered a XL shirt and some badges say hello and you might get your order Remember if I don't know who you are............. Alfa Records have released Yukihiro Takahashi Band Live 1983 which features Mr. Nelson on guitar from the autumn tour If you are having problems on imports I can get it to you at the club price of £9,20 plus 60p p&p As I have said before airfreight cost make everything expensive Those of you who were enquiring about Simon Fox, will be pleased to know that he has surfaced again in the world of music. He took some time out to try painting and that is why no-one could find him. He is now doing some session work and sends his love. NEWS TIME Well hello and welcome to the news section. A late start to the year as always. Still as some of you are equally late in renewing, I guess we are quits. Never the less I was hopeful that this first official edition of 1984 would be able to give you British tour details (For new members I would like to point out that our years always seem to run late and that the last edition of 83 came out in Feb 84) As we go to press we are about to leave for a short USA tour with the bonus of a date in Canada. Details finally are now clear and the last revision of the date sheet means that the dates are (were): 27 April Los Angeles 28 Long Beach 29 San Diego 30 San Francisco 2 May Toronto 3 Boston 4 Long Island 5 New York 6 Washington 8 Detroit 9 Chicago The band line-up, pictures, news, gossip, reports etc will all be contained in ABM 10 which will be done straight away at the end of the tour. This means that we will then be up to date again. Sorry to anyone who feels that there has not been enough news this Spring but we were hopeful of bringing you UK information and the weeks kept slipping by. In between assembling the orchestra Bill has been in the studio as he mentioned elsewhere. Firstly at Surrey Sound in darkest Leatherhead and then at Ric-Rac in downtown Leeds. The results of these sessions were not finished prior to departure and so release date for the first Epic/Portrait single will not be until 18th June in the UK first. This means that the UK dates are being planned for the new band at the Beginning of July. All the details will be in the next ABM along with some postal ticket arrangements where possible. The club get together will be set for the same time (the legendary get-together that is !!) so that people will be able to travel to everything all at once There will not be many dates this time, but we will make them as central as possible. As you can imagine (I hope) all the preparations for the band and new recordings have delayed work by Bill on the book to accompany the box set 'Sensoria' and this is the reason why it is still not available to you all. It is a very special project to Bill and time will be spent on it until it reaches his satisfaction So bear with us. More news on that when it is imminent. After the American dates and after he has finished all the outstanding matters in hand Bill will be recording a new album over the summer. This will be released world-wide as the first fruits of the new recording deal and we are planning to tour fairly extensively at the time of its release in the autumn (or should I say 'Fall' for some of you) This is one of the reasons that the tour dates now are not going to be quite so widespread Next on the outstanding items is the single Bill did with Yukihiro Takahashi. It has not been released yet for a multitude of contractual reasons, none of which have anything to do with us. We are negotiating with Alfa Records and hope to have it released in the UK this summer. We will see. Blackmail Corner is as eclectic as ever. Taken in roughly 1966. The real question is are your trousers secure ? |