A Note From Bill Nelson Regarding Whistling While The Wind Turns:

First off, I'd like to make clear that the price has been decided by Paul Page of Lenin Imports who commissioned the project and who is paying for it's manufacture. Paul receives 50% of profits for this, a higher percentage than usual in these situations for one important reason; he needs to raise an amount of money to pay for the manufacture of "NOISE CANDY". As this is to be the most epic of all Bill Nelson releases, six DOUBLE length albums, a box to contain them plus a book of some kind, these costs are considerable. So far, aside from my own outlay to record the material over several years, there has been the cost of mastering 121 songs at Fairview Studios. The entire project took six full days. This means that the studio has to be paid, plus an engineer, for six days work, before anything can be taken to the next stage. Once I've originated the artwork, layout artists have to be commissioned to get the whole package ready to go to the printers. To keep things up to the standards that I've set, and which the fans of my music rightly deserve, I need to work with people who will treat the project with the same kind of respect that I've given to the music. Needless to say, on a project of this size, the hours of work required for these people to prepare the boxed set will not come cheap. Then comes the printer's fee and the costs for physical materials, [CDs, boxes, books, etc.] Remember, this is a BIG package, the kind of release that an "ordinary" record company would see as crazy. Perhaps that is why I'm so passionate about making it available.

Also, there are percentages to be paid to my management and my publisher. This is the way that things work...It takes many people, many hours, to get my music from my head to your hi-fi. It's important to be aware that all this is being made by enthusiasts, not big record companies. Cash flow is a constant problem in these situations, the required resources simply don't exist. Any losses are borne by small companies, not big ,well established organisations such as EMI who could easily afford to underwrite such an undertaking but don't have the vision, or the guts, to do so.

For myself, music is my life, as I'm sure you all know by now. For all my perceived "bravery" in producing only the kind of music I personally want to make, regardless of "commercial" pressures, I'm still concerned that my work finds sympathetic ears, like minds, to consummate it's existence...

All of the above may be transparently obvious, in which case, none of this needs to be said. But, as I write these words, Emiko is listening to the test CDs of "NOISE CANDY", downstairs in the lounge and from what I can hear, you're all in for a treat when it's finally fulfilling it's purpose.

To those of you who have doubts about the "system," you're not alone. But in the real world, this is how it is. Ideally, things would be otherwise but I'm up against the same wall as everyone else. It's a small miracle that this music exists at all.

I may be "older and wiser" but when I sit down to make a piece of music I'm as innocent and enthusiastic as a beginner...I've often appeared over modest about my achievements in the past but I DO know how much they have meant to some people and I'm deeply grateful for that. They've meant a great deal to me too, more than you'll ever know. My one dream is that I will continue to create work that will encourage and inspire YOU, as well as myself. No matter how meagre the means, you will never be short changed.

Bill Nelson
June 25, 2000

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