Deluxe Devise De Future
unknown author, appx late 1975

Gamble

They’re both likeable chaps and they’re both still high with the success of the second album ‘Futurama’ and its lively sales both here and in the US. But at the moment, they’re most concerned about production.

"The main criticism of ‘Futurama’ was its production," says Tumahai, "Roy Thomas Baker, Queen’s producer, handles it, and..."

"I like Roy as a bloke," reflects Nelson, cutting of Tumahai once again. "He’s great for Queen and at the time of recording the album we thought he’d be OK for us. But after listening to the final result several times, we came to the conclusion that one or two things could have been underplayed. The songs tended to get lost in the effects.

"So we decided to produce the next one, along with a sympathetic engineer. We plan to use effects, sure, but only as incidental things, not as an integral part of one massive production. It could be a total failure. We’ve never really tried to do something like this before. If it doesn’t work, well have to swallow our pride and look for a producer again. It’s a gamble for us in many ways."

"The new album’s going to be called ‘Sunburst Finish’," says Tumahai, while Nelson catches his breath. "It’ll tie in with the titles of the other two . . ."

"It’s a guitar theme, you see," continues Nelson. "Our first LP was ‘Axe Victim’ — the connection’s obvious — ‘Futurama’, is the name of a cheap guitar that many kids buy when they first start playing. Both have double meanings as well, of course: ‘Sunburst Finish’, as well as recalling maybe a sunset or something, is the name of an actual guitar finish that you can find in the catalogues."

Tumahai: "We have most of the songs prepared already..."

Nelson: "I don’t know if it’s going to be a concept, though there’s always a certain element of science fiction in the songs. Maybe that’ll become more clearly defined when we begin recording.

"I’ve written one song called ‘Life In The Air Age’. ‘Life in the air age is not what the brochures say’ it goes. ‘Life in the air age it’s too dangerous to stay. Life in the air age —airships crashing every day’." It sounds like Michael Moorcock's ‘Warlord Of The Air’ series of novels, but Nelson is only familiar with the author’s Jerry. Cornelius books.

"I’ve also got one titled ‘Sleep That Burns’. It’s all about the stage between waking and sleeping, when hundreds of thoughts can flash through your mind." Tumahai remains silent, and Nelson proceeds: "In all, there are eleven songs — and what I do know is that the album is going to last longer than ‘Futurama’. At the same time, it’ll be more accessible and will give a greater insight into Be-Bop Deluxe as a band

Ambitious

Looking at previous Be-Bop Deluxe articles, I got the overall impression that, although Nelson is far from being egocentrical, he nonetheless sees the band as a means to his own personal; ambitious end. The interview served to highlight this point — with Nelson acting the spokesman and Tumahai very much in the background. Still, I wondered if the situation had changed at all and that whether now, with the success of ‘Futurama’ and a new album just around the corner, there’s any more of a group feeling.

"There it a group feeling, certainly," says Nelson, before Tumahai can reply. "But from my point of view — not from the rest of the. band’s, I don’t know what they have planned for the see myself as a musician for the rest of my life.

"There are several other things’ I want to do," he continues "But I have to make the band successful so I can get the money. to do them. This is all in the very long term, however.

"After all, the Beatles said that they didn’t want to be playing rock and roll when they were 30, although they still are. I just hope that when I’m 32, 33 or thereabouts, I won’t just be playing guitar.

"To attain this success, we have to keep very busy," he comes down to earth for a moment. "We're writing, rehearsing, going out on the road, I’ve not time for anything else. In fact, we’re fully booked up until next August

"Yeah." drawls Tumahai, "no matter what Bill says, the band have a long time yet before any of us can think about retiring." He grins widely, having managed to say the final word.

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