Bill Nelson Articles and Interviews
This page lists over 50 interviews and articles on Be Bop Deluxe, Red Noise-era, and Bill's solo career.  If you have a contribution or are the author of an article, please contact me at webmaster@billnelson.com for submission

Jon Wallinger Interviews Bill Nelson
December 14, 2000
7 pictures, appx 650kb in text/pictures
Read it on One Big Web Page, or on Six Different Web Pages

Total Guitar (UK)
February 1999 issue
Scan of the article (129K JPG)

The Skeleton Man
by Adrian Wilson
"Last July [1998] I was commissioned to write an article about 'local heroes' for a book to celebrate the sculptor Henry Moore's centenary year, which in the end never saw the light of day. Naturally enough, I chose BN, for very personal reasons, many of which are covered in the essay. I think it may give you a different perspective, perhaps, on Bill's roots."

New Statesman (UK)
January 1, 1999 article "In Praise of Older Men" by Richard Cook.

Lenin Imports
December 13, 1998 interview with Bill Nelson

Billboard
July 11, 1998
Robert Fripp's Label Does It His Way
Lengthy article on Fripp and the Discipline Global Mobile label.  A short sentence on Bill's proposed September releases: the new album "Atom Shop", and the double-CD "What's Now, What's Next".

Guitar Player - 148K JPG of article
There is an article in April, 1998 isssue of Guitar Player on Bill and his approach to "Maid in Heaven".

Record Collector (UK)
December 1997, Issue 220
cover story by Mark Hodkinson
It's massive!  A must for any Nelsonphile and necessary for any Bill Nelson or Be Bop Deluxe collector.  

Ebow the Transistor
by Craig Peacock
An interview exclusive to the web site. Interview from November 1, 1996, just before a Channel Light Vessel concert in Tokyo Covers creative process on Excellent Spirits; new albums, the new label, management, favorites, etc.

All Saints Bugle
July, 1996 issue
Brief article on Channel Light Vessel and a bit by Roger Eno

Guitarist Magazine
1996, Excellent article on Bill's career, mostly on Be Bop Deluxe and "After the Satellite Sings"

Flakk
1996, Interview done about the time My Secret Studio was released.  Talk is about recent releases and favorite bands at the time.

The Independent
December, 1995
Newspaper article that skims the highlights of Bill's career.

Sound On Sound
1995 Comprehensive article on Bill's creative process on Practically Wired, Crimsworth, My Secret Studio, and his work with Channel Light Vessel.

Guitar Player
October, 1995
Small article on the making of Practically Wired.

Alternative Press
September, 1995
Very short article that deals with the release of Practically Wired.

Future Music
July, 1995
Quick question-and-answer session with Bill.

Electronic Musician
May, 1995
Extensive article on Bill's career, equipment, and thoughts on the recording process.

All Saints Bugle
Fall/Winter 1994
Bill Nelson interview with Jasper Jasmin featuring, among other things, Bill's humorous reply about meeting some musicians at the Mick Ronson memorial concert. Funny, obviously drunken Q&A session at the end.

Gnosis
Summer 1994
Excerpt from an article
Deals mainly with Bill's spiritual side and his involvement in various groups.

Fond Affexxions
1993 Extensive interview with Bill covering everything from his divorce, legal problems with his ex-manager, working with Roger Eno & Harold Budd. It's definitely an interview where even the most hardcore Nelsonphile might learn a few new things.

Musician
1992 Brilliant, lengthy article covers Luminous, Bill's management & financial troubles. Excellent co-interview with Robert Wyatt, who is equally engaging and candid. Includes 3 black and white photos & studio gear information.

Guitar
1991 Musician-oriented interview that gets into equipment. Covers a large time period - from the late 60's, though the Be Bop Deluxe era, to the Demonstrations of Affection album and recent management problems.

Sound on Sound
1991 Excellent, long article about the aborted Be Bop Deluxe resusitation, the resulting album, Luminous. Technical stuff. Philsophical musings. Talk of the Altar Pieces project, doing the Dream Demon soundtrack, and his plans for the future.

Acquitted by Mirrors
Issue 15, 1990
Very revealing interview about his troubled marriage, management problems, moving to a new house and setting up Studio Rose-Croix, AKA God's Loft. Discussion of equipment, the Simplex soundtrack, working on the Dream Demon soundtrack, the eventually aborted Be Bop Deluxe project, and going to North London to an Irish pub with John Leckie and playing country and western music live.

Spiral Scratch
December, 1990
This interview with Bill was done at the same time as the ABM15 one.

Musician
May, 1989
Covers solo career, Chance Encounters, Optimism, other recent projects, equipment.

Option Magazine
1987 Straightforward article on Bill's career leading up to the On a Blue Wing album.

Guitar World
January, 1987
Very short article covering On A Blue Wing

New Hi-Fi Sound
June 1987 articles
612KB download in Adobe Acrobat format, 3 pages
Adobe Acrobat Reader required, click here to get it.

Creem
April, 1987
Short article covering Bill's career and On A Blue Wing

Sound on Sound
1986 Article deals mainly with the creative aspects of making Getting the Holy Ghost Across

Sounds
April 19, 1986
Article/Interview is mostly about the occult things involved with Getting the Holy Ghost Across

Electronic Soundmaker & Computer Music
April 1985
Short article/interview on the release of Trial By Intimacy, working on Getting The Holy Ghost Across, and studio gear info.

London Evening Standard
1985 Brief article on some of Bill's favorite things

Electronic Soundmaker and Computer Music
April 1985 article
280KB download in Adobe Acrobat format, 2 pages
Adobe Acrobat Reader required, click here to get it.

Home Studio Recording
January 1985 article
736KB download in Adobe Acrobat format, 3 pages
Adobe Acrobat Reader required, click here to get it.

Home Studio Recording
December 1984 article
1200KB download in Adobe Acrobat format, 5 pages
Adobe Acrobat Reader required, click here to get it.

Rockbill
1984 article around the time of Vistamix in the US.
first set of pages (217K jpg) | second set of pages (266K jpg)

Trouser Press
1984 "Autodiscography" by Bill. Deals only with solo records. Quite a bit about his early days, Northern Dream, Red Noise, Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam, Das Kabinet/La Belle et la Bete, Love That Whirls, Flaming Desire & Other Passions EP, and Chimera. Also reveals some plans for the future.

Breakout
A short article from the Liverpool arts and music magazine in August of 1983.

One Two Testing
1983 short article on Bill's eight tracks that he would put on a Walkman - and why. (126KB JPG scan of article)

Melody Maker
1983 Deals with the making of Chimera and other items at the time.

Family Circle (UK)
1982 Yes, the same housewife/supermarket checkout magazine that's available in the US - only it's a UK edition. This features photos of Bill's old Cromwellian estate, former wife Jan, and children Elle & Elliot when they were very young. A rare find, indeed!

New Musical Express
The Velvet Gentleman by Bill Nelson
An article Bill wrote on composer Erik Satie in 1982

RockBill
May, 1982
Brief article covering post Be-Bop success in England and lack of it in America

Trouser Press
1981 Extensive article covering Quit Dreaming, why Red Noise broke up, his change in management, and future projects.

International Musician and Recording World
1980 Article on starting Cocteau Records, after Red Noise, reflecting on Be Bop Deluxe.
Includes two pictures.

Bill Nelson's Foreward for Tony Mitchell's book The SOUNDS Book of the Electric Guitar
1980

Trouser Press
1979 Bill Nelson's Red Noise Revolts Into Style
includes a picture of Red Noise and one of Bill

Beat Magazine
January 1978
Five different JPG files that are 5 pages of the article/pictures.  Fifth Page are around 70KB.  The rest are around 150KB in size.  Nice info on old synths, guitars, and the Hagstrom 'Patch 2000' guitar synth.
First Page | Second Page | Third Page | Fourth Page | Fifth Page

Zig Zag
Late 1977
Big interview about the time of Modern Music's release.  About touring, religion, etc.

Unknown
Late 1977
Keeping A Watch On The Wild Side - or how to engage in languid nightflittery while living in Wakefield by Angus MacKinnon

Guitar Player
March, 1977
Short interview about guitars. Includes two pictures.

Charlie Tumahai Visa Problems
A variety of articles concerning Charlie's visa problems in 1976-1977.

Be Bop Deluxe Biography
late 1976
9 paragraph article on the release of Modern Music from the Tour Programme

Street Life Issue 7 (UK Music Magazine)
early 1976
Be Bop: Cocteau The Night Away
Review of Sunburst Finish by Angus MacKinnon

Street Life Issue 7 (UK Music Magazine)
early 1976
Trains To Heaven Are Hard To Find: Be Bop's Bill Nelson talks to Angus MacKinnon

Sounds Magazine
Late 1975
3 paragraph article about the forthcoming album (Sunburst Finish) by Geoff Barton

Sounds Magazine
Late 1975
Second part of the Geoff Barton article

NME
August 3, 1974
Article about Be Bop Deluxe

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