Bill Nelson News 1996
Early 1996:
Channel Light Vessel's second album, Excellent Spirits, was recorded during this time period, with Bill also handling production chores.
March, 1996:
Bill gets four tracks included on the Voiceprint/Resurgence sampler, Isn't It About Time You Had A Little Resurgence In Your Collection?
They are:
Bill Nelson - Crimsworth (extract)
Bill Nelson - Begin to Burn
Culturemix with Bill Nelson - Luna Park
Bill Nelson - Flipside
The CD is available in the March 1996 issue of The Wire (UK only), also available via: Voiceprint Mail-Order, P.O Box 50, Houghton-le-Spring Tyne & Wear, DH4 5YP ENGLAND
Early April, 1996:
The Bill Nelson WWW Site moves to its second location (Internet Navigator), away from Primenet. By the end of 1996 this web site will be generating over 1000 hits a month.
April/May, 1996:
Bill released his solo album, After the Satellite Sings, on April 30th in the US on Gyroscope, May 14th in England on Resurgence. To promote it, Bill went on a small in-store tour in the United States and England. He started on May 7th in Los Angeles, May 9th in San Francisco, then to New York City for another live appearance. A few days after that he appeared in Manchester, England. Bill played guitar and sang to backing tracks. This time he played songs from his new album, in addition to some brand-new instrumentals and some improvisation. Fans were armed with camcorders and photo cameras this time around and many captured the performances in full.
The album was a surprise to longtime fans with elements of jungle and drums'n'bass incorporated quite successfully into several songs. Numerous tracks got US airplay, including "Ordinary Idiots" and "Streamliner". One song, "Squirm" was aimed squarely at his ex-manager, with whom Bill had filed a lawsuit against for several claims. Fans loved the album. Reviews are very positive - three stars in Q Magazine. Sales aren't enough for the album to chart anywhere, but momentum is building and Bill's career is on a definite upswing. No singles are released, even though there are obvious contenders like "Flipside", "Dreamster 2.L.R. (Tomorrow Yesterday)", "Ordinary Idiots", "Streamliner", "Rocket to Damascus" and others.
Available through the Bill Nelson Record Store
June/July, 1996:
Just two months later (depending on where you are) comes Channel Light Vessel's second album, Excellent Spirits. Much more rhythmically-oriented than 1994's Automatic, the album prominently features breakbeats, hi-speed rhythms, and all members, including Laraaji, singing. It was released in June on All Saints (UK), Polydor KK (Japan, with two extra tracks featuring alumni member Mayumi Tachibana on cello), and on July 30th in the US.
The album does garner great reviews with Q Magazine giving it four stars. The lead-off song, "The Invisible Spectator", perhaps one of the best chances Bill's ever had for a hit song, is not released as a single. Apparently the album will disappoint the new age crowd that embraced Automatic's tranquil moments and chamber-like elements. A summer tour of the US was planned and then scrapped. All the members keep busy anyway, with Roger Eno putting out a solo album; Bill working on My Secret Studio 2 and the creation of his new label, Populuxe; and Kate St. John doing session work and playing keyboards with Everything But The Girl on Late Night with David Letterman.
Available through the Bill Nelson Record Store
Summer 1996:
Nelsonian Navigator comes out with a third issue, along with a special 12" vinyl record featuring three songs from After the Satellite Sings. It's a club-only release.
September, 1996:
Word arrives that Bill's new label will be called Populuxe and after the first of the year will arrive a double CD set. The first album will be called Weird Critters and the second will be called Magnificent Dream People. After this initial release Bill will start to re-release the 1980's Cocteau Records catalog, including the long-delayed album Simplex.
October/November, 1996:
Channel Light Vessel played LaForet Museum in Tokyo on October 31 and November 1, 1996. The title of the performances was Same Shape, Different Meaning. The band included all current members (L to R: Roger Eno, Bill Nelson, Laraaji, and Kate St. John), as well as Mayumi Tachibana, who played cello on their 1994 release, Automatic. The support acts included 30-minute sets by solo Bill Nelson, solo Kate St. John, and Audio Active + Laraaji.
To see pictures of Bill taken at this
concert, go to the Gallery
December 12, 1996:
A previously unreleased instrumental by Bill Nelson appears on the new Echoes Living Room Concerts, Volume 2 CD.
The track is entitled "Themis Aurea"
For more information, including how to buy the CD, go to the Echoes web site at http://www.pri.org/echoes
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