The year 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of Bill Nelson's recording career and to celebrate this Esoteric Recordings announce a new release on their recently launched Cocteau Discs imprint, the lavish boxed set The Practice Of Everyday Life ~ Celebrating 40 Years Of Recordings'
This is the most extensive and detailed anthology of Bill's astoundingly creative career to date. Over the past four decades Bill has consistently proved himself to be one of Britain's most original and creative musicians, exploring an astonishing diversity of musical styles, consistently pushing musical boundaries and earning the admiration of legions of fans throughout the world and enlightened critics alike. As a guitarist, Bill ranks as a great and uniquely gifted figure, but this eclectic selection of tracks also highlights his work as a singer/songwriter and instrumental composer.
The 1971 album Northern Dream was the first release of his illustrious career. Although recorded on rudimentary equipment at a small Wakefield recording studio, the record was a fine early example of an independently produced album. Northern Dream was championed by the legendary DJ John Peel and paved the way for Bill's future career, beginning with his legendary band Be Bop Deluxe, (a group who recorded five successful studio albums plus a live album for EMI's Harvest label), and the equally innovative Red Noise. His acclaimed solo career continued with the release of the album Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam , and a succession of diverse releases for both major labels and his own independent company, Cocteau Records (a venture which saw Bill become a pioneer of the do-it-yourself approach to recording and releasing music).
Track listed by Bill himself, this deluxe anthology gathers together more than 150 tracks over Eight CDs. The set begins with his earliest recordings and includes previously unreleased material by Be Bop Deluxe, along with examples from Bill'sextensive solo catalogue, exploring a wide range of styles. The anthology also includes a selection of material from his more recent albums, self-released by Bill on his Sonoluxe label. The set is rounded off by the inclusion of a bonus CD featuring two previously unreleased BBC Radio One sessions from 1981 and 1983 respectively.
CD One: Photograph (A Beginning) / Northern Dreamer / See it Through / Love’s A Way / Be Bop Deluxe - Teenage Archangel / Be Bop Deluxe - Jets at Dawn (Smile single version) / Be Bop Deluxe – Axe Victim (Previously unreleased) / Be Bop Deluxe – Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape / Be Bop Deluxe – Darkness L’Immoraliste / Be Bop Deluxe – Night Creatures / Be Bop Deluxe – Music in Dreamland / Be Bop Deluxe – Maid in Heaven / Be Bop Deluxe – Jean Cocteau / Be Bop Deluxe – Sister Seagull / Be Bop Deluxe – Between the Worlds / Be Bop Deluxe – Swan Song / Be Bop Deluxe – Crystal Gazing / Be Bop Deluxe – Heavenly Homes / Be Bop Deluxe – Ships in the Night / Be Bop Deluxe – Crying to the Sky (alternate guitar solo- Previously unreleased) / Be Bop Deluxe – Sleep That Burns
CD Two: Be Bop Deluxe – Modern Music Suite: Modern Music / Dancing in the Moonlight (All Alone) / Honeymoon on Mars / Lost in the Neon World / Dance of the Uncle Sam Humanoids / Modern Music (reprise) / Be Bop Deluxe – Kiss of Light / Be Bop Deluxe – Forbidden Lovers / Be Bop Deluxe – Down on Terminal Street / Be Bop Deluxe – Life in the Air Age (live) / Be Bop Deluxe – Piece of Mine (live) / Be Bop Deluxe – Blimps / Be Bop Deluxe – Futurist Manifesto / Be Bop Deluxe – Lovers are Mortal / Be Bop Deluxe – Surreal Estate /Be Bop Deluxe – Visions of Endless Hope / Be Bop Deluxe – Panic in the World (Juan Les Pins mix) / Bill Nelson’S RED NOISE – Don’t Touch Me (I’m Electric) / Bill Nelson’S RED NOISE – Revolt into Style / Bill Nelson’S RED NOISE – Furniture Music / Bill Nelson’S RED NOISE – Stay Young (live) / Bill Nelson’S RED NOISE – Out of Touch (live) / Do You Dream in Colour?
CD Three: Banal / Life Runs Out Like Sand / Living in My Limousine / Mr. Magnetism Himself / Sleep / Opium / Near East / The Funeral / The Sonambulist and the Children / The Dream Dance of Jane and the Sonambulist / Beauty and the Beast / The Enchanted Glove / Eros Arriving / Hope for the Heartbeat / A Private View / The October Man / The Passion / Echo in Her Eyes (The Lamps of Oblivion) / Glow World / The Real Adventure / Acceleration (short version) / Happily Addicted to You / The Last Summer for Dancing / Les Amoureux / Another Kiss for Your Slender Neck
CD Four: The Eternal Female / Sleeplessness / The Golden Bough / Tomorrowland (The Threshold of 1947) / Sacrament / Over Ocean / Perfido Incanto / City One / Blue Sky / To the Sea in Ships / Suvasini / Contemplation / Wildest Dreams / The Hidden Flame / Illusions of You / Search and Listen / Right Then Left / Iconography / Clock Conscious / At the Gates of the Singing Garden / Water of Life (Transfiguration) / Spinning Creatures / The Angel at the Western Window / Day of Eternity / Night Tides / Finis Gloria Mundi
CD Five: Calling Heaven, Calling Heaven / Deva Dance / Um, Ah Good Evening / Short Wave / Aqua Magica / Heros de Lumiere / Kiss Goodbye / Dreams of Yesterday / Playing Jesus to Her Judas / Still Waiting / Feels Like Up to Me / Only Love Can Tell / Broken / Heartbreak Thru the Telephone / Love’s Immortal Shining Angel / Man on Fire / Aeroplane Wings / Stay With Me / A Luminous Kind of Guy / Is This Alchemy / Wait for Tomorrow / God Man Slain / Boat to Forever / The Invisible Man and the Unforgettable Girl / Dream Ships Set Sail / Crimsworth Part One (excerpt)
CD Six: Big Noise in Twang Town / Pink Buddah Blues / Her Presence in Flowers / Big River / The Big Illumination / Buddah Head / Begin to Burn / Heaven’s Happy Hemisphere / It’s All True / Year 44 (The Birthday Song) / Dreamnoise and Angel / No Fool For You /On a Train I Never Boarded / Hold on to Your Heart / Deeply Dazzled / Memory Babe / Zoom Sequence / Quarter Moons and Stars / Candyland / Sun at Six Windows / Queer Weather / The Girl I Never Forgot
CD Seven: Pointing at the Moon / Dreamland Avenue / Humming in the Void / Girl with the Thousand Watt Smile / Big Yellow Moon / Planet of Guitars / Wonderful Weather in Woodgates Lane / The Ceremonial Arrival of the Great Golden Cloud / Moments Catch Fire on the Crests of Waves / Cascade (Improvisation for Three Harp Guitars) / Superserene / Young Dreams Whirled Away / Fearless Beauty (Kisses and Cream) / The Golden Days of Radio (Compact Mix) / The Trace We Left When All Was Gone / Once I Had a Time Machine / Music Spins My Globe / Moon Gold Palladium
CD Eight: Bill Nelson AT THE BBC 1981 – 1983
Rooms with Brittle Views / Stay Young / Sleep Cycle / Jazz
(BBC Radio One John Peel show session - Recorded 2nd June 1981)
Dancing on a Knife’s Edge / Time Tracking / Contemplation / Indiscretion
(BBC Radio One David "Kid” Jensen show session - Recorded January 13th 1983)
