May: I Come Again - A Glorious Red Noise

The other day I recieved the following comment from dear friend Richie Muster. He sez:
       "I hope I'm not too late to the revisits party, but I was wondering if you had any more Bill Nelson to share with us? Cheers, and all the best."  

At the time I just kinda blew him off. I sez:
      "I'm near done with the revisits & an working on the start of June, so Bill Nelson might have to wait until the next time I'm "Playing the Bills". Those due notes roll around often enough that I'm sure I'll be Playing them soon. I'll make sure he is on the top of the heap. Always more to share with Mr. Bill."  

I got to thinking that wasn't too kool. He's a great friend, a frequent commentor, & one of my inspirations for things to share around here. Plus, in April he had a bit of bad luck.

On April 25 Richie sez:
     "Alas...2 days ago my house got flooded out by a burst water main. 2nd time in 18 months! What're the odds on that? All is chaos, chez Muster. Anyways, thanks very much, as ever. I've got an industrial dehumidifier & 2 huge fans blowing 24hrs a day, drying the house. It sounds like a very boring Merzbow album. Carpets & rugs ruined, as were 90 albums I had lined up on the floor, which ironically would have been safely up on my shelves had the flood happened a few days later. Because it was a water utility fault, there's some compensation due (I'll get a new carpet for sure) but there's no guarantee they'll pay out for the lost vinyl. What can I say, they're a rapacious capitalist company; natch the'll want to stiff me. I'll know in a few weeks." 

 

So as a more proper response to a good mate, here are a few releases from Bill's Be Bop follow-up band Red Noise. The band was created as a "new start & new direction" for Nelson. They were only active throughout 1979, even performing a UK tour throughout March of that year, but by 1980 the band had disintegrated, marking the beginning of Bill Nelson's solo career.

Red Noise were: Bill Nelson - guitar, vocals, synthesizer; his younger brother Ian Nelson - saxophone, string machine;  Simon Clark - keyboards (ex-Be Bop Deluxe); Rick Ford - bass: &  Steve Peer - drums. 

 

Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Furniture Music 7" 45, Harvest HAR5176, 1979.
all decryption codes in comments

Side A -
Furniture Music

Side B -
Wonder Toys That Last Forever
Acquitted by Mirrors

bonus tracks -
Waiting for the Night
Possession

 

 

 

This next one was released under Bill's name as the songs "Do You Dream in Colours?" & "Atom Man Loves Radium Girl" were just Bill & Ian.  However, the other two tracks are stunning exercises in quirky, angular New Wave quite unlike anything else available in the UK in 1980.  They are 100% Red Noise...

Bill Nelson - Do You Dream in Colour? 7", Cocteau Records COQ1, 1980.

Side A -
Do You Dream In Colour?

Side B -
Ideal Homes
Instantly Yours
Atom Man Loves Radium Girl

bonus tracks - 
That Way for Years
Disposable

 

 

 

 

On the following, "Stay Young" & "Out of Touch" (tracks on b-side) were recorded live at the Leicester deMontfort Hall, March 8th, 1979.

 

 

Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Bill Nelson's Red Noise 12" 45, Cocteau Records COQT8, 1983.

Side A -
Revolt into Style
Furniture Music

Side B -
Stay Young
Out of Touch

bonus track -
Substitute Flesh

 

 

Revisiting, 

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