Be Bop Deluxe - The Making of 'Futurama' [Interview with Bill Nelson]

[@KoolKatDave]

Bill is a National treasure! You Brits are lucky to have him.

[@Broadfieldpoint]

Without question or hesitation, the most under rated guitarist in English history. This guy absolutely smokes many of the "big names" in the 70-80's.

[@ronaldcavill6582]

I agree absolutely Never had chance to see him live. Can't remember him playing around my patch north London. Anyway the earlier bands. Axe victim. Furturama and sunburst were incredible and still play him at my age 72.

[@Blackscorpion1963]

Broadfieldpoint - excellent comment totally endorse it too.

[@mcdirt7838]

100%

[@lahaza6515]

Absolutely without a doubt. His feel is unbelievable. The guy can communicate with that thing like nobody's business.

[@mickymillersson4376]

Up here in Yorkshire we'd sum up Bill's guitar playing as simply, "shit hot"

[@wobblysdad3919]

Wonderful to see Bill talking here. You can just see what a lovely guy he is. My favourite Be-Bop album, a total inspiration for me as a young guitarist. As a kid I hitchhiked from Norwich to Yorkshire with a rucksack of Be-Bop album covers and found his house. He chatted to my mate and I for a couple hours and gave me a Red Noise programme. Top man!

[@minorracket2854]

I've been a fan of this record since age 14.. Their best most progressive album. Nelson is a true guitar god and sadly under rated!

[@redmoonspider]

My favorite one.

[@MrTFH1]

Maid in Heaven, na, MADE in Heaven (wherever that is). Perfection in 3 or whatever minitues. And the rest.....Beauty..

[@banishedfromthedwarfplanet530]

It's a great album, but I think Sunburst Finnish is more progressive, musically speaking.

[@paulbuxton1326]

Bills brilliant forget the stupid lists he’s up there 🙏

[@gw2934]

As a guitarist I could learn and play Blackmore or Page riffs in a couple of hours,,try to learn and play Bill Nelson leads of live in the air age ? Couple of days and you might have the bones of it but you realise this man is super special and unique,, so fluid with an intoxicating mix of blues jazz rock at blinding speed and still so melodic,,the man is unmatched! !!

[@kasimsultonfan]

Saw him a good few years back on a rare live outing at Leeds Irish Centre. I've never seen such amazing technique , before or since.

[@crosbymalcolm7305]

I guess Im quite off topic but do anyone know a good place to watch newly released series online?

[@Blackscorpion1963]

GW - excellent comment bro. Such an under rated musician/axer of his generation who as you said could add to his repertoire a bluesy jazz feel/sound at blinding speed...now all the so called 'gangsta rock axers' of the time including Blackmore, Page, and Gallagher, Moore perhaps all rocked the crap out of their axes...but very few and I mean F-E-W could add in a bluesy jazz feel to their playing/style. In that essence imho Be Bop Deluxe and Roxy Music were in effect almost GENRES of music! And also imho it's these groups/artists/musicians who are the REAL gneuine geniuses of music. Why? Because their creativity was so NEW and UN-plagiarized! As I say they almost created a new music genre! They are the true artists. They take a piece of this and a piece of that and add it in to their style. And then play it at BLISTERING speeds...

[@ghmusic8116]

GW Well said! His playing on Live in the Airage (1977) is amazing, Shine & Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape fine examples not to mention the Keyboard wizardry of Andy Clark 2 criminally underrated musicians.

[@KoolKatDave]

Too right! Randy Rhoads cited Bill as an influence.

[@jackhughesbooks]

Bill Nelson is a musical genius- his blue moons and laughing guitars is another star in his prolific and outstanding output. Great hearing this interview. Thanks

[@mr.bloodvessel260]

A favorite of mine is the 4lp box called Trial by Intimacy, the book Splendor. An echo observatory special!

[@Eddison548]

A brilliant interview. Bill is such a nice guy. B B D were my secret inspiration.

[@MarkJPerry]

What a sincere pleasure to hear 1st hand all about the history, technical and personal stuff behind the album. The only exercise I got in the seventies was walking across my room to put flip the album back over and set the needle down on the vinyl for the gazillionth time. Super guy and still a huge influence.

[@waynecatalde3249]

Brilliant interview, what a pleasure to have the opportunity to see Bill remissness about a recording done so long ago. Also an absolute pleasure to have an interviewer who really knows Bills work. Thank you Cherry Red.

[@sinnertrain7405]

Some of the greatest guitar playing ever recorded is on Futurama, in my opinion. I'm a huge fan of Bill Nelson and BBD. I was lucky enough to see them live twice back in the 70's (they were the supporting band each time but I went to see BBD, not the headliner).

[@screamingdizbuster7722]

This is one of my favorite rock albums of all time. Absolutely brilliant, from the first track to the last.

[@1990-t1j]

Very good interviewer and the interviewee ... well, he's one of my heroes and 'Futurama' was one of the top albums of the 70s. BBD were Yorkshire's best ever export.

[@leeder92]

This interview answers so many questions. Bill I love you, you have been my main influence as a guitarist since listening to Sunburst Finish in the 70's.

[@dougreed2257]

What a smashing bloke, extremely talented, why is he not more well known??

[@alsmudger]

Bill Nelson, very underrated guitar legend and a nice bloke. Beautiful Gibson Loved his solo's and his sound, not just on Futurama. Great album, still playing it now. The perfomances on John peel were great.

[@ralphus555]

Humble genius. What a talent!

[@slimedog]

Very underrated, his album Red Noise is one if the best albums during the punk era.

[@ianheath1737]

We hitch hiked from chesterfield to Bradford university in 1975 to see bbd play there we arrived early and ended up in the uni bar chatting to bill and Charlie bless him , I bought a copy of northern dream and the single teenage archangel earlier that day and bill signed them both ! Top top bloke👍🏻

[@mcgrane1234]

Bill is a legend

[@michaelflaherty1358]

Super talented musician and a Yorkshire lad too. Doesn't get any better.

[@rickshearer]

Thanks for this kid in the candy shop excitement of producing this interview for a huge Be Bop Deluxe fan!! 🎼🎧🎸🎙🥁🎹

[@lorenneufeld4306]

An iconic recording for Bill and BBD but also for myself then when it first came to fruition! How I basked in its glory then and still to this day! The words, the music, just a revelation! I fell into the 'rabbit-hole' and remain there still...

[@michaelrogers7426]

I want to comment on one song on this fantastic album. The solo on SoundTrack is one of the most engrossing and ascending guitar solos every recorded. Hearing the guitar strings being strummed so rapidly near the end of the song is unique and transporting, and then burning off into the fade. This song seems to have been unknown by people with no US radio airplay at the time and needs to be immortalized into guitar history.

[@thedoc6320]

my favorite too by a country mile

[@captnodge]

I've not heard this yet.but your description gave me the goosebumps alone I will now

[@michaelrogers7426]

Let me know what you think

[@captnodge]

@@michaelrogers7426 yes well recommended .wild wild playing Now for the rest of the album

[@flashcracker1]

Well said. It is magical and enchanting and uplifting and I will never tire of listening to it.

[@salvelegio1425]

Dear Bill and all the lads in the band. Love forever. May all good things come your way, in one form or another. Carlie R.I.P. Keep on Bop’ing always in Delux. Love M

[@scentdesigner1]

Futurama is a Epic Album from Mr Nelson. One of the best rock songs all times. It's complex and brilliant made for this time in 1975. Bill knows how to bend stings. He is a true guitar Hero

[@felixfelix7447]

I find it hard to believe that such an incredible body of work was produced by such a mild mannered laid back man. All credit to you Bill....🙂

[@Mirror_D_80s]

Great interview. Bill Nelson is extraordinary. hope there will be an interview about Bill's 80's Gnostic music.

[@uncleambient]

Yeah I loved 'Getting The Holy Ghost Across'.

[@sixbladeknife44]

The songs and playing on Futurama are MEGA! Those of us know, know…Bill has always been a massive talent.

[@user-bl5jr5vz6i]

Bill is the greatest

[@chriswalford9228]

My first date with the love of my life 1976 Portsmouth Guildhall. Sunburst tour as I call it smoking tubes and burning guitars . I lost the love of my life but still have the music and memories

[@donbrashsux]

Charlie went on to form a band called Herbs in NZ ..there music is timeless with amazing beat and beautiful lyrics with Charlie at the front ..RiP Charlie ..NZ music Icon

[@barrycardiss4851]

Sea of tranquility, an American guy who lists his favourite artists, bands, songs etc has recently covered Be Bops albums, big fan...

[@philsalsbery9994]

I've also been a huge fan of Futurama since I was 14. I had a copy on 8 track tape and played it until the tape stretched and failed while driving with my buddies in my old 1970 Pontiac Firebird all around the southern California beaches. All great tracks for sure, but I think Sound Track still remains a special favorite of mine. It is a relentless jam! Great interview with an icon in music.

[@gailal]

Superb interview, I thoroughly enjoyed watching that. I dont think the track “Stage Whispers” was discussed.

[@dmackay1499]

Brilliant - so good to witness an interviewer who really knows what Bill is about and also knows "Futurama" so well. Makes for a great and revealing interview. Clapton, Beck, Knopfler get the kudos as being the great UK guitarists of the 70s, but Bill Nelson is more creative than any off them and his work more enduring. To me he is our best ever guitarist and also a more complete musician than the aforementioned. Promo video of "Maid in Heaven" - Bill must have borrowed the Telecaster as remember him posting that he has never owned one.

[@user-bl5jr5vz6i]

Bill is a true musical genius which sets him apart from other guitarists. His musical composition complements his guitar playing. For me Bill is probably the greatest guitarist of all time.

[@mainmaam]

Wow! I just about went through the roof when I saw this! Thanks for posting!

[@donnybrookstudio4366]

always been one of my favorite guitarists...

[@user-bl5jr5vz6i]

Bill is the greatest guitarist of all time.

[@petewoodroffemusic]

Bill is a great bloke and a fantastically exciting guitarist!

[@rydermike33]

A great musician and a gentleman. Many thanks for a great interview.

[@1990-t1j]

Just watched this briiliant interview again. Futurama's cover was/is superb. Nice bit towards the end about the late John Peel. Whenever I am offering words of advice to young people on the subject of music, I always tell them that there are two bands from the '70s they may not have heard of but should listen to: Be Bop Deluxe and Wishbone Ash.

[@Theexcellorator64]

I saw them a few times and as a fan of Free, then bad company, Sharks, Humble Pie etc. Be Bop Deluxe were a bit of a departure for me but I was completely blown away from the first. While everyone else was dressed in denim and clothes you would expect to see, Bill and company strode onstage looking like the local bank manager in three piece suits and played his Gibson like a demon magician. Great band, great music good to see him again.

[@scentdesigner1]

One of my all time favorit album.

[@ethanoreilly2002]

Absolutely superb interview, absolutely love Be-bop Deluxe and Bill Nelson, fascinating musical career and Futurama is phenomenal and so original!

[@pumkinbreath]

Please do a chat on Modern Music. Please

[@std882]

Excellent interview.

[@hertfordable]

I was at the 1976 Great British Rock Festival at Olympia, great bands like Bad Company, Nazareth, The Pretty Things. When Be Bop Deluxe came on they were amazing, I hadn’t heard of them but Bills Guitar playing was masterful.

[@crispyrobot77]

Every now and then, the perfect confluence of creative musical artists (and talented engineers) join minds and something very special happens: The music of Be Bop Deluxe.

[@superktmduke]

Great conversation, very nostalgic for me. Especially Grimethorpe brass band on Music in dreamland......my missus is from Grimey.....

[@supernothing4069]

This absolutely made my weekend! Thank you!

[@alan36753]

How puzzling! I definitely once heard someone on Radio1 say they were talking to John Peel (long after BBDeluxe had finished) and Bill walked by and said hello to John and this chap said to John who was that and apparently John had made some sarcastic remark about Bill. This would be around the same time that JP started to achieve cult grandad status with the young BBC listeners and for me that was the final nail in JP’s coffin having listened to his show from the 1970’s. Seems yer never too old to become a “celebrity” Lovely humble interview Bill and I genuinely want to thank you for adding musical technicolour to my grey youth

[@madogapmeurigfawr3287]

Wow - what a find. Saw Be Bop Deluxe in Cardiff Capitol late 70's - early - 80's and they were epic and the music still is fantastic.

[@garycard1826]

I've been watching your Documentaries/ Interviews, Bill and John. Very interesting after being a Be-Bop fan my whole life. Still among my TOP favorite records; All of them and by the way I think Axe Victim is as good as any of them, perhaps because that was my introduction to your music, perhaps less refined and complex but that may be the beauty of it. You're very humble Bill Nelson but continue to be my favorite rock guitarist and songwriter.

[@williamgormley2447]

Saw BBD October 8, 1977 at the Capitol Theater in Passaic NJ. They opened for Styx and absolutely crushed it. Three songs into Styx set a lot of folks had walked out, myself included. I was only there to see BBD anyway, and they did not disappoint.

[@Arizona-Sonoran-Desert-Guy]

I was also at that show to see BBD. Thank you for the name of the theatre and the date. The Ramones were the first act. I thought Styx opened for BBD because I remember getting impatient for Styx to get on with it so BBD could finally come out. Of course, Bill just blew the doors off with his magnificent playing and guitar prowess. I distinctly remember many in the audience being so inebriated or high they were having trouble staying awake or functional while Bill/BBD was playing. Perhaps seeing how incapacitated many in the audience were gave him the inspiration for the "Dance of the Uncle Sam Humanoids" song later on.

[@williamgormley2447]

@@Arizona-Sonoran-Desert-Guy I heard back from an old friend who was with me, and you are correct, Styx did open. I must have been in the lobby, looking for weed.

[@robdavidson1876]

Been a fan of Bill's since a teen!First album bought Axe Victim then the rest then almost all Bill's solo work!

[@redmoonspider]

My absolute favorite record Mr.Nelson. I would love to hear it all live.

[@frankiemcgovernsnr1933]

just about every album that bill does is a good bit ahead of it's time,I've been a fan [bebopper] since late teens, when I got sound on sound I thought what the f__k is this all about, but that album almost got worn through [vinyl freak] and became one of my all time favourite records bill nelson is the man and no mistake

[@jonnythegreek1]

Wow! Thanks so much for producing ad posting this piece! So many great tracks on this record. My fave is "Soundtrack" esp the ending guitar solo.

[@simonheathcote4173]

Snap. Utterly unsurpassed

[@bobbeyderbrain]

Brilliant. Thank you so much for this. What a hero x

[@gabrielrml]

Great musician, brilliant guitar player, fantastic songwriter, all Be Bop Deluxe albums are wonderful as are the Red noise Albums. If i ever get invited on to Desert Island Disks (which I wont) Blazing Apostles would be on my list.

[@paulmullins8425]

Love this mans work since 73 a huge influence for me and many others I’m sure, 🎸🎸🎸🎸🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@marcrobitaille4159]

Thanks Bill ! Futurama was a Direct Hit with an Atom Bomb on my Young Mind Then and Remains One of My All Time Favourites, Beautiful& Visionary, It Carries me to Other Worlds, even Now& Allways ! Merci & Thankyou for this Masterpiece of Music& Dreams. There Is a Thread Which Runs through Jean Cocteaus’Cinematic Work& Futuramas’Auditory Universe of Wonder... So glad I Opened That Door& Stepped through to Fly Onward to babble as I Do Now..! Thanks again for the Beautiful Work That Is FUTURAMA !

[@scoobydoo8847]

luv my manz Bill Nelson. Seriously. I can't believe he can't read music! He's such a genius and it would be really easy for him to learn

[@robertsmithers9059]

Thanks for all the great music, Bill! Was fortunate to see BBD on the Drastic Plastic tour at Calderone Concert Hall in NY, we booed opener Starz off the stage because we were there to see BBD!

[@evanwolf6618]

🐸 i was there , too !!

[@alanhampshire34]

Crying to the sky makes ME cry. Yorkshires finest.

[@user-bl5jr5vz6i]

Bill is the greatest guitarist of all time and a genius in composing

[@guitarworks2546]

One of the greatest moments I remember was watching Billy Sheehan’s band “Talas” playing a cover version of Sister Seagull in 1978(maybe79?) at The Gasworks in Toronto. They had a habit of taking their cover tunes to a greater level than the originals and the fact that they had even heard of BeBop Deluxe was a thrill enough, but the version they presented was truly special!

[@guitarworks2546]

Futurama and Sunburst Finish are both so ridiculously good “classic” albums that are just in a league of their own. I bought both in the mid 70’s and as a young guitarist, learned all of Bills trademark riffs. Really interesting and fresh sounding stuff… Now that we have KZbin watching some of the live performances (not the “mimed overdubs to studio tracks”) back in the day gives an even better perspective of how skilled a musician Bill is/was even 50 years ago!

[@hudentdw2]

For someone who couldn't read or write music Bill Nelson with BBD made the most ahead of its time music, which today stands amazingly great, Charlie,Simon and Andy were such great musicians, brought my first copy in 75'.

[@kevmac1230]

Growing up in Providence as a teen in the 70s,I seemed to be the only Be Bop Deluxe fan around. A part of my youth that brings beautiful memories. I did manage to turn a few onto Bill's genius however .

[@andrewwilliams9599]

As a fan of Bill Nelson and Harlan Ellison, I'd love to hear more about their correspondence.

[@stevenjames2995]

Be bop deluxe to Bill's solo career just brilliant what a musician

[@chuckmadden2251]

Ordering from across the pond, I'll stand by my box until it arrives.

[@piquetuk]

I do feel that somewhere in an alternative universe the solo at the end of soundtrack is still going on & cannot be stopped. Go Bill go!

[@cardinalRG]

Hah, very good! I wished it had gone on forever. The outro-solo on _Sound Track_ is unmatched, in my view. Bill Nelson going apesh*t and laying down melody, tension, impressionism, primal screaming, Hendrix-channeling, and a thousand other things at once. I never heard anything like it, before or since.

[@robertdavidson9393]

All bebopdeluxe albums great this one guitar oriented was great,

[@billbrillford7883]

Swan Song & Music in Dreamland... some of the best songs on Futurama

[@stevenkirby8058]

Saw the in the Brunel Rooms Swindon, just the best night.

[@kjellhedberg7779]

One of my favvo record! I was 15 at the release, playing every week........

[@krisscanlon4051]

Cherry Red is something else

[@user-bl5jr5vz6i]

Bill is probably the greatest guitarist of all time and also a genius in songwriting.

[@DSilvergun]

Like to see a BeBop reunion.

[@barrywebber100]

Jane McDonald is referred to as "the wonder of Wakefield" but I think it's Bill Nelson! Loved Axe Victim when it came out and saw Be Bop Deluxe in Bristol a couple of times. Good times.

[@tinmachine693]

Geoffrey Boycott??

[@Dinobaburas.]

" The great deception is not my achievement"

[@samspahlman4859]

Swan Song ,Sound Track and Music in Dreamland are BBD gems from Futurama!

[@aazo999]

He is a guitar god.

[@descamm9313]

Can only say this group would be on my Ireland discs, Great music 🎶 from a great band, 👍

[@captnodge]

Did u mean desert island discs choice of music

[@descamm9313]

@@captnodge hi John yer I did, having said that what a band to listen to if you were put on an island 🏝 somewhere, someplace,,

[@captnodge]

@@descamm9313 someone else put it as their desert disc choice .as I read through comments. Funny u should say that .as a young youth on motorbike travels I sat at a nice spot near loch Ness once and just played some air age stuff wow I will Allways remember that .so yes to your comment. In fact any journey should start with bbd

[@slooky14]

I have always thought this album was way ahead of anything at the time and still is way ahead of its time. What strikes me most is the way the piano and distorted guitars intertwine with each other. No other band had ever done that before. Everything about this album is brilliant! The songwriting, the vocals, the guitars , the piano,even the drumming. After this album, while I did enjoy the others its missing the piano guitars mix. Funny how he doesn't mention how he wasn't crazy about Futurama. TOO SLICK. But, then again, he is going to make money off of it so why would you say anything negative.I thought Roy Thomas Baker did an excellent job on the production. I felt it was a step backwards after Futurama.

[@vmax4steve524]

Greatest album ever made IMO, progressive art rock at it's finest. Love the new stereo mix but would have liked a cd put together from live recordings made of Futurama songs. The radio 1 in concert from '75 is great but I don't like 5.1 surround sound and got rid of my dvd player and surround speakers in favour of a digital stereo amp and twin Wharfedale's so can't appreciate that disc. A better package than the Sunburst Finish box set, what's next ? an expanded Live In The Air Age I hope.

[@jeremywinkfield8523]

What a top bloke!

[@MisterJawaman]

Does anybody know where the footage at 7:42 is from?

[@Al-iv3mb]

I was just, just too young to see Be Bop in the classic line up although I did see them on the OGWT promoting Futurama, this was after being made aware of them thanks to Alan Freeman and John Peel. I have a theory as to why Bill and BBD never became as huge as they should have been, and it's because of timing. It was very shortly after the release of this album that punk exploded and almost overnight the likes of "guitar heroes" were sneered at in place of (let's be honest) mostly untalented groups but with attitude, safety pins, and lots of saliva. Sadly, for a time I was one such kid. That said, whilst it's been some time since I listened to those Punk acts (notable exceptions being Buzzcocks and The Clash) I regularly listen to, and now can watch Mr Nelson and Co. Finally, as had been previously said by others; this was an excellent interview with intelligent questions, comments, answers and anecdotes.

[@randiricci5620]

My fave tracks on Futurama in descending importance are... Swan Song, Sister Seagull, Love with the Madman...(Rip:Charles Tumahai) Oh...god bless Wakefield's finest 'neoprogrock' group:Bill Nelson's Be Bop Deluxe!!

[@jeffreyhoops3611]

Nelson speaking of “Futurama” “I wanted to get this one right” and get it right he did! Along with Modern Music probably his best work. The only reason that I can think of that the band wasn’t bigger than they were is that there was just so much great music that came out at that time. His loss was our gain, sadly.

[@todgordon6300]

Not one mention of the lead off track Stage Whispers?

[@TorzJohnson]

35:53 I would kill to see a Be Bop Deluxe & Blue Oyster Cult show!

[@philt4346]

Had a stint roadying a band who recorded at Rockfield engineered by Pat Moran, I remember his peculiar relationship with Oxide. Where does it go?, he would ask in a Pythonesque brogue.

[@mr.bloodvessel260]

This album had a huge influence on Jon Carin!

[@kevdavies3445]

my fav live in the air age

[@davidevans6432]

Some of us remember Global Village, and "Johnny B Good" at The Mustard Seed hall (Sandal Church Hall).

[@chriscampbell9191]

Futurama was the best album Bebop Deluxe did. I know the next couple of LPs were awesome musically, but the guitar work alone in Futurama was mindblowing. Everything fell into place perfectly. My favorite track is Music In Dreamland. The ending is like hearing a rocket go off into the stratosphere... that piano riff after the horns do their thing, Simon Fox's layered sounding drum work and then the ending guitar solo. Stuff like that just doesn't happen. It's genius, like most of this particular album was. Thanks for posting this interview.

[@billbrillford7883]

Futurama & Sunburst Finish the best mid 70s albums made by BBD!!

[@TScardoa]

It’s downright criminal that BBD received no air play in the States...... ( I grew up in New Jersey and listened to NYC radio extensively throughout the 70s.....) I also got Philly stations ..... they did not play BBD either.... wtf

[@palacerevolution2000]

Great artist. At least in his time there were still A&R guys and labels who'd sign and support artists on their merit, and not only sales. I really want to reach in there, and do something w/ that hat and ears tho. I did not know that he got inspiration from the Cockney Rebel guys, and even had Jeffries in his band. Bill Nelson looked super sharp in the day. I want to wear suits like that, I think.