Exhaustively researched and drawing on extensive interviews with self-confessed retro futurist Bill Nelson and his numerous associates and collaborators, Paul Sutton Reeves’ lovingly assembled tome combines biography with an in-depth album-by-album analysis of one of the UK’s most reluctant guitar heroes, styistic innovators and all-round creative mavericks.
Detailing Nelson’s formative influences (Duane Eddy, Hank Marvin, Jimi Hendrix), Sutton Reeves traces his early days in a string of local bands in Wakefield; his art school days and his stint in local evangelical band Gentle Revolution. Music In Dreamland then follows the singular trajectory of Nelson’s career, from the founding of Be Bop Deluxe to the band’s dissolution, at the height of its fame, the short-lived Red Noise’s launch and the increasingly experimental nature of Nelson’s subsequent solo career. Other themes explored include Nelson’s interest in esoteric religions, the occult and his fascination with the works of Jean Cocteau.
Underlining Sutton Reeves’ thorough approach, the book also includes a comprehensive discography covering Be Bop Deluxe, Red Noise and Nelson’s multitude of solo recordings, from his self-released 1971 solo debut Northern Dream to 2004’s Satellite Songs, plus a detailed index of BBC radio sessions, radio broadcasts and TV appearances.
