Be-Bop Deluxe - 2025 - The Albums 1974-1976

(124:00; Cherry Red Records)

It is somewhat hard to believe that this band blew so very brightly indeed and there were gone after just five albums. Bill Nelson released his debut solo album, ‘Northern Dream’, in 1971 and was soon championed by John Peel which led to his new band, Be-Bop Deluxe being signed to EMI Records in 1974. This new three CD set brings together the first three studio albums, so one can now easily hear the original releases and the progression between them. Given that the first three releases all have names relating to guitars it is a nice package. The only constant was Bill Nelson, as after ‘Axe Victim’ he  totally changed the line-up, but on the debut he provided lead vocals, lead & acoustic guitars, grand piano, arrangements and was joined by Ian Parkin (rhythm & acoustic guitars, organ),  Robert Bryan (bass, lead and backing vocals) and Nicholas Chatterton-Drew (drums, percussion).

It includes some of their most well-loved songs including the blasting “Rocket Cathedrals” and the more laid-back “Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape”. While there is no doubt that Nelson was toying with some of the popular glam rock stylings of the time, both musically and image, but he was never really happy with that as he wanted to do things very much his own way, which is probably what led to the dramatic change for the next album. Even though I am a fan of this release, I must admit I don’t play it nearly as much as I should as I tend to head towards the live album as it is a great set with strong performances, but 50 years  on from when it was first released this still contains a freshness and some great material.

The new band members came in the form of bassist Paul Jeffreys and keyboard player Milton Reame-James, both formerly of Cockney Rebel, and drummer Simon Fox, with Fox soon being the only person left with Nelson after they too departed, but the classic line-up was starting to gain shape with the addition of Kiwi bassist Charlie Tumahai (much later, Tumahai returned home and joined Herbs who along with Dave Dobbyn released “Slice of Heaven”, one of the most important Kiwi songs of all time). The trio recorded ‘Futurama’, which included two songs which have become iconic numbers, “Maid In Heaven” and “Sister Seagull”. The former was the first BBD song I ever heard, and I fell in love with it as soon as it started as the jangly choppy guitars, dual vocals, harmonies, hooks all reached inside my brain. The second is packed full of drama, with the trio pulling no punches and Roy Thomas Baker (who also did something called ‘A Night At The Opera’ the same year) letting them go for broke.

But in many ways, both those albums were just leading up the third, ‘Sunburst Finish’. Keyboard player Andy Clark had joined the trio, and their art rock was finessing and when they opened the album with “Fair Exchange” it was a blistering attack of interplay with  a staccato approach quite unlike anything else around. But that was not the only highlight as Nelson was in full flow, with “Ship In The Night” being the perfect blend of pop and rock in a manner which somehow sounds stuck in the Seventies but very much for today, with a change into reggae in the mid-section which is as dramatic as it was unexpected. But wait, there’s more! We also have “Life In The Air Age’, a perfect concoction of experimentation, phasing and jagged pop rock while “Blazing Apostles” is moody and glorious. 

Three albums, one of which is a genuine classic and the other two are bloody good as well. Anyone who knows Be-Bop Deluxe and Bill Nelson knows just how great these releases are, but sadly in 2025 there will be many who have no idea. It’s time for a rethink, if you don’t have these albums already then there is now no excuse. There is also a great booklet as well. 

Kev Rowland, July 2025

Links:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/