Loving the new Sunburst Finish 5.1 mix. One of the better ones I've heard for a while, really gets into the mix and digs new stuff out for you.
Yeah, pity is was done over time, and on the cheap. It's never sounded great, sadly. The songs are great though - Do You Dream in Color is such a great song.
My ten Blazing Apostles No trains to heaven Jean Cocteau Fair Exchange Like an old blues Down on terminal street Maid in heaven Heavenly Homes Modern Music Suite (does this count as one?) Sleep that burns
Listening to litaa...first time in a while. Side one is pretty strong. Fair Exchange got a fair amount of airplay here back in the day. It's a catchy tune...I like it a little bit. I'm guessing I have a later pressing. A double lp that's not a gate fold...odd packaging. SQ is good...cut by wly which is always good to see.
I could be misremembering but I don't think it ever came out as a gatefold. I got it when it first came out and what I got was on white vinyl (I think in a non-gatefold). Up to that point I don't think I ever saw anything other than black vinyl so that was a really cool surprise. Unfortunately one of the album sides had a bubble in it which made the record skip so I took it back and got a replacement copy. And to my dismay the replacement was on regular black vinyl. If I had known that I would have kept the first one as a novelty thing and just bought the 2nd copy as the one to play. (Apologies if all of this was already discussed in this thread, been awhile & I don't remember)
My copy of "Live in the Air Age", bought at the time of its initial USA release, is in a non-gatefold sleeve and has one white and one black LP.
That's probably the same thing I got. I don't remember if both LPs were white or not but one definitely was. One of those records was real short though, like an EP more than an LP. I definitely remember that the EP had Shine on one side, and think the other side was Maid in Heaven & Sister Seagull.
The LP was white vinyl and the EP was black vinyl. According to the back cover the album is apparently supposed to be played as: Side 1 LP, Side 1 EP, Side 2 EP and Side 2 LP, although the CD has the tracks in LP order, followed by the EP. The LP listing is closer to the actual order of a live performance. Also, if you want to make a deluxe edition of this excellent album, the Futurist Manifesto release has additional tracks from these recordings: Modern Music (suite), Forbidden Lovers, Down on Terminal Street and Swan Song.
I've heard nothing about it but it sure would be nice to see a similar set for Modern Music. IMO, this and Sunburst Finish are two of a set - Bill's 'Rubber Soul' & 'Revolver' as it were. As a nice addition, they could include the full 'Live in the Air Age' reconstructed into the correct running order and add the MIA 'Twilight Capers'.
I like BBD, but Bill Nelson's "Quit Dreaming and Get On the Beam" is one of my all time favorite albums in general, and the most underrated album of the post-punk era imo, probably because it came out two years late for whatever reason. This song should be ranked up there with Bowie and Gary Numan's best:
His brilliant production on YMO's "Naughty Boys" album is actually how I got into him in the first place.
I could never understand why they just didn’t go with a double live album. I bought the album on the first week of release, but it was plain black vinyl, as was the ep. Anyway, a Be Bop top 10. 01. Maid In Heaven 02. Electrical Language 03. Futurist Manifesto 04. Sister Seagull 05. Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape (long version) 06. Kiss Of Light 07. Jean Cocteau 08. New Precision 09. Crying To The Sky 10. Orphans Of Babylon
As far as BeBop Deluxe is concerned, its all good, but I gotta vote "Drastic Plastic" for my favorite.
I'll have to check again to see if both my records are on black vinyl. I thought they were, but I could be wrong.
They never get these things right. The fade out on Blazing Apostles followed by the jump back to the middle of the gig is a disgrace.
Drastic Plastic is unlike anything before it and has more in common musically with the Red Noise 'Sound on Sound' album. Both excellent albums.
Don't forget the mighty Chimera EP, which features some of my favorite Bill Nelson tracks from the early 80s, a great mini album.
My copy of the BBD Live! In the Air Age LP is on white vinyl, EP on black. Three of the four deadwax areas (all designated F1 #1) have Wally Traugott's "Wally" inscription. The other (Side 3: E.P.) is designated F5#1, and is inscribed "ERT." Any one know who that might be.
Interesting read. I can't really add anything as I just ordered the newish deluxe set, and haven't heard anything by these guys yet. Looking forward to it.
These guys are brilliant. If you’re starting with Sunburst Finish, it’s a good place in their discography.
I think that you'll like these guys, Mark. Sort of glammy mid 70s art rock. Bill Nelson's a fantastic guitarist and all-around sonic visionary.
Were any of you able to watch Bill Nelson at his Plectronica 70th Birthday celebration? You still can watch it on demand. It was worth every penny and the Interview at the end was wonderful too. I had tears in my eyes throughout as the music was so beautiful. https://www.billnelson.com/plectronica-streaming
I don't know what it would be called, but there's a continuum with Queen at one end and Sparks at the other. Be Bop Deluxe is in the middle.
