(5 / 5)
Be Bop Deluxe were about far more than their one hit single “Ships In The Night” – Top 10 in the UK back in 1976.
For a start, front man Bill Nelson was and is one of the very best – and vastly unrecognised – guitarists the UK has EVER produced.
Yorkshireman Bill started the band in 1972 after his debut solo album, the self-released “Northern Dream”, which is worth a few bob today if you see one at a car boot sale sometime.
Be Bop Deluxe were only together until 1978, but in those six years, they released five studio albums and one live album, kicking off with “Axe Victim” in 1974 after signing to EMI imprint “Harvest”, the sole album made with that line-up.
A clue to Bill’s relationship with his chosen instrument is the fact that the first three Be-Bop Deluxe albums are named after guitars. “Axe” is slang for a guitar, “Futurama” (produced by Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker) is a make of guitar and “Sunburst Finish” – the name of their third album from which the hit “Ships In The Night” was taken – refers to a style of finish on a guitar.
It must be noted that John Leckie’s production work on their albums from and including “Sunburst Finish” added huge value, indeed.
The line-up which achieved most success was assembled for “Sunburst Finish” and stayed put for the rest of the band’s life. Bill on guitar and lead vocals, Charlie Tumahai (now deceased) on bass, Andy Clarke on keyboards and Simon Fox on drums.
The last two Be Bop Deluxe albums, “Modern Music” (1976) and “Drastic Plastic” (1978) saw Bill get more into electronic sounds, harnessing modern technology to create music. Which preceded his foray fully into that world when he retired Be Bop Deluxe and formed Bill Nelson’s Red Noise.
So, to Be Bop’s debut album, “Axe Victim”. Recorded in 1974 at several studios in London, EMI’s Harvest label put it out in June 1974.
It featured the line-up of Bill Nelson on vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar and piano, Ian Parkin on rhythm/acoustic guitars and organ, Rob Bryan on bass and vocals, and Nicholas Chatterton-Dew on drums.
Legendary radio man John Peel – who had been an admirer of Nelson’s work since the release of “Northern Dream” in 1971 – gave the tracks spins on his BBC radio 1 show and cited the album one of his favourite releases of 1974.
“Axe Victim” featured “Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape”, which went on to become a fan-favourite live track for the band’s entire career, and there is a wonderful flowing and passionate version of the song on Be Bop Deluxe’s fantastic live album, “Live In The Air Age”.
On the Axe Victim cut “Third Floor Heaven”, Babe Ruth vocalist Jenny Haan guests. The single “Jets At Dawn” also pops up on “Axe Victim”.
The original release delivered 10 tracks. But now there’s a gorgeous limited-edition expanded version due to be released by Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red on 17th July.
Re-mastered from the original tapes, the three CD + one DVD box set features an additional 41 bonus tracks from new 5.1 ‘Surround Sound’ and stereo mixes from the original multi-track tapes and from BBC radio sessions.
The sessions from 1973 and 1974, include the previously unreleased “lost” BBC Radio 1 John Peel session from November ’73.
We also get access to both sides of the rare 1973 Smile Records single, “Teenage Archangel” + “Jets At Dawn”, released by the band prior to being signed by EMI/Harvest.
Complete and newly re-mixed previously unreleased Be Bop Deluxe Decca audition session from December 1973. Plus, previously unreleased out-takes from the album sessions.
The set comes with a lovely 68-page book with many seen-for-the-first-time photographs and a new essay by Bill Nelson. There’s also a replica record store poster and postcards.
Below, I have included the full track listing for all four discs in this limited edition set, which is retailing for just under £50.
This really is a sparkling gem if you are a fan of Bill Nelson and/or Be Bop Deluxe. All guitarists need to hear this guy, for sure. Live they were other-worldly, especially Bill’s playing and the sound he got from those amps.
I’m happy to be an axe victim, if William Nelson of Wakefield is the one wielding it…
- Apart from the limited edition four-disc set, there is also a two-CD set due for release on 17th July 2020, at around £11.99 retail.
By Simon Redley
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’
(4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’ (5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE: CD
AXE VICTIM
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM REMASTERED:
- AXE VICTIM
2. LOVE IS SWIFT ARROWS
3. JET SILVER & THE DOLLS OF VENUS
4. THIRD FLOOR HEAVEN
5. NIGHT CREATURES
6. ROCKET CATHEDRALS
7. ADVENTURES IN A YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE
8. JETS AT DAWN
9. NO TRAINS TO HEAVEN
10. DARKNESS (L’IMMORALISTE)
BONUS TRACKS
11. TEENAGE ARCHANGEL (1973 SINGLE)
12. JETS AT DAWN (1973 SINGLE VERSION)
13. NO TRAINS TO HEAVEN
(FIRST MIX) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
14. AXE VICTIM (ALBUM VERSION – FIRST MIX)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
DISC TWO: CD
AXE VICTIM
THE NEW STEREO MIX:
- AXE VICTIM
2. LOVE IS SWIFT ARROWS
3. JET SILVER & THE DOLLS OF VENUS
4. THIRD FLOOR HEAVEN
5. NIGHT CREATURES
6. ROCKET CATHEDRALS
7. ADVENTURES IN A YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE
8. JETS AT DAWN (FULL VERSION)
9. NO TRAINS TO HEAVEN
10. DARKNESS (L’IMMORALISTE)
BONUS TRACKS
11. AXE VICTIM (FIRST VERSION)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
12. NIGHT CREATURES (SPOKEN WORD VERSION) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
13. ROCKET CATHEDRALS (FIRST VERSION) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
DISC THREE: CD
BBC RADIO ONE “JOHN PEEL SHOW” SESSION
6th NOVEMBER 1973
- AXE VICTIM (BBC SESSION NOVEMBER 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
2. BLUESY RUBY (BBC SESSION NOVEMBER 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
3. TOMORROW THE WORLD
(BBC SESSION NOVEMBER 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
THE DECCA SESSION – 13th DECEMBER 1973:
- AXE VICTIM (DECCA SESSION 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
5. I’LL BE YOUR VAMPIRE (DECCA SESSION 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
6. ADVENTURES IN A YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE
(DECCA SESSION 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
7. BLUESY RUBY (DECCA SESSION 1973)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
BBC RADIO ONE “JOHN PEEL SHOW” SESSION
9th MAY 1974
- THIRD FLOOR HEAVEN (BBC SESSION MAY 1974)
9. MILL STREET JUNCTION (BBC SESSION MAY 1974)
10. 15TH OF JULY (INVISIBLES)
(BBC SESSION MAY 1974)
11. ADVENTURES IN A YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE
(BBC SESSION MAY 1974)
DISC FOUR: DVD
AXE VICTIM
THE NEW 5.1 SURROUND SOUND MIX, NEW 96 KHZ / 24-BIT STEREO MIX AND 96 KHZ / 24-BIT ORIGINAL STEREO MIX
- AXE VICTIM (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
2. LOVE IS SWIFT ARROWS (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
3. JET SILVER & THE DOLLS OF VENUS (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
4. THIRD FLOOR HEAVEN (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
5. NIGHT CREATURES (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
6. ROCKET CATHEDRALS (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
7. ADVENTURES IN A YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE
(5.1 SURROUND MIX)
8. JETS AT DAWN (FULL VERSION) (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
9. NO TRAINS TO HEAVEN (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
10. DARKNESS (L’IMMORALISTE) (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
BONUS TRACKS
11. AXE VICTIM (FIRST VERSION)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
12. NIGHT CREATURES (SPOKEN WORD VERSION) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
13. ROCKET CATHEDRALS (FIRST VERSION)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) (5.1 SURROUND MIX)
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