b. William Nelson, 18 December 1948, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Although originally noted for his innovative guitar work with Be-Bop Deluxe, Nelson's solo releases actually form the majority of his total output. Northern Dream was a dreamy, acoustic debut, released in 1971 after he had already spent several years playing throughout his home county with pre-progressive rock outfits such as the Teenagers, Global Village and Gentle Revolution. He fronted Be-Bop Deluxe for most of the 70s before responding to punk and techno-rock forces by assembling Bill Nelson's Red Noise. Sound On Sound, released in 1979, was an agitated but confused debut from Red Noise and afterwards Nelson returned to solo work. The 1980 single "Do You Dream In Colour?" provided his highest UK solo chart placing at number 52. It was released on his own label, Cocteau Records. Following a short-lived contract with Mercury Records he continued to release introspective, chiefly home-recorded albums on the Cocteau label, which Nelson founded in 1980 with his former manager Mark Rye. He was in demand as a producer and worked on sessions with many new wave bands including the Skids and A Flock Of Seagulls.

Listen to Bill Nelson at Finetune.

• (2006)  Quit Dreaming (And Get On The Beam)
• (2006)  The Love That Whirls
• (2006)  Chimera

• Flaming Desire
• A Kind Of Loving
• A Private View
• Acceleration
• All My Wives Were Iron

• Ultravox
• Thomas Dolby
• David Sylvian
• Peter Gabriel
• A Flock of Seagulls
• David Bowie
• Adrian Belew
• Human League
• Todd Rundgren
• Peter Hammill
• Joe Jackson
• Devo
• XTC
• Depeche Mode
• New Order
• Talking Heads
• The Police
• Be Bop Deluxe
• Japan
• Tears for Fears

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