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"...Futurist Manifesto..."
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With a solid rawk debut in July 1974's "Axe Victim" in the bag and in the shops – Bill Nelson's band eclectic sounding Be-Bop Deluxe toured with Cockney Rebel in the UK to something of a rude awakening.
Things were not working out down at the oh-so-tight-on-stage farm. The first album's four-piece band worked well in the studio, but still the overall soundscape wasn't coming together as Bill had hoped. At the insistence of his record-company EMI - Nelson auditioned and quickly found two musicians that gelled perfectly – a Mauri bassist with a huge Afro who had played with cult band Alta Mira called Charlie Tumahai and the Drummer from Hackensack – Simon Fox. And the classic Be-Bop Deluxe line-up was born.
Bill Nelson and Harvest Records now had the power trio with the sympatico feel to go to the next stage, studio album number-two - "Futurama" - and then on to their breakthrough album in January 1976 - "Sunburst Finish" that finally saw the band chart in both the UK and America.
Which brings us to the superlative 'Be-Bop Deluxe Remasters Series' from Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) – the British home to all things Progtastic, Glam and Art Rock. You could look at CD2 and of course notice that it is (aside from some unreleased) little more than a Remix of CD1 masquerading it would appear as a 'Bonus'. But then if you've been used to the original version – this new Stereo beauty will feel like a Steve Wilson remaster of say Crimson or Tull or Yes - revelatory. It really is great and having that bloody rare 45 tagged onto the end of both discs is an actual 'Bonus' too.
For those who want to the full Dreamland - there is even a Deluxe Edition of "Futurama" with 3CDs+1DVD issued on the same day, 31 May 2019 – search Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 42670 on Barcode 5013929477049 to get the Box Set skinny on that one. But for the futuristic manifesto digipak we do have, let's deal with this 2CD Expanded Edition...
UK released 31 May 2019 - "Futurama" by BE+BOP DELUXE on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22672 (Barcode 5013929477247) is a 2CD Expanded Edition of their Second Studio Album from May 1975 that plays outs as follows:
CD1 "Futurama" The Original Stereo Mix (41:46 minutes):
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven
4. Sister Seagull
5. Sound Track
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau
8. Between The Worlds
9. Swan Song
Tracks 1 to 9 are their second album "Futurama" – released May 1975 in the UK on Harvest Records SHSP 4045 and May 1975 in the USA on Harvest/Capitol ST-11432. Produced by ROY THOMAS BAKER (Engineered by Pat Moran) – it didn't chart in either country. The band was credited as BE+BOP DELUXE at this point because of the artwork, but would become their more commonly used moniker BE-BOP DELUXE when they reached "Sunburst Finish" in 1976.
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven
4. Sister Seagull
5. Sound Track
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau
8. Between The Worlds
9. Swan Song
Tracks 1 to 9 are their second album "Futurama" – released May 1975 in the UK on Harvest Records SHSP 4045 and May 1975 in the USA on Harvest/Capitol ST-11432. Produced by ROY THOMAS BAKER (Engineered by Pat Moran) – it didn't chart in either country. The band was credited as BE+BOP DELUXE at this point because of the artwork, but would become their more commonly used moniker BE-BOP DELUXE when they reached "Sunburst Finish" in 1976.
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights
Tracks 10 and 11 are a February 1975 UK 45-single on Harvest HAR 5091 with the B-side "Lights" being non-album. The A-side "Between The Worlds" is a different version to the one on the LP and was withdrawn in the UK (copies in either Demo or Stock form are very hard to find). In June 1975 EMI UK decided to issue the popular "Maid In Heaven" track from the LP as a 45-single instead – Harvest HAR 5098 also using the non-LP "Lights" as its flipside. October 1975 then saw the US 45-single of "Maid In Heaven" on Harvest Records 4151 with "Sister Seagull" from the LP on its B-side.
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights
Tracks 10 and 11 are a February 1975 UK 45-single on Harvest HAR 5091 with the B-side "Lights" being non-album. The A-side "Between The Worlds" is a different version to the one on the LP and was withdrawn in the UK (copies in either Demo or Stock form are very hard to find). In June 1975 EMI UK decided to issue the popular "Maid In Heaven" track from the LP as a 45-single instead – Harvest HAR 5098 also using the non-LP "Lights" as its flipside. October 1975 then saw the US 45-single of "Maid In Heaven" on Harvest Records 4151 with "Sister Seagull" from the LP on its B-side.
CD2 "Futurama" New Stereo Mix (50:45 minutes):
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven
4. Sister Seagull
5. Sound Track
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau
8. Between The Worlds
9. Swan Song
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights
12. Music In Dreamland (Phonogram Studios Version) *
13. Between The Worlds (Alternate Single Version) *
* Previously Unreleased
1. Stage Whispers [Side 1]
2. Love With The Madman
3. Maid In Heaven
4. Sister Seagull
5. Sound Track
6. Music In Dreamland [Side 2]
7. Jean Cocteau
8. Between The Worlds
9. Swan Song
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Between The Worlds (Single Version)
11. Lights
12. Music In Dreamland (Phonogram Studios Version) *
13. Between The Worlds (Alternate Single Version) *
* Previously Unreleased
A four-flap foldout card digipak offers colour galore - that great George Hardie artwork very similar in fact to Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" hands logo that would appear in September 1975 - colour photos of the three-piece in varying weird garb (don't get me started on that suit and tie) - tape boxes pictured beneath the see-through CD trays and a properly informative 28-page booklet. It opens with five or so pages of reminiscences from Nelson (penned January 2019) that give insights straight from the horse's mouth - the text peppered with period memorabilia - gig posters (supporting Cockney Rebel on June 13th, 1974) - Harvest promo photos and even one of Bill smiling outside a record shop with a copy of "Futurama" in hand whilst the entire window is filled with the band's second album (bet those freestanding card cut-outs of the album artwork are worth a few quid now). To satiate that lust, Esoteric have put a foldout poster of the beautiful "Futurama" PECLEC 22672 artwork in one of the flaps (booklet in the other).
As if that's not enough, head honcho and co-ordinator MARK POWELL gives it six more pages of even deeper detail - all sided with unpublished photos and so forth. People integral to the album's feel and sound like Audio Engineer Pat Moran at Rockfield Studios and hot-from-Queen-success Producer Ray Thomas Baker get more than honorary mentions – Nelson praising Moran expertly splicing in edits into the tapes at a time when computers were not around. Weird then (having sung its praises) that the booklet and digipak would leave out the original LP's inner sleeve with the lyrics (could have been put on the back of the poster - perhaps Nelson didn't want printed?)
But the big news is the newly remastered AUDIO - transfers from original master tapes done the vastly experienced BEN WISEMAN. And if you'll forgive the obvious pun - they don't 'alf Art-Rock and Roll man. I have to say too that I'm more partial now to the CD2 Mix than the original - it's like someone has done it right. To the tales of tomorrow...
Coming over like King Crimson mated with Rush before either band ever existed - it's clear from the immediate density of ideas swirling around the opening minute of "Stage Whispers" that "Futurama" isn't going to be a Christmas sing-along record tailored to everyone’s pallet. Nelson sings in that weirdly neither here nor there voice of his "...this guitar does not lie..." - yeah man - but it sure does make for some jagged-edged rhythms. Suddenly the fuzzed-up Aladdin Sane sounding guitars of "Love With The Madman" have a power - his keyboard work way better than Nelson ever gives it credit.
In his mind BN rates "Maid In Heaven" and it's easy to hear why - that difficult-to-fully-embrace Be-Bop Deluxe sound given a sudden accessibility by the song. Riffage upon riffage upon guitar licks fill up ever second of "Sister Seagull" - will you meet me there - he asks - might do Buffalo Bill if yer bird keeps his poop off the bonnet of my car. "Sound Track" ends Side 1 with some welcome keyboard tinkling – a joyful little tune where those drums and high hats are clearer than they were before – an accomplished Be-Bop Deluxe sounding like Todd Rundgren meets Sparks meets Queen circa A Night At The Opera.
"...Maybe we'll make music in dreamland tonight..." gushes the rather oddly romantic Prog Rock of Side 2's "Music In Dreamland" where The Grimethorpe Colliery Band give the tune old-fashioned horns. I've always found it a little too melodramatic but I know there are fans who see it as brilliant, just another BBD mishmash that needs time and repeated listens. Acoustic Salsa now sails out of your speakers in the shape of "Jean Cocteau" - the Remix version amazing in its clarity (what playing chops they had even then).
Back to wild rhythms and density, the very Sheer Heart Attack sounding "Between The Worlds" seems like a bloody odd choice for an album lead-off single, but maybe Harvest must have thought that its slightly Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" loony-sounding-Rock-meets-pantomime vibe would carry it with the public - it didn't. Huge chords and even bigger keyboard-washes fill your Siamese-twins speakers - an epic piece that talks of staying a while in Bill's dreams as he sings for you his swan song. And on it goes...
Even now in the Prog Revival of these last five years (right into 2020) - for absolutely sure, Be-Bop Deluxe and their dense soundscapes will not be for everyone looking for a chart topper. But re-visiting these albums has been something of an eye-opener for me - far better than I remember them and now sounding like perhaps Wakefield's weird man of Rock was cool all along.
Impressive and recommended...
