Be Bop Deluxe have their first three albums reissued in a triple CD box set (other formats available) via Cherry Red, who continue to do these things so well.
Be Bop, fronted by remarkable guitarist Bill Nelson, had marvellous run of albums over the latter half of the 1970s with Bill’s guitar playing and songwriting quite spectacular in range and variety.
One of the finest guitarists of his (or any…) generation, Bill could do the lot. Blazing riffs, soaring, solos able to flick form the powerful to the emotive and sensitive instantly. I’d put him up against anyone you care to name.
It’ll be no shock to you when I say that I’m a huge Be Bop Deluxe fan. Their five studio albums and one live album to me are all classics. And with a style that’s hard to classify. Bill’s song writing encompasses bits of everything.
Anyhoo – in this box set we have their first three albums. Axe Victim (1974), Futurama (1975) and their third, and arguably best, Sunburst Finish (1976).
Axe Victim is generally “glam rock” with plenty of Bowie/T. Rex style influences. However the yet to come harder/proggier trends start to emerge.
Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus is proper glam. And infectiously catchy. Night Creatures slower and a bit dark. Jets at Dawn quite haunting, No Trains to Heaven a ripper and the mighty Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape a sweeping epic. Bill’s ode to his (and my) home county featuring his sublime solo. On the live version it has to be heard to be believed.
There’s be wholesale line-up changes for Futurama. In came Charlie Tumahai on bass and Simon Fox on drums. The musical style became tighter and more developed than the debut. More guitar oriented.
In particular the punchy hard-hitting duo of Maid in Heaven and Sister Seagull. Songs which were (and are) so memorable for the timeless riffs and fluid solos. And not forgetting Between the Worlds and Stage Whispers. Futurama became a solid album which pushed Be Bop along nicely.
Next up came Sunburst Finish. Andy Clark joined on keyboards to add another dimension to the sound – which on Sunburst Finish had Bill showing the full range of his remarkable guitar talents.
It’s an album full of riffs aplenty, astounding solos, varied pace, interesting keyboard stabs, the tight drumming and equally tight yet melodic bass.
Fair Exchange start things off in a biting style. Ships in the Night would give Be Bop a “hit” single. Crying in to the Sky emotive and haunting, Sleep that Burns hits hard, Life in the Air Age sci-fi tinged with the big hooky chorus and to bring a massive album to a close the glorious Blazing Apostles.
Here’s a video of them from back in the ‘70s ripping through a set for the Old Grey Whistle Test.
As I post this, you can bag the 3CD box set for around £26. Also MP3 and streaming versions available.
>> BE BOP DELUXE THE ALBUMS 1974-1976 ON AMAZON <<
Be Bop would be back towards the end of 1976 with Modern Music – that together with Live in the Air Age and Drastic Plastic is being reissued in another box set due for release at the end of this month (September 2025). I’ll cover that on release.
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