Ian Nelson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Ian Walter Nelson was an English New Wave
musician, and younger brother of Be-Bop Deluxe singer and guitarist Bill Nelson
, whom he accompanied in different musical projects. He played mainly the saxophone.
, who was present at the time of his birth, on April 23 1956. His father, Walter, who was a saxophonist, taught him to play saxophone, which would later be Ian's principal instrument.
His first participation was on the Be-Bop Deluxe song "Ships in the Night" from the Sunburst Finish album (1976). When this band split up, Bill, alongside keyboardist Andy Clark
, reunited with Ian on saxophone, and formed Red Noise, a synthpop
band which lasted briefly and was a continuation of Be-Bop Deluxe.
After Red Noise split up, Ian Nelson spent some time collaborating in his brother Bill's solo career. In 1982, he joined Fiat Lux
; during his three years with the band they released a number of singles, but only had two minor UK hits, "Secrets" & "Blue Emotion" British Hit Singles & Albums. Fiat Lux gigged England and Europe until they broke up in 1985.
He reappeared in the early 1990s as member of Bolt From The Blue, and as of 2001 he was in The Lost Satellites and The 3D's. He was also a member of the line-up of a failed reformation of Be-Bop Deluxe in 1990.
He also worked with Richard Jobson
, Level 42
, The Sound
, Nik Kershaw
, Howard Jones
, etc.
Nelson died in his sleep, and was later found on his 50th birthday, on 23 April 2006, by his wife Diane.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
musician, and younger brother of Be-Bop Deluxe singer and guitarist Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson (musician)
Bill Nelson is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, painter and experimental musician...
, whom he accompanied in different musical projects. He played mainly the saxophone.
Biography
He was more than seven years younger than his brother BillBill Nelson (musician)
Bill Nelson is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, painter and experimental musician...
, who was present at the time of his birth, on April 23 1956. His father, Walter, who was a saxophonist, taught him to play saxophone, which would later be Ian's principal instrument.
His first participation was on the Be-Bop Deluxe song "Ships in the Night" from the Sunburst Finish album (1976). When this band split up, Bill, alongside keyboardist Andy Clark
Andy Clark (musician)
Andrew Clark is an English rock composer and performer who is best known for his work on keyboards and synthesizer in the 1970s, playing and recording alongside Mick Hutchinson, in Clark Hutchinson, alongside Jeff Beck with his involvement in Upp and on the album Wired, and alongside guitarist...
, reunited with Ian on saxophone, and formed Red Noise, a synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
band which lasted briefly and was a continuation of Be-Bop Deluxe.
After Red Noise split up, Ian Nelson spent some time collaborating in his brother Bill's solo career. In 1982, he joined Fiat Lux
Fiat Lux (band)
Fiat Lux was an English synthpop band formed in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, in 1982, by Steve Wright and David P Crickmore...
; during his three years with the band they released a number of singles, but only had two minor UK hits, "Secrets" & "Blue Emotion" British Hit Singles & Albums. Fiat Lux gigged England and Europe until they broke up in 1985.
He reappeared in the early 1990s as member of Bolt From The Blue, and as of 2001 he was in The Lost Satellites and The 3D's. He was also a member of the line-up of a failed reformation of Be-Bop Deluxe in 1990.
He also worked with Richard Jobson
Richard Jobson
Richard Jobson is the name of:*Richard Jobson , 17th-century English explorer*Richard Jobson , English former footballer...
, Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
, The Sound
The Sound
The Sound were an English post-punk band, formed in 1979 and dissolved in 1988. The band was fronted by Adrian Borland and evolved from his previous band, The Outsiders...
, Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw is an English singer-songwriter. The one time jazz-funk guitarist was a mid-1980s teen idol. His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 beat all other soloists...
, Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, etc.
Nelson died in his sleep, and was later found on his 50th birthday, on 23 April 2006, by his wife Diane.
External links
- Bill Nelson's homepage Bill Nelson announcing the death of Ian Nelson
- Bill Nelson's homepage Bill Nelson writing about Ian Nelson
- HiredHistory Web dedicated to Fiat Lux
- MySpace: Red Noise MySpace site dedicated to Red Noise