[Music] Be Bop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish

Be Bop Deluxe were an English progressive rock band who achieved critical acclaim and moderate commercial success during the mid to late 1970s.

Be Bop Deluxe was founded by Bill Nelson in 1972. They never played bebop music, but instead came out of the blues-based British rock scene of the late 1960s. At first they were compared to the more successful David Bowie, but Nelson never tried to copy Bowie, and appears to have disliked comparisons or being pigeon-holed. This artistic restlessness eventually led him to disband Be Bop Deluxe altogether and pursue less commercial paths of expression.

Influences on the band's music included David Bowie, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Van Der Graaf Generator and Frank Zappa. The band's sound emerged as a mixture of glam rock, synth rock, prog pock and straightforward rock and roll. Science fiction imagery (e.g. robots) was common in the band's lyrics, along with the more traditional themes of love and the human condition (albeit often hidden beneath Nelson's quirky lyrical and musical metaphors.)



UK: Originally released on Harvest SHSP 4053 in February 1976
US: Harvest SPRO 8485/6
US: promo-only, banded for airplay
UK: Rereleased on Fame FA 3004 in May 1982
UK: Rereleased on Revolver in 1986
UK: Compact disc released on EMI CZ 329 in February 1991 with additional tracks

Recorded at Abbey Road
Produced by John Leckie and Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson - lead vocals, all guitars, harmonica, tubular bells and percussion
Andrew Clark - all keyboards
Charles Tumahai - bass guitar, vocals and percussion
Simon Fox - drums and percussion