Listened to the first 3 discs this afternoon (halfway in) and my first impression is that this set is SPECIAL!
There’s something in it for everyone; from the more introspective, personal songs, to rock, funk, jazz, blues, and even dare I say it, some pop. The sheer breadth of music on offer is truly astonishing. This is a journey to be savoured, with many aural delights to be enjoyed along the way; including for those looking for them – some truly wonderful guitar solos and breaks (note, they’re in Bill’s 2020’s style though – not the 1970’s).
What did take me by surprise, I’m not too sure why, but that’s how accessible it is, even on the first listen. I’m actually finding the listening experience to be quite uplifting and it’s making me feel, despite all the worrying things happening in the world at present and as strange as it sounds, fairly upbeat and optimistic. I’d even go so far as to say, with a booster jab and by listening to My Private Cosmos, we will get through it!
I think I was probably expecting much of the music to be more ‘challenging’ given the circumstances and period Bill composed and recorded it, however My Private Cosmos wears its heart and charms on its sleeve and IMHO will be enjoyed by all those who truly appreciate Bill’s musical world.
I would love to offer up some song titles as being my personal ‘stand outs’ however, at this stage the list would have to be most of the 47 tracks I’ve listened to so far!
In summary, my thoughts on the package as a whole; yes, it’s a given that it’s not an inconsiderable financial outlay for most people, but I would say to anyone who is able to, get a copy now while you can and bring a bit of pure joy into your life. I honestly think you wouldn’t regret it; the words of Keats come to mind ‘A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever’.
And for those waiting for their copy to arrive; you’re not going to like this one – you’ll LOVE it!!
Disc 3, Track 7: "Techno Punk Gets Rhythm" is a two minute number whose drums are reminiscent of 90s drum 'n bass Bill with a dash of Here Comes Mr. Mercury jazz guitar. A pleasant little sonic surprise.
While mine arrived back in December, I finally got hold of it the other day for my birthday.
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Yes, Quinault. The Coastal Cowboys were Wenner and Tilley playing their guitars and produced a CD. I have their CD recording buried among my CD's somewhere....
Yes, great idea Lee! The Ordinary Idiots! Formed by Chuck 'Bird' here in L.A. I was one, as was Eric Tilley, Murray and Eric Wenner. We would have dinner or hang out at Tilley's apartment. It was great fun! We were always interested in having more join us. Unfortunately, Bird and Murray passed away. I lost touch with Tilley (he's somewhere in L.A.) and Wenner moved to Texas.
wonder toy, first name real dennis iirc, was around there. he's been gone a few years from here tho
Hello Steve,
Did you receive your My Private Cosmos since your post 6 days ago?
I have yet to receive my delivery here in LA. I'm guessing at this point, I will need to buy another one and this time not by regular mail.
Thanks.
The set has arrived in San Diego and was immediately played. Began with Disc 4, as per the consensus, and enjoyed it so much that Disc 5 was played shortly thereafter. Mixed Up Kid had created some high expectations and there was no disappointment with the two discs.
Musical observation: There was some nice squelchy filter work on some of the thicker-sounding synths on this album. Hadn't noticed it on previous releases and curious if there was something new at work.
Now this is vintage Nelson music,but I must say,Bill,its not just the songs,but all the time and effort you put into it.You have first class guitar tones,you are a first class blender of sounds.After reading about your work on Crimsworth,I know you put in serious time and effort on your work.I think you have never gotten the credit you deserve,for not just playing guitars,but the tones,and the blending of guitars,the blending of Synths,the mixing of sounds. Cosmos?First class.My Strats and Korgs tip their hats to you!
A few modest listening notes: after listening several times in sequence to all six CDs (seven including Mixed Up Kid), I decided it was somewhat overwhelming (recall: it's more like TWELVE albums, since each CD is really double-album length, in terms of the old-style vinyl double album). So: I'm now listening to two CDs only, over a given period - currently Mixed Up Kid and CD #4 of My Private Cosmos (seemed the logical choice to start with, as the most "immediate" to my ears - not to mention awesome & wonderful: quintessential BN). These Masterworks have to be savoured properly, you know! 💎😎
I am unfortunately still waiting for delivery 😳 today is one month since it was shipped…anyone else waiting for the same ship….ment ? 😳😬😂
I have had my copy of My Private Cosmos for about three weeks now. Only three discs in as I keep going back to hear each again before moving on. Amazing collection thus far! I now consider My Private Cosmos one of my all time favorites and I'm still only half way through! My hope is that this set receives it's well deserved recognition. Thank you Bill for an amazing set of music!
Just coming to the end of the 96 tracks in one play through - fantastic addition to the canon imho (despite inevitable clock-ticking mortality uneasiness!) - stand-outs not yet even mooted - will need to immerse myself in this for a while before it all makes sense, but, all-in-all, good effort!
I have finally found the time to listen to the entire collection, and it is superb. What a marvelous opus, filled with powerful songs, profound lyrics and gorgeous music...Bill's playing is simply incredible throughout, he's in fine voice and, well....I just love it! Thanks, Bill!
I have really been enjoying My Private Cosmos. I like the way each of Bill's albums have their own personality. This album covers a lot of territory musically, but maintains a certain feeling or mood, of sorts. Anyway, I like it. There's loads of fantastic guitars, and also a good deal of piano, which I always love. I think of Bill's piano playing as simple, but soulful.
Keep up the good work, Bill. 😀
I have listened to mixed up kid and disc one of cosmos.I had an accident and was knocked of my bicycle by a van a few weeks later my ankle injury became infected.I am enjoying what I've heard so far.What I will say is that I seem to be able to listen to Bill's Music even in difficult times .Some artists I can't do that with
Received my copy a few days before Christmas and took a whole morning listening to all six CD's in order. I jumped aboard the Nelson Voyager and circled his private cosmos and came out the other end like a child so awestruck and emotionally drained from the experience. The wealth of material was especially emotional to me and I have to thank Mr. Nelson for sharing his soul which touched my spirit to no end. An emotional journey, if you will. Kudos!
OMG!!!!Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,,SSSSSssssssss!
New Year's Eve and I got my copy in the mail today. What a perfect way to transition from one year to another. Here is to 2022 and all what brings us music wise!
[Sort of hoping for a disc of the month club. Got to get the old inventory out the door! Physical discs and then band camp. Got to keep Burning Shed happy with their distribution deal. I also hope for a Red Noise box. C'mon Esoteric!]
always like to view comments from fans . just ordered.
My copy arrived in today's mail, and I just finished listening to the very first track. Already diggin' it! I AM listening, Bill!
As already stated in previous comments disc 4 is a good starting point, first one in line after reading the lo-down on the package. It's on repeat play for now - "Silver Stars Will Shine" 🌟
It all boils down to: .... Bill's wonderful, personal, intimate relationship with his muse.
It's a wonderful talent, gift that many of us admire. I tried doing it, I can hear that your ability is priceless. Each one of your sounds is placed so nicely within your music and songs.
It's often after a piece of work has been created, and a little time passes, that the artist starts to understand what he's made and begins to philosophise about it. But generally writing and recording takes place in a spontaneous and instinctive atmosphere.
It's much like a painter 'taking a line for a walk,' or throwing some basic shapes and colours onto the canvas to see where they might lead.
I guess I'm an improviser at heart as even my 'structured' songs start out as improvisations. I don't so much write songs as conjure them up from fragments assembled from dreaming aloud. I know that sounds a little mysterious and even I don't always understand how that works...but it does seem to work from me so I try not to interfere with the process while it's happening. Then, sometimes months after a piece is completed, I have a lightbulb moment and begin to understand something about its purpose and meaning. At the end of the day, it either stirs some recognition in the listener's soul or passes them by.
Received my copy yesterday and gave disc one a focused listen with a glass of wine or three. Only 16 tracks in and I can already tell that this collection that will slowly reveal charms for many days to come. I'm on break from work until after the New Year so I'll have plenty of time to absorb it. Can't wait to dig into disc two tonight! (after a trip to the wine store)
Bill, it seems to me like you've mastered the learning curve with Cubase by incorporating more textures than you've previously had at your disposal. I'm a Logic user and it amazes me the palette of sounds that can be drawn from modern DAWs and plug-ins. I expect that we'll be treated to more twists and turns as you continue to create new music. Although, I'm also excited that the backlog of unreleased projects will be getting some attention in '22. Yay!
Without reigniting any negative discussions I hope you don’t mind if I quickly state more generally how I see things through my eyes. Today, we have some many more distractions from when I was growing up. We have a constant bombardment of information from a variety of sources. I know I spend a good part of my day scanning reports, news articles, music etc. Also my attention span has been reduced. I look for a quick fix, a quick solution , some quick gratification. I think the point that Bill (and apologies Bill if I misinterpret your motive) is that sometimes we do need to spend more time absorbing things, For want or a better term, if there is plenty “going on” in the music , for example, a first listen is probably not enough to absorb and appreciate it. I think there is also an element that Bill’s “ear” is probably more attuned and experienced that many and what he looks for and produces perhaps we don’t always process this in the same way. But my general point is that I think Bill is making an observation about us as humans and our nature to absorb and focus – in general – that perhaps it is a comment on us as a society that we should go for quality rather than quantity in the “information” we absorb , and again in general about how we spend our time. Again, apologies Bill if I am putting words into your mouth..
What a beautiful, complete musical package. I'm enjoying my first listen to My Private Cosmos. As I take a taste of some of the tracks, I gravitate and fix on Silver Stars Will Shine. For me, it's everything I like: a grooving beat and thumbing bass, melody, words of wisdom and mysteries of what I will hear next through my headphones. It's been a magnificent ride so far. Bill brings out layers of musical sounds which I can only explain as a fine work of art. A painting of beautiful sounds. All these tracks through this pandemic. Remarkable 👍💪
And once you do begin to find your own voice, your own unique style will start to surface...it's a bit of a lightbulb moment that, although it's all blended into the whole process of development, I do think you are aware of it....and if you are an artist who remains true to their art, such as Bill Nelson for example has done, kept that integrity, followed their own path no matter what, even through the hard times, then that's all you can do...It really doesn't matter what other people think...
To clarify, it's nice if people do like and appreciate what you are doing, buy your work even, even if that's only a small number, people who resonate with the spirit, ideals, and direction of the artist, understand (as best they can) what they are trying to achieve and see the actual artist within the work produced..form a meaningful connection with all of that...But if no one else, at all, liked what you (as the true artist) created, art that was indeed you, then that wouldn't matter one jot...Of course, it would prevent you from earning a professional living from it, but true artists create work for themselves I believe, creating, creating, creating, looking to pull some magic from themselves, constantly striving for perfection, ideas and work constantly flowing out, it's an unstoppable force, and I've heard Bill say something similar on more than one occasion.......It can be a lonely and cold road sometimes, unforgiving and seem merciless. I am mostly always on the unsure about myself, quite a lot of self-doubt and insecurity re my work and capabilities, side of the fence. However, it's those little moments of magic that do come along, that fill your sails with fresh hope and forward momentum, searching, once again......but staying true to your art, no matter what.....it's all you can do.
'People often tell me that they only have to hear a few notes of my guitar to know that it's me and not, (for instance,) Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix or Jeff Beck, (despite me having been inspired by all those players.)'
I believe that is known as a 'signature' sound. It is a good lane to be in.
My wife has hidden away my copy until my birthday at the end of January, so it will be a while before I have any feedback on what I think of “My Private Cosmos”.
Oh, the waiting…
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One thing that remains true is an artist's personality and character, it's this that lives in his art.
I remember reading an interview with John Lennon where he said that every time he went into the studio he wanted to sound like Elvis or Chuck Berry or Little Richard but was always disappointed when he ended up sounding just like John Lennon. There's no escaping the fact that we are who we are.
We might dream of being Prince, or David Bowie, or Elton John, Elvis, Dylan or whoever, (especially when we're starting out and haven't quite found our own style and voice yet,) but we can't escape the reality of who we really are, and that reality stamps a kind of trademark' on the music.
We can explore things within that 'brand' to a degree but it will always be recognisable as ourselves.
John Peel once said to me that you've developed your own voice when your Mum can recognise you on the radio. People often tell me that they only have to hear a few notes of my guitar to know that it's me and not, (for instance,) Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix or Jeff Beck, (despite me having been inspired by all those players.)
So, no matter what you aspire to, or who you wish you were, you're stuck with yourself. And that's something worth embracing and cherishing. It's called originality.😉
The beauty of Bill's music (and other's) is that pieces will emerge into their own identity within a period of time. Let's go back a few decades, and cite an example: When I first heard 'Sound On Sound', it all sounded the same on the first listen.....a few listens in tracks begin to form their own identity, some more than others....
Forty years on, they're all hugely distinctive, and all classics.....
Same happened with QDAGOTB......all sounded the same and then these little ' molehills' of distinction start raising their heads and then before you know it, these tracks begin to take on an identity which snowballs into your consciousness....
That's two albums from many years ago, and I used them as an example because for me, nothing has changed going into the present......no different to wondering what will come through to charm me on 'Loom' or 'Songs For Ghosts' or any other new releases.....these songs will, after some time of listening,( and then putting away for a while, sometimes) bring a strange familiarity to the table, and then, become something of a familiar and wonderful sound. That's the way it works......
Of course, this isn't going to be the case for every song for everyone, but the idea is to let the music flow over you and see what you get with that old adage.......'repeated listenings'........sounds like a cliche but we know it's true.
It's genuinely always exciting to find what we will explore in Bill's new releases......that's the joy!
Joy in New Jersey today 😊
I've just listened to disc 4 (taking the box set slowly), possibly my favourite so far, and, as you say, an exceptionally strong collection of mostly vocal pieces, ending with two amazing instrumentals. 'My Private Cosmos (Part Two)', the track, is really something! Such a great pleasure listening to these discs. 😊😎
Incredible packaging - initial thought.
“My Private Cosmos” has landed here in Kansas City.
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Just got my copy yesterday and have listened to the first two discs. I've enjoyed this a lot so far.
Excellent way to kick off the Solstice, thanks for all the hard work, Bill!
Being a fan and collector of Bill's music for more than half of my life (61 years old), I would like to add that I always look forward to hearing new music of him and I'm always astonished of the variety of sounds and music created by him.
Meanwhile, I'd love to respond with a 'first impression' of My Private Cosmos' but with the family all here in our small house for Christmas, getting the chance to sit down and listen is unlikely. I got to listen to Mixed-Up Kid just once when it arrived - I've put that in the car now because at least I do get chance to listen there. It sounded great on first hearing but the lack of simple song structures tells me that even that one disc will take a few listens to fully get my head around. At this rate I'll be feeding back my thoughts about MPC sometime in February...
Thanks for all the music Bill - it's all great stuff. Some of the albums are easier to explore than others, but, hey, I'm happily on the journey. Keep travelling!
I really don't like the way things have been going recently here at DV...there seems to be an element that's very negative, to say the least....no real respect, or courtesy, from some quarters, for Bill Nelson himself...which is a real pity, considering just how much Bill and crew give, and just how much we get, including a very relaxed approach to how we are able to post here...Let's not forget that, and please show respect..don't take the piss, or troll..Why bother if you don't like it, go join somewhere else, if that's the case....Why keep on tussling with something you don't 'connect' with?..I can't see the point.
Try and be respectful to the musician, it the least we can do, right?
I think you need to get a bit of perspective Bill. First, I left a generally positive review that I was enjoying your latest release thought I was not quite wowed by it (yet) – will it happen, who knows, some earlier stuff has made that transition over the years.
I did not say all your albums sound the same, I said some sound similar over the last 15 years. So yes, you can add ‘Fancy Planets’, ‘Joy Through Amplification’, ‘The Years’ and some others from your list to my list of favorites too.
I’m not ‘Orphans of Babylon’ though I have had these types of comments before on the ‘old board’ when putting an opinion forward that is not to your liking. It’s a discussion for god’s sake, not signing up to a view that we must always bend the knee to the master – you’re a very talented musician & guitarist who has had a long career I very much respect and lives in Yorkshire, but you are not a deity.
I’ve just had a count I’ve over 100 of your CDs excluding any recent Be-Bop, Noise Candy, Dream of Everyday Life etc box sets. Do you think I’m buying them because I don’t believe in your art and music generally?
“I'm sorry if mine happen to ring a lot of changes and don't conform to expectations.” – I’d actually prefer if you did something totally radical, perhaps a collaboration s due, and didn’t meet expectations rather than turning out a load of albums over 10 to 15 years that totally meet expectations but are way off of ever being considered on my personal ‘best’ list.
First the packaging – it’s lovely to see this being invested in to have an art object – it adds a lot to the total experience.
So far, I have listened to first 3 CDs over 2 days. First impression is that it’s fine, but I maybe need to accept that my tastes no longer align with those of the artist or I’m behind the curve and need to listen harder. In short, I feel there are a lot of albums last 10 to 15 years that sound very similar and I’m finding that magic moment in the listening experience ever harder to find. But after 35 years of buying Bill’s albums I will not be quitting, and I hope for something that equates to a 'After the Satellite Sings', Noise Candy ‘Console’ or ‘Dreamland to Starboard’ personal listening moment comes again.
Still waiting...
Wonderful packaging and taking Bills advice “a bit at a time” although I wanna get stuck in😂 anyway just done disc 1 and absolutely love it👍🏼 Thanks and Happy Birthday Bill🥂
Thanks for the enthusiastic and warm review Southern Dreamer, I'm glad that My Private Cosmos has connected with you so positively and so quickly. The album represents a lot of hard work, many months in the studio and then time spent getting the packaging together (with the help of Martin and Jon on that front.) It's turned out very well, I think. 😉
As I've already suggested to fans, just take it a little bit at a time and absorb what's going on within the tracks. There are so many tracks, impossible to grasp in a single extended listening session, this is an album that requires weeks and weeks to fully appreciate.
Tracks that, at first you might pass over will often suddenly spring to life later. This is not one for people wanting 'instant gratification,' it's a big and broad sound canvas and requires a broad mind and a big heart to resonate with it. Hopefully, fans will find lots to enjoy over a very long period of listening to it's nuances!😀
I'll be loading it all onto a porto-player, literally test-driving it all, and weeding out what I don't like. Just like I did with Noise Candy, only easier. Six discs... no doubt there will be many saved for the permanent rotation.
Thanks for your impressions on the listening so far...mine won't arrive for a bit yet (I'm in California) but I can't wait! I suspect it will arrive right before Christmas, and that it will be the best gift of all.
Thanks for the first-impressions review Southern Dreamer. (Mine has been delayed by FedEx, unfortunately, so I'll have to wait a little longer).
Mine has just arrived. Thanks for the initial impression, sounds like something to cherish over this Yuletide and for many years to come. Outstanding packaging (sadly no signed postcard, I missed out by a couple of hours!)
Now onto the music. Sweet joy. Thanks Bill and Happy Xmas