ALBUM NOTES:

The Hip Pocket Jukebox mini-album is a collection of 'PCM-F1' archive vocal tracks recorded between 1984 and 1995, which initially appeared as a CDR bearing no label or catalogue number. The disc came with printed labels that were signed and individually numbered by Nelson.

The mini-album was included in the ticket price for an event held at Leeds University on the 1st of October, 2011, entitled The Art School Ascended on Vapours of Roses, and was limited to approximately 150 copies. (Note this is based on the limitations on the size of venue used to stage the event rather than anything officially confirmed by Nelson.)

'I'll Be Everywhere' warrants particular mention since it is the previously released instrumental track 'Tropicus' (from Chameleon) but with added vocal.    

Because of the limited nature of this release, and the very high prices paid for a couple of copies that were listed on eBay (which sold for more than £200 each), enquiries from fans led Nelson to release the material as a free digital download on Soundcloud in December 2011. The digital edition came with free downloadable artwork.


CURRENT AVAILABILITY:

Original copies on CDR are near impossible to obtain, but the opportunity to acquire the free download is available here: Hip Pocket Jukebox FREE download.

BILL'S THOUGHTS:

"As an early Christmas gift for fans, we've decided to make the six tracks which comprised the Hip Pocket Jukebox CDR, (which was given to ticket holders at the Leeds concert/exhibition earlier this year), available as FREE downloads via this site. These are unmastered mp3s from my 1980's PCM F1 archives and are demos or rough sketches for songs that were never developed further or publicly released. They're rough and unpolished but, hopefully, enjoyable within their technical limitations.

"This does not affect the exclusivity of the Hip Pocket Jukebox CDR which was produced as a strictly limited edition, being hand-numbered and signed by myself. These physical artefacts remain rare and valuable but the music itself, in basic download form, will allow fans who couldn't attend the Leeds event to hear the music.

"These tracks will also give you a taste of the proposed album which will eventually surface on CD. (My plan is to eventually compile more of the best of these PCM archives as an official, physical album once the material has been properly mastered by John Spence at Fairview. Hopefully, sometime in the first quarter of next year.)" [This was later released as Return to Tomorrow.]
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"I'd thought they were a little naive and somewhat substandard at the time, which is why they've been gathering dust for so long."


FAN THOUGHTS:

Puzzleoyster:

"The PCM Era has taken a lot, if not all of us, by very pleasant surprise!
Open mouthed agog as how comes most, if not all these songs and sketches found themselves down the back of the Proverbial PCM Settee!!???"


aquiresville:

"Amazing that these songs never made it on a proper album! Thank you, Bill!"


James Ellis:

"I'm Blown away by "Blown Away"!

First listen, these are terrific songs, even in their unmixed state, far too good to sit on the shelves."


TimeSlip:

"These are great pieces. I don't know if they inspire me or depress me. I mean, these are "rough and unpolished"? So that's it: your "demos" are equivalent to the best efforts of others."


banality:

"Sometimes you play something a few times and you like it well enough. Then you play it one more time and you crack - after that it just sounds fantastic. Well, tonight, Hip Pocket Jukebox has cracked me. Now I've got that thing where your favourite track keeps changing..."I'll Be Everywhere"...no..."Silver Tears"...no..."Where Do We Go?"...and so on. What wonderful confusion! Thanks for the CD Bill."


johnofdeath:

"If you listen to tracks like "We Will Rise" and "Killing my Desires" from Buddha Head [part of My Secret Studio - Vol 1] you get a pretty good idea about how these tracks sound - same style of vocals, synth strings and angry guitar sound."

"I'm really enjoying the music. I really hope this is the tip of an iceberg and we all get to hear more of these hidden gems.  Thanks for making them available, Bill"


Quinault:

"I am awed by BN's creativity. It is like looking through a temporal worm hole into the past. Music as well as photography can capture time and these musical projects have a different timeline. We all know how Bill packages wonderfully themed albums. These songs seem like singles, snapshots of another era. Magic."