''Axe Victim'' is the debut album by English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Be-Bop Deluxe Be-Bop Deluxe were an English rock band who achieved critical acclaim and moderate commercial success during the mid to late 1970s. History Be-Bop Deluxe Be-Bop Deluxe was founded in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, by singer, guitaris ...

, released in June 1974.

Musical style

The music of ''Axe Victim'' incorporated elements of

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. In ...

, blues and

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...

. Overall, the album's sound has been classified as

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

and art rock. The material is different from later releases; it was released at the height of the glam rock era in Britain, with the band's music and image being influenced by the musical zeitgeist. Several songs, such as the title track "Axe Victim", demonstrated this glam influence, whilst others, for example, the future concert staple "Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape", showed their progressive tendencies. At the time of its release, the band's glam image and music was being criticised as being too similar to that of

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

, a comparison that would ultimately lead to Be-Bop Deluxe's disbanding as band leader

Bill Nelson Clarence William Nelson II (born September 29, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Nelson previously served as a United States Senator from Flo ...

strived to make more and more unconventional music. The song "Jets at Dawn", a re-recording of the earlier Smile Records version, holds the distinction of being the longest Be-Bop Deluxe album track, lasting 7:20. The only longer studio recordings are the '' Sunburst Finish''-era B-side "Shine" (at 7:49) and the multi-track "Modern Music" suite. The album was first released on CD in 1990 with three live bonus tracks. Q Magazine called the album 'painfully contrived

here Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here Television * Here TV (form ...

only "Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape" emits that incongruous whiff or originality.

Production

''Axe Victim'' was recorded in AIR London, Audio International Studios and CBS Studios, all located in London, England.''Axe Victim'' album sleevenotes. Kevin Cann, 1990 This incarnation of the band, featuring Bill Nelson on vocals and lead guitar, Ian Parkin on rhythm guitar, Robert Bryan on bass, and Nicholas Chatterton-Dew on drums, would only last for this album, before Nelson disbanded Be-Bop Deluxe following the ''Axe Victim'' tour and reformed it with several other musicians for the following year's '' Futurama''.

Track listing

All songs written by

, except "Rocket Cathedrals" by Robert Bryan. ;Side 1 #"Axe Victim" – 5:14 #"Love is Swift Arrows" – 4:12 #"Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus" – 4:10 #"Third Floor Heaven" – 2:27 #"Night Creatures" – 3:34 ;Side 2 #

"Rocket Cathedrals" – 3:00 #"Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape" – 3:23 #"Jets at Dawn" – 7:19 #"No Trains To Heaven" – 6:39 #"Darkness (L'Immoraliste)" – 3:22 ;CD issue bonus tracks (1991) #

"Piece of Mine" (Live, 1977) (CD issue bonus track) – 5:13 #"Mill Street Junction" (Live, 1977) (CD issue bonus track) – 4:43 #"Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape" (Live, 1977) (CD issue bonus track) – 7:56

Personnel

;Be-Bop Deluxe *

–

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

and

12-string A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 strings in six courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lower four courses are tuned in o ...

guitars, lead vocals (all but 6), keyboards * Ian Parkin –

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

and acoustic guitars, organ *Robert Bryan –

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

, lead vocals (6) *Nicholas Chatterton-Dew – drums, percussion,

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

with: * Andrew Powell - arrangement on "Darkness (L'Immoraliste)" ;Technical *

John Leckie John William Leckie (born 23 October 1949) is an English record producer and recording engineer. His production credits include Magazine's ''Real Life'' (1978), XTC's ''White Music'' (1978) and Dukes of Stratosphear's ''25 O'Clock'' (1985), t ...

, Bill Nelson - producer on bonus tracks *Pete Silver, Rodney "Beaut" Harper, Steve Nye, Mike Ross-Trevor - engineer *John Leckie, Mike Ross-Trevor - mixing *

Mick Rock Michael David Rock (born Michael Edward Chester Smith; 21 November 1948 – 18 November 2021) was a British photographer. He photographed rock music acts such as Queen, David Bowie, Waylon Jennings, T. Rex, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop ...

- art direction, photography *John Holmes - cover

References

External links

*
Be-Bop Deluxe Discography
{{Authority control 1974 debut albums Glam rock albums by English artists Harvest Records albums Be-Bop Deluxe albums