Bill Nelson (born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1948) is a British artist best known as a rock musician, although he is also a painter. His work as a painter sits in the background of a career that was built mainly on music, where he became known as a guitarist and songwriter.
He studied at the Wakefield College of Art, where he became interested in the work of the poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, and early on he was influenced by the guitar style of Duane Eddy. His career then focused on music: in 1972 he formed Be-Bop Deluxe, which brought him wider attention during the 1970s, and he later continued as a solo artist and with projects such as Red Noise.
His painting is tied to an experimental approach that also runs through his music and his many collaborations with other artists. His legacy is most often recognised in rock and in experimental music.