Tunes.com, Lucent and BowieNet Broadcast the Momentous Live SessionNEW YORK, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In a prolific career spanning over 30 years, David Bowie has always been on the cutting edge of technology and artistic endeavors. As the first artist to launch his own Internet Service Provider (ISP), BowieNet (http://www.davidbowie.com), it is no surprise that Bowie has now turned to the Internet to let the whole world in on the creative process of writing, rehearsing, recording and mixing a song.
"What's Really Happening," the first cyber song, is the result of collaborative efforts between Bowie and co-writer Alex Grant, who was one of 80,000 people who submitted lyrics online to the Bug Music-sponsored BowieNet cyber song contest. Now, on May 24, 1999, from 7-10 p.m. EDT, the world can watch a webcast of the recording session live on the Web, at BowieNet, Tunes.com/RollingStone.com (http://www.rollingstone.com) and Lucent Technology (http://www.lucent.com), as Bowie lays down the song tracks and makes history once again. What's more, the webcast will mark the first ever shot with Lucent Technology's 360-degree camera.Commenting on the cyber song webcast, David Bowie said, "I was drawn to the idea of launching BowieNet in part because it serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas among people with common interests. Opening my initial thoughts on 'What's Really Happening' for input on the web was a unique songwriting experience. Now, I am looking forward to the next step where I share the final formation of the cyber song with my co-writer, Alex Grant, and the web-at-large in a 360-degree interactive adventure."
Alex Grant, winner of the Bug Music-sponsored cyber song contest for "What's Really Happening" will be flown from his home in Ohio to New York City where he will join Bowie for the Webcast recording of the song that incorporates his lyrics. Grant also receives a $15,000 publishing contract from Bug Music, a one-year subscription to BowieNet, a complete Bowie catalogue, $500 worth of music from CDNow and a three-year subscription to Rolling Stone magazine.The live webcast of "What's Really Happening" will take Web viewers through the rehearsal, recording and mixing of the song. Those who tune in will hear everything in RealAudio through Real Network's G2 player. Those who view the video webcast at www.lucent.com will be amazed by how much they actually see with the formal debut of Lucent Technology's 360-degree camera. At www.rollingstone.com, fans can experience both the live audio and video, as well as search the rich artist archives which house Bowie's Rolling Stone magazine covers, song clips and exclusive photos. All in all, an event that is truly the first of its kind.
BowieNet memberships can be obtained anywhere in the world for a monthly fee of $US5.95. The membership offers subscribers not only essential news pertaining to business, sports and finance, but also music and entertainment content exclusive to BowieNet. In effect, BowieNet offers members the combination of special access to David Bowie's visual artistry, words and music and BowieNet's unparalleled technical capabilities. UltraStar's BowieNet ISP is currently available throughout North America and in the UK. Users who sign on to have BowieNet as their ISP pay a fee of $US19.95 per month. There is also a globally accessible portion of BowieNet that is free and open to the general public.
About Tunes.com
Tunes.com (www.Tunes.com), formerly JAMTV, is the Internet's leading music hub -- combining the Web's largest collection of music content, personalized tools for music discovery, and unique, genre-specific programming and content developed in collaboration with top industry publishers Rolling Stone (www.RollingStone.com and AOL keyword: Rolling Stone), The Source (www.TheSource.com) and Down Beat (www.DownBeatJazz.com). For more information, please see its online pressroom at www.tunes.com/tunes/about.html.
About Bug Music
Established in 1975, Bug Music now administers and/or owns in excess of 60,000 copyrights on a worldwide basis. With offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and London, Bug prides itself on its international collection and its administrative system as well as its ability to increase the value of the copyrights that it handles by placing them in films, television programs, commercials, compilation records and with other artists. Bug represent the pre-eminent blues catalogs of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Stevie Ray Vaughan as well as those of Johnny Cash, Richard Thompson, Del Shannon and other formidable songwriting talents.BowieNet contacted Bug for the cyber song contest because it sought an independent, creative minded publisher. Bug represents the catalog of Iggy Pop who has co-written and collaborated with David Bowie on a number of occasions. Bug also represents Reeves Gabrels, Bowie's current guitarist and longtime songwriting partner. Bug is proud to be a partner in the BowieNet venture and welcomes the "What's Really Happening" cyber song contest winner, Alex Grant, as a new publishing client.
About UltraStar
Based in New York, UltraStar is a management, technology partnership that specializes in the arena of Internet services, bringing major entertainment, sports and fashion clients to the world in a community-based forum delivered over the Web. The UltraStar philosophy is simple -- allow Internet users the opportunity to get "up close and personal" with their favorite personalities, in a members' influenced community via the Internet. Never before has there been an ISP gateway where the private and public worlds of famous figures has been opened with the continued support, input and materials of each star. BowieNet is UltraStar's first in a wide range of planned entertainment-focused ISPs. For more information, contact Bob Goodale at UltraStar, babbagee@ultrastar.com, 212-647-1945.
