Lily Winners

Pictures of Lily made my life so wonderful...

Last week (05/09/01 NEWS: WIN PICTURES OF LILY PROMO CD) we posed the question: "who produced David's version of Pictures Of Lily" that appears on the upcoming 'Substitute' album? Well, the good news is that if you look to BowieNet for accurate information at times like this, then you are in with a greater chance of being one of the lucky five winners of the above four-track promo.

A few misguided souls that were misinformed elsewhere did answer Tony Visconti, but the majority of you were smart enough to check out the pop-up on the competition page that contained the winning combination of David Bowie and Mark Plati, who did actually produce the track. The five BowieNet members that TRS did randomly select were:

bjossilu@davidbowie.com
perrottg@davidbowie.com
msimmo@davidbowie.co.uk
horstschickedanz@davidbowie.com
traveler@davidbowie.com

But then in an uncharacteristic malfunction, TRS spat out a further two names, which I guess we'll just have to honour:

aztecflesh@davidbowie.com
raisin13@davidbowie.com

So if the seven of you could please send your real world names and addresses to MrTotalBlamBlam@AOL.Com, Post Mistress Nanny Susans will service you immediately in a way that only she can.

Tonight Matthew, I'm Going To Be......

DAVID BOWIE! The popular Saturday night UK TV show, Stars In Their Eyes, in which the contestants impersonate their favourite singer, had a special something for David Bowie fans this week. Tony Perry, from Benfleet in Essex, was one of five contestants for a place in the grand final this summer.

The host, Matthew Kelly, introduced Tony with these words about David :-

"Its fair to say our next star changed Rock 'n' Roll forever and changed himself in the process."

Tony had his own business, but now stays at home and looks after his children and the house, while his wife works as a teacher. Matthew Kelly asked him about his life :-

MK : "It can't be easy to be a house-husband - but I know for you there was a defining moment".

TP : "I think it finally hit home when I found myself sewing up a peg bag and enjoying it. It was a floral one as well!. The reason I chose the person I'm going to be tonight is because he's got a smashing haircut."

Tony sang Ashes To Ashes, wearing a copy of David's outfit for The Brit Awards 1996, complete with stillettos and earing. He was voted best of the night and won a place in the final later this year, when the general public can vote as well as the studio audience. Well done, Tony, and best of luck next time! (Anyone for a peg bag? - form an orderly queue after me ;)

:))

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Have a wonderful stress free Sunday

I love you, mum!

Alex (and daddy)

©Bowie-2001

Transcript From Chat With Sterling

Last night's chat with Sterling was a blast - an hour and a half of goods & giggles with Mr. Backbeat himself! Sterling talks about everything from working with David to how he first met Dennis Davis to fun with peanut butter. Just go to the BowieNet Chat page or click here to read the transcript!

Bowie Even More Collectable In 2001

...when somebody wants something you want too

Record Collector magazine (May 2001) has this month published its yearly reader poll of the top 500 most collectable artists. David Bowie has improved on last year's position by two places, now putting him at four in this new list. Here's what they had to say about our man...even if they're not quite sure what year it is:

"Bowie has had a stunning year, reflected in his rise into our top 5. He became a father again, played a triumphant Glastonbury, voted the Most Influential Artist Of All Time by the NME, saw his BBC sessions released and is currently in the process of recording a new album with Tony Visconti."

Here's the full top ten with last year's positions in brackets:

1 (1) The Beatles
2 (2) The Rolling Stones
3 (4) Elvis Presley
4 (6) David Bowie
5 (9) Pink Floyd
6 (8) Bob Dylan
7 (3) Queen
8 (7) Led Zeppelin
9 (5) The Who
10 (18) The Beach Boys

So hang onto that signed Roseland poster it just might be your pension fund...as if you would ever sell!

If you want to see the other 489 placings between The Beach Boys and Magnum, I'm afraid you'll have to buy the magazine. This issue also has a superb Grandaddy discography (even though, in my anal way, I have noticed a few mistakes) and if anybody can sort me out with a 7" vinyl single of 'Taster' I will marry them. };-)

Ground Control To Grandaddy

The Boys From Modesto searching for a Crystal Lake

Do you remember a guy that's been, in such an early song?

A postscript to the Record Collector piece I posted yesterday, and specifically the Grandaddy discography, is the mention of similarities in concept between David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' and Grandaddy's 'He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot'. I have to admit that this isn't the first time this has been pointed out to me. Here's what the magazine said:

"...Eight seconds short of nine minutes, the track's structure and subject matter is, presumably, the basis for descriptions of Grandaddy as "the American Radiohead", and has also drawn comparison with Bowie's 'Space Oddity'. On the track, Lytle imagines a pilot - "2000 man" - adrift without maps and plans, apparently presenting an allegory of the vague sense of loss, misplacement and anti-climax that many people found came with the new millennium. I wonder where the band's recurrent use of space imagery comes from? "I don't know," admits Fairchild."

This theme isn't new to Grandaddy. 'Everything Beautiful Is Far Away' from 'Under The Western Freeway' deals with a stranded shuttle pilot, doomed to spend the remainder of his life in a cave on a non-specific planet, with faded photographs of his loved ones back on Earth as the only reminder of the place from whence he came.

"Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do"...Beautiful.

Italian Bowie Party

The Italian Bowie fanclub site Velvet Goldmine is sponsoring another Bowie night. 2001: A Bowie Odissey, is on Saturday, May 26th, 10 pm, at MAGO DI OZ, Via Senofane 119 (in front of the drive-in), Casalpalocco, Rome.

Special live guests will be the coverband Mr.Ziggy and The Glass Spiders. The music on the dance floor will be ?only Bowie? and the party will last all night.

For more information, email velvetgoldmine.

:))

Christiane F. Region 1 Dvd Due In July

Psychodelicate girl come out to play...

After last year's various releases of Christiane F. on region 2 DVD throughout Europe, it's now the turn of America and Canada to finally enjoy a region 1 version. Scheduled as an early July release it looks like this is going to be a better version than the DVD currently available in Europe. Those who are interested will understand the following technical doo dah regarding the release:

Widescreen: 1.77:1, Enhanced for 16X9 TVs, Color, Mono, Original Language: German, English Dubbed: Mono, Subtitles: English

Good eh?

Thanx to Special Lightning for the pointer };-)

Chat With Sterling!

The fun begins at 5PM EST! Just click here to join in!!

Whatever Happened To Ziggy Hero? Part Two

We can be Hero, for ever and ever

Almost a year later our question is answered. Ziggy Hero became a book in his own right, well the title of one at least. BowieNetter Simone wondered on the MBs a couple of days back whether an English version of the above German edition existed. Though her question was answered fully on the MBs, I thought the book was also worth a mention here.

You may remember we first broke news of 'Slow Down Arthur, Stick To Thirty' by Harland Miller back in early June last year ( 06/07/00 NEWS: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ZIGGY HERO? ). The recently published German version of the book takes its name from the central character, and hero of the piece, Bowie Impersonator Ziggy erm...Hero.

What next? A Swedish version simply called David Bowie perhaps?

Sterling Campbell To Chat Tomorrow!

Phat Beeeeetz!

A reminder that Mr. Campbell himself is dropping by tomorrow for tea and crumpets. Oh, and he'll be chatting, too. The fun begins at 5PM EST on Thursday, May 10th!

Of course you can ask him about what it's been like to keep the beat behind db, or behind the numerous other artists he's worked with including the B-52s, David Byrne, Duran Duran and more. But did you know that Sterling is also active in Falun Dafa and in the human right violations against the practice of such in China?

A photography exhibit on the subject is currently being held at the Gallery Stendhal in Soho:

A Photo Exhibition
"The Journey of Falun Dafa
A Return to Truthfulness Compassion Forbearance"

May 3 - May 21, 2001
Gallery Stendhal
386 West Broadway, corner of Spring Street
New York City
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm

See you there!

Win Pictures Of Lily Promo Cd

"Son, now here's some little something"

The release date for 'Substitute - The Songs Of The Who' has been put back another week in the UK to June 4th. But to help soften your disappointment a little, we have procured five copies of the scarce 4-track promo (above) that is already being greedily snapped up for silly money. Here is the track-listing for the CD:

01. Stereophonics (featuring Noel Gallagher on backing vocals) - 'Who Are You'
02. DAVID BOWIE - 'Pictures Of Lily'
03. Sheryl Crow - 'Behind Blue Eyes'
04. Paul Weller - 'Circles'

To be in with a chance of winning this little beauty simply tell us who produced David's version of 'Pictures Of Lily' that appears on the album. Send your answer to MrTotalBlamBlam@AOL.Com by midnight in your timezone, Sunday night. Please remember to post from an @.davidbowie address to get your correct answer considered by TRS.

We can also exclusively reveal the launch of the new 'Substitute' website, where you can hear a 30 second teaser of this superb version of 'Pictures Of Lily', and enter competitions to win 'Substitute' merchandise. But we feel that 30 seconds is perhaps too much of a tease, and so we've decided to tantalise you with a whole minute more than that...Didn't want to give you it all, you can have too much of a good thing...If you win the promo of course, you get to hear the whole thing at your leisure, but in the meantime, go here.

Sterling Campbell To Chat Tomorrow!

Phat Beeeeetz!

A reminder that Mr. Campbell himself is dropping by tomorrow for tea and crumpets. Oh, and he'll be chatting, too. The fun begins at 5PM EST on Thursday, May 10th!

Of course you can ask him about what it's been like to keep the beat behind db, or behind the numerous other artists he's worked with including the B-52s, David Byrne, Duran Duran and more. But did you know that Sterling is also active in Falun Dafa and in the human right violations against the practice of such in China?

A photography exhibit on the subject is currently being held at the Gallery Stendhal in Soho:

A Photo Exhibition
"The Journey of Falun Dafa
A Return to Truthfulness Compassion Forbearance"

May 3 - May 21, 2001
Gallery Stendhal
386 West Broadway, corner of Spring Street
New York City
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm

See you there!

Acid Queen Bitch

In an 'Eyewitness' feature in the June 2001 edition of Q magazine, Richard Barnes, Who biographer, talks about Pete Townshend's choices for the part of The Acid Queen in the film version of the rock opera 'Tommy'. "Pete wanted Tiny Tim to do it, and then Little Richard, Mick Jagger, David Bowie...."

Can you imagine?......

(Thanks to the super fertile brain of our lovely European correspondent, Total Blam Blam, for the image)

:))

Blitz Kidz On The Box Tonight

The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell

...as romantic as hell

Most of you will recognise the picture above as a still from the 'Ashes To Ashes' video, but perhaps there are a few of you who are a bit too young to remember the New Romantic Movement (hi Baby Steve). The chap second in from the left, known to most of us as Steve Strange, was the host of the Blitz club in London from where David Bowie chose his cast of colourful characters to populate aforementioned promo.

The Blitz wasn't the first of these clubs, it evolved from Bowie nights at a club called Billy's in Soho, and every one of the beautiful people that risked their lives to wander the streets of London on their way to these nights was a self-confessed Bowie fan. Well, if you weren't around to witness the bizarre goings-on at the time, you have a chance to glimpse some of the boys and girls that turned the heads of the easily-shocked during the early eighties by tuning into BBC1 here in the UK tonight at 10.35pm (GMT).

Expect contributions to this fifty minute special from Boy George and Culture Club, Duran Duran, ABC, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Spandau Ballet. Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet (perhaps even more famous now as Steve Owen in EastEnders) had this to say: "We were all huge Bowie fans and enjoyed dressing up. People forget that a lot of great bands and songs came from that era." Hear! Hear!

Tune-in, make-up and sing out. };-)

Who Tribute Delayed

And I ask you, "Hey mister, have you seen Pictures of Lily?"

It's May Day here in the UK which makes it a public holiday. Record companies and the like don't normally work on days like these, but from what I can gather, it seems the tribute album 'Substitute - The Songs Of The Who' has not hit the shops in the UK today. By all accounts the release date has been put back three weeks to May 28th.

As you know, David Bowie is no stranger to Who cover versions, he recorded both 'I Can't Explain' and 'Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere' for his own 1973 tribute album, PinUps. But, if you've not heard it yet, I can tell you that the Bowie/Plati produced contribution to this album, 'Pictures Of Lily', is well worth the wait. Here is the full track-listing.

01. Cast - "The Seeker"
02. Ocean Colour Scene - "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere"
03. Paul Weller - "Circles"
04. David Bowie - "Pictures Of Lily"
05. Pearl Jam - "The Kids Are Alright"
06. Fastball - "The Real Me"
07. UnAmerican - "Naked Eye"
08. Stereophonics - "Who Are You"
09. Phish - "5:15"
10. Sheryl Crow - "Behind Blue Eyes"
11. The Who featuring Kelly Jones - "Substitute"

I know the sleeve of the promo above would seem to contradict this running order, but as the artists are certainly not listed alphabetically on the promo, I can only suggest they are listed in order of brilliance or something similar? };-)

Luhrmann Speaks Of Moulin Soundtrack

Moulin Rouge opens Cannes film festival on Wednesday, and the UK press coverage has begun in earnest. In yesterday's UK Sunday Times, Culture section, Baz Luhrmann describes Moulin Rouge as the third and last of his "red-curtain" movies, which all have a central theme intended to "awaken an audience and remind them that at all times they are watching a film". For Strictly Ballroom, this theme was dance and for Romeo + Juliet, the Shakespearian dialogue. For Moulin Rouge it is song. "Moulin Rouge is a story told through song", he says.

So, what of the songs themselves? The Sunday Times says: "Instead of commissioning a whole new score, Luhrmann decided to "take all the culture of the past 100 years, tear it up and piece it back together to make our own world". This lead to some deliciously incongruous melanges for a musical ostensibly set at the end of the 19th Century. Kidman sings Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend; McGregor sings Elton John's Your Song with Placido Domingo; David Bowie and Massive Attack collaborate on the Nat King Cole number Nature Boy; Jose Feliciano sings Roxanne as a tango; Beck and Timbaland do a cover of Bowie's Diamond Dogs; and so on."

David's two recordings of Nature Boy open and close both the film, and the soundtrack which is on sale in the UK from May 14th and in the USA tomorrow!.

:))

V - The Last Word

Cover of V magazine...Ziggy's bastard children
proving it's OK to sport a mullet again!

It's confusing these days...

There seems to be a tiny bit of confusion surrounding the publication that brought us David's 'Cosh Boys' piece that I first mentioned on Wednesday ( 05/02/01 NEWS: BOWIE WRITES AND ROCK SHOOTS FOR 'V' MAG ). Firstly the publication is the bi-monthly V magazine, which should not be confused with the limited edition Visionaire that is published less frequently and costs about fifty times more than V. Secondly, V magazine isn't themed and only David's piece relates to gangs.

OK, so what you need to seek out is the March/April 2001 Spring edition that is Issue #10 of V magazine, pictured above, available in your local artsy type newsagent or booksellers. V magazine can be found in the right places all over the planet, but unfortunately does not have a presence on the world-wide information super highway.

The incredible Visionaire itself is also worth checking out if you can afford it. David contributed to Issue 25 (confusingly entitled 'Visionairy') and Iman made a particularly stunning appearance in Issue 21, 'Deck Of Cards'. The Visionaire site can be found here. Good luck.

Reminder: Tour Dates For Emm

Just a reminder that our dear Emm is on the road as we speak - in Pennsylvania tonight!