Region 1 Db Dvd Bonanza, Plus Bob Easter Eggs

Labyrinth (Superbit Collection), The Man Who Fell to Earth (Special Edition) and Absolute Beginners.

And we're hooked to the silver screen...

A rash of David Bowie DVDs are about to be made available to the region 1 (USA/Canada) territories. Firstly, The Man Who Fell to Earth (Special Edition) double disc is released today through Anchor Bay, and you can find out a bit more about the impressive list of extras by going here.

The Labyrinth (Superbit Collection) which was due last week seems to have been delayed, though you can still pre-order it online, and Absolute Beginners (due April 15th 2003) can also be pre-ordered via the usual outlets. You can check out all the technical guff for all three of these DVDs via those same outlets. I would post it here, but frankly it's far too dull and I don't want to clog the news pages with it.

While we're on the subject of DVDs, BowieNetter and film buff, Rus Phillips, recently posted a piece from British Video/DVD trade mag VHE (Video Home Entertainment) who published this chart of the year's top ten selling DVDs:

1.The Eminem Show - Eminem
2.Greatest Video Hits - Queen
3.Live At The Albert Hall - Robbie Williams
4.Unbreakable, Greatest Hits - Westlife
5.Kylie Fever - Kylie Minogue
6.BEST OF BOWIE - DAVID BOWIE
7.The Best Of 1990-2000 - U2
8.The Song Remains The Same - Led Zeppelin
9.Complete - The Jam
10.Live In Sydney - Kylie Minogue

Thanx for that Rus, and apparently BoB is still selling very well indeed. While we're on the subject of BoB, I still get regular e-mails regarding those hidden extras that have come to be known as Easter Eggs. So, courtesy of EMI, here ya go:

- 'Oh! You Pretty Things' (Old Grey Whistle Test, Take 2) - DVD 1: click on 'Play All', every second time the alternative version will appear.
- Interview with David Bowie and Russell Harty (before 'Drive-In Saturday') - DVD 1: click on the hyphen on the tracklisting display.
- Screen ad for forthcoming Ziggy Stardust DVD - DVD 1: click on the lightning bolt logo on the tracklisting display.
- 'Jazzin' For Blue Jean' (21 minute promo) - DVD 1: click on the ) symbol on the tracklisting display. You will notice the picture change on the right hand side. Highlight and click to play.
- 'Blue Jean' (MTV performance recorded at The Wag Club) - DVD 1: whilst you are playing the 'Jazzin' For Blue Jean' video, when the girl goes to the jukebox (at 1'40"), click on Enter when you see the David Bowie image appear.
- 'Day-In Day-Out' (Extended Mix) - DVD 2: click on 'Play All', every 2nd time the Extended Mix will appear.
- 'Miracle Goodnight' (remix) - DVD 2: play the 'Miracle Goodnight' video, wait 5 minutes on the tracklist display and click Enter.
- 'Seven Years In Tibet' (Mandarin version) - DVD 2: click on the Mandarin symbol on the subtitle page.
- 'Survive' (live in Paris 1999) - DVD 2: click on 'Play All', every second time the live version will appear.

Phew... That's the lot, did you find 'em all?

Dutch Bowie Exhibition - More Pieces Online Now

"...and now he is a puppet dancer..."
Detail from 'Labyrinth' by Hans Kievit..

In the port of Amsterdam, You can see Sailor dance...

Bert Dijkstra, has informed me that there are more contributions up online for the Up The Hill Backwards: The Golden Years of David Bowie exhibition that we told you about last month. (01/25/03 NEWS: SHOP AROUND FOR BOWIE PAINTINGS IN AMSTERDAM) Click on the image above to take you to an online version of the gallery, where you can find all of the contributions thus far presented.

Starting on February 16th at the Stip gallery in Amsterdam, the exhibition runs through to March 9th, and you can find contact details etc., at aforementioned website.

Bowienet News Archive For January Is Up

Time flies when you're having fun...

Susans has posted the BowieNet news archive for January. Click on the image above to take you there. While you're about it you can check out the first four months of 2000 by going here. Blimey, who was it who said: "My, my, the time do fly"?

D&d On Xfm Tomorrow, Plus Bowienet Discount On 22nd

Like a mirror, Sunday morning...

BowieNetter Mike Leigh has written to inform me that Des de Moor and Russell Churney will perform a couple of songs from Darkness and Disgrace on Adam Longworth's XFM show around 9:00am tomorrow morning. They are scheduled to play The Man Who Sold The World and The Bewlay Brothers, and you can listen live online by going here.

If you've missed the broadcast by the time you read this, then check out a couple of audience reactions from the current run of Darkness and Disgrace, to see why you really should attend.

I'm going along tomorrow, as are a couple of Eighties pop icons, one of whom appeared in what is possibly Bowie's best known Eighties video. I'm also attending what we are hoping will be a bit of a BowieNet night on Saturday February 22nd. BowieNetters will be able to see the show on this night for the concessionary rate of Ã‚Â£8, which is a very generous 20% discount.

If you're interested in attending on the 22nd you will need to get your tickets fast. The Pentameters Theatre in Hampstead is a particularly intimate venue, and most of the BowieNet winners of our recent competition have already reserved seats for the 22nd. So if you want to be among friendly faces on the BowieNet night, contact the box office on +44 (0)20 7435 3648 and give your BowieNet user name to qualify for your discount.

NB: This discount is available for the 22nd only, and only to those that give a valid BowieNet user name. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to those attending on this date.

Reminder - Two Hours To Berlin Broadcast

If I did casually mention tonight...

I'm sure none of those that can watch it have forgotten the Sat 1 broadcast of David's 22nd September 2002 performance at the Max Schemling Halle in Berlin in a couple of hours. But here's a reminder just in case.

If the preview tape I have is at all accurate then the broadcast, that commences at midnight (CET), consists of the following tracks:

01 Cactus
02 Slip Away
03 I'm Afraid of Americans
04 5.15 The Angels Have Gone
05 I've Been Waiting For You
06 "Heroes"
07 Heathen
08 Rebel Rebel
09 Survive
10 Alabama Song
11 Afraid
12 Everyone Says 'Hi'
13 Hallo Spaceboy

I know of no plans at the moment to broadcast, or indeed release, the whole show... but one can live in hope.

NB: According to Gobrian over at BowieWonderWorld, "if you have an analogue dish, the broadcast is free and unscrambled on Sat 1 (Astra transponder 6) at 11:00pm (GMT) UK time. Sat1 teletext page 384 has all the details."

Fun In Chinatown, Plus Tibet Plans In Latest Journal

"Shakey threw a party that lasted all night..." David Bowie and Ray Davies backstage
at last years Tibet concert. Picture taken with a particularly slow shutter speed by TV.

I'm just the slave of a burning Ray...

It seems this journal writing malarkey is becoming a bit of a habit for DB. In today's instalment you can read about David's Kinky plans for The Tibet Show, and his fun with Lexi at last Sunday's Chinese New Year parade.

Click on the image above if you fancy it.

Db Posts Yet Another Journal Entry

David Bowie in upbeat mood just the other day.

So I've been writing just for you...

David has posted a short but charmingly sweet journal entry today, one that gives us an insight into the way the new songs are taking shape. Much more I can not say. Click here or on the image above to take you to his latest instalment.

Take The Newest Bowienet Poll!

Uncut Ziggy Special Out Today

It's happening now, Not tomorrow...

The Uncut magazine special focusing on the Ziggy/Aladdin Sane era that we told you about last month, (01/09/03 NEWS: UNCUT ZIGGY SPECIAL CD TRACKLISTING) has slipped out a day earlier than advertised. Not that anyone is complaining of course.

The 21-page special includes a free 18-track CD of Bowie cover versions that has changed slightly from the provisional listing we gave you last month. But more of that in a moment.

Apart from the 21-page feature that starts on page 42, a beautiful Sukita portrait of Ziggy graces the front cover (see above) and there are other Bowie-related items inside. They are:

Page 3 - A half-page Sukita pic on the contents page.

Pages 8-9 - A track-by-track breakdown of the cover-mounted CD.

Page 11 - A full page feature on Mick Rock's Moonage Daydream book.

Page 86 - 4-page Lou Reed feature/interview that includes a shot of David and Lou onstage at the RFH in 1972.

Page 144 - The Best of Bowie DVD is one of the nine recommended DVDs and videos released in the last three months.

Page 162 - Uncut Editor, Allan Jones, revisits a Melody Maker article he wrote in 1976, regarding Bowie look-a-like fans who had converged on Wembley Empire Pool for a string of dates by The Thin White Duke.

The Ziggy feature is jam-packed with great period shots, many of which appear in Moonage Daydream, but there are plenty of others too that many of you may not have seen. The piece is written by Chris Roberts, and includes contributions from many eye-witnesses around at the time, all of whom are more than qualified to have a some sort of say.

Recollections via new and archive interviews come from fans and associates alike, including: DA Pennebaker, Tony Visconti, (you're going to love their commentary on the Ziggy Motion Picture soundtrack DVD btw) Ken Scott, Mick Rock, Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey, Trevor Bolder, Iggy Pop, Ian Hunter, Ian McCulloch, Boy George, Allan Jones, Ian Macdonald, a couple I've probably missed, and, of course, David himself.

For a magazine feature, it's remarkably thorough and very entertaining stuff, and it only serves to show the enduring legend that was Ziggy Stardust, is bigger now than ever it was.

The piece ends with the news that the 30th anniversary reissue of Aladdin Sane is scheduled for a May release through EMI. This is a bit of a leak, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now... We'll tell you a bit more about this release, and some other Ziggy related stuff on the horizon shortly.

Now, onto that cover-mounted tribute CD of David Bowie songs, STARMAN. The line-up has changed slightly, with three tracks being dropped, (Duran Duran: Diamond Dogs - Six by Seven: "Helden" - Billy Mackenzie: The Secret Life Of Arabia) and four others being added (highlighted in red). Here's the final tracklisting:

01. Ian McCulloch: The Prettiest Star (exclusive to Uncut)
02. Culture Club: Starman
03. Guy Chadwick: Fall In Love With Me
04. Edwyn Collins: The Gospel According To Tony Day (exclusive to Uncut)
05. The Divine Comedy: Life On Mars?
06. Alejandro Escovedo: All The Young Dudes (exclusive to Uncut)
07. Midge Ure: The Man Who Sold The World
08. Associates: Boys Keep Swinging
09. Big Country: Cracked Actor
10. Peter Murphy: Funtime
11.The Polecats: John, I'm Only Dancing
12. Blondie (with Robert Fripp): "Heroes"
13. Sigue Sigue Sputnik: Rebel Rebel
14. Duran Duran: Fame
15. The Gourds: Ziggy Stardust
16. The Langley Schools Music Project: Space Oddity
17. Christian Death: Panic In Detroit
18. Black Box Recorder: Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

The CD contains an extra unlisted track that heralds the surprise return of an old friend... More than that I will not tell you. If this has whetted your appetite, then I suggest you go and snap up a copy fast. I can tell you from bitter experience that these tribute editions sell very quickly.

Db Praises Richard Gere In New Journal

David and Iman in New York on Monday night.

Talking through the gloom...

David and Iman attended the amfAR awards on Monday evening at Cipriani in New York. Richard Gere was a guest speaker at the event, and he impressed David enough to write a journal entry. Click here or on the image above to take you there.

Happy Birthday Mr George Underwood

"I'm stuck with a valuable friend..." GU and DB backstage at
last year's Hammersmith show. Picture by Total Blam Blam.

On his 56th birthday, told her that he'd found a chum...

Many happy returns of the day to George Underwood on his 56th birthday. Just one month younger than his life-long pal, Glam Rock star David Bowie, George is infamous for being the chap that bopped our David in the eye in a playground battering that changed David's appearance forever, and gave him his unique trademark.

He's also well known among Bowie fans for many other contributions, not least of all his work on the sleeves for the original David Bowie album (Space Oddity), Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust and for the creation of the Ziggy cartoons, immortalised forever in his recent Ziggy Collection set of enamel badges.

Happy birthday George, and best wishes from everybody here at BowieNet, fans and staff alike... and even from that geezer who tried it on with your bird all those years ago.

Berlin Sat 1 Broadcast Finally Confirmed

I'll give you television... (eventually)

A little bit embarrassing this one. "...likely to be nearer mid February than the rumoured date of the 8th or 9th" we said earlier last month... or more accurately I said. (01/10/03 NEWS: BERLIN SAT1 BROADCAST DATE TO BE CONFIRMED)

Well, as you all know (and indeed you think you have known all along) 90 minutes of David's performance from September last year is to be broadcast this Saturday the 8th from midnight on the German satellite channel, Sat 1.

In my own defence, I have to say the date hopped around like a one legged man on a hot plate. A source close to DB said yesterday: "It was originally the 8th which then moved to the 14th, then to the 15th...and then it was finally back to the 8th. It's now been signed off and WILL go ahead on the 8th. If you ask me, this date has hopped around like a one legged man on a hot plate!" Couldn't have put it better myself.

So, there ya go you lucky people... Anybody seen any of the preview ads yet?

Extra Bowienet Tibet Tickets Allocation

You want more and you want 'em fast...

We posted this item on Saturday, but as so many of you were out gallivanting, or sitting in snow on a motorway somewhere, or just being plain lazy and sleeping for the day, we thought we'd post it again.

One thing we forgot to mention on Saturday is that the sale for these tickets closes on Friday. Anyway, here it is again:

BowieNet has been given a second and final allocation of tickets for the Tibet House Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on Friday, February 28th. This is in addition to the tickets that went on sale a couple of weeks back. (01/08/03 NEWS: BOWIENET ALLOCATION OF TIBET TICKETS ON SALE NOW) These tickets are better than any still available via Carnegie Hall directly, and they are on sale now.

Click on the image above to take you to the David Bowie Online Ticketing page. You will find all the instructions you need to order when you get there, but please be sure to read them carefully

Please remember if you are ordering internationally (outside of the USA) your tickets can not be shipped to you. Please use "USA" as the country field as this show is BOX OFFICE PICK-UP for all international orders. Also use NY in the State/Province/Region field even though you are obviously not in New York... Don't worry, this method does work.

The final set of VIP tickets for the Tibet show sold for $1,575.00. Well done to the lucky winners of all five pairs of tickets, you're in for a very special treat.

While we're on the subject of BowieNet auctions on ebaY, stay tuned for some incredible pieces that will be going up over the coming weeks, including some completely bizarre and quite unique onstage props from the Outside tour.

David Answers More Probing Enquiries

I'll say "Don't ask me... "

Hot on the heels of his answer to BowieNetter Zarg's SRV question last week, David has now answered questions from Irulan74 and Mego... and I understand there may be a few more to follow over the coming weeks.

So if you fancy a personal reply from David Bowie to that question that's been nagging you for the last twenty five years, then click on the image above to take you to the forum where you just might one day get an answer.

We're not promising that every question will get a reply, but one thing's for certain, if you don't ask...etc. This service is only available to fully signed-up BowieNetters.

Bowie Enters Top 50 In Billboard Dance/club Chart

Who to dance with on a Sunday night...

BowieNetter iamadj has posted on the boards that the recently released Metro remix of David Bowie's Everyone Says 'Hi' has entered the current Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart (Issue Date:February 8, 2003) at number 44. Well done to DB and Brian Rawling for the creation of this great dancefloor hit.

After a little digging I have managed to locate a copy of this scarce 33 1/3 RPM vinyl only promo record. Released on ISO Records through Columbia as CAS 59068, here is the tracklisting of this instant collectors item:

A Side:
01 Everyone Says 'Hi' (Metro Remix) 7:21
02 Everyone Says 'Hi' (Metro Remix - Radio Edit) 3:43

B Side:
01 I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship (Deepsky's Space Cowboy Remix) 7:52

I do love this mix of Everyone Says 'Hi', it's a very up, feelgood version that almost makes me feel guilty considering David's explanation of what the lyric is really about. Anyway, if you can't find the vinyl, there are versions online that you can listen to if you can find 'em.

One of BowieNet's very first BowieNetters, RaMOANa, has her own excellent online station, TransmissionTransition, which has been broadcasting the long version of Everyone Says 'Hi' on rotation, and Deepsky also have a stream of their 'I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship' remix on their own website.

Reminder - Ziggy Stardust Night At Arlene Grocery Tonight

Come to the show tonight...

Thought I'd repost this story as a reminder that tonight at Arlene Grocery is another classic Bowie album night with The Major Toms. Those of you that attended the New Year's Eve bash last year (12/17/02 NEWS: BOWIE NIGHT ON NEW YEAR'S EVE AT ARLENE GROCERY) will know just how good a time is to be had at one of these classic album nights. For tonight's performance, The Major Toms will perform the whole of the Ziggy Stardust album from start to finish.

Archive Performance
You can view a performance by the band from June 2000 courtesy of DCN (digital club network) by clicking here.

Live Webcast
If you can't make it tonight, you can view a live webcast of the show here. Please note: This link will only work on or after 9:00pm (EST) tonight.

Free Drink
If however you do make it to the show proper, and you're a BowieNetter, you will be rewarded with a free drink. To get on the free drink list send an email to owen@arlene-grocery.com with your full name and BowieNet username. include some text in the email stating that you would like to be put on the guest list for the Ziggy Album Night tonight and that you are a BowieNet Member.

Other Stuff
Here's some other stuff you may want to know if you're thinking of attending:

Cover charge is between $5-6.

Arlene Grocery is located at 95 Stanton Street, NY 10002 - PH (212) 358-1633 - (between Ludlow and Orchard, just one block South of Houston)

See yesterday's news for a full breakdown of The Major Toms personnel.

Blammo Pic Of Mark, Lard And Db In The Independent

The headmaster confiscates a Viz annual from the very naughty
Mark Radcliffe and Marc 'Lard' Riley. Picture by Total Blam Blam.

Strangers when we meet...

This morning's Independent On Sunday's Sunday Review magazine has a piece about Radio 1 DJs Mark and Lard, in a regular feature called How We Met. The two-page item does what it says on the tin, and it's quite a touching look back over the careers of the nation's very favourite radio duo, since they first met as part of the same river-widening work party 38 years ago!

Here's a paragraph from Lard's recollections:

Soon, rather than doing a spot, I'd be on from start to finish. We were perceived as a bit of a double-act, which was weird for us as we're not stand-up comedians. We just sit in the studio and it's like eavesdropping on a couple of guys in the pub.* We can't question the fact that it works, we genuinely sit there and make each other laugh. When we went to interview David Bowie, we felt like two lads seeing the headmaster.

Of course, the pair have introduced a Bowie live show on a few occasions now, including both Manchester and Hammersmith last year, and indeed, the latter was singled out as their very favourite moment of 2002 in a Radio 1 end-of-year round-up.

They have also interviewed DB for their radio show several times over the years, most recently on Lard's birthday last year when David popped into the BBC Manchester studios for a pre-gig interview. The Independent have used a picture that I took at that meeting for the aforementioned piece. It's a picture that I posted here the very same evening (07/10/02 NEWS: BOWIE MOVES MANCHESTER TONIGHT), and that I've used again above for those of you that can't be arsed to scroll back!

* In a recent outing to a pub with Lard and our good friend Nigel, Nigel and I managed to destroy the "soft southerner" stereotype by drinking "Nancy Northerner" Lard under the table. Lard was too scared to join us in a particularly strong wheat beer, and instead kept carping on about how hungry he was and how we should go for a meal. Needless to say, Nigel and I would hear nothing of it and were the very last to leave the fine establishment, with a sobbing and sickly-looking Lard in tow.

Ziggy Night With The Major Toms At Arlene Grocery

Come to the show (tomorrow) night...

Tomorrow night at Arlene Grocery is another classic Bowie album night with The Major Toms. Those of you that attended the New Year's Eve bash last year (12/17/02 NEWS: BOWIE NIGHT ON NEW YEAR'S EVE AT ARLENE GROCERY) will know just how good a time is to be had at one of these classic album nights. For tomorrow's performance, The Major Toms will perform the whole of the Ziggy Stardust album from start to finish.

Archive Performance
You can view a performance by the band from June 2000 courtesy of DCN (digital club network) by clicking here.

Live Webcast
If you can't make it on Sunday, you can view a live webcast of the show here. Please note: This link will only work on or after 9:00pm (EST) tomorrow night. (Sunday February 2nd)

Free Drink
If however you do make it to the show proper, and you're a BowieNetter, you will be rewarded with a free drink. To get on the free drink list send an email to owen@arlene-grocery.com with your full name and BowieNet username. include some text in the email stating that you would like to be put on the guest list for the Ziggy Album Night on Feb 2 and that you are a BowieNet Member.

Other Stuff
Here's some other stuff you may want to know if you're thinking of attending:

Cover charge is between $5-6.

Arlene Grocery is located at 95 Stanton Street, NY 10002 - PH (212) 358-1633 - (between Ludlow and Orchard, just one block South of Houston)

The Major Toms personnel:

Charlie Roth - Musical director and Keyboards. Recently playing with the Blessed Union of Soul. Has played keys for Ozzy Osbourne.

Richard Steel - Guitar, lead guitarist of Spacehog. Say no more.

Adam Roth - Guitar, renowned New York guitarist, had his own band The Del fuegos in the 80's was musical director for Dennis Leary's No cure for cancer. Now has his own show The Adam Roth Challenge.

Alec Morton - Bass, Raging Slab.

Joe Vincent - Drums, The Prissteens, Devil Dogs.

Owen Comaskey - will perform Ziggy Stardust.