David Bowie, getting on a bit...courtesy of a
bit of Dick Smith's make-up for The Hunger.
And there was a little old man...
Today, David Bowie hints at the schedule for the 2003 tour, and he tells us what the likelihood is of this being his very last tour. He also looks beyond this tour and how he imagines his career may progress as he gets older... and older.
Click on the above image to take you to yet another excellent BowieNet exclusive.
A beaming Tony Visconti showing a discernible reduction
in muscle mass just the other day. Photo by Ebet Roberts.
I've got a girl out there...
In his latest journal, David gives further clues to the songs he may perform at the Tibet show on Friday...with the help of
Click on Tony's wrist to take you to David's very latest journal. };-)
Lou Reed and David Bowie onstage together at MSG five years ago.
Just two of the artists due to perform at the Tibet show this Friday.
Friday On My Mind...
I recently probed DB about the kind of set he may be playing on Friday at the Tibet House Benefit Concert. All he would give away was this:
We'll most likely do one new and one older song, that's apart from the duet with Ray.
I can say that the song I heard rumoured by fans at the Darkness and Disgrace show at the weekend, is not one of the selections.
Speaking of giving things away, BowieNet has organised a little pre-Tibet show party. Here's all the stuff:
TIBET SHOW PRE PARTY
Bowienetters and Tibet show ticket holders are invited to come and enjoy complimentary drinks among like-minded friends before Friday's show. Bowie tunes will be the order of the day, not to mention much pre-show excitement fun. Here's the when and where etc:
Friday, February 28th from 5-7 PM at Le Bar Bat
311 West 57th St (Just West of 8th Ave.)
212.307.7228
When you arrive, just say you are with BOWIENET at the door to be taken to the specially reserved area. If you have tickets to pick up at Will Call, you may want to leave the party early to pick them up and avoid a box office ticket frenzy type malarkey.
Just a few of the pieces you can expect to see at the Marcus Ritter Gallery.
Put you all inside my show...
Rupert Goldsworthy, who you may remember from the "Bowie" show he curated at his own gallery back in 1999, has a new group show at the Marcus Ritter Gallery in New York. The show runs until March 10th, and here's the press release:
Location: Marcus Ritter Gallery, 453 West 17th St, New York NY 10011 (Corner of Tenth Ave)
Show Dates: February 11th - March 10th 2003
Gallery hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Marcus Ritter is pleased to announce a group exhibition curated by Rupert Goldsworthy presenting new work by Christopher Brooks, Rupert Goldsworthy, Nate Lowman and Chris Murtha.
The show brings together four artists all concerned with language.
Christopher Brooks uses sign-painter's enamel paint and collage to make paintings that seem to create a debased abstract formalism. Part of a group of artists who graduated from School of Visual Arts with Michael Lazarus and Inka Essenhigh, Brooks shares their use of medium but he pushes his work away from illustrative qualities to produce a hybrid of Funk art and cod-Minimalism.
Rupert Goldsworthy continues his paintings working in flasche, that in the words of Times critic Holland Cotter "eulogise the world of rock casualties, terrorists and drag queens". In his new works he introduces a Chinese theme, using graphics and lettering from Chinatown product labels to produce paintings that move between recognizable language and graphic appeal.
Nate Lowman, a recent graduate of NYU. He shows new paintings of John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban". Lowman reproduces Walker Lindh's strange bearded Manson-esque features, mixing in elements of Pop Art and street argot. Nate Lowman recently exhibited his Walker Lindh paintings in Paris and will show in Los Angeles in February in a group show at Grant Selwyn Fine Arts.
Chris Murtha, a contemporary of Lowman's from NYU creates sculptures and installations which have a great detail and poetry. His work seems grounded in Neo-Conceptual practice.
All the artists in the show seem interested in the nexus of where language becomes sign, making a hybrid between formal styles of Pop Art, Minimalism, Conceptualism and Funk art.
This is perfect timing for all of you that will be in town for the Tibet Show, if you do decide to pay a visit (and you really should), please do tell 'em you read about it here.
David Bowie in pensive mood by Kevin Mazur.
Walking in the snowy street...
In the absence of a picture of David actually engaged in the activity he describes in his latest journal, the above is a picture of him contemplating what he might do with his finds. Actually it isn't, it's another shot of him from the MusiCares Person Of The Year Ceremony last Friday... but I'm sure nobody's complaining.
Click on David's cufflink to take you to his latest entry. (oooer missus) };-)
Des de Moor by Total Blam Blam.
Last night they loved you...
Tonight is the last night of the current run of Darkness and Disgrace, at the Pentameters Theatre in Hampstead. Last night was the completely sold out BowieNet performance, and what a marvellous evening it was. The tiny venue audibly creaked as a last minute scramble for extra chairs proved how BowieNetters really do seem to rise to the occasion for this kind of thing.
I had seen this show a couple of weeks previously at this venue, and even though Des de Moor and Russell Churney's performance was just as good that evening, last night's turn out made the evening a whole lot more enjoyable, for performers and audience alike. Thanx to everyone who came along and helped make it such a special evening... and an extra big thank you to Des, Russell, Barb, Mike and anyone else involved with the production.
If you've not yet seen the show and you can get along to this last performance (which I think starts at 5:00pm) then contact the box office on +44 (0)20 7435 3648 to reserve your ticket immediately... you really will not be disappointed.
The return of The Thin Multicoloured Duke.
He followed me home mummy...Can I keep him?
I'm sure most of you recognise the chap above, or your know you've seen him, or somebody like him, somewhere?
Well, we plan to resurrect the BowieNet/ebaY auctions of Bowie-related memorabilia with this incredible stage prop from the Outside tour of 1995. Stay tuned for details of how you could own what must be the ultimate Bowie collectable.
While we're on the subject of ebaY, the two auctions for the remaining two pairs of VIP tickets for next week's Tibet House Benefit Concert only have a couple of hours left to run. Let's hope the deadbeats have stayed away this time.
It's a very special knowledge that you've got, my friend...
David Bowie was in the audience Friday night to honour the 2003 MusiCares Person Of the Year, U2's Bono. The Grammy's webpage about the event tells us:-
The MusiCares Person Of The Year dinner is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Fest, a month-long cultural celebration that culminates with the 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
Former President Bill Clinton introduced Bono, who lost no opportunity to publicise his views on the many causes he so ably supports. The speeches were followed by what sounds to have been a fantastic and star-studded concert. You can read more about the event at the official website for the Grammy awards, here. Also, there are lots more photographs of David and all the rest of the stars, online at Wire Image, here.
The Grammy Awards themselves take place today. As you all know, (01/07/03 NEWS: DB NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY AWARD), David is nominated for 'Best Male Rock Vocal Performance' for Slow Burn, and I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing him the very best of luck. You can watch this evening's events in a live telecast on CBS, at 8.00pm (ET), and delayed (PT). This broadcast covers only some of the categories, and David's category will probably be announced during the afternoon ceremony which is unlikely to be televised. We are not yet sure if David is likely to attend.
:))
Just a few of the many images we posted back in June 2000. All photographs taken by Total Blam Blam. My, my, the time do fly...
Our official archivist of that great steaming pot of BowieNet news content, Susans, has now reached the halfway point in her epic task of reminding us all of the glorious Bowie-crazy year that was 2000. That's right, the sixth month is now live, and you can reach it by clicking on the image above.
You can also read Susans' brief breakdown of some of the highlights of the year 2000
The magic combination of RCA logo and dog's cock intact.
So you scream out of line "I want you! I need you!"...
A copy of the withdrawn version of the original RCA Diamond Dogs album has sold for an astonishing $3,550.00 on ebaY. (Thanks to BowieNetter DEmerson for the original pointer.) The controversial sleeve is very rarely seen at auction, most likely because the few copies out there are already in the heavily guarded collections of those in a position to afford one.
Here's a bit from the seller's description of this particular copy:
I am selling this super scarce LP cover for a gentleman who worked for RCA in the 1970's. He (along with a handful of co-workers) had the foresight to save an early version of this cover with the original artwork before RCA got nervous and had the Bowie-dog's genitals airbrushed off for the final version of the cover that was released to the public. This cover accompanied the U.S. pressing of this LP, released in 1974. He told me that he thought probably fewer than ten of these gatefold covers were saved. Apparently only four or five have found their way into the marketplace before this one.
I've never seen one of these in the real world before, but I do know that versions exist as flat printer's proofs as opposed to finished sleeves. I don't know about the one that just sold on ebaY, but the flat proof I am aware of came complete with the Guy Peellaert jumping dog painting as the inside gatefold, which was later replaced with the Leee Black Childers cityscape photo-montage.
The Peellaert jumping dog painting, above, (sorry about the quality, didn't have time to scan my copy of the poster as it's too big) was later made into a promotional poster by MainMan and was sold as fan club merchandise for a short time. This item is rare enough in itself, though certainly more common than the withdrawn sleeve.
The cover caused confusion among some new collectors when it was re-issued in its full original glory by Ryko in the '90s. But it's the RCA version that collectors hanker after... including this collector.
If you think RCA were overreacting with this infamous piece of censorship, perhaps you should bear in mind a South American version of the original RCA sleeve that I have in my possession, where the complete bottom half of the dog is blacked out! Anyway, I do intend to resurrect
Four final seats with clearest views...No, really!
BowieNet members should have received an e-mail today regarding VIP tickets for the Tibet House Benefit Concert. In an update to yesterday's news piece, we have now learnt that a spoof bidder has let us down twice in fact... Grrrrr
For this reason, we have cancelled the original auction that I mentioned yesterday, and we now have two new auctions that are both running for two days. Each pair of tickets are located in the centre of Row A and include passes to a complimentary post-show VIP buffet. Click on the image above to take you to the new auctions.
Two final seats with clearest views...
Thanks to a deadbeat bidder (Can you believe some people? This is for charity for goodness sake!), a pair of the previously auctioned VIP tickets to the Tibet House Benefit Concert in New York City have now been re-listed on ebaY. There are two full days left for this auction, and here's a reminder of what the auction package includes:
Two adjacent tickets within rows A-101 thru A-110
Access to an exclusive buffet dinner the night of the show for both ticket holders
All proceeds from these ticket auctions will benefit the Tibet House. You can reach this very final auction (we hope) by clicking on the image above. Please only place a bid if you really do intend to pay... This is aimed at the clown who is attempting to sabotage many Bowie-related ebaY auctions right now.
Des de Moor and Russell Churney by Total Blam Blam. I should
point out that Des doesn't make up like this for the show. That's
just me being a bit mischievous. Well if Q can do it to The Man!
One more, weekend, of lights and evening faces...
A final reminder about the BowieNet night performance of Darkness and Disgrace, this coming Saturday February 22nd. This is the penultimate show, and the run will close after Sunday's performance. A few of you have caught Darkness and Disgrace for the first time during the current run, and to save me carping on about how good it is yet again, BowieNetter LizSK2 has kindly sent in this short review:
Having seen Barb Jungr?s one woman show in London last year I was aware she was the UK?s foremost cabaret artist and her interpretations of Dylan songs have to be heard to be believed. So when I found out she was the director of Russell Churney and Des De Moor?s Darkness and Disgrace I was expecting great things.
And what a show it was! I felt like I was hearing all these songs for the first time; quite a feeling considering I, like you, have heard them hundreds of times.
The range of songs used was wonderful. There was a smattering of 60s tunes (Please Mr Gravedigger is much more sinister than I thought!); the least obvious 70s ones (save for Life On Mars?) and even a stab at I Have Not Been to Oxford Town. I thought it was an inspired choice to use songs that weren?t "hits" which recognised the hardcore element of the attendees.
So no Changes et al but instead they delivered emotionally wrought versions of We Are The Dead (my highlight) and The Bewlay Brothers. There was even room for a clever segue of All The Madmen and the Buddha of Suburbia (time to do this one again live surely?) via "Ouvre Le Chien". Churney?s accomplished piano furnished a wonderful version of Time, a song built for chanson-style performance if ever I heard one!
Both Churney and De Moor obviously have a great love for the material and that comes across wonderfully well in the performances despite a cheeky swipe at the late, lamented Tin Machine! So brimming with confidence and vigour was the evening they even attempted, and pulled off, Helden. Now how about a CD release of the show?
Thanx a lot Liz, another satisfied competition winner. BowieNetter Martyn has posted a far wordier review on the MBs. Check it out
If you're interested in attending on Saturday you will need to get your tickets now. The Pentameters Theatre in Hampstead is not huge, and most of the BowieNet winners of our recent competition have already reserved seats for this date. BowieNetters will be able to see the show on Saturday for the concessionary rate of £8. This discount is available for this Saturday only, and then only to those that give a valid BowieNet user name.
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. If you reach an answer machine, do leave your name and number, somebody will get back to you.
"Bet your life he's putting us on..." An imaginary screenshot from a
TOTPs broadcast that should have been, back in September 1972.
I saw you watching from the stairs...
In his latest journal, David admits to not really knowing too much about his own 'stuff'... Particularly with regard to the BBC's opinion of the above video. He also recounts a recent meeting with a certain actor/director who left David nonplussed with a proposed "script" for 2003: A Space Oddity. Click on the image above before I give it all away.
He opened strange doors that we'd never close again...
The wonderfully Punk-heavy March issue of
If there's ever a Bowie stalker I'll be the prime suspect. I'm always obsessing over his records, and the couple of hundred quid I've spent on them has been a great investment. This one bridged the gap between punk and what was coming next. I'd already had my life changed by the Sex Pistols, and now I was ready to have it changed again.
It's an enthusiastic appraisal of the album, and it's a pleasant surprise to learn that Roddy is such a big fan. Not that his own music ever really betrayed a particular fondness for Bowie's music... But that's not to say that it wasn't any good. I can remember being jealous as hell when I first saw him perform Oblivious on TOTPs... How could a 17-year-old be so naturally gifted?
The feature is illustrated with the above Scary Monsters era still of David as Elephant Man John Merrick, captioned hilariously thus: "That'll make a nice hat." Scary Monsters Bowie in Dadaist steeple gesture.
Elsewhere in the magazine David gets two places in the MOJO Readers Poll: #7 in Artist/Band Of The Year and #2 in Reissues Of The Year with Ziggy Stardust. Well done yet again sir.
There's also a bit about a Bonhams auction of "mostly unseen" Terry O'Neil shots of David and Angela at the Chateau in '73, most of which I've seen. And as if all this wasn't enough, there's tons of Punk stuff and a great 26-track cover-mounted CD. "Neat, Neat, Neat... You can't afford a cannon..." };-)
Became the special man...
The iconic image of Ziggy Stardust* is now recognisable enough to warrant a place on the front of the new
David shares the page with other "style leaders" such as Elvis and The Beatles, and after a list of the various visual images David has employed, the piece describes some of the garments thus: Clothes were often worn in layers and ultra-loose to speed rapid costume changes and to conceal pads for absorbing sweat.
"...pads for absorbing sweat"!? Ziggy didn't sweat. Horses sweat, gentlemen perspire, ladies glow but Ziggy sparkled. };-)
* OK OK, I know the purists among you will be mumbling something about the Ziggy character having mutated into Aladdin Sane by the time of the Rebel Rebel video, but I say, "Whatever, it's still Ziggy to the peoploid on the street." ...though in fact the Rebel Rebel video was pretty much Ziggy's last public appearance, that's if you don't include the Diamond Dogs cover of course.
DB, journalist Michael Dwyer and the Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar.
...shading impermanent chords, With my words...
Two years ago, David Bowie released the second single from his 'hours...' album, Survive. The lead-off track on the single was the excellent Marius de Vries Mix that featured a superb one-off contribution from guitarist
Now, BowieNetter Regina has kindly sent us a little snippet that included the picture above. Brendan received the shot from his journalist friend Michael Dwyer who appears in it with David. And the reason Michael sent the pic to Brendan? Well, the book on the table is David's very own copy of Brendan's Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar.
When I forwarded the story to David to ask him to validate it, he replied thus: Weird...but actually true. Brendan Gallagher sent me the book some time ago. And very good it is too.
So there ya have it... if you feel it's time to move on from Bert Weedon's Play in a Day, click on the image above to take you to Brendan's home page where you can read this story and perhaps pick up a copy of his book.
And if you say hide, we'll hide...
What better way to start this Valentine's Day issue of BowiePhiles than with a full page photograph of David and Iman from the Feb 2003 issue of Vogue Magazine (USA). The Bruce Weber photograph, shot in 1995 and part of 'The Couples Issue - 100 Love Stories', is accompanied by quotes from David and Iman about their romance. Click on the cover image above to see the photograph.
The rocker and the beauty maven know a thing or two about romance. He once "paid construction workers to scale the nine floors of the next door building and have them graffiti DB © I on the wall opposite our bedroom in four foot letters," recounts Iman. "She once took me on a dog sleigh ride in Gstaad on my birthday to a sunrise balloon ride with my favourite coffee and two croissants waiting," recalls Bowie. Icons or not, the couple describe themselves as "homebodies". Who's the boss? "Our daughter, Lexi, aged two."
(Thanks to BowieNetters Cingstars and Aliza)
...and continuing the Valentine's Day theme, five Daily Telegraph pop writers got together this week, to choose the ten most romantic albums ever recorded. Young Americans is the db album which makes their list. They say:-
From the dreamy crooner look he adopts on the sleeve to his fortuitous discovery of a young Luther Vandross singing hooks outside the Sigma studios, Bowie's underrated 1975 foray into Philly soul was made for lovers... This album is pure, melting couple-slush... Win and Fascination are obsessive enough for those in the throes of punch-drunk love, while Can You Hear Me? is simply one of the most beautiful love songs you'll ever hear.
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You're every nation's refugee...
Iman has been in the UK this week, giving press interviews in her role as ambassador to the world's leading refugee agency - UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees). Her mission this time is to raise awareness of the problems of almost 20 million refugees, worldwide.
She appeared on GMTV (the UK morning TV show) on Tuesday, and had this to say in support of her cause:-
Most of the public thinks an asylum seeker is an economic immigrant. An economic immigrant is a person who chooses to leave their country to go to somewhere else for an economic reason, by their own choice, while the refugee and the asylum seeker is leaving their country, fleeing their country because of danger - to their lives and to their well being. Most of the refugees leave their countries with nothing, absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs. The face of a refugee is my face. I am a refugee and I was a refugee.
SusanS has transcribed the whole of the short interview, which you can read by clicking on the image above. (psst.. don't miss a little more of the debate on the pronunciation of 'Bowie')
From Steph on the message boards, and very well worth a listen, is an eight minute interview Iman gave to BBC Radio 4's Womens Hour on Tuesday morning. As well as discussing the UNHCR, she talks about her other charity work, being the icon for De Beers, marriage and motherhood. Listen, here.
(Thanks to BowieNetters SusanS and Steph)
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'Bo the Lion' by Total Blam Blam
I, I will be king...
Contributing to this 'silly season' of db press, we have Tuesday's edition of The Daily Mail, which carried a feature on various celebrities who resemble (they say) cartoon characters. They chose a very candid photograph of db from 1999 to represent none other than 'Simba' from The Lion King! Check out Blammo's image above and make up your own mind..
(Thanks to BowieNetter Chas Pearson)
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Golden years, gold whop whop whop...
An interview with Tom Mueller, chief sound engineer at Hansa studios from 1972, hit the online entertainment news sites this week. Mr Mueller talks about how the studios and Berlin have changed over time and reminisces about what the article describes as the studio's 'golden years'.
The high point was David Bowie. He liked it so much he lived here for a few years down the street...
They had quite a wild clique, but Bowie is an extremely disciplined person, he knows his limits. That's always true in my experience, the big stars are much more focused than the little bands...
When the Wall fell, "Heroes" became a hymn. It was an unbelievable feeling...
Although Hansa is still going strong as a recording studio, sadly the old Studio 2 is no more, having reverted to it's original role as a ballroom and concert hall. You know what to do for the whole thing.
(Thanks to BowieNetter Enemy Of Silence)
:))
Winner of the Ziggy Collection auction, Marcus, with the
set's creator, George Underwood. Photograph by Susans.
There's more than money moving here...
The recent Bowie bash in Beckenham, organised by BowieNetters LadyArt and Linda, raised a very impressive £1,056 for the
Here's the breakdown of the money raised, in British quids:
Raffle £395
Steven Roberts Photographs £240 (one @ £100 the other @ £140)
George Underwood Pins £125
Ticket Money £169
Bucket Collection £127
Many thanx to everybody involved, particularly all who contributed towards the final total, and those that helped out on the day. As we said in our last piece regarding this event (01/27/03 NEWS: GEORGE UNDERWOOD JOINS THREE TUNS PARTY) the establishment where it all happened has now reverted to it's original Bowie-era name of The Three Tuns.
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