All You Need Is Love Rockumentary On More 4

We can love, Oh yes, we can love...

We first told you about the DVD release of Tony Palmer's All You Need Is Love documentary back in May. (05.05.2008 NEWS: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE DOCUMENTARY FINALLY OUT ON DVD)

However, if your interest in the history of rock isn't great and you weren't tempted to shell out a small fortune on the five disc set for minimum Bowie return, then I'm sure you'll be pleased to learn that episode sixteen: Whatever Gets You Through The Night (Glitter Rock), is to be shown on MORE4 in the UK this coming weekend.

Here's the synopsis...

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Episode Sixteen: Whatever Gets You Through The Night (Glitter Rock)

This Episode takes place almost entirely on stage; fans are always seen from the performer?s point of view. Thus, we begin to feel and experience first hand the pressures being put upon various individuals by the music industry. We are backstage with David Bowie as he makes himself up for a performance. We watch Alice Cooper ritualistically smashing up a doll, while the fans shriek for more and more. We are with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull as he prepares to face a screaming crowd. We watch Eric Clapton before drugs, during drugs and after drugs. We are on stage with Keith Emerson as he hurls his electric organ at the audience...

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All You Need Is Love airs on Saturday 1st November on MORE4 at 00:40 to 01:50 am...that's Friday night to normal folk.

Bob Cd And Ziggy Mopi Dvd Giftpack Out Today

Waiting for the gift of sound and vision...

See last month's news item for all the details, (09.16.2008 NEWS: BoB CD AND ZIGGY MoPi DVD GIFTPACK DUE NEXT MONTH) and tune in next week for a contest to win this handsome little package.

Bowie Fans Remember Ziggy Live In Uncut Magazine

Femme fatales emerged from shadows, To watch this creature fair...

Speaking of Ziggy Stardust live (see yesterday's news item) the December issue of UNCUT has the above double page spread with fan recollections from the Rainbow in August 1972 up to Newcastle in June 1973.

One of the contributions is from our very own Jackie_C who remembers the Christmas Eve Rainbow show. Here's what she said...

I think there may have been more BowieNetters who didn't get their stories published in UNCUT. If you were one of them please let us see your story in this MB thread.

First person to post their unpublished Ziggy live memory gets the unused 1973 sticker below from my personal collection, as utilised in the UNCUT feature.

Rca's Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture Lp Is 25

Staying back in your memory, Are the movies in the past...

One of the things I've noticed doing these anniversary release items is just how many of the recorded release dates are inaccurate. I won't go on about this, (cries of: "Doesn't normally worry you!") but obviously we will do our best to correct these errors as we go along, using chart placings, advertisements and archive music press cuttings.

After it's success as hugely popular bootleg and after ten years of campaigning for its release, fans were finally rewarded with the double vinyl RCA issue of Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture on October 24th 1983. Above are the UK (left) and US pressings.

Below is the sticker from the limited edition American clear vinyl pressing of the album...

The reason I have highlighted this is because Dave Thompson's Moonage Daydream book from 1987 makes mention in the album discography of the following item...

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Ziggy '83 - RCA QLP2 4862 (Canada) - January 1984

A clear vinyl promotional album taken from the ABC Radio Broadcast of David's 1983 Montreal show, and identical to the Serious Moonlight video.

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Now, unless this is yet another release that has slipped by undetected for the past twenty five years, (10.06.2008 NEWS: ULTRA RARE BOWIE BARGAINS BAGGED ON EBAY) I think Ziggy '83 must be an album that has been confused with the above American clear vinyl Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture.

But, as I've said before, you never can tell with these crazy Canadians, so if you know differently and can prove the existence of Ziggy '83 we would love to hear from you.

In 1991 at least four different Czech pressings of Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture on coloured vinyl were issued via BMG/Globus International.

However, the most complete and best sounding version on vinyl remains EMI's 30th Anniversary Edition from 2003 which was released as a limited edition numbered red vinyl and included a poster.

Win Moma Bowie Video Presentation Tickets

MoMA can I kiss you?

We told you about this event a few days back (10.20.2008 NEWS: THURSTON MOORE TO PRESENT BOWIE VIDEOS AT MoMA) when we mentioned that tickets for Thurston Moore's presentation of David Bowie videos at MoMA would go on sale in two batches.

The first batch goes on sale on November 1st and the remainder go on sale on the day of the show, December 1st.

However, those very generous types at MoMA have given us three pairs to give away before the first sale.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is identify the videos that are utilised in the animation in aforementioned BowieNet news story from October 20th.

One clue is that all the images used are from videos that will be screened at the Bowie presentation at MoMA on December 1st.

Send your answer to me here before midnight NY time on Thursday October 30th. Winners will be announced the next day.

Usual BowieNet rules apply: Only one entry per BowieNet account per week, and please remember you must enter using your BowieNet e-mail or at least supply your BowieNet user name. If you do neither of these things you won't be eligible to enter.

Sorry to go on about this last point, but the first eight selections in the last contest didn't supply either their BowieNet e-mail or their BowieNet user name and therefore had no claim to the prize that should have been theirs. Please make sure that if you've made the effort to enter that you then also tell us your member name one way or the other.

Jewel Case Version Of Db Live Sm 72 Contest Winners

You can't afford the ticket...

We ran this contest to mark the release of the standard jewel case version of the David Bowie - Live Santa Monica '72 CD a week or so ago, (10.13.2008 NEWS: WIN JEWEL CASE VERSION OF DB LIVE SM 72) for which EMI kindly donated five copies for BowieNetters to win.

It was a spot the difference contest which, as I suggested at the time, seems to be one of the more popular types of contest we run...not sure what that says, but I guess they are fun.

Below is BowieNetter Zig's entry and though he didn't win, he provided one of the neatest solutions which I've lazily utilised to save me doing it...and hear it is.

Here are the five BowieNetters that the trusty old Random Generator smiled upon this time...

colinz
davidjj
lowe
squeakie
velavega

In the event that you haven't already, could you lucky, lucky people please send me your real name and postal details and we'll have your CD off to you quicker than you can cry: "Encore!".

What We Do Is Secret Dvd And Soundtrack Cd Details

Oh, no, no, no, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide...

As promised back in August (08.08.2008 NEWS: WHAT WE DO IS SECRET IN AMERICAN THEATRES NOW) here are the details of the What We Do Is Secret CD and DVD.

The fourteen-track soundtrack CD which is bookended by David Bowie's Five Years and Rock 'n' Roll Suicide respectively is available in North America now and it's released in Europe next Monday the 27th.

The DVD is released in North America on November 4th and as far as I can make out it has no extras or special features. There doesn't seem to be a European release date just yet.

Check out the official website for more information regarding both.

Thurston Moore To Present Bowie Videos At Moma

Like the video films we saw...

The headline pretty well says it, but here's an excerpt from the press release with a bit more detail...

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THURSTON MOORE OF SONIC YOUTH INTRODUCES A PROGRAM OF DAVID BOWIE?S GROUNDBREAKING MUSIC VIDEOS ON DECEMBER 1, 2008

Event Is Part of The Museum of Modern Art?s Modern Monday Series

On Monday, December 1, 2008, at 7:00 p.m., MoMA will host a film program of David Bowie?s music videos, co-organized by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Barbara London, Associate Curator, Department of Media, The Museum of Modern Art. The event will take place in The Roy and Niuta Titus 1 Theater, as part of the Modern Monday series, which presents works by contemporary filmmakers and multimedia artists.

In 2008, MoMA received the complete works of David Bowie?s music videos, as a gift from the David Bowie Archive. From this collection, Thurston Moore and Barbara London have selected 15 videos to be shown at the screening. The program will include such Bowie classics as Life on Mars (directed by Mick Rock), Heroes (directed by Stanley Dorfman), and Ashes to Ashes (directed by David Mallet & David Bowie), among other videos.

The video program is a part of MoMA?s gallery and film exhibition Looking at Music, on view through January 5, 2009. Organized by Ms. London, the exhibition examines music?s role in cross-disciplinary experimentation across media for a generation of artists, beginning in the 1960s.

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You may remember we ran a piece about the Looking at Music exhibition back in August. (08.12.2008 REMINDER: MoMA LOOKING AT MUSIC EXHIBITION OPENS TOMORROW)

Here is the full programme for December 1st...

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Monday, December 1, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

David Bowie Music Videos, introduced by Thurston Moore

John I?m Only Dancing (1972). Directed by Mick Rock. 2:49 min.

Jean Genie (1972). Directed by Mick Rock. 4:02 min.

Life on Mars (1973). Directed by Mick Rock. 3:55 min.

Heroes (1977). Directed by Stanley Dorfman. 3:27 min.

DJ (1979). Directed by David Mallet. 3:58 min.

Ashes to Ashes (1980). Directed by David Mallet & David Bowie. 3:33 min.

China Girl (1983). Directed by David Mallet & David Bowie. 4:03 min.

Blue Jean (1984). Directed by Julien Temple. 3:17 min.

As the World Falls Down (1986). Directed by Steve Barron. 3:41 min.

Fame 90 (1990). Directed by Gus Van Sant. Edited by Edouard Lock. 3:33 min.

Jump They Say (1993). Directed by Mark Romanek. 4:00 min.

The Hearts Filthy Lesson (1995). Directed by Sam Bayer. 4:58 min.

Dead Man Walking (1997). Directed by Floria Sigismondi. 3:49 min.

I?m Afraid of Americans (1997). Directed by Dom & Nic. 4:25 min.

Survive (1999). Directed and produced by Walter Stern. 3:29 min.

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Public Information:

The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019

Hours: Wednesday through Monday: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday: 10:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Closed Tuesday.

The public may call 212/708-9400 for detailed Museum information.

TICKETS: Advanced tickets will be available at the Museum?s Lobby Information Desk and online at www.moma.org, beginning November 1, 2008.

A limited number of tickets will be available on the day of the event beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Museum's Lobby Information Desk.

Ticket Admission prices: Adults $10; MoMA Members $8, Seniors (65 and above) $5; Students (with valid I.D.) $5.

It may be an idea to apply early for tickets on November 1st as this one-off event is sure to sell out quickly and aside from fellow Bowie fans wanting to attend, members of MoMA and no doubt fans of Sonic Youth will also be wanting to attend.

See the press release section above for the...erm, press release which has even more detail regarding the event.

Thurston Moore To Present Bowie Retrospective At Moma

THURSTON MOORE OF SONIC YOUTH INTRODUCES A PROGRAM OF DAVID BOWIE?S GROUNDBREAKING MUSIC VIDEOS ON DECEMBER 1, 2008

Event Is Part of The Museum of Modern Art?s Modern Monday Series

New York, October 20, 2008?On Monday, December 1, 2008, at 7:00 p.m., MoMA will host a film program of David Bowie?s music videos, co-organized by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Barbara London, Associate Curator, Department of Media, The Museum of Modern Art. The event will take place in The Roy and Niuta Titus 1 Theater, as part of the Modern Monday series, which presents works by contemporary filmmakers and multimedia artists.

In 2008, MoMA received the complete works of David Bowie?s music videos, as a gift from the David Bowie Archive. From this collection, Thurston Moore and Barbara London have selected 15 videos to be shown at the screening. The program will include such Bowie classics as Life on Mars (directed by Mick Rock), Heroes (directed by Stanley Dorfman), and Ashes to Ashes (directed by David Mallet & David Bowie), among other videos.

The video program is a part of MoMA?s gallery and film exhibition Looking at Music, on view through January 5, 2009. Organized by Ms. London, the exhibition examines music?s role in cross-disciplinary experimentation across media for a generation of artists, beginning in the 1960s.

Since 1985 the Museum has made a commitment to exhibiting and collecting music videos. In 2003, MoMA presented Golden Oldies of Music Videos, a series of screenings of the music industry?s most pivotal videos from MoMA?s collection, introduced by Laurie Anderson, Kim Gordon, and Pipilotti Rist.

About the Artists

David Bowie began playing the saxophone when he was 13 years old. After graduating from a technical high school with a strong art department, he worked as a commercial artist before studying mime and, later, playing in bands. In 1969 he co-founded Beckenham Arts Lab in South London, England, a crucible for experimentation that hosted artist studios, poetry readings, and events such as light shows, theatrical and dance performances, and puppet shows. Active in five decades of rock music, Bowie has 29 studio albums to date. Additionally, he has worked in film, Broadway, and experimented with multi-media over the last 40 years.

Best known as a founding member of the New York rock band Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore has been active in New York?s music scene since moving to the city in 1977. He has a long history of collaborating with other artists, including no-wave musician Lydia Lunch, Jim O?Rourke, and Merce Cunningham?s Dance Company, among others; he has also scored music for film and was music consultant for Gus Van Sant?s Last Days. Since 1983, he has been involved with fanzine and journal publishing, and recently co-authored No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980 (HNA Books). In 2005, he co-founded Ecstatic Peace! Records with business partner Andrew Kesin.

Modern Mondays

Modern Mondays

, The Museum of Modern Art?s Monday night screening series of new works by contemporary filmmakers and multimedia artists, is in its second year, and features engaging and thought-provoking programming by a diverse selection of cutting-edge international artists. Launched in 2007 as a way for audiences to have opportunities to interact directly with directors and artists, Modern Mondays? presentations feature screenings by established and emerging filmmakers followed by dialogue and discussion with the audience.

Modern Mondays

is an interdepartmental program organized by MoMA?s Department of Film and Department of Media: Sally Berger, Assistant Curator; Jytte Jensen, Curator; Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator; Rajendra Roy, Celeste Bartos Chief Curator; and Joshua Siegel, Associate Curator, all of the Department of Film; and Klaus Biesenbach, Chief Curator; and Barbara London, Associate Curator, in the Department of Media.

Modern Mondays

is made possible by Anna Marie and Robert F. Shapiro. Additional support is provided by The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art.

TICKETS: Advanced tickets will be available at the Museum?s Lobby Information Desk and online at www.moma.org, beginning November 1, 2008.

A limited number of tickets will be available on the day of the event beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Museum's Lobby Information Desk.

Ticket Admission prices: Adults $10; MoMA Members $8, Seniors (65 and above) $5; Students (with valid I.D.) $5.

Public Information:

The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019

Hours: Wednesday through Monday: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday: 10:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Closed Tuesday.

The public may call 212/708-9400 for detailed Museum information. Visit us on the Web at www.moma.org.

Monday, December 1, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

David Bowie Music Videos, Introduced by Thurston Moore

John I?m Only Dancing. (1972). Directed by Mick Rock. 2:49 min.

Jean Genie. (1972). Directed by Mick Rock. 4:02 min.

Life on Mars. (1973). Directed by Mick Rock. 3:55 min.

Heroes. (1977). Directed by Stanley Dorfman. 3:27 min. 

DJ. (1979). Directed by David Mallet. 3:58 min.

Ashes to Ashes. (1980). Directed by David Mallet & David Bowie. 3:33 min.

China Girl. (1983). Directed by David Mallet & David Bowie. 4:03 min.

Blue Jean. (1984). Directed by Julien Temple. 3:17 min.

As the World Falls Down. (1986). Directed by Steve Barron. 3:41 min.

Fame 90. (1990). Directed by Gus Van Sant. Edited by Edouard Lock. 3:33 min.

Jump They Say. (1993). Directed by Mark Romanek. 4:00 min.

The Hearts Filthy Lesson. (1995). Directed by Sam Bayer. 4:58 min.

Dead Man Walking. (1997). Directed by Floria Sigismondi. 3:49 min.

I?m Afraid of Americans. (1997). Directed by Dom & Nic. 4:25 min.

Survive. (1999). Directed and produced by Walter Stern. 3:29 min.

Space Oddity Song Of 1969 In Sunday Times

And the papers want to know...

Today's Sunday Times has a nice piece by Dan Cairns regarding David Bowie's 1969 epic, Space Oddity, in the paper's regular SONG OF THE YEAR column.

Here are a couple of lines from it...

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In 1969, Bowie needed a breakthrough. Yet nowhere on Space Oddity do you hear tentativeness. On the contrary, the assurance on display is breathtaking. A lyric ? inspired by space exploration, say some; an allegory for drug addiction, contend others ? that could, in almost anyone else?s hands, have seemed cheesy and wince-inducing became, thanks to Bowie?s performance and narrative pacing, the first intimation of his genius.

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You can read the whole article online here. Thanx to Spaceface for the pointer.

Pin-ups Released Thirty Five Years Ago Today

Singing old songs we loved...

With advance orders of over 150,000, Pin-Ups spent five weeks at number 1 in the UK album chart upon it's release in October 1973 and remained in the top 40 for twenty weeks. However, despite these impressive sales figures, Pin-Ups is one of the more underrated of David Bowie's albums, IMHO.

Though it contains no original Bowie compositions, it is a fine collection of twelve of David's favourite songs from the 1964-1967 period.

The public had been given a taster of what was to come with the release of the Sorrow single from the album the previous week, (10.12.2008 NEWS: SORROW SINGLE RELEASED THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY) and as with that song, Bowie really made these recordings his own by breathing new life into them and making them more timeless than the originals in most cases.

Pin-Ups remains a glam rock classic with superb arrangements and sublime performances from all involved, not to mention Bowie and Ken Scott's faultless production.

Pin-Ups was the last album to feature Mick Ronson in his role as Bowie's guitarist and it was also the last with Ken Scott. Though Trevor Bolder was retained for the sessions, Aynsley Dunbar sat on Woody Woodmansey's stool. Mike Garson, Ken Fordham and Geoff MacCormack who had all appeared on the previous album, Aladdin Sane, were retained for Pin-Ups.

The album was released bang in the middle of David's three-day stint at The Marquee in London's Wardour Street where he was recording The 1980 Floor Show for NBC TV's The Midnight Special.

See aforementioned Sorrow news item for more regarding the sleeve of Pin-Ups.

Plaque For 40th Anniversary Of Beckenham Free Festival

It was God's land, It was ragged and naive, It was Heaven...

BowieNetter Gaz pointed me in the direction of a great little site called Beckenham History Website. Within its pages there is a whole section dedicated to The Beckenham Free Festival, an event immortalised in David Bowie's magnificent Memory Of A Free Festival.

Over several pages musicians and old friends of David's recount their memories of the day, here's a bit from Bridget St John...

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"I remember the day in general - the pagoda-like structure - being outside and it being a beautifully relaxed and sunny day - I don't remember my set - but my biggest memory is that after performing a group of us went and listened with David to his test pressing of the single Space Oddity - it was quite amazing and we played it over and over - it was so remarkable."

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And here's a bit from the DJ on the day, Tim Goffe...

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"I played a bit of acoustic guitar at the time - I was never any good, but enjoyed singing in and visiting folk clubs - but had this rather nice 12-string, a Swedish Hagstrom, that was lying around the flat whilst I was at college. DB fancied it, borrowed it and played it for a while.

The picture of him at BFF shows him playing it and on the www.Hagstrom.org.uk website it is reported that he used it on Space Oddity. I'm not sure about that - I never discussed it with DB, but he gave me his 12-string, an old cherry sun-burst Gibson, for my Hagstrom in a straight swap. It was the Gibson (see pic above) that was used on Space Oddity. I have often wondered what happened to my old Hagstrom and whether DB has still got it, or who has it now. Incidentally, he told me that the Gibson previously belonged to Pete Townsend of The Who. I can believe that, because it was in poor shape when I got it and it never played well.

I did book David as a live act for a college "Hop" (The London Hospital Medical College, Whitechapel) around the time of the launch of Space Oddity -a sell out!"

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Bill Leisagang from Appendix Part 1 who also played on the day, albeit under the unfortunately named Abortion, remembers this...

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"Another anecdote; A few weeks after the BFF David had been off the scene, there was a report that he had been seen at the Prompt Corner cafe in Beckenham in women's clothes or something like that! A week later I had a call from Neil Holmes saying David wanted to see me regarding a new band he was in the process of forming. I got on the back of Neil's rusty moped and headed off towards Haddon Hall. This was very plush compared to the last pad he had. I assumed he must have had some advance from a Record company.

David mentioned me getting involved with a project involving a girl guitarist and Tony Visconti. There was some mention of wearing female clothes. It must have been the catalyst for The Spiders from Mars! Needless to say I made a BAD career move, and turned it down (not because of the dressing up, but because I was just starting at college in Bristol, which was 90 miles away. Needless to say I never completed the course!!"

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Here's a bit more from Bill, proving, if his story is accurate, that DB had imagined ways to provoke reactions from people long before Ziggy did just that...

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"Bowie used to get people up on stage to play or do mime, or do their own thing! One day he gathered a bunch of us 16 year old hippies and took us into Beckenham Place Park - where we re-enacted various scenes from Lord of the Rings! A light aircraft was circling overhead and kept hovering, so David got us all to form a gigantic V sign to tell the pilot to 'F' off!

He was planning on a procession down Beckenham High St with everyone dressed as giant penises, as well as a street fair to coincide with the festival. The people involved were Neil Holmes, Chris Redwin, Mick Udell, Steve Jeffries, Pete Legon, Amanda Jennings, Judy? Larry Frane, Spud Murphy and Bob Bland. Unfortunately this is a tragic list as most of the people here have passed into another world. I miss them dearly."

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There's plenty more worth a read at BeckenhamHistory.co.uk though, as I suggested earlier, I can't vouch for the accuracy of all of these recollections, even if I have no reason to suspect they are inaccurate...aside from the fact that things can get foggy through the mists of forty years.

August 2009 will be the 40th anniversary of The Beckenham Free Festival. To mark that occasion a plaque (see above) will be placed on the bandstand at Croydon Road Recreation Ground. The date for the unveiling is tbc and there will be an event to coincide with this.

Another chance for Bowie fans to meet up and have a bit of a bash perhaps?

All interview text © 2007-2008 by BeckenhamHistory.co.uk.

Miles Kane Selects More Bowie In This Week's Nme

Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Miles and Alex...

The Last Shadow Puppets have made no secret of their love for David Bowie's sixties recordings to the point of releasing their own version of In The Heat Of The Morning earlier in the year, (03.22.2008 NEWS: LAST SHADOW PUPPETS COVER BOWIE ON DEBUT 7") a version which DB himself expressed his delight with. (04.09.2008 NEWS: DB DELIGHTED WITH LAST SHADOW PUPPETS COVER)

In The Heat Of The Morning is a song the band continue to perform in their live set too, as witnessed at their most recent gig at the Tempodrome in Berlin by BowieNetter j_lope who posted the evidence here on the MBs.

Now Miles Kane of the band has singled out Ziggy Stardust in the current issue of NME as an album that "All bands should hear..." and he even hints that he may be nicking some of the ideas on it for the next Rascals' album.

Miles also chose Cygnett Committee as the song that contains his favourite chord change, as you can read in the piece above.

Pre-order Official Ziggy Stardust Calendar Now

My set is amazing, it even smells like a street...

The Ziggy Stardust Heddon Street Out-Takes calendar is due to be published on Monday 27th October.

Though it's strictly a European publication, the calendar is available to order via CalendarMart now and they are shipping worldwide...and it's a very good price they're doing it for too.

I have no idea what sort of quantity has been produced, so it might be an idea to get your order in early to save disappointment.

Db Remembers Ziggy Stardust Bird Brooch

And once there were sun birds to soar with...

While sorting through the hi-res scans for the upcoming Ziggy Stardust Heddon Street Out-Takes calendar (09.05.2008 NEWS: MORE OFFICIAL 2009 CALENDAR DETAILS) the above previously unnoticed Ziggy Stardust accessory came to light.

It's a delightful little diamante thing that Bowie wore on his left breast of that first Ziggy outfit immortalised on the Ziggy Stardust cover and it only shows up in a couple of the close-up shots.

I asked DB if he remembers it and this was his reply: "I do recall the brooch. It was a cheap little thing and I'm quite sure it was from Kensington Market."

I have a sneaky feeling that they would have had a bit of a rush on these at Kensington Market at the time had the brooch been more visible on the cover...Hand's up those of you who are off to look for one online now. Please let us know if you're successful.

Iselectbowie Us Release - Plus Cd Winners

I heard telephones, opera house, favourite melodies...

With October 14th being the date of the North American release of iSELECTBOWIE, all the territories that we mentioned in a news piece last month (09.25.2008 NEWS: LINK TO iSELECTBOWIE TRANSLATIONS) should now be able to get their hands on this fine compilation, which, as you know, was hand-picked by David Bowie himself...assuming you can hand-pick music. I prefer to think that he ear-picked them, but that's just me.

And so, could there be a better time to announce the winners of our recent contest? (10.01.2008 NEWS: WIN iSELECTBOWIE CD HERE NOW) Probably, but here goes anyway.

The anagram of iSELECTBOWIE that wasn't, was Ole Bi Sweetie. The vast majority of you got that one right, but only the five BowieNetters below were favoured by The Random Generator....

avogadro
babzzarella
changes1
djekki
yaneyla

If those of you that haven't already done so could please furnish us with your name and address, we will have your CD to you pronto.

Win Jewel Case Version Of Db Live Sm 72

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...

To mark today's release of the standard jewel case version of David Bowie - Live Santa Monica '72, (08.29.2008 NEWS: JEWEL CASE VERSION OF SM 72 DUE IN OCTOBER) EMI has kindly donated five copies for BowieNetters to win.

We've not done this for a while, so I thought it was time for a spot the difference contest...they seem popular enough with you lot.

I think it's pretty obvious what's required of you...there are ten or eleven or so differences between the tickets...can't give an exact figure as some of the changes you may consider to be two alterations as opposed to one.

The point is, find as many as you can and the five randomly picked members with the greatest amount of correct answers each win a copy of the CD.

All the changes are pretty obvious, there is no need to worry about subtle colour fluctuations or specs of dust that have changed...they are all more obvious than that.

When you have exhausted all possibilities of any more changes, send the details to me, either as an image with the alterations highlighted or just as words describing the changes if you're not good with image manipulation programmes.

Send your answer to me here before midnight NY time on Monday October 20th.

Usual BowieNet rules apply: Only one entry per BowieNet account per week, and please remember you must enter using your BowieNet e-mail or at least supply your BowieNet user name. If you do neither of these things you won't be eligible to enter.

Good luck all.

Limited Edition Mick Rock Blood & Glitter Bowie T Shirts

I like the tee shirts...

An impressive new set of six limited edition Mick Rock/David Bowie T -shirts has been produced by Blood & Glitter Vintage Denim.

It's a beautifully made range with each of the six designs presented in a special limited edition gold embossed box (front and back pictured above) with a print of the original shot annotated with a few words from Mick Rock.

One of the shirts is the very photo used for the Melody Maker "Hey, Hey. Can't thank you enough...really!" advert that we reproduced in yesterday's Sorrow news item.

All of the images will be familiar to you, and unless you can afford the set, it's going to be very hard to choose between them.

Here's the blurb from the official site...

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Mick Rock Limited Edition T-Shirts

"A time so long ago now it seems like a dream, but it wasn't and I have the pictures to prove it. Long live the angels of our destiny..."

Mick Rock is "The Man Who Shot the 70's" the man behind the lens of the images that shaped a generation.

He launched his career in 1969 with his legendary sessions with post-Pink Floyd Syd Barrett.

In 1972 he met a little known David Bowie and for two years documented the rise of his alter ego Ziggy Stardust to worldwide fame.

His career expanded as he produced his now iconic images of cutting edge 70s rockers Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Queen, Bryan Ferry, Johnny Rotton, Debbie Harry, Talking Heads and the Ramones.

He continues to produce in the new millennium with memorable images of The Killers, The Scissor Sisters, The Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Flamming Lips, Kate Moss, Snow Patrol, Queens of the Stone Age and more.

Blood & Glitter are proud to present this collection of exclusive Limited Edition T-Shirts, Featuring the images that continue to inspire us.

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The images here don't really do the range any justice, check out the Blood & Glitter site for more details, bigger photos and purchasing information.

It's worth remembering that a percentage of the profit from these shirts goes to War Child too.

Iselectbowie Translations

For the non-English speaking of those among you who have purchased the CD already, here's a link to our page for the translated versions of David Bowie's iSELECTBOWIE song-by-song notes. We'll hopefully have a permalink from the front page shortly.

See our previous story for the iSELECTBOWIE release schedule: 09.25.2008 NEWS: LINK TO iSELECTBOWIE TRANSLATIONS

Sorrow Single Released Thirty Five Years Ago Today

You're out there playing your high class games of sorrow...

Thirty five years ago this week, David Bowie was riding high on a wave of overwhelming public affection with the publication of various music polls that placed him fairly and squarely where he belonged...at the top.

Coming first in several categories of the Melody Maker poll, the above advert was printed in the popular music weekly to express Bowie's gratitude to the voters.

The following week's music papers had adverts for the new Bowie single, Sorrow, which was released on October 12th, (not September 28th as widely reported) after having been put back a couple of weeks.

Apparently this decision was made by RCA to prevent a chart battle with a little old man in scarlet and grey who had charted mid September. In the end, Sorrow won the race, reaching #3 in the UK singles chart, while the giggly little bloke only reached #6.

The advert above was our first glimpse of the iconic Justin de Vileneuve photograph that was to become the Pin-Ups album sleeve.

Originally shot as a Vogue cover, Bowie nabbed the image for his album while the magazine dithered over wether they could have a man on the cover or not...even if he was accompanied by one of the world's most famous models, Twiggy...or Twig The Wonderkid as she was known to Bowie fans.

You can read more regarding this session at Justin de Vileneuve's website.

If I recall correctly, the MM ad at the top of this piece was the first glimpse of that Mick Rock session which would also become associated with Pin-Ups.

Sorrow was a taster for the forthcoming Pin-Ups, an album of cover versions of Bowie's favourite tunes from the late sixties. He pretty well made the song his own, and to this day there are people surprised to learn that Sorrow is not a Bowie original.

Same goes for the exclusive B-side too, in that Bowie really made it his own. The song was Jacques Brel's Amsterdam and Bowie had a couple of tough acts to follow with both Brel's and Scott Walker's own versions of the song.having been recorded previously.

To these ears, Bowie pulled it off and it not only remains my favourite version to this day, but it's also one of my very favourite Bowie vocal performances of all time too.

We'll talk a little more about the undervalued Pin-Ups album when we celebrate the 35th anniversary of its release next week.