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New Space Oddity video at NASA event

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“Planet Earth is blue”

A new David Bowie video for the 1969 breakthrough single Space Oddity will be premiered at a NASA event at The Kennedy Center in Washington on 20th July.

The premiere will commemorate 50 years since Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, as well as the 50th anniversary of Space Oddity’s original release.

The video features footage of David Bowie performing Space Oddity at his 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden in 1997 (directed by Tim Pope), married to footage shot and directed by Eduaord Lock (the founder and choreographer of the Montreal dance troupe La La La Human Steps), for the onscreen back drop of Bowie’s 1990 Sound & Vision tour.

Keep reading for the full press release.

#SpaceOddity50

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DAVID BOWIE - SPACE ODDITY (2019 MIX)

NEW VIDEO TO PREMIERE AT NASA EVENT COMMEMORATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOON LANDING.

A new David Bowie video for the 1969 breakthrough single Space Oddity will be premiered at a NASA event at The Kennedy Center in Washington on 20th July. The premiere will commemorate 50 years since Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, as well as the 50th anniversary of Space Oddity’s original release.

The video features footage of David Bowie performing Space Oddity at his 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden in 1997 (directed by Tim Pope), married to footage shot and directed by Eduaord Lock (the founder and choreographer of the Montreal dance troupe La La La Human Steps), for the onscreen back drop of Bowie’s 1990 Sound & Vision tour.

The 1990 footage was projected on to the large screens throughout the Sound & Vision tour, featuring David effectively performing Space Oddity with himself, a performance replicated at his 50th Birthday Concert. The audio that accompanies the video is the new 2019 mix of Space Oddity by long-time Bowie producer Tony Visconti.

The video will debut at National Symphony Orchestra Pops Apollo 11: A Fiftieth Anniversary—One Small Step, One Giant Leap on 20th July and will be streamed on YouTube shortly after the show has finished.

The event will be Hosted by Mythbusters's Adam Savage and will feature appearances by Pharrell Williams, Mark Armstrong, son of the late Neil Armstrong and  astronauts on the International Space Station will see the premiere of a new work by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up, The Incredibles, Mission Impossible, Star Wars; Rogue One).

The new audio mix of Space Oddity is released on 12th July as part of a 50th anniversary double 7” box set.

The set includes a replica of the ultra-rare original promotional UK sleeve housing single 1 and a new sleeve containing single 2 featuring a Ray Stevenson shot of David taken on stage during a performance of Space Oddity at the ‘Save Rave ‘69’ concert at the London Palladium on 30th November, 1969, in front of a backdrop featuring a NASA astronaut.

The anniversary edition also includes a double-sided poster featuring an alternative version of aforementioned Ray Stevenson shot at the London Palladium and an original Space Oddity print advertisement. There’s also an information card and a print featuring an alternative shot by Jojanneke Claassen from the Space Oddity promo single cover session.

SPACE ODDITY (1 TRACK DIGITAL SINGLE)

(2019 Mix - Single Edit)

2019 mix by Tony Visconti in March 2019.

 

SPACE ODDITY  (2 x 7” SINGLE BOX SET

 

Single 1

Side A

SPACE ODDITY

(Original Mono Single Edit)

Side B

WILD EYED BOY FROM FREECLOUD

(Original Mono Single Version)

 

Single 2

Side A

SPACE ODDITY

(2019 Mix - Single Edit)

2019 mix by Tony Visconti, March 2019.

Side B

WILD EYED BOY FROM FREECLOUD

(2019 Mix - Single Version)

2019 mix by Tony Visconti, March 2019.

 

DAVID BOWIE - SPACE ODDITY 2 x 7" BOX SET AND 1 TRACK DIGITAL SINGLE is released on Parlophone 12th July 2019.

#SpaceOddity50

tags: 2019 July
Monday 07.01.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

D.J. 2017 TV Mix video and Bowie Vs Benassi EP

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“One more, weekend, of lights and evening faces“

In celebration of the original issue of D.J. (released 40 years ago today on 29th June 1979), and the release of the 40th anniversary picture disc yesterday, Nacho’s Videos has synced up the original David Mallet-directed video to the 2017 Tony Visconti Mix.

Watch the full thing here and read Nacho’s superb notes while you’re there.

And for those of you who haven’t already stumbled upon it, the David Bowie Vs Benny Benassi D.J. 8-track remixes EP was also made available for streaming and download again yesterday.

#BowieDJ  #DBDJ40  #BowieVBenassi  #BowieVinyl  #ANCIANTbox 

tags: 2019 June
Saturday 06.29.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

D.J. 40th anniversary picture disc out now

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“I’ve got believers (Kiss-Kiss), Believing me“

Parlophone has issued the latest 40th anniversary picture disc single today, in the shape of D.J.. Originally released on 29th June 1979, D.J. was the 2nd single from Lodger and the follow up to Boys Keep Swinging. The A side of the 40th anniversary disc features a previously unreleased single edit of the 2017 Tony Visconti Mix.

DAVID BOWIE - D.J. LIMITED EDITION 40th ANNIVERSARY 7" PICTURE DISC

Side A

D.J. (2017 Tony Visconti mix - single edit)

(David Bowie, Brian Eno, Carlos Alomar)

Previously unreleased

Produced by David Bowie & Tony Visconti

Mixed by Tony Visconti at Human Studios, NYC, 2017

Side AA

Boys Keep Swinging (Kenny Everett Video Show Version)

(David Bowie, Brian Eno)

Previously unreleased.

Produced by David Bowie & Tony Visconti

Recorded at Good Earth Studio, Soho London, 9th April, 1979

Go here for more regarding both tracks.

#BowieDJ  #DBDJ40  #BowieVinyl  #ANCIANTbox

tags: 2019 June
Friday 06.28.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Mercury Demos LP box out now

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“Love is what we came here for” *

The ‘Mercury’ Demos are 10 early Bowie recordings captured live in one take to a Revox reel to reel tape machine in David’s flat in spring 1969, with Bowie on vocals, guitar and Stylophone and with accompaniment from John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson on guitar and vocals.

The ‘Mercury’ Demos comes in a beautiful replica of the original tape box featuring a mono 33 1/3 rpm vinyl LP, a print, two photo contact sheets and sleeve notes by Mark Adams. The labels of the LP feature the same EMIDISC acetate styling as Spying Through A Keyhole and Clareville Grove Demos with the song titles in David’s own handwriting.

Side 1

Space Oddity

Janine

An Occasional Dream

Conversation Piece

Ching-a-Ling

I’m Not Quite (aka Letter To Hermione)

Side 2

Lover To The Dawn

Love Song

When I’m Five

Life Is A Circus

Read more about the release here.

* Today’s lyric quotation is from the Lesley Duncan composition, Love Song.

#BowieTheMercuryDemos

tags: 2019 June
Friday 06.28.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Clareville Grove Demos now available to stream

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“I will give you dreams”

Following on from last week’s announcement that the Spying Through A Keyhole (STAK) set is available to stream, we can now tell you that the Clareville Grove Demos (CGD) set is also available from 28th June via the usual streaming outlets.

The David Bowie (with John 'Hutch' Hutchinson) - Clareville Grove Demos features the following six demo tracks recorded early in 1969, four of which are previously unreleased.

Space Oddity

Lover To The Dawn

Ching-a-Ling

An Occasional Dream

Let Me Sleep Beside You

Life Is A Circus

These recordings are not to be confused with The ‘Mercury’ Demos vinyl box also released today.

Read more about the Clareville Grove Demos set here.

Photography by Kenneth Pitt © Kenneth Pitt.

#BowieCGD

tags: 2019 June
Friday 06.28.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

STAK box set now available to stream

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“Looks like you got me, Looks like love all around...”

As hinted when we posted the press release back in January for the Spying Through A Keyhole (STAK) 4 x 7" vinyl box set (released vis Parlophone on 5th April), STAK will now be available to stream from 21st June via the usual streaming outlets.

Go here for more details regarding the vinyl set.

#BowieSTAK

tags: 2019 June
Thursday 06.20.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

6-page Tin Machine feature in July UNCUT

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“A shriekin' and dancing till 4am”

As this week is the 30th anniversary of Tin Machine’s highest UK album chart position (#3), it’s a good time to mention a couple of Tin Machine things celebrating the anniversary that may have passed you by.

The July 2019 issue of UNCUT magazine has a 6-page feature and here’s the introduction to it:

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Fawlty Towers viewing marathons! Boat trips with Gary Oldman! Riots on Sunset Boulevard! These are just some of the ingredients in the story of how DAVID BOWIE pulled himself out of his ’80s malaise with TIN MACHINE – a band of “fucking heathens” who paved the way for his creative rebirth in the following decade. Here Reeves Gabrels, Hunt and Tony Sales, Kevin Armstrong and producer Tim Palmer reveal all to Rob Hughes about Bowie’s creative motivations. “David said, ‘Let’s put an end to rock’n’roll. I really want to fuck with it!’”

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Here are the concluding paragraphs from the piece:

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“I look back on the Tin Machine years with great fondness,” Bowie told Uncut. “They charged me up. I can’t tell you how much… Reeves shook me out of my doldrums, pointed me at some kind of light, said, ‘Be adventurous again’… I’ve been finding my voice, and a certain authority, ever since.”

“David said it’d take 25 years before people came around to Tin Machine,” says Reeves Gabrels. “I remember he used to have the Low rejection letter from RCA framed on his wall at his home in Switzerland. They’d sent that to him before it came out, so he’d been through the same thing before. Now it seems as though people are finally appreciating what Tin Machine was all about.”

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The July issue of Uncut has been out for three weeks but you can order a copy online.

Also, Reeves Gabrels spoke to ilikeyouroldstuff.com while he was over in Sydney with The Cure. Read the very funny full thing here.

#BowieUNCUT  #TinMachine1  #TinMachineBowie

tags: 2019 June
Saturday 06.08.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Iman’s anniversary message to David

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“I LOOK FOR YOU, EVERYWHERE”

#BowieForever #EternalLove

tags: 2019 June
Thursday 06.06.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Little Liza Jane hits fifty five

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“Well, this little girl is so good to me”

They say it’s not polite to mention a lady’s age, but we’re sure you’ll forgive us in this particular instance. For it was on this day, Friday, June 5th 1964, that Vocalion Pop released a 45 with the catalogue number: V.9221.

That record was Bowie’s first ever release: Liza Jane/Louie, Louie Go Home, issued as Davie Jones with The King-Bees. But, despite a handful of positive reviews, the world was not yet ready to embrace the charms of either Davie Jones or Liza Jane.

The single ended up in the bargain bins in 1964, and Bowie’s first manager, Leslie Conn (controversially credited with writing Liza Jane), binned several hundred copies of the 45 to clear a bit of space in his garage!

These days the disc is one of the most sought after Bowie 45s by serious collectors.

Go here to read the piece we posted five years ago for the 50th anniversary.

#BowieLizaJane

tags: 2019 June
Wednesday 06.05.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

BOWIE FAN FOCUS 3: Andy Barding

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It should be fairly obvious what this is, but for a full explanation and to participate, join BOWIE KOOKS (the only Official David Bowie Facebook Fan Group), and then follow this link.

#BowieFanFocus

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BOWIE FAN FOCUS – Andy Barding, 55 (tomorrow)

~ Name?

AB: Andy Barding

~ Age?

AB: I’m as old as Liza Jane (David’s very first single). It’s our birthday tomorrow.

~ What does David Bowie mean to you?

AB: He was a pioneer. One of the greatest artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. In the not so distant future, I’m convinced, his name will carry the same cultural weight as, say, Van Gogh, Dickens or Mozart.

~ When and how did you first become aware of him?

AB: Space Oddity on Top of the Pops, ’75. The BBC showed a clip from the Love You Till Tuesday film.

~ First item you ever obtained, including music, memorabilia, magazines, etc.?

AB: I commandeered a copy of the Starman/Suffragette City single from a relative when I was 12 or so. I would run home from school, every lunch break, purely to play both sides on the family stereo. I’d have just enough time to spin the record a couple of times before running back to class.

~ Is there a Bowie holy grail for you that you have yet to track down?

AB: I would still love a copy of Liza Jane by Davie Jones and King Bees, since it popped out on Vocalion Pop the same day I did: Friday June 5, 1964. The sheet music for the same would be nice, too.

~ Most valuable Bowie possession you own on an emotional level?

AB: I’m custodian of some LPs owned by my late friend, Alison Hale: a rare laminated-sleeve Hunky Dory and a first press of Ziggy Stardust. They’re still hers... I’m just looking after them.

~ The best Bowie show you ever attended?

AB: Torn between Birmingham NEC 6.6.83 and Tin Machine at the Baggott Inn, Dublin, 14.8.91. They were decades ago, but I remember bits of each one vividly.

~ The show you wish you had witnessed?

AB: One of the late ‘72/early ’73 shows. Maybe Manchester Hardrock. I spoke to someone who was at one of those and the picture he painted in his description was incredible... so striking. He was 14 or 15, and David and the Spiders put in such a supercharged and intense performance that he found it all just a bit terrifying. What a thrill that must have been.

~ What would you have said had you met him, or, if you did meet, what did you say?

AB: I asked him when Pixies would be supporting him (this was on the 1990 Sound and Vision tour). We’d heard they were about to take over from Kim Wilde as warm-up act. He responded by singing a few lines of “I Should Be So Lucky” and laughing like a drain... He’s still laughing in my photo that was taken with him (main picture) at that chance meeting (at a motorway service station near the Germany/Austria border).

~ Favourite album?

AB: Blackstar

~ Top ten songs?

AB:

01. Blackstar

02. Station To Station

03. Silly Boy Blue

04. Dirty Boys

05. Fantastic Voyage

06. The Motel

07. Five Years

08. Cygnet Committee

09. Be My Wife

10. I Dig Everything

~ Favourite lyric?

AB: “From behind their tinted window stretch/gleaming like blackened sunshine.”

~ Favourite film?

AB: The Prestige

~ Favourite video?

AB: The live 1974 clips of Rock’n’Roll Suicide and The Jean Genie on the ‘David Bowie Is’ app blow my mind.

~ Favourite era?

AB: Maybe ’76.

~ Best Bowie moment?

AB: An impromptu meet and greet with Tin Machine after their second Brixton show - the last one of the European tour. A handful of us fans were given exclusive t-shirts as a thank you for following the band around, night after night. What a smashing treat.

~ Guilty secret?

AB: I stole a pack of David’s cigarettes from the front of the stage at a gig (I smoked them and kept the empty packet. I still have it, somewhere).

~ What impact upon your life has Bowie had? Eg: Music, art and literature? Children or pet’s names? Tattoos? Mannerisms? Clothing? Choice of life partner?

AB: I wear a Blackstar badge on my jacket, permanently, as a memorial.

~ Do you have a Bowie related photograph we could use? If so, what’s the story behind it?

AB: (Smaller photo) This is me, David and the aforementioned Alison Hale, outside the Conrad Hotel in Dublin, August 1990. As you can see, a gust of wind caught David’s hair in the split second that the photo was taken. Thanks, gust. My partner, Rhoda, had this picture framed for me as a thoughtful keepsake of two people who mean the world to me and who are both now gone.

Does David Bowie influence your working life?

AB: Yes! I own a record shop on the Isle of Wight (AAA Records) which has a decent Bowie section. And I publish concert photo-books under the name Cygnet Committee. I also work as a music tour manager and was TM on Earl Slick’s Station To Station tour, as well as driver on a couple of Holy Holy UK tours. Those were wonderful times - to see those shows night after night was a thrill.

I hosted a Q&A with Earl on the island last year, and I will be doing the same with Woody Woodmansey in July. It’s part of the ‘Iconic Bowie’ exhibition which opens at Dimbola Museum on Thursday, June 6, with an illustrated talk by Phil Lancaster. He'll be talking about the three concerts he played with David at Ventnor Winter Gardens in 1965. As will writer Kevin Cann, who penned Any Day Now which, as we all know, is one of the best books ever written about David. Exciting!

#BowieFanFocus

 

tags: 2019 June
Tuesday 06.04.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Tin Machine #3 thirty years ago today

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“Tin machine, Tin machine, Take me anywhere“

The first Tin Machine LP entered the Official UK Album Chart at #3 on this day in 1989 (3rd June) and stayed in the Top 40 for seven weeks.

Don’t forget that to mark the 30th anniversary of the album’s release (22nd May), Julien Temple’s short promotional film of the band performing a medley of nine songs at The Ritz in NY has finally had an official release for download and streaming. Watch it here.

Go here for the full press release.

#TinMachine1  #TinMachineVideo

tags: 2019 June
Monday 06.03.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

50,000 extra tickets for Lazarus in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam, 3rd June 2019

50.000 EXTRA TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR DAVID BOWIE’S LAZARUS IN AMSTERDAM

THE RUN OF BOWIE’S ‘LAST MASTERPIECE’ HAS BEEN EXTENDED THANKS TO OVERWHELMING INTEREST

 With more than four months to go until the Lazarus premiere, the David Bowie musical has sold more than 50.000 tickets. Due to the enormous demand for tickets, Stage Entertainment Nederland and the DeLaMar Theatre have decided to extend the show run. There are now 50.000 extra tickets available, which are on sale now via Eventim.nl

Lazarus is the last work David Bowie created before he died, together with director Ivo van Hove. After playing in New York and London, the original production is coming to Amsterdam in the Autumn for an exclusive period in the DeLaMar Theatre. It was announced in December that Gijs Naber will be taking on the role of Newton. The rest of the cast will be announced soon.

Albert Verlinde: managing director and producer of Stage Entertainment Nederland: “David Bowie is, and continues to be a phenomenon. I was intrigued as to whether the Dutch public would embrace the production; I could never have foreseen that the reaction would be so overwhelmingly positive. I am truly overwhelmed by the huge interest in the show. There is an enormous demand for tickets. By extending the run of the show we are giving even more people the chance to see David Bowie’s last masterpiece.”

Director Ivo van Hove: “Lazarus is David Bowie’s last project. The show means a lot for me personally and it is therefore very special that we are now, after New York and London, able to bring it to the Dutch public.”

LAZARUS

Pop phenomenon David Bowie died on the 10th January 2016. One of his last projects was the musical Lazarus. He created the show with Enda Walsh (script) and director Ivo van Hove. Van Hove, recently nominated for a prestigious Tony Award, will also be directing the Dutch version. Lazarus is the sequel of the book The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis. Bowie himself played the leading role of Thomas Newton in the film version of 1976, directed by Nicolas Roeg. In Lazarus, we meet Bowie’s alter ego Thomas Newton once more. The show is an adventurous trip through Bowie’s genius mind. A journey that is of course framed by legendary Bowie hits, such as ‘Heroes’, ‘Absolute Beginners’, ‘Changes’, ‘All the Young Dudes’, ‘This is Not America’ and of course ‘Lazarus’, which was written for the show and later released as part of Bowie’s last album Blackstar.

Lazarus is produced in The Netherlands by Stage Entertainment Nederland in collaboration with Robert Fox and Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment and The New York Theatre Workshop.

#LazarusNL  #LazarusMusical 

tags: 2019 June
Monday 06.03.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Barnbrook and the ★ tooth

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“Flashing teeth of class”

Multi award-winning designer of various Bowie projects, Jonathan Barnbrook, has taken the plunge and joined the ranks of those with a permanent physical reminder of David Bowie and ★.

Jonathan has kindly given us the exclusive reveal of a rather clever and classy bit of dentistry.

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“It’s very nice to finally be part of a very special group of people who I have made friends with over the past few years, those with a ★ tattoo. I am very humbled that they show their love for David in that way and think the graphics worthy of it.

Bowie influenced me in so many ways, not only in the times I worked with him but also when I was growing up and hungry for new influences, so I like to think of this as ‘You are part of the words I speak, the language I use’”.

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For those wondering how it was done, the tooth is completely new and the ★ was modelled in 3D software and then added at that stage. Then it was hand-painted for the finished effect.

#BowieBarnbrook  #BlackstarTattoo  #BlackstarTooth

tags: 2019 June
Sunday 06.02.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie’s Deram Debut is 52 today

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“Did you ever have a Deram?”

David Bowie released his first album this day in 1967, albeit lacking the fanfare of The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper, purportedly released on the same day.

Still worth a read is this excellent article by Pete Paphides, published two years ago on the 50th anniversary of the album, over on The Quietus.

Our montage shows the original stereo copies of the US and UK vinyl albums, a peek of the original Deram press release and the impossibly rare US 8-track cartridge.

More about the 8-track in a collectors’ feature coming soon.

#DavidBowieDeram  #DavidBowie1967  #BowieCollector 

tags: 2019 June
Saturday 06.01.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Dogs 45th red vinyl and original Rebel digital out now

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“Mannequins with kill appeal”

In celebration of today’s 45th anniversary of the original release of David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs, Parlophone has made the original single mix of Rebel Rebel available as a one-track digital single which is available for download/streaming now. Listen to it here on YouTube. 

The original single mix of Rebel Rebel that featured on the 2016 boxset 'Who Can I Be Now?’, was taken from a pristine copy of the UK Rebel Rebel 45. The original tape (which had been missing since the mid-1970s), has now been found and remastered for this new one-track digital single.

As previously announced, David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs is also reissued by Parlophone today, in a 'one-run-only' red vinyl edition featuring the 2016 remaster. This limited pressing will only be available at ‘bricks and mortar’ retail outlets and not through online stores.

Diamond Dogs is the latest in a series of 45th anniversary Bowie vinyl albums reissued over the last two years. Previous releases in the series have included gold vinyl versions of Hunky Dory and The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, plus a silver vinyl release of Aladdin Sane.

#DiamondDogsRed  #BowieRebelRebel  #BowieVinyl 

tags: 2019 May
Friday 05.24.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie Fan Focus 2: Paula Hightower

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It should be fairly obvious what this new feature is, but for a full explanation and to participate, check out BOWIE KOOKS, the only Official David Bowie Facebook Fan Group.

#BowieFanFocus

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BOWIE FAN FOCUS – Paula Hightower, (AKA Squeakie) 48

~ When and how did you first become aware of David Bowie?

PH: I was 12 and it was probably when I saw the uncut version of China Girl. Hubba hubba.

~ First item you ever obtained, including music, memorabilia, magazines, etc.?

PH: This I can't specifically remember, but I do remember either renting or going to the library and checking out the Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture, and then watching it a million times.

~ Is there a Bowie holy grail for you that you have yet to track down?

PH: I truly hate to admit this, but I've never been to the mural in Brixton. And I only live about 30 miles away. Londonphobia does that to you.

~ Most valuable Bowie possession you own on an emotional level?

PH: The photo I had taken with him!

~ The best Bowie show you ever attended?

PH: Probably during the reality tour when he played at the Greek Theater. The main reason for this was, I had decent but not fantastic tickets, but on the night before the show, on a whim, I went online just to see what other tickets were left. Low and behold, there were front row/pit seats available - at regular price! And bam! they were mine.

~ The show you wish you had witnessed?

PH: Roseland 2000. I had tickets (generously given to me by Sailor) but I was flat broke and could not afford a flight/hotel to NYC. That aside, probably any of his Ziggy shows.

~ What would you have said had you met him, or, if you did meet, what did you say?

PH: I met him once in 1999 and was completely unoriginal in what I said, probably something like: “Thanks for a great show, I loved it”. However, after he signed one of the CD's I brought, it got smeared so I asked him to redo it and he said: “What do you want from me Squeakie??”.

~ Favourite album?

PH: I can't choose between Low and Blackstar

~ Top ten songs?

PH:

01. Move On

02. Soul Love

03. Win

04. Subterraneans

05. Blackstar

06. Life On Mars?

07. Ricochet

08. Without You

09. Little Wonder

10. 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore (Home demo version from b-side of Sue)

~ Favourite film?

PH: The Man Who Fell To Earth

~ Favourite video?

PH: Blue Jean

~ Favourite era?

PH: The Thin White Duke

~ Best Bowie moment?

PH: When I got a text from Blammo at my wedding with this message from Bowie: “Huge best wishes to you both - from David B”. I was absolutely beside myself, this just made the best day of my life even better!

~ What impact upon your life has Bowie had? Eg: Music, art and literature? Children or pet’s names? Tattoos? Mannerisms? Clothing? Choice of life partner?

PH: HUGE, HUGE impact. My life would not be what it is today without the influence of Bowie. Over a span of over 20 years I have met so many amazing and interesting people and have made some lifelong friends simply due to our common interest in Bowie. I've travelled to places I never thought I would, and in the end met the true love of my life who I will spend the rest of my life with - all because of Bowie. I sometimes wonder if this was destiny or just coincidence.

~ Do you have a Bowie related photograph we could use? If so, what’s the story behind it?

PH: The pic I had taken with him. It was just as he was leaving after his gig at The Kit Kat Klub, NYC on the 19th of November 1999. I was hanging out with Carla Rhodes, Alex Colby and a couple others and we kept trying to sneak backstage. Each time, we were shooed away by security. But then there was this moment when security hurriedly went to shut a door that opened to a side exit - and it became obvious to us why, so we quickly went out the other door, and there he was coming out of the building. It was a really nice little encounter because there were only about 4 or 5 of us and he seemed happy to stop and chat with us and sign things and take photos for a few minutes.

I had been standing there, speechless, but my friend Alex said to him, “Hey, this is Squeakie” to which he then said to me “Oh hi Squeakie!” and give me a hug. He knew the screen name from the BowieNet chat which he frequently would show up in unannounced. That was probably the 2nd best moment of my life. Cheers to Carla Rhodes for taking the photo that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

~What other interests do you have outside of Bowie?

PH: Drawing! I started drawing at a very early age and would spend much of my spare time with a pad of paper and pens, pencils, pastels, or anything I could draw with. People were my favourite subjects to draw, followed closely by pets and other animals. As an adult, life got in the way and I abandoned my hobby for a while, however in the last couple of years I have started getting back into it and am really loving it. I now do commissioned artwork as well as art for a hobby, and my most recent work can be seen at PaulaDraws.com (you will notice that one of my favorite subjects is David Bowie of course!)

#BowieFanFocus

tags: 2019 May
Friday 05.24.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Tin Machine video released on 30th anniversary of LP

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“Among the twilight and stars“

To mark the 30th anniversary of the first Tin Machine album today (22nd May), Julien Temple’s short promotional film of the band performing a medley of nine songs at The Ritz in NY finally gets an official release. Keep reading for the full press release.

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TIN MACHINE - NINE  SONG COMPILATION (VIDEO) - 30th ANNIVERSARY

AVAILABLE COMMERCIALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR STREAMING AND DOWNLOAD 

RELEASED ON PARLOPHONE 22nd MAY 2019

22nd of May 2019 sees the 30th anniversary of the debut album by Tin Machine, a band which consisted of David Bowie on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Reeves Gabrels on lead guitar, Tony Sales on bass guitar and backing vocals, along with his brother, Hunt Sales, on drums and backing vocals. 

To promote the album, the band, along with acclaimed director Julien Temple, filmed nine riotous performances of songs from the record at the downtown New York City rock club The Ritz in April 1989.

Though the film was issued as a very limited promotional box set, it has remained unreleased commercially until now. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the record, the nine song medley is available now as a digital download.

The Tin Machine LP entered the Official UK Album Chart at #3 and stayed in the Top 40 for seven weeks. The album heralded a back to basics approach for Bowie with a hard sound and simple production. The New York Times commented at the time 'Bowie's lyrics are bald, sincere statements, sometimes proud to be vulgar, rock songs don't get much blunter’, and Rolling Stone reviewed the record as ‘indignant and acidic, an all-too-welcome feast of aggro-guitar flamboyance and bass-drum body checking’. Spin said the record was 'Aggressive, direct, brutal and incendiary fun’. 

30 years on, Tin Machine still kicks bottom somewhat.

TIN MACHINE ’NINE TRACK COMPILATION’ 30th ANNIVERSARY TRACKLISTING

01 - Pretty Thing 

02 - Tin Machine 

03 - Prisoner Of Love 

04 - Crack City 

05 - Bus Stop 

06 - Video Crime 

07 - I Can't Read 

08 - Working Class Hero 

09 - Under The God

Total running time: 12.37

#TinMachine1  #TinMachineVideo

tags: 2019 May
Wednesday 05.22.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

40th anniversary Boys Keep Swinging out now

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“Life is a pop of the cherry“

To mark the release of the 40th anniversary Boys Keep Swinging (2017 Tony Visconti mix) picture disc today (http://smarturl.it/BKS40PreOrder), here’s another opportunity to view the marriage of the original video to the 2017 Tony Visconti mix, created by the brilliant @TheNachoVideos.

#DBBKS40  #BowieBKS  #NachosVideos  #BowieVinyl 

tags: 2019 May
Friday 05.17.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Clareville Grove Demos out now

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“And tomorrows of rich surprise”

The David Bowie (with John 'Hutch' Hutchinson) - Clareville Grove Demos 3x7" vinyl singles box set is released today.

The set features the following six demo tracks recorded early in 1969, four of which are previously unreleased.

Space Oddity

Lover To The Dawn

Ching-a-Ling

An Occasional Dream

Let Me Sleep Beside You

Life Is A Circus

if you’ve not already, you can order here.

Read more about the set here.

Photography by Kenneth Pitt © Kenneth Pitt.

#BowieCGD

tags: 2019 May
Friday 05.17.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie Fan Focus starts today

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It should be fairly obvious what this new feature is, but for a full explanation and to participate, check out BOWIE KOOKS, the only Official David Bowie Facebook Fan Group.

#BowieFanFocus

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BOWIE FAN FOCUS – Sara Captain, 48

~ What does David Bowie mean to you?

SC: Everything! The world! Obviously my loved ones, close to me in my own life I mean, are everything to me - but I mean that for Bowie in a different way. Let me explain: Bowie was a man who, for some mysterious reason, was able to touch us fans so personally, and so very deeply - in a way that nobody else could. We often talk about this between us fans, don’t we? There is this real, genuine artistic fire in him, and he has the Muse on his side, so to speak: talent, an open mind and the desire for greatness. All of this gives him the ability to transcend the limits of our finite, puny little lives and to speak a language that is universal. What makes him even more special is that in his work and even in his appearance his soul shines through – and what a beautiful soul that is! He gives so much in performance, and this makes him inimitable. So in a nutshell to me he is the ultimate artist and just a little more than just a human… This is not Bowie mythology. It’s a funny thing maybe, but it is true.

~ When and how did you first become aware of him?

SC: When was around 12 years old I used to watch MTV a lot and one day this...being… this…otherworldly human...thing… appears on the screen. He had a mesmerising, deep voice that came from God knows where - something had never heard before - and it struck at the heart of my very soul. I can safely say I was never the same since! It was the video of ‘China Girl’, so I guess the year was 1983.

~ First item you ever obtained, including music, memorabilia, magazines, etc.?

SC: The Space Oddity album…I stared and stared at the cover, wondering why he didn’t have curly hair on it. Or was it ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ in the hope of hearing two milliseconds of that voice on the B side (see above). Does that count?

~ Is there a Bowie holy grail for you that you have yet to track down?

SC: YES!!! The full video of ‘The Elephant Man.’ I would give anything for that, even my painting ‘Sad David’. Maybe!

~ Most valuable Bowie possession you own on an emotional level?

SC: His signature – Not something I ever thought I could ever have. To know it is real is so magical – I can’t explain! Next to that would be my first Space Oddity album, the one that I mentioned above.

~ The best Bowie show you ever attended?

SC: I am ashamed to say, sadly, the only one: the Glass Spider Tour, Turin, 1987. Not allowed to go before and life turned too complicated for gigs after. Any gigs, that is. Regrets? YES! All the ones I missed at either end of that date.

~ The show you wish you had witnessed?

SC: Musikladen, Bremen -May 21, 1978 They seem to be having one hell of a time on stage and I love the fact that Bowie seemed to be taking himself quite seriously (but never too seriously) then as an artist, doing all the Brecht stuff and looking very much the mitteleuropean intellectual. Oh yes! Give me the Time Machine!

~ What would you have said had you met him, or, if you did meet, what did you say?

SC: I think I would have told him how much the song ‘God Knows I am Good’ means to me and how much comfort his music always was. I would have thanked him first and foremost. Oh, and of course I would have slipped in that I can draw, hoping that would get us talking about art. Maybe he would have made it easy for me with a quip or witticism…

~ Favourite album?

SC: If I really have to …it’s got to be LOW

~ Top ten songs?

SC: Heroes, Some Are, Letter to Hermione, Width of a Circle, Space Oddity, A new Career in a new Town, The Man who Sold the World, Word on a Wing, Five Years, the Bewlay Brothers or maybe…. And also…can I include Amsterdam…? Oh, come on man, ten? It’s impossible…!

~ Favourite lyric?

SC: ‘And the guns, shot above our heads/ And we kissed, as though nothing could fall’ – I know that feeling.

~ Favourite film?

SC: The Man Who fell to Earth. I am a bit of a Man Who Fell to Earth freak – I know it by heart, I can analyse each camera angle and each line of the dialogue till the cows come home. Tommy got under my skin, as he obviously did his. He is a great metaphor for alienation be it from the inner or the outer world – the film is so profound on every level and funnily enough it is particularly poignant today : isn’t Tommy is the ultimate immigrant? Coming to a new land and then stuff happens and you fall in love and get stuck – you don’t know if you are coming or going, and you belong and you don’t and they don’t treat you nice (though some do), they find excuses because you are ‘overstimulating the economy’ but you are not bitter because that’s just not you and you know that it would have probably been the same if they’d come over to your side… So true.

~ Favourite video?

SC: Hard as it is to choose, I have to say that for my money nothing beats the video of Wild is the Wind (and the Drowned Girl, which is the same thing). the jazzy feeling of it all, the tantalising effect of the solarised images where you see and you don’t see David’s face, accompanying what I think is David’s most sublime vocal performance, make this utterly addictive for me. It is ‘less is more’ (my motto) and it’s pure bliss.

~ Favourite era?

SC: 76-77 On the cusp of becoming a grown up man – looking incredible and with the fire of inspiration in him.

~ Best Bowie moment?

SC: Ah, there are just so many! The eye rolling in ‘Five Years’, the funny, pouty duck lip movement when he is interviewed at the Plaza Athénée in Paris. There’s his prank where, in the ‘L’Atra Domenica’ interview, he is sitting at a table with pretty Italian journalist Fiorella Gentile and he pretends there is something creeping from under the table, then he squashes it. Hilarious! There’s the great Jeremy Paxman interview. The winner, though, has got to be an hyperactive, whip smart and slightly irritated Bowie pointing out in a 1977 Amsterdam interview, when asked for the umpteenth time about showbiz, that he is not a rock star, ‘you see’. Why do I like it? Because he is not, ‘you see’. He’s so, so much more.

~ Guilty secret?

SC: Ah, that’d be telling! And then my reputation would sweep back home in drag… Ok, I confess: I do secretly mime his expressions quietly to myself when I am painting him, I practise pursing my lips in that way, lifting the eyebrows, that sort of stuff. Please don’t tell anybody.

~ What impact upon your life has Bowie had? Eg: Music, art and literature? Children or pet’s names? Tattoos? Mannerisms? Clothing? Choice of life partner?

SC: HUGE! I can say he was the first man I ever fell in love with. He was my awakening… no doubt! I didn’t like David Bowie – I looooooooooooooooved David Bowie!!! Everyone knew that about me when I was a teenager – he was and is an integral part of my identity. He accompanied my becoming an adult and his music was a sort of anchor, a safe harbour in the darkest moments, throughout my life – there is huge empathy in it. He was also a bit of a mentor who, from afar, by namechecking all manner of cultural connections, made me discover some many new things. He opened fantastic aesthetic horizons, which brings me to his greatest gift of all: he was instrumental in liberating the artist in me. Seeing how much he’d packed into this life of his, I thought: ‘Hey! Look at that! I too have got a gift and it must be for a reason, so I had better not waste it! David didn’t!’ I felt an irresistible urge to say so much, through painting – to paint not only him, but people I love, and stuff about life and death, time…you name it! It was what I could do with my life: art was a kind of obvious destiny that, for one reason or another, I was trying to escape, put off. Now, with David as the catalyst, and I am fully immersed in it and it is my chief occupation. Didn’t he say: ‘I always wanted to be that catalystic sort of thing’? Well David, with me, you fully succeeded.

~ Do you have a Bowie related photograph we could use? If so, what’s the story behind it?

SC: This is one of my latest paintings and I like it very much because it is simple yet effective – less is more! The palette is stripped down to a minimum, with the background used as a colour, and a contrast between ultra-soft and very stark brushstrokes. David is pictured in a Paris hotel around the time of ‘Be my Wife’, a lyric from which is visible in the back ground: ‘Stay with me’. He had that gorgeous, slightly pained ‘Rudy Valentino’ / Buster Keaton look around that time, which fascinates me no end. The focus here is on his elegance and charisma, while the lyrics create a tension between us wanting him to stay with us and him wanting us to keep him close, to pay attention, to keep listening to his music. This was painted for my upcoming Paris exhibition … but it sold before it got there. There will be many others, though! The leitmotif of the new show is this incredible creative connection David establishes with both those he loves and those who love him. @galeriestardust La Galerie Stardust in Paris, which will host it, are themselves massive Bowie fans (as the name suggests) and they have held many a great Bowie –related show: Sukita, Hanekroot and more. My one, ‘Sound & Vision – the Universe of David Bowie’ will run for two months from 31st May to 31st July and will feature, alongside my portraits of our David at the centre of it all, people he loved and those on whom he had a big impact – for example, I will pay homage to Linsday Kemp. Plus, we might have some illustrious guests, but I can’t reveal who just yet… It should be a very exciting show!

La Galerie Stardust

37 rue de Stalingrad,

93310 Le Pré-Saint-Gervais

France

tags: 2019 May
Tuesday 05.14.19
Posted by Mark Adams
 
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