18-year-old Manish Boy is 55

“You’re playing with the spider, who possesses the sky”

No, it’s not Brian Jones and Keith Relf. It’s Davie Jones and Davie Jones.

In the week that we celebrate the 55th anniversary of Davie Jones and The Manish Boys on BBC 2’s Gadzooks! It's All Happening (8th March, 1965), and the release of their one and only single, I Pity The Fool (5th March, 1965), we thought it would be nice to mark the occasion with a couple of pictures from around the same time.

The promo shots were taken in EMI’s boardroom at the Manchester Square offices in London.

I Pity The Fool was the follow up to the previous year's debut by Davie Jones with The King Bees, Liza Jane, and was notable for having the first ever released Bowie composition in Take My Tip on the B-side. Good to see a spider reference in his first ever published song, see today’s lyric quotation.

The A-side has an urgency that still cuts through today, no doubt helped somewhat by a lead guitar played by the young Jimmy Page and a brass section that included Davie Jones himself.

Within two months, Jones had left the group and joined The Lower Third, but that’s another story

As you would expect, I Pity The Fool is far more sought after now than it was fifty five years ago, with an acetate selling for £3,833 GBP three months ago and a stock copy fetching £2,500 GBP in 2018.

And, despite the record’s age, it’s travelled extremely well as you can hear for yourself here.

#Bowie1965

Young Americans album is 45 today

“All right, you want the young American”

David Bowie’s ninth studio album, the Bowie/Visconti/Maslin produced Young Americans, was released in the UK on this day in 1975.

A top ten album in both the US (#9) and the UK (#2) it also furnished Bowie with his first ever #1 single in the shape of the Bowie/Lennon/Alomar composition, Fame.

Have a listen to this episode of In The Studio with Redbeard, wherein we hear from Bowie regarding the creation of the Young Americans and Station To Station albums.

Also, if you’ve not listened in a while, check Young Americans out again on Spotify now.

(Original photo from Young Americans promo video shoot by Ellen Graham)

#YoungAmericansLP45

The Prettiest Star and The World Of David Bowie are 50

“It can all but break your heart, in pieces”

March 6th 1970 saw the release of both an album and a single for David Bowie in the shape of the Mercury 45, The Prettiest Star/Conversation Piece, and the Decca album, The World Of David Bowie.

The Prettiest Star was the beautifully melodic and worthy follow-up to Space Oddity and yet another label change for Bowie. Mercury was the sixth label that David had released UK singles on.

However, it looked like the label’s faith was well-placed with the signs looking good for another top ten UK hit, as suggested by an NME review of the single.

Sadly that was not to be and taking in to account the gentleness of both sides of the 45, it was an unusual follow-up considering David was plugging his new, rather loud, electric band, Hype, in both the press and on stage around the time of the single's release.

Bowie obviously recognised how strong a song The Prettiest Star was as he rescued it for the 1973 Aladdin Sane album, with Mick Ronson affectionately recreating Marc Bolan's original solo.

The B-side, Conversation Piece, was also re-recorded thirty years later for the Toy project and finally issued in 2002 as a Heathen bonus track.

DECCA realised it was time to cash in their chips following the Philips label's success with the Space Oddity 45 a few months earlier, and they did exactly that with The World Of David Bowie on March 6th 1970.

With David’s blessing the compilation rounded up ten tracks from the original fourteen-track UK Deram album, (marked thus * in the tracklisting below) discarding We Are Hungry Men, Join The Gang, Maid of Bond Street and Please Mr. Gravedigger.

Joining the ten album tracks were The London Boys, plus three unreleased tracks recorded with Tony Visconti in 1968. Here's the tracklisting...

Side 1

1 Uncle Arthur*

2 Love You Till Tuesday*

3 There Is A Happy Land*

4 Little Bombardier*

5 Sell Me A Coat*

6 Silly Boy Blue*

7 The London Boys (From Deram single DM 107)

Side 2

1 Karma Man (Previously unreleased)

2 Rubber Band*

3 Let Me Sleep Beside You (Previously unreleased)

4 Come And Buy My Toys*

5 She's Got Medals*

6 In The Heat Of The Morning (Previously unreleased)

7 When I Live My Dream*

Originally, the single versions of both Love You Till Tuesday and When I Live My Dream were meant to replace the album versions for this compilation, but this didn't transpire.

Illustrated in the montage here is the original copy of the album, complete with the nineteen shillings and eleven pence recommended retail price sticker (this was pre-decimal), as advertised in the trade press advert.

As well as the German picture sleeve for The Prettiest Star and the common or garden* Irish pressing of the same, the other item pictured is the UK 8-track cartridge along with its outer cardboard slipcase. This format had the same content as the vinyl version, albeit with the tracks in a different running order.

Listen to the original recordings of The Prettiest Star as it was originally released and the 1997 stereo mix, below.

The Prettiest Star – Original Mono Version

The Prettiest Star – 1997 Stereo Version

* The collectors among you will know that the original Mercury Irish pressing of The Prettiest Star is actually very far from common, or indeed, garden. It remains one of the most collectable Bowie pressings of all time, coveted by a very select few. (Hi Mauro, Roel and Reto)

#Bowie1970

Bowie’s once in a lifetime performance

“We've got four years”

Despite playing many February shows during his concert career, David Bowie only ever played one concert on this date, 29th February.

It's generally accepted that a David Bowie performance scheduled for the Locarno Ballroom, Sunderland, on Tuesday 29th February, 1972, was cancelled.

However, in 1976, exactly four years later, he performed at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, and not at the Cobo Arena in the same city as is sometimes reported. (He did play the Cobo on tours either side of the 1976 Isolar Tour in 1974 and 1978.)

The picture here was taken by MICHAEL MARKS At the Olympia Stadium Show on the 29th (Bowie also played the following evening at the same venue).

In fact, it's most likely that he never performed on this date again on account of 29th February being a four-yearly occurrence every leap year. But why let a flimsy theory stand in the way of a great picture? 😉

#BowieDetroit

David Bowie Ultimate Record Collection Part 1

“Where there's trouble there's poetry”

Editor John Robinson has been in touch with an exclusive first look at the latest in Uncut’s Ultimate Record Collection series, the first of their artist-led specials: David Bowie: 1964-1976.

The magazine apparently presents: “every record Bowie made, in order, in the period – with contributions from the people who made them.”.

An example is artist Mike Weller’s explanation of how the original title of the album eventually known as The Man Who Sold The World came about.

Weller: “I said to DB, “These are very troubled songs”, and he said, in a cod Yorkshire accent, “Aye, it’s me troubled-est.” And I said, “And that’s going to be your title.” That was DB – very serious, and also very, very funny. And that, spelled ‘Metrobolist’, was going to be the title.”

Here is the concluding section of John Robinson’s introduction:

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Lifetimes have been dedicated to the many delightful regional sleeve variations in this period of the Bowie catalogue, and we’ve given a flavour of them here, even if we can’t (as we have elsewhere in this magazine as far as possible) hope to track and trace them all.

Perhaps that’s key to the appeal of Bowie that we’re trying to elucidate in this magazine. As much as you can look, listen and read, there always seems to be more to discover. As the godfather of our Bowie

collection, Jens Döpke (of the Bowie-collection.de website), explains in our Miscellany, “There’s no such thing as a ‘complete’ Bowie collection…”

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Never a truer word spoken, Jens.

#BowieURC

Alabama Song at #1 on the Official UK Vinyl Singles Chart

“You know why“

Following the trend started when the Official UK Vinyl Singles Chart started in April 2015, Alabama Song (the latest David Bowie 40th Anniversary 7” vinyl picture disc issued by Parlophone), has entered today’s new chart at #1, after its release last week.

Of the 40th Anniversary discs, the only one not to hit the top spot so far is Be My Wife, though it still managed a very respectable second place. It’s also fair to assume that had the chart been around at the time, all of the other 40th Anniversary discs from Starman onward would have performed similarly well.

Currently the Official Vinyl Singles Chart covers the period from 12th April 2015 to 21st February 2020 . All releases listed below are 40th Anniversary 7” vinyl picture discs, unless otherwise stated.

#1 - Alabama Song - February 2020

#1 - D.J. (2017 Tony Visconti mix - single edit) - July 2019

#1 - Boys Keep Swinging (2017 Tony Visconti Mix) - May 2019

#1 - The Rebels - David Bowie’s Revolutionary Song - April 2019 - RSD (Music On Vinyl - Numbered sleeve, transparent blue vinyl 7”)

#1 - Breaking Glass EP - November 2018

#2 - Let's Dance (Full Length Demo) - April 2018 – RSD (Black vinyl 12")

#1 - Beauty And The Beast - January 2018

#1 - "Heroes" (Single Version) - September 2017

#2 - Be My Wife - June 2017

#1 - No Plan EP - April 2017 – RSD - (Sony Music - Numbered sleeve, transparent blue marbled vinyl 12”)

#8 - Placebo Featuring David Bowie ‎- Without You I'm Nothing - April 2017 - RSD - (Universal Music - picture disc 12”)

#1 - Sound And Vision (2017 Remastered Version) - February 2017

#1 - TVC15 (Original Single Edit) - April 2016

#1 - Golden Years (Single Version) - November 2015

#1 - Space Oddity (UK Single Edit) - October 2015

#1 - Fame (Original Single Edit) - July 2015

#1 - Changes - April 2015 - RSD

#2 - Tom Verlaine Kingdom Come - David Bowie Kingdom Come - April 2015 - RSD (Elektra/Parlophone Side By Side series - translucent white 7")

The week after Bowie’s passing (in January 2016), the Official Vinyl Singles Chart top 20 was dominated by 13 different Bowie singles.

Of course, not only is this an indication of how Bowie’s music endures, it’s also a reflection of how faithful Bowie fans are, for it is you that have made the David Bowie 40th Anniversary 7” vinyl picture disc series the success it is. Thank you.

The images used on the A and B sides of the picture disc are by (A-side 1980) DEAN CHAMBERLAIN © THE DAVID BOWIE ARCHIVE® (AA-Side 1978) CHRIS WALTER © CHRIS WALTER COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

#BowieVinyl #BowieOCC #DBALAS40

I’m Only Dancing for Record Store Day 2020

“It’s got you reeling and rocking”

In addition to the already announced Record Store Day 2020 album CHANGESNOWBOWIE, Parlophone Records are proud to also announce the release of previously unissued recordings of Bowie in concert in 1974, in the form of I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) on 2LP and 2CD.

Keep reading for the press release. Meanwhile, before you scroll down, we’ll leave you with the updated release schedule:

~ Friday 20th March: Limited Edition IS IT ANY WONDER? physical EP on 12” vinyl and CD released.

~ Friday 20th March: FUN (Dillinja mix) 1 track digital download and streaming single due.

~ Saturday 18th April: CHANGESNOWBOWIE vinyl LP and CD released for Record Store Day.

~ Saturday 18th April: I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) Double vinyl LP and 2CD released for Record Store Day.

#BowieIOD74 #CHANGESNOWBOWIE #BowieRSD20 #BowieIIAW

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DAVID BOWIE - RECORD STORE DAY 2020 - NEVER BEFORE HEARD 1974 LIVE RECORDINGS UNEARTHED:

'I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74)' (2LP / 2CD) LIMITED EDITION RECORD STORE DAY 2020 RELEASE

In addition to the previously announced Record Store Day 2020 release of CHANGESNOWBOWIE, Parlophone Records are proud to also announce the unearthing of never before heard recordings of David Bowie in concert in 1974 in the form of I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) on 2LP and 2CD.

Taken from recently discovered sources in The David Bowie Archive®, I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) was recorded mostly during David’s performance at the Michigan Palace, Detroit on 20th October, 1974, with the encores taken from the Municipal Auditorium, Nashville on 30th November, 1974. The only song missing from the full set on the 20th October performance is ‘Diamond Dogs’ which was unfortunately only recorded in part. To make up for that it was decided to include the encores from the 30th November performance which featured ‘Diamond Dogs’ but also enables a fuller representation of the set from The Soul Tour including such numbers as ‘Knock On Wood’ and the ‘Foot Stomping / I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate’ medley.

The Soul Tour was a radical departure from the first part of the 1974 Diamond Dogs theatrical extravaganza. During a three week break in late 1974, the Diamond Dogs Tour’s elaborate six-ton Hunger City stage set was drastically stripped back, and the tour’s set list overhauled to include as-yet-unreleased tracks from the Young Americans sessions at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. The Soul Tour also featured a revamped band, augmented to include musicians and vocalists from those sessions, and rechristened The Mike Garson Band.

I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) follows on from the previous Record Store Day 2 LP release Cracked Actor (Live Los Angeles ’74) and is an incredible historical document of a performer and band at the height of their live powers. The artwork for both the 2 LP and 2 CD releases is based on the original design for the programmes available at venues for dates on The Soul Tour. The Soul Tour has taken on a mythical status among Bowie fans, as the tour visited fewer than twenty cities in the East and South of US. This is the first time that audio from this incarnation of the tour has ever been officially released.

DAVID BOWIE - I’M ONLY DANCING (THE SOUL TOUR 74) (2LP / 2CD) TRACKLISTING

CD 1

LP Side 1

1. Introduction - Memory Of A Free Festival

2. Rebel Rebel

3. John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)

4. Sorrow

5. Changes

6. 1984

LP Side 2

1. Moonage Daydream

2. Rock ’n’ Roll With Me

3. Love Me Do / The Jean Genie

4. Young Americans

CD 2

LP Side 3

1. Can You Hear Me

2. It’s Gonna Be Me

3. Somebody Up There Likes Me

4. Suffragette City

LP Side 4

1. Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide

2. Panic In Detroit

3. Knock On Wood *

4. Foot Stomping / I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate / Foot Stomping *

5. Diamond Dogs / It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I like It) / Diamond Dogs *

Recorded at the Michigan Palace, Detroit on 20th October, 1974 and * at the Municipal Auditorium, Nashville on 30th November, 1974.

Musicians:

David Bowie - Vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar, harmonica

The Mike Garson Band:

Earl Slick - Guitar

Carlos Alomar - Guitar

Mike Garson - Piano, Mellotron

David Sanborn - Alto sax, flute

Pablo Rosario - Percussion

Emir Ksasan - Bass

Dennis Davis - Drums

Backing vocals - Warren Peace, Anthony Hinton, Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry, Robin Clark and Diane Sumler.

These recordings have been mastered from the only available sources to provide the best sound quality possible. Any flaws and distortion are inherent in the original sources and we hope the historical importance of the recordings outweighs any such imperfections and does not detract from the enjoyment of the performances.

Is It Any Wonder? Pre-order links

“It’s happening now”

As mentioned yesterday, the limited edition physical version of the Is It Any Wonder? EP is available to pre-order through the Bowie Official Store now.

Aside from the vinyl and CD, you can also find a range of Is It Any Wonder? associated exclusive merchandise in the store.

On 20th March the drum and bass mix of Fun (Dillinja mix), will be released as a 1 track digital download and streaming single. The track had only been available previously on the Liveandwell.com CD, an exclusive to BowieNet members released in 2000. This will be the digital debut of Fun (Dillinja mix) and it will also be available on the Club Bowie playlist.

To reiterate once more:

~ Friday 14th February: Complete 6-track IS IT ANY WONDER? streaming EP available.

~ Friday 20th March: Limited Edition IS IT ANY WONDER? physical EP on 12” vinyl and CD released. (Pre-order link above)

~ Friday 20th March: FUN (Dillinja mix) 1 track digital download and streaming single due.

~ Saturday 18th April: CHANGESNOWBOWIE vinyl LP and CD released for Record Store Day.

And here’s a reminder of the tracklisting for the limited edition physical version of the Is It Any Wonder? EP:

SIDE 1

Baby Universal ‘97

Fun (Clownboy Mix)

Stay ’97

SIDE 2

I Can’t Read ’97

Nuts

The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)

#BowieIIAW

Is It Any Wonder? EP streaming and physical

“Back into the funhouse, music is sublime”

You’re no doubt getting a bit used to this and are expecting the final track of the Is It Any Wonder? streaming EP. Well, that track is The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix), originally released as a single in 1995, when it was coupled with Strangers When We Meet.

The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix), will be available where you are as the calendar turns to Valentine’s Day, Friday 14th February.

The even better news is that the Is It Any Wonder? EP will also be released on 12” vinyl and CD through the Bowie Official Store on Friday 20th March, with the CHANGESNOWBOWIE version of The Man Who Sold The World replaced by Fun (Clownboy Mix). Here's the tracklisting:

SIDE 1

Baby Universal ‘97

Fun (Clownboy Mix)

Stay ’97

SIDE 2

I Can’t Read ’97

Nuts

The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)

To sum up, here's the schedule:

~ Complete 6-track ‘IS IT ANY WONDER?’ streaming EP available Friday 14th February.

~ Limited Edition ‘IS IT ANY WONDER?’ physical EP on 12” vinyl and CD released Friday 20th March. (Pre-order details will be posted here tomorrow, Friday 14th February.)

~ ‘CHANGESNOWBOWIE’ LP and CD to be released on Record Store Day, Saturday 18th April.

Keep reading for the full press release.

#BowieIIAW

DAVID BOWIE IS IT ANY WONDER? STREAMING E.P. OF UNRELEASED & RARE MATERIAL

’THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ (LIVE ENO MIX) AVAILABLE NOW THE LAST OF SIX TRACKS RELEASED OVER SIX WEEKS

PHYSICAL FORMATS WITH ALTERNATIVE TRACKLISTING TO BE RELEASED VIA DAVIDBOWIE.COM EXCLUSIVELY ON MARCH 20th

Parlophone Records is proud to announce ‘THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ (LIVE ENO MIX), the final instalment of DAVID BOWIE’s IS IT ANY WONDER? streaming EP of six unreleased and rare tracks released over six weeks.

With this rare version of one of the most iconic Bowie songs of the last 50 years, the IS IT ANY WONDER? EP is now available to stream in its entirety. The six-track EP will also be made available on 12” vinyl and CD with an alternative tracklisting including ‘FUN’ (CLOWNBOY MIX).

Now available for the first time since its 1995 release, ’THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ (LIVE ENO MIX) was previously issued as a double A-side green vinyl 7” single and CD single in various territories with the Outside version of ’Strangers When We Meet.’ The Live Eno Mix version of this classic song is based on the fairly radical trip-hop reworking performed on the Outside World Tour. Longtime Bowie collaborator Brian Eno reshaped, overdubbed and mixed this live recording of the song at Westside Studios in London on 30th October, 1995, recalling the session in his diaries: “I added some backing vocals and a sonar blip and sculpted the piece a little so that there was more contour to it.”.

The physical formats of IS IT ANY WONDER? on 12” vinyl and CD will feature ‘FUN’ (CLOWNBOY MIX) replacing ’THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ (CHANGESNOWBOWIE version), leaving the CHANGESNOWBOWIE version exclusive to the CHANGESNOWBOWIE LP and CD to be released on Record Store Day, 18th April.

'FUN’ (CLOWNBOY MIX) originated as a modern revamp of the Bowie classic ‘Fame’, performed under the name ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ during David’s ‘club set’ on the Earthling tour.

The basic backing and sequencer tracks were worked at the Factory in Dublin docklands during pre-tour rehearsals in early 1997. A live version of ‘Fame,' recorded at the Amsterdam Paradiso on 10th June, 1997, was further worked on by Mark Plati and Reeves Gabrels at Looking Glass Studios in New York and mixed at Sony Music Studios in New York in February 1998. At one point the live version of ‘FUN', as it was now being called, was considered for inclusion on the BowieNet exclusive Liveandwell.com album and appeared on early reference masters. Referenced in interviews by Reeves as ‘Funhouse’, the song further developed lyrically and musically and, by the time Danny Saber created the Clownboy mix in May 1998, it was a completely new piece of work written by David and Reeves and featuring no elements of ‘Fame’. The Clownboy mix has previously only appeared on a BowieNet subscriber exclusive CD-ROM in 1998 and on Virgin Records in-house CDR’s along with four other Clownboy mix variants.

‘THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ (LIVE ENO MIX) is produced by David Bowie, and mixed by Brian Eno. The track features backing vocals by Eno, Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and vocals, Peter Schwartz on synths, Zachary Alford on drums, Carlos Alomar on guitar and Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals.

‘FUN' (CLOWBOY MIX) is produced by David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati. It was recorded by Steve Guest and Mark Plati and was mixed by Danny Saber at Ocean Way Recording May 1998, the mix was engineered by John X. The track features David Bowie on vocals, Zachary Alford on drums, Gail Ann Dorsey on bass/vocals, Mike Garson on piano, Reeves Gabrels on guitars/vocals and Mark Plati on keyboards/programming.

Nuts available for streaming now*

“What would you rather be doing?”

While it’s the 6th of February for the majority as we post this, a bunch of hungry early birds are flying into the morning of the 7th. The latter can now feast on the fat worm that is Nuts, the fifth and penultimate instalment of the IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks.

Again, for those of you who can access BBC Radio 6 Music, you can hear an exclusive first play of Nuts shortly, over on the Mary Anne Hobbs show.

The photograph in today's graphic, with no small measure of attitude, was taken in NY in 1996 by ALBERT WATSON.

Keep reading for the full press release.

*Available now if it’s the 7th where you are.

#BowieIIAW

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DAVID BOWIE IS IT ANY WONDER? STREAMING EP OF UNRELEASED & RARE MATERIAL

’NUTS’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) AVAILABLE NOW

THE FIFTH OF SIX TRACKS TO BE RELEASED OVER SIX WEEKS

‘NUTS’ (previously unreleased) is to be made available by Parlophone Records for streaming today as the penultimate release of DAVID BOWIE’s IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks being released once a week.

The unreleased semi instrumental ’NUTS’ was jointly written by David, Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati. It was recorded during the final Earthling sessions in November 1996, the same session during which ‘The Last Thing You Should Do’ was written and recorded.

Both songs were being recorded as bonus tracks but then, at the last minute David swapped out ‘I Can’t Read’ (released as track two from this streaming E.P. on 17th January) with ‘The Last Thing You Should Do’. However, ’NUTS' has remained unreleased until today.

'NUTS’ Features Bowie on vocals, Reeves Gabrels on guitars & Mark Plati playing keyboards and programming. It was produced by David Bowie, co-produced by Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati and was recorded and Mixed by Mark Plati at Looking Glass Studios, NYC

The last track from the EP will be announced next week with a final extra surprise.

VIVE LE ROCK! 12-page Bowie and punk cover feature

“And I looked and frowned and the monster was me”

The current edition of VIVE LE ROCK! magazine (issue 70), has a 12-page cover feature on how David Bowie paved the way for punk rock.

It’s another superb Bowie piece by Kris Needs, who is more than qualified to comment, having rubbed shoulders with the midwife at both the birth of Ziggy Stardust and punk rock. Here’s a short excerpt from a much longer piece…

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“Bowie was something else, continuing to exert a strange fascination that towered above anyone else. Still reinventing rock in his own image, most recently he’d been flying as the ice-cold, coke-deranged Thin White Duke from ‘Station To Station’: last of his '70s masks and still unlike anything else at the time.

Those who’d grown up with Bowie considered him just about the only high-profile UK artist in the first half of the ‘70s treading a dangerously unpredictable path, making visionary new music, always different from the pack. It was life-affirming to have a cool superstar who opened so many doors and habitually trampled social taboos, fixated on what he was doing next with a method actor’s zeal, rather than recycling past glories; the past, present and, most importantly, future all rolled into one.

Punk came more like a natural progression than sudden impact for those who’d experienced Bowie’s rapid evolution in real time during those grey years between psychedelic ‘60s revolutions and ‘76’s burgeoning tsunami, bringing Mott The Hoople, Lou Reed and lggy Pop with him. By 1973, Bowie had already cleared the runway for glam with short, sharp songs, noisy guitars and outrageous wardrobes, providing the perfect antidote to progressive rock excess and earnest singer-songwriters while sky-sailing over the pub-rock barrelling in through the saloon doors as a rootsy alternative to stadium prog-on-ice.

Although presented as glam packages on the surface, ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars’, ‘Aladdin Sane’ and ‘Diamond Dogs’ corralled rock ‘n’ roll’s original primal wildness, French chanson, avant jazz and classic Tin Pan Alley songwriting into vehicles heralding an other-worldly future where encrusted social taboos had been chucked out of the window with the nearest TV set. Pop and rock had been remade and remodelled by Bowie when the next generation started making its own noise.”

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VIVE LE ROCK! is on shelves now.

#ViveLeRockBowie

First Bowie Mirabelle cover is fifty today

“Eight new pence to have a go”

Fifty years ago today, David Bowie was featured on the cover of the UK’s Mirabelle magazine.

He appeared as an uncredited model with a caption inside which read: “OUR COVER – Super Red Riding Outfit from Kensington Market”, and that wasn’t even a description of his outfit.

Of course, Mirabelle had kicked of the new decade with a full-page colour back cover of our man at the start of January. They also thought enough of him to go with a double-page spread at the start of March.

This began a relationship that culminated in a few more front covers for the magazine and a two-year weekly column called: Bowie – My World…but that’s a whole other story.

This fifty year old mag still turns up occasionally, but you’re unlikely to pick it up for the original cover price of eight pence.

FOOTNOTE: The Twiggy and Justin mentioned on the cover nearly helped Bowie onto the cover of Vogue almost four years later. But instead the image was used for the cover of the Bowie Pin Ups LP sleeve instead…But that’s another whole other story.

#BowieMirabelle  #BowieMagazineCover

Marc Riley Baby Universal ’97 exclusive

“Now he's running for the love of speed”

For those of you who can access BBC Radio 6 Music this evening, you can hear an exclusive first play of Baby Universal ’97 on Marc Riley’s show.

He’ll be playing the track in the first hour of his show which kicks off at 19:00 UK time.

Mr Riley is pictured backstage with David Bowie at the Manchester Academy on 23rd, July, 1997.

See previous post for more information regarding Baby Universal ’97.

#BowieIIAW 

Baby Universal ’97 available for streaming now*

“Hallo humans nothing starts tomorrow”

While it’s the 30th of January for most as we post this, some parts of the planet are dipping a toe into the 31st already. The latter can now listen to Baby Universal ’97, the fourth instalment of the IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks.

The photograph in today's graphic was taken in NY in 1996 by ALBERT WATSON.

Keep reading for the full press release.

*Available now if it’s the 31st where you are.

#BowieIIAW 

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DAVID BOWIE IS IT ANY WONDER? STREAMING EP OF UNRELEASED & RARE MATERIAL

’BABY UNIVERSAL ‘97’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) AVAILABLE NOW

FOURTH OF SIX TRACKS TO BE RELEASED OVER SIX WEEKS

’BABY UNIVERSAL ’97’ is now available for streaming as the fourth of six tracks making up DAVID BOWIE’s IS IT ANY WONDER? EP (Parlophone) of unreleased and rare tracks being released once a week.

With lyrics by David and music co-written by David and Reeves Gabrels, ‘Baby Universal’ was initially recorded by Tin Machine for Tin Machine II. Released as the band’s penultimate single in October 1991, it was performed during the final Tin Machine US television appearance on Saturday Night Live.

‘Baby Universal’ was regularly performed on Bowie’s  ‘Outside Summer  Festivals Tour’ in 1996. The version now being released as ’BABY UNIVERSAL ’97’ was re-recorded for the Earthling album, originally intended to be sequenced between ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’ and ‘Law (Earthlings On Fire)’. The song was ultimately removed from the final album master, but David was very fond of this version and before the track was dropped was quoted as saying: “I thought ‘Baby Universal’ was a really good song and I don’t think it got heard. I didn’t really want that to happen to it, so I put it on this album… I think this version is very good.”.

’BABY UNIVERSAL ’97’ is produced by David Bowie, co-produced by Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati. It was recorded at Looking Glass Studios and mixed by Mark Plati at Right Track Recording, both in New York. The track features Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and vocals, Mike Garson on piano/keyboards, Mark Plati on programming/keyboards, Zachary Alford on drums and Reeves Gabrels on guitar, synths and vocals.

DAVID BOWIE ’BABY UNIVERSAL ‘97’ IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM NOW ON PARLOPHONE

Alan Yentob’s Cracked Actor film is 45 today

“I'm just the space cadet...he's the commander”

And another five years passes. Were you watching on that night 45 years ago? More here.

#CrackedActor

Stay ’97 available for streaming now*

“This time tomorrow I’ll know what to do”

As most of the world still has to endure 23rd of January, some lucky people from the future are already enjoying the 24th. They can now listen to Stay ’97, the third instalment of the IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks.

MICHAEL BENABIB took the photograph of David in NY in 1997 used for today's graphic.

Keep reading for the full press release.

*Available now if it’s the 24th where you are.

#BowieIIAW 

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DAVID BOWIE IS IT ANY WONDER? STREAMING EP OF UNRELEASED & RARE MATERIAL

’STAY ‘97’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) AVAILABLE FRIDAY 24TH JANUARY THE THIRD OF SIX TRACKS TO BE RELEASED OVER SIX WEEKS

Parlophone Records is proud to announce ’STAY ’97' the third instalment of DAVID BOWIE’s IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks being released once a week.

’STAY’ originally appeared on the ’Station To Station’ album in 1976 and was released as a single in North America and Japan in August of that year.

The previously unreleased 1997 re-recording of ‘STAY' began at The Factory in the Dublin Docklands during the pre-Earthling tour rehearsals while David, Mark Plati and Reeves Gabrels were preparing the backing/sequencer tracks before the rest of the band arrived, and the rehearsals started in earnest.

David wanted to ‘update' some of his live show staples so they would sit well sonically with the Outside/Earthling material. The recording was completed later, potentially for use as a ‘B-side’, and mixed at Right Track Recording studios, New York in May/June 1997.

’STAY ‘97’ is produced by David Bowie, co-produced by Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati, and mixed by Mark Plati.  The track features Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and vocals, Mike Garson on piano/keyboards, Mark Plati on programming/keyboards, Zachary Alford on drums and Reeves Gabrels on guitar/synths 

DAVID BOWIE ’STAY ’97’ IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM FRIDAY 24TH JANUARY ON PARLOPHONE

Lazarus NL wins in Annual Musical Awards Gala

“It’s Valentine’s Day”

Dutch fan, Jacqueline Pruijsen, has kindly been in touch with the wonderful news that @lazarusnl has won Best Big Musical at the prestigious Annual Musical Awards Gala in the Netherlands.

Three other awards were also collected:

Best Male Leading Role: Pieter Embrechts (Valentine)

Best Director: Ivo van Hove

Best Design: Jan Versweyveld

Congratulations to all involved for making Lazarus a continued success.

#LazarusNL  #LazarusMusical

Are you on the map - got your tote?

“Hey man, well she's a tote bag blam blam”

The exclusive Space Oddity tote bags are starting to ship to everyone who was lucky enough to share a picture of their silver or gold vinyl copy of the new 2019 Tony Visconti mix.

Keep an eye out for it if you’ve plotted your spot and don't forget you can still add yourself to the map if you have a silver or gold vinyl copy and want a bag too.

📍 spaceoddity.davidbowie.com/

#SpaceOddity50  #DBCP2019  #SpaceOddity2019TVmix

I Can’t Read ’97 available for streaming now*

“Can I reach tomorrow?”

As the 16th turns to the 17th around the globe, the second instalment of the IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks is available now.

Keep reading for the full press release.

*Available now if it’s the 17th where you are.

#BowieIIAW 

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DAVID BOWIE IS IT ANY WONDER? STREAMING EP OF UNRELEASED & RARE MATERIAL

’I CAN’T READ ’97'’ (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED) AVAILABLE NOW

THE SECOND OF SIX TRACKS TO BE RELEASED OVER SIX WEEKS

Parlophone Records is proud to unveil ‘I CAN’T READ ‘97’, the second instalment of DAVID BOWIE’s IS IT ANY WONDER? EP of six unreleased and rare tracks being released once a week.

‘I CAN’T READ’ originally appeared on Tin Machine’s eponymous debut album in 1989, and was a staple in the band’s live set. In the autumn of 1996, during the mixing stages for Earthling, David re-recorded the track – which, at one stage, appeared on a mastered version of the album.

While the song’s second incarnation, ‘I CAN’T READ ‘97’, was David’s preferred solo version (the version available today), it was ultimately cut from Earthling and replaced at the last minute with ‘The Last Thing You Should Do’.

An alternative version, featuring minor chords and a darker sound for the chorus, was recorded for Ang Lee’s film The Ice Storm. The full length version appeared on a single in 1998, while an edit featured on the film’s soundtrack album in 1997, both released by VelVel Records.

‘I CAN’T READ ‘97’ written by David Bowie & Reeves Gabrels is produced by David Bowie, co-produced by Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati, and mixed by Mark Plati. The track was recorded and mixed at Right Track Recording in New York and features Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and vocals, Mike Garson on piano, and Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals.

DAVID BOWIE ‘I CAN’T READ’97’ IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM NOW ON PARLOPHONE

R.I.P Bob Solly

Kevin Cann has been in touch with the sad news that Manish Boy, Bob Solly (bottom right in montage, next to Davie Jones), has passed away at the age of 75. Over to Kevin.

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I’m very sad to have to tell you that following a short illness Robert Solly, better known as ex-Manish Boy founder member Bob Solly, passed away in London in the early hours of Tuesday morning, January 7th. He was 75.

Following his years with Maidstone based band The Manish Boys (which famously included around a year with David Bowie fronting the band), Bob continued working as a songwriter with writing partner Paul Rodriguez, mainly working for producer Shel Talmy. After moving away from the music business he became a very successful designer and architect and spent many years criss-crossing the world while overseeing numerous prestigious commercial property developments.

After settling back in the UK he focussed firmly on his real passion in life, collecting; mainly many thousands of records, though his spare rooms quickly filled with, among other things, a huge first-editions library, items on crime and other rare British social memorabilia and collections of photographs. After many years of serious International record collecting and record dealing it was thought that Bob’s vinyl collection alone was second only in size to that of the BBC’s.

His knowledge of post war British and American popular music was renown and in the late 90’s he became a regular, highly regarded contributor to Record Collector magazine, also writing Record Collector’s incisive 2005 book, ‘100 Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Records’. In 2009 he began regular radio broadcasts with Channel Radio in Kent, his eclectic weekly show relying solely on vinyl singles chosen from his vast collection. Over the many hundreds of hours broadcasting he never played any single track more than once.

Bob is survived by his second wife, Susan.

Bob Solly (Robert Leslie Solly), musician, designer and writer, born 4 August 1944; died 7 January 2020