• News
  • About
  • Sound
  • Vision
  • Pin Ups
  • Shop
    • US Store
    • EU/UK Store
  • Connect
David Bowie
  • News
  • About
  • Sound
  • Vision
  • Pin Ups
  • Shop
    • US Store
    • EU/UK Store
  • Connect

Bowie’s Elephant Man debut 40 years ago today

2020_july_elephant_man_1080sq.jpg

“He’s a broken man”

Forty years ago today, following an announcement in The New York Times, David Bowie took to the stage in a different guise to the one he had been more used to...as John Merrick in the Jack Hofsiss directed stage play of The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance.

The Elephant Man opened on 29th July 1980 at the Denver Centre of Performing Arts.

Here’s a line from a review in Variety:

“The acting debut on the American stage of rock singer David Bowie was greeted by a standing ovation in Denver when the singer, noted for his flamboyant musical style, took on the role of physically misshapen John Merrick, the human monster with a liking for culture.”

Bowie went on to triumph on Broadway with his stunning performance at The Booth Theatre in New York, opening there on 23 September 1980, with unanimous praise for his portrayal of Merrick.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1’s Andy Peebles in December 1980, Bowie said:

“The whole thing happened so fast when they finally decided to take me as Merrick. I’d forgotten about the whole thing after Hofsiss had seen me. But I got a call within two weeks of having to go over and start rehearsal. So I couldn’t do very much. So I went to the London Hospital and went to the museum there. Found the plaster casts of the bits of Merrick’s body that were interesting to the medical profession and the little church that he’d made, and his cap and his cloak. Nothing much that you can get from that, just the general atmosphere. We didn’t know if I was going to get to New York, but for me it was the idea of doing a straight play that had the greater appeal.”

29 July - 3 August 1980 Denver Centre of Performing Arts

5 August 1980 - 31 August 1980 Blackstone Theatre, Chicago

23 September 1980 - 3 January 1981 The Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St, New York

#BowieElephantMan


tags: 2020 July
Wednesday 07.29.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

RIP Kansai Yamamoto

ziggy_kansai_1080sq.jpg

It is with much sorrow that we report the death of Japanese designer, Kansai Yamamoto, who passed away on 21st July, aged 76.

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and those close to him at this sad time.

#BowieKansai


tags: 2020 July
Monday 07.27.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie wins online pioneer 20 years ago tonight

2000_yahoo_flat_1080sq.jpg

“Love me, love me, love me, say you do“

Twenty years ago this evening, David Bowie was awarded online pioneer of the year at the third annual Yahoo! Internet Life Online Music Awards at New York's Studio 54. Bowienet also won the best artist site gong.

David performed wonderful versions of Life On Mars? and Wild Is The Wind, accompanied by Mike Garson. The event was hosted by actor John Leguizamo and cybercast live on VH1.com.

If you haven't seen them, you really should check out both performances on YouTube. Both Bowie and Garson are stunning.

#BowieYahooAwards2000


tags: 2020 July
Friday 07.24.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Sunday Times Magazine 45 years ago today

1975_uk_st_new_face_mont_1080sq.jpg

“They pulled in just behind the fridge”

Perhaps it doesn't seem like a huge deal these days, but David Bowie gracing the front cover of a Sunday supplement for the first time in the UK was indeed a big deal, forty five years ago today.

The publishers of The Sunday Times Magazine clearly thought so too, with music press adverts and posters publicising the 20th July 1975 edition of the popular weekend mag.

Titled THE BOWIE ODYSSEY, the cover story was a five-page colour article, including rare pictures and an interview with Tina Brown.

History doesn’t record how popular the edition was with regular readers of the magazine, but for Bowie fans it was an absolute treat.

For a start, that Steve Schapiro cover was the first glimpse fans had of this latest Bowie look, not to mention it being the first Bowie/Schapiro cover anywhere in the world.

Also, the content was stunning. A double page Sukita shot with previously unseen images of The Lower Third and a ticket for DAVID BOWIE AND THE BUZZ at Loughton Youth Centre, on Friday 15th July, 1966.

Then there was the beautifully written article and interview by Tina Brown, giving a snapshot tease of life at manager Michael Lippman’s home on Sunset Strip. Here’s the intro:

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

David Bowie had just breezed into Hollywood with a sidekick called Geoffrey. Bowie is dressed in brown plus-fours and braces, his short red orange hair tucked into a cloth cap. “This,” he explains in rapid cockney, “is my up-all-night look. Please note pallor of skin and trembling of hands.” He strikes a match on his trousers and lights a cigarette. “All right, darlin’. Where shall I begin?”

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

And then there was this fairly inaccurate prediction regarding his own future in music:

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

“Me and rock and roll have parted company,“ he declares after a preliminary swivel on his chair. Lippman, surreptitiously patrolling the passage outside, appears in the doorway, his face creased with anxiety. “Don't worry,“ Bowie reassures, “I'll still make albums with love and with fun, but my effect is finished. I'm very pleased. I think I've caused quite enough rumpus for someone who's not even convinced he's a good musician.” He puts on a pair of giant auburn spectacles. “Now I'm going to be a film director.”

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

Thankfully for us, his effect was far from finished, but in 1975 it was a very scary thought.

We’ll leave you with another distressing observation Tina made in the feature:

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

In the living room (decor - Hollywood Hispanola) a dozen copies of Bowie's latest LP, Young Americans, are stacked. The sleeve features him looking as fresh-faced as a West Point cadet, while a cursory glance at the “Gimme Gimme’s” and “Sho’ nuffs” on the lyric sheet reveal that inside, for the first time, Bowie is giving Soul Music a whirl.

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

Lyric sheet?! What lyric sheet? There was no such thing in the UK edition of Young Americans, though it did appear a few years later, long after fans had struggled with “fridge” versus “bridge” and other conundrums.

#BowieSchapiro #BowieSundayTimesMagazine


tags: 2020 July
Monday 07.20.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Check out the David Bowie Memory Map

dbmm_mont_1080sq.jpg

“He trod on sacred ground, he cried aloud into the crowd”

To celebrate the ongoing series of David Bowie live releases, we’ve launched the David Bowie Memory Map here on davidbowie.com

If you’re lucky enough to have memories of any of Bowie’s live shows around the globe from 1990 to 2000, then explore the world map to add yours, including tickets, setlists, photographs, programmes, merchandise, passes and anything else you think other Bowie fans would enjoy.

A few of you have already stumbled upon it and are making some great contributions.

#DavidBowieMemoryMap #DavidBowieLiveMap


tags: 2020 July
Sunday 07.19.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

UK Fame 45 is forty five today

legacy_fame_montage_1080sq.jpg

“Is it any wonder, you’re far too cool to fool”

Fame was released in June 1975 in America and it was Bowie’s first #1 45 anywhere in the world. It didn’t fare quite so well in the UK, where it was released 45 years ago today, though it was still a top 20 hit.

A side: Fame (Bowie/Lennon/Alomar)

B side: Right (Bowie)

Original UK release date: July 18 1975

Highest chart position: UK: #17 US: #1

Originally appeared on: Young Americans

Produced by: David Bowie, Harry Maslin

#BowieFame


tags: 2020 July
Saturday 07.18.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie and Jagger and THAT video

dits_new_cover_1080sq.jpg

“Calling out around the world”

Thirty five years ago the Live Aid benefit concert was held on this very day, Saturday 13th July, 1985, and many of you posted your memories in the BOWIE KOOKS Facebook group.

Aside from all of the live music performed on the day, you will also surely remember Bowie and Jagger’s remarkable video for Dancing In The Street, possibly the campest duet ever committed to tape.

The friends recorded it at Spillers Millennium Mills in London with director David Mallet. Dancing In The Street was shown a couple of times at the Live Aid event and it was also used to promote the single released the following month.

Here it is for those of you that have never seen it or those who need to be reminded of just how rock stars are meant to behave.

#BowieLiveAid #BowieJagger


tags: 2020 July
Monday 07.13.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowie at the BBC twenty years ago tonight

bbc_rt_smiler_1080sq.jpg

“Screaming above Central London”

Two days after his Glastonbury triumph, David Bowie was back in London on 27th June, 2000, for an exclusive performance at the BBC Radio Theatre to an intimate gathering of celebrities and BowieNetters.

Did you catch the broadcast a few months later, or were you lucky enough to be one of those actually there?

Check out the setlist below and a few snaps by Total Blam Blam taken on the night, here.

01 - Wild Is The Wind

02 - Ashes To Ashes

03 - Seven

04 - This Is Not America

05 - Absolute Beginners

06 - Always Crashing In The Same Car

07 - Survive

08 - The London Boys

09 - I Dig Everything

10 - Little Wonder

11 - The Man Who Sold The World

12 - Fame

13 - Stay

14 - Hallo Spaceboy

15 - Cracked Actor

16 – I’m Afraid Of Americans

Encore:

17 - Ziggy Stardust

18 - The Jean Genie (Instrumental version while David left the stage)

19 - All The Young Dudes

20 - Starman

21 - "Heroes"

22 - Let's Dance

#BowieAtTheBeeb #BowieBBCRadioTheatre #Bowie2000


tags: 2020 June
Saturday 06.27.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Glastonbury 2000 20 years ago tonight

01917_bbc_camera_final_1080sq.jpg

“One magical moment”

“Not only the greatest Glastonbury headline performance but the best headline slot at any festival ever” - NME

As you may already know and in fact may be enjoying right now, BBC TWO in the UK is celebrating 50 years of Glastonbury with a schedule packed with gems from the festival over the years. This is an impressive attempt to bring some cheer following the cancellation of this year's event.

Bowie first played there in June 1971 to a small but appreciative crowd, giving him the confidence to return twenty nine years later to a somewhat larger and a considerably more appreciative audience. That return to Glastonbury was twenty years ago today and BBC TWO will mark the event by screening the whole show on Sunday.

Today’s lyric quotation from Station To Station was a sentiment clearly shared by Glastonbury co-organiser, Emily Eavis, who commented in 2018:

“I often get asked what the best set I've seen here at Glastonbury is, and Bowie's 2000 performance is always one which I think of first. It was spellbinding; he had an absolutely enormous crowd transfixed. I think Bowie had a very deep relationship with Worthy Farm and he told some wonderful stories about his first time at the Festival in 1971, when he stayed at the farmhouse and performed at 6am as the sun was rising. And he just played the perfect headline set. It really was a very special and emotional show”.

Emily’s father Michael, the founder of the festival who first met David at Glastonbury in 1971 said “He’s one of the three greatest of all-time: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and David Bowie.”

David Bowie Glastonbury 2000 is on BBC TWO on Sunday at 21:30.

#BowieTV #BowieGlasto2000


tags: 2020 June
Thursday 06.25.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Ouvrez Le Chien streaming next week

olc_final_front_1080sq.jpg

“A real life adventure worth more than pieces of gold”

Parlophone Records is proud to announce that DAVID BOWIE OUVREZ LE CHIEN (LIVE DALLAS 95) (a previously unreleased live album), will be made available on all streaming services from 3rd July. TEENAGE WILDLIFE (LIVE DALLAS 95) from the album, is available to stream from 26th June.

OUVREZ LE CHIEN was recorded live at the Starplex Amphitheater, Dallas, 13th October, 1995, during the US leg of the Outside Tour.

The phrase OUVREZ LE CHIEN (translating from the French to “OPEN THE DOG”), originally appeared in the song All The Madmen from The Man Who Sold The World (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year), albeit without the z. Bowie also used the phrase for his 1993 song Buddha Of Suburbia, once again spelling “ouvre" without a Z. The Z was added when the phrase and its English translation were prominently featured in the stage set of the 1995 Outside Tour.

OUVREZ LE CHIEN also features two bonus tracks Moonage Daydream and Under Pressure recorded live at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, 13th December, 1995. Previously available on the Hallo Spaceboy CD single, both tracks are making their streaming debut.

OUVREZ LE CHIEN was produced by David Bowie and recorded by Steve Guest. *Mixed by David Richards at Mountain Studios, Switzerland, assisted by Sam Curtis. The musicians are David Bowie – vocals and saxophone, Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar, Reeves Gabrels – lead guitar and vocals, Gail Ann Dorsey – bass and vocals, Zachary Alford – drums, Peter Schwartz - keyboards and synthesisers, George Simms – vocals, Mike Garson – piano and keyboards

The cover image of OUVREZ LE CHIEN was taken by Iman during the ’95 tour.

DAVID BOWIE - OUVREZ LE CHIEN TRACKLISTING

Look Back In Anger (David Bowie/Brian Eno)

The Hearts Filthy Lesson (David Bowie/Brian Eno/Michael Garson/Sterling Campbell/Erdal Kizilcay/Reeves Gabrels)

The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) (David Bowie/Brian Eno/Reeves Gabrels)

I Have Not Been To Oxford Town (David Bowie/Brian Eno)

Outside (David Bowie/Kevin Armstrong)

Andy Warhol (David Bowie)

Breaking Glass (David Bowie/George Murray/Dennis Davis)

The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie)

We Prick You (David Bowie/Brian Eno)

I’m Deranged (David Bowie/Brian Eno)

Joe The Lion (David Bowie)

Nite Flights (Scott Engel)

Under Pressure (David Bowie/Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor/John Deacon/Brian May)

Teenage Wildlife (David Bowie)

Recorded live at the Starplex Amphitheater, Dallas, 13th October, 1995

Bonus Tracks:

Moonage Daydream * (David Bowie)

Under Pressure * (David Bowie/Freddie Mercury/Roger Taylor/John Deacon/Brian May)

Both recorded live at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, 13th December, 1995.

#BowieDallas95


tags: 2020 June
Thursday 06.25.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Twenty years ago tonight: NY BowieNet Show

setlist_pointer_1080sq.jpg

“New York's in love”

Were you one of the lucky fans at David Bowie’s BowieNet show at the Roseland Ballroom on Monday 19th June, 2000? If you were, we want to hear your memories of this wonderful evening.

Check out a few snaps taken by Total Blam Blam on the night and post your recollections in the comments section while you’re there.

#BowieRoseland #Bowie2000


tags: 2020 June
Friday 06.19.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Space Oddity 1972 picture disc out now

space_odd_72_out_now_1080sq.jpg

“Well, ain’t that poster love?” *

Did you get your yours today? Have you opened it? Will you hang the poster?

If not you can order here, if you so desire.

* We do realise that today's lyric quotation is from Young Americans and not Space Oddity, but we’re among friends.

#SpaceOddity72 #SpaceOddityPicDisc #BowieVinyl


tags: 2020 June
Friday 06.19.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Twenty years ago tonight: Bowie at Roseland

01290_close_up2_v2_1080sq.jpg

“New York's a go-go”

Though we didn't know it at the time (the correct date was only published five years ago), David Bowie played the first of his Roseland Ballroom 2000 shows on the 28th anniversary of The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders from Mars, twenty years ago this very evening.

Bowie performed an astonishing two and a half hour, 25-song set to 3,000 fans with many new additions since the previous Stateside Bowie shows, including performances of Wild Is The Wind, This Is Not America and Starman.

Back in June 2000, Total Blam Blam (billed as Our European Correspondent in New York), was dispatched to NY to take over David’s BowieNet journal, take some snaps and report on rehearsals and the Roseland 2000 shows.

Sign up to BOWIE KOOKS to view a photo album of some of his images from the 16th June 2000 soundcheck and show, here.

There is some very shaky fan footage on YouTube up to the intro of Station To Station. Despite the low quality it does give a flavour of some of the magic of that evening. There's also unofficial audio of the whole show here.

Meanwhile, we'll leave you with the setlist.

David Bowie, Roseland Ballroom, NY, Friday 16th June 2000

Wild Is The Wind

Life On Mars?

Golden Years

Changes

Stay

China Girl

Survive

Absolute Beginners

Ashes To Ashes

Rebel Rebel

Fame

This Is Not America

All The Young Dudes

Starman

The Man Who Sold The World

Under Pressure

Station To Station

(First Encore)

Seven

Thursday's Child

The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell

Hallo Spaceboy

(Second Encore)

Ziggy Stardust

'Heroes'

Let's Dance

I'm Afraid Of Americans

#BowieRoseland #Bowie2000


tags: 2020 June
Tuesday 06.16.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Isle of Wight on Sky Arts on Sunday

loneliest_iow_1080sq.jpg

“See the great Wight star”

As if there wasn't enough Bowie on TV and radio this weekend (there's never enough), what with BBC TWO's Bowie Night (which kicks off at 21:15 in the UK this evening) and Absolute Radio’s virtual Isle of Wight Front Room Festival, Sky Arts will also be showing footage from the latter on Sunday.

With this year’s festival unable to take place, Sky Arts is showing “Isle of Wight Festival - Greatest Hits” over this weekend as they air exclusive content from the archives. However, only a handful of performances of the 20-song set from Bowie's final full UK show were filmed on the day (16 years ago today) and those were:

Rebel Rebel

Sister Midnight

All The Young Dudes

The Loneliest Guy

I'm Afraid Of Americans

"Heroes"

In 2010, Sister Midnight, All The Young Dudes and "Heroes" were made available as videos on iTunes. So, best case scenario is that Sky Arts is showing all six of the filmed songs, though the time-slot suggests there won't be enough time for them all. Either way, we'll leave you with the line-up for Sunday...

SUNDAY

19.00 - Iggy Pop (2016)

19.30 - Simple Minds (2009)

20.00 - Manic Street Preachers (2018)

20.30 - Nile Rodgers and Chic (2018)

21.00 - Kings of Leon (2014)

21.30 - David Bowie (2004)

22.00 - Rod Stewart (2017)

22.30 - The Specials (2014)

23.00 - Blondie (2010)

23.30 - Biffy Clyro (2019)

#BowieIOW #BowieAbsolute #BowieSkyArts


tags: 2020 June
Saturday 06.13.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

BBC TWO's Bowie Night

bbc2_bowie_night_june_2020_1080sq.jpg

“Switch on the TV, We may pick him up on channel two”

Nice surprise for Bowie Kooks who can access the BBC, with the news that BBC TWO is showing Francis Whately’s three David Bowie documentaries and the TOTP2 Bowie special next weekend.

Follow the link below and click on the links there to read more about each programme.

David Bowie on BBC TWO 13/14 June, 2020.

#DavidBowieFindingFame #BowieTheFirstFiveYears #BowieFiveYears #BowieTheLastFiveYears #BowieTOTP2


tags: 2020 June
Sunday 06.07.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Tin Machine II due on MOV next month

movlp2715_tm2_mont_1080sq.jpg

“It makes me feel alright, alright, alright, alright, alright“

TIN MACHINE = DAVID BOWIE, REEVES GABRELS, TONY SALES and HUNT SALES

While it may not have topped best Bowie album polls, the second and final Tin Machine studio album from 1991, Tin Machine II, is considered an overlooked gem by those familiar with it.

Indeed, Tin Machine II’s reputation has only increased over the years. Uncut magazine placed the album on their list of 50 Great Lost Albums (their list of albums not currently available for purchase), calling the album “extraordinary”.

Originally released by Victory Music, Music On Vinyl gives Tin Machine II its first vinyl re-release since the 1991 original, and it’s pressed on coloured vinyl for the very first time. The initial pressing is a limited edition of 5000 individually numbered copies on silver coloured vinyl.

The CD is released simultaneously on Music On CD (MOCCD13972) - both the LP and the CD versions feature the hidden and unlisted instrumental track: Hammerhead.

• 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL

• INSERT

• SPECIAL SPOT VARNISHED SLEEVE

• LIMITED EDITION OF 5000 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON SILVER COLOURED VINYL

SIDE A

1. Baby Universal

2. One Shot

3. You Belong In Rock N’ Roll

4. If There Is Something

5. Amlapura

6. Betty Wrong

SIDE B

1. You Can’t Talk

2. Stateside

3. Shopping For Girls

4. A Big Hurt

5. Sorry

6. Goodbye Mr. Ed

7. Hammerhead (Instrumental) (Hidden track/unlisted)

#TinMachine2 #BowieMOV


tags: 2020 June
Friday 06.05.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Pretty Pink Rose is thirty

pretty_pink_rose_12x12_1080sq_v3.jpg

“The left wing’s broken, The right’s insane”

Before we say goodbye to May 2020, it’s worth marking the 30th anniversary of an oft-overlooked single, released sometime in May 1990.

Issued ahead of the Adrian Belew album, Young Lions, from whence it came, Pretty Pink Rose was a Bowie composition billed as a duet and performed practically every night on the 1990 Sound + Vision Tour.

The song does seem to divide fans, but perhaps not quite as much as the video featuring Bowie, Belew and Julie T. Wallace. Make up your own mind about that, here.

FOOTNOTE: The closing track on Young Lions was a Belew/Bowie composition sung by Bowie, called Gunman.

#BowieBelew #PrettyPinkRose


tags: 2020 May
Sunday 05.31.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Sweepstakes at the David Bowie Official Store

db_store_tees_may_2020_1080sq.jpg

“All you've got to do is win”

Those of you not signed up to the Bowie Monthly newsletter may not have heard about the sweepstakes over at the David Bowie Official Store, wherein you could win a bundle including an Earthling puzzles set, Serious Moonlight throw blanket, and Space Oddity on vinyl.

Have a poke around while you're there and check out the recent T-shirt additions, among lots of other Official Bowie merchandise.

Forgot to mention, sweepstakes ends on May 31st 2020.

#BowieMerch #BowieStore


tags: 2020 May
Saturday 05.30.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future

madi_montage_anim_1080sq.jpg

THE BIGGEST SCI-FI MOVIE OF 2020 IS A GRAPHIC NOVEL - MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future

“So as happenstance has happened to stance, I began working on this project about a year ago and it's come to fruition now!

It’s a graphic novel I created with the multiple Eisner nominated comic guru Alex de Campi, and I am so bloody proud of it. If you are in any way into comics, sci-fi or a good yarn, it brings together some absolute legends in the world of comic art, to tell a sci-fi story penned by me, and adapted to the comic medium by Alex and myself.

Just look at that list of artists! I think you'll all really like it.” - Duncan Jones

Just over a year ago in April 2019, MOON & MUTE writer / director Duncan Jones put the feelers out over Twitter about potentially telling the third instalment of what has come to be known as the Mooniverse trilogy in graphical novel format.

At the time Duncan was completely new to the format as a creator (massive comics fan though, especially 2000AD which led to him getting on board to direct the forthcoming feature film adaptation of Rogue Trooper) so in typical fashion he surrounded himself with experts in the field and what began as a quick Twitter ponder has evolved into MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future in collaboration with his “sherpa” Eisner award nominated writer Alex de Campi.

MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future was officially launched on Kickstarter on the 19th of May, the campaign reached its goal of $50,000.00 on that same day, within hours!

Less than a week after launch MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future has just gone past $250,000.00 and hit the front page of Kickstarter as a featured project and has been shared and backed with much enthusiasm by the likes of Colin Hanks, Jonathan Ross, Guillermo del Toro, Alex Winter, Mark Kermode, David Baddiel, Peter Ramsey, Clint Mansell, Edgar Wright, and most excitingly for Duncan, legendary author William Gibson who tweeted out

“I first read this as a screenplay. Having myself experienced what can happen when a screenplay becomes a graphic novel, to say I'm excited by this Kickstarter is very much an understatement!”

The Mooniverse Trilogy started with Duncan’s multi award winning feature film debut MOON in 2009, and continued with the exclusive to Netflix feature set in near future Berlin, MUTE in 2018 in which we catch a glimpse of how things work out for Sam Bell after the end of MOON, so the series give us stories set in that shared Universe rather than direct sequels. If you’re keen to spend more time in the Mooniverse, have a thirst for incredible art and storytelling, and a hankering for ‘The biggest sci-fi movie of 2020’, MADI is for you!

So, what’s it all about?…

MADI is a 260-page road trip graphic novel set in the near future, by film director Duncan Jones (MOON, SOURCE CODE) and writer Alex de Campi (BAD KARMA, BLADE RUNNER), and drawn by some of comics’ most exciting artists including Glenn Fabry, Simon Bisley, Duncan Fegredo and Pia Guerra. Each artist tackles a 8-30 page section of the story, bringing to life one location.

Madi Preston, a veteran of Britain’s elite special operations J-Squad unit, is burnt out and up to her eyeballs in debt. She and the rest of her team have retired from the military but are now trapped having to pay to service and maintain the technology put into them during their years of service. They're working for British conglomerate Liberty Inc as mercenaries, selling their unique ability to be remote controlled by specialists while in the field, and the debts are only growing as they get injured completing missions. We meet Madi as she decides she’s had enough. She will take an off-the-books job that should earn her enough to pay out her and her sister, but when the piece of tech she’s supposed to steal turns out to be a kid, and she suddenly blacks out... she finds herself on the run from everyone she’s ever known.

In a globe-spanning adventure from Shanghai to Soho, Madi has to stay one step ahead of the giant corporations closing in on her from all sides.

MADI is the third and final story in the “Mooniverse,” an anthology of independent stories that take place in a shared future. You don’t need to have seen MOON or MUTE to fully enjoy this standalone book.

Having met and far exceeded the initial goal, Duncan and Alex are busy responding to comments from backers on the Kickstarter page, and adding additional content to all options for all backers as a way of thanking everyone for backing MADI. What began as an extremely exciting project is getting better and better as the days go by.

If you can’t quite stretch to it yet, or need some convincing, there’s even the first 17 pages to download and read now, free!

For further details on how to pick up a copy (variants of softcover or hardback), AND have Duncan tell you all about it (check out the video at the top of the Kickstarter page), please head over to the MADI: Once Upon a Time in the Future Kickstarter page now!

#MadiGraphicNovel


tags: 2020 May
Thursday 05.28.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Lodger is 41 today

1979_uk_lodger_release_date_fix_1080sq.jpg

“And it won’t be forgotten”

We don't normally celebrate landmarks in Bowie’s career unless they are in five year increments, but we’ve broken that loose rule today.

In a piece about a promotional T shirt for Lodger in the BOWIE KOOKS fan group on this day last year, we mentioned the 40th anniversary of the album in passing.

Here’s what we said: “With evidence now suggesting that we've been celebrating Lodger a week too early (actual release date is more likely to be May 25th, 1979), here's a very rare promo Lodger T-shirt.”

Further research proves that May 25th, 1979, was indeed the date Lodger was released. The biggest clue has been chart entry dates, particularly during the period when Bowie’s albums would enter the UK chart upon release.

With Lodger, there were other pieces of evidence proving the date of May 18th highly unlikely.

Either way, if you’re not familiar with the album, check out the original 1979 version or Tony Visconti’s 2017 Mix. Here’s Fantastic Voyage from the latter, an incredible song that could have been written for today’s times.

Cover image of Lodger by Duffy Archive.

#BowieLodger #BowieFantasticVoyage #ANewCareerInANewTownBox


tags: 2020 May
Monday 05.25.20
Posted by Mark Adams
 
Newer / Older