Month: January 2004

Welcome to Reality, Ha ha ha ha…

In a follow-up to the story below, and a perfect ending for David Bowie’s birthday, the voting has now ended in the BBC Album Of The Year poll, and Reality is the runaway winner. 2399 votes were cast in the poll, with Reality receiving a staggering 85.8% of the vote.

The votes cast for Reality went way past the 1947 we had hoped for this morning, with a final count of 2058! Proof of just how powerful the Bowie online army can be when called to arms.

Anyway, here’s the way it all looked at the close of play today:

David Bowie – Reality (2058) 85.8%
The Beatles – Let It Be…Naked (124) 5.2%
Kraftwerk – Tour De France Soundtracks (66) 2.8%
Neil Young – Greendale (65) 2.7%
Steely Dan – Everything Must Go (43) 1.8%
Paddy McAloon – I Trawl The Megahertz (25) 1.0%
Robert Palmer – Drive (18) 0.7%

I’ve updated the story below with more of the comments from fans who voted for Reality.

And he was alright, the band was altogether…

The new edition of UNCUT magazine, (February 2004, on the shelves tomorrow) has a great review, by Rob Hughes, of David’s show at the Manchester MEN Arena, back in November. It’s a full-page piece that includes the shot above, and another of David and GAD taken by Angela Lubrano.

In celebration of the continuation of A Reality Tour in Cleveland tonight, I’ve posted the complete review below. Enjoy.

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Changing Man – So much to answer for…the Bard of Bromley’s back in fine forward-looking fettle with a scintillating combination of the old and the new.David Bowie MEN ARENA, MANCHESTER – Monday November 17, 2003

IT’S BEEN A WHILE. Twenty years, to be exact. The last time I saw Bowie – canary zoot-suited, tanned, tousled, booting a Zeppelin-sized inflata-globe from the stage of Milton Keynes Bowl – he was deep into the R&B jump-funk of the Serious Moonlight tour. Looking at him tonight, a foppishly boysome 56-year-old in muscle top, jeans and baseball boots, he hardly looks older. Trim and lean, bouncing and strutting, exuding cool like a casual sweat. Back in ’83, I was infatuated. Bowie – to filch a John Peel idiom ? was the reason I listened to music at all. Then it sort of got messy.

Weird how time shifts perspective, though. In the light of recent, invariably brilliant albums Heathen and Reality, the intervening years – often dismissed as creative trough and self-indulgent tosh – now seem to make perfect sense. Tin Machine?s white-noise nihilism was Bowie?s way of razing everything to dust (Glass Bloody Spider to boot), a necessary levelling of ground to begin afresh. And while 2000?s ?hours…? was generally lauded as The Great Bounce Back, the truth was the 90?s had already seen Bowie?s most challenging, edgy work since his heyday, beginning with The Buddha Of Suburbia, Outside and Earthling. Like all things Bowie, people need time to catch up. Me included.

Which brings us here: the opening date of the UK tour, during his first world trek in nearly 10 years. As confidence barometer, the simplicity of the set is a giveaway. Besides a couple of capsized silver twigs, like leftovers from a giant production of The Chronicles of Narnia, it?s just Dave and the band. And what a fucking band. Demon riffster Earl Slick and pianist Mike Garson both go way back to the early 70s, while drummer Sterling Campbell, guitarist Gerry Leonard (often out-licking Slick), keyboardist Cat Russell and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey are masterful moderns wedding Spiders tautness to the Sales Brothers? sonic gristle.

Bowie himself has admitted that the past has sometimes weighed heavy, but the inspired wonder of tonight?s show lies in the scale-levelling parity of the latterday stuff. Hallo Spaceboy and an incredible I?m Afraid Of Americans are highlights: a blistering ball of molten noise, Bowie charging at it like a rabid rhino. And anyone out there still doubting his standing as one of the great voices in rock history should hear him croon and swoon through the beautiful Sunday (Slick?s solo is startling) and goosefleshy The Loneliest Guy. Unleashed live, newies Never Get Old and New Killer Star spit and swagger like the petulant pups they were always meant to be. Only the minimalist throb of The Motel falls a little flat.

Elsewhere, the crowd go ape during the Under Pressure duet with a dulcet-tongued Dorsey, The Man Who Sold The World is prefaced with Bowie playfully baiting his past (?In 1846, England was at war when I put this song out?), China Girl proves itself the man?s most underrated vocal triumph, and “Heroes” is just, well, unstoppable. For me a spotlit Bowie pealing away at Life On Mars is a pure slice of heaven tumbling to Earth, while the encore – an acoustic Five Years, Molotov-cocktail-like Suffragette City and Ziggy Stardust – are enough to make me think I?ve been there.

Among his peers, nobody else is out there on a limb like this, forever nuzzling at new frontiers, forever asking questions of himself, clearly revelling in a musical age others seem adrift in. Unlike the rest of his ilk, Bowie?s far too loose-footed, too restless, to vindicate his existence by grounding himself in a rose-tinted past. Still the greatest rock ‘n’ roll star on the planet. Glad I came around again.

© ROB HUGHES / UNCUT MAGAZINE

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Great stuff, thanx Rob… good to have you back. Btw, who was tugging at David’s leg in Manchester? It looks like his jeans are nearly off in the shot above… one more tug would have done it!

If you’re going to Cleveland tonight, have fun and don’t forget to send any pix and reviews that you think the members might like to see in the news.

PS – Happy Birthday Gae… Much love, M xxx

All gone to look for America…

David Bowie kicked off the next leg of his A Reality Tour in the US tonight, at Cleveland State University Convocation Center, in Ohio. Apparently David was in fine fettle and re-energised after the holiday break.

We are hoping for a couple of fan reviews and pictures shortly, but in the meantime, here’s the 26-song setlist which includes an impressive 7-song encore:

Clevland January 7th 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fashion
05 Hang On To Yourself
06 Fame
07 Cactus
08 All The Young Dudes
09 China Girl
10 The Loneliest Guy
11 The Man Who Sold The World
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 Under Pressure
15 Life On Mars?
16 Ashes To Ashes
17 Changes
18 I’m Afraid Of Americans
19 “Heroes”

(Encore)
20 Afraid
21 Be My Wife
22 Fantastic Voyage
23 White Light, White Heat
24 Five Years
25 Suffragette City
26 Ziggy Stardust

The tour continues on the day after David’s birthday in Detroit on the 9th.

I never looked over reality’s shoulder, Ha ha ha ha…

I’m sure you’ll all want to join me in wishing David Bowie a most splendid 57th birthday, and a generally groovy day off between shows. I’ll leave Heinz to tell you the significance of the number 57, and I don’t mean Heinz Burt… sorry, I’m going off on tangents again…

Well, what do you give the man who has everything for his birthday? Appreciation for his art… that’s what you give him.

Regular visitors to these pages may have noticed that I have been following the progress of the BBC Album Of The Year poll just a little bit, (12/23/03 NEWS: HELP BOWIE BEAT BEATLES IN BBC BEST ALBUM POLL – 12/24/03 NEWS: SAILOR WISHES YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS – 01/02/04 NEWS: BBC ALBUM OF THE YEAR POLL… THE 1812 OVERTURE) and you have all risen to the occasion and made Reality the very clear runaway leader of the pack with an astonishing 85% of the vote.

Here’s how the breakdown stands as I write this piece:

David Bowie – Reality (1939) 85%
The Beatles – Let It Be…Naked (119) 5%
Kraftwerk – Tour De France Soundtracks (65) 3%
Neil Young – Greendale (62) 3%
Steely Dan – Everything Must Go (43) 2%
Paddy McAloon – I Trawl The Megahertz (25) 1%
Robert Palmer – Drive (18) 1%

That recognition in itself would be lovely enough, but below I’ve pasted all of the Bowie-related comments posted by fans who were asked to recommend their favourite album of 2003 on the BBC site.

On a final note, before I leave you with the Reality endorsements, wouldn’t it be nice to get the vote count up from 1939 (as it stands right now) to 1947… I’m sure you all understand the relevance of that particular number on this day.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

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You’ll find someone true (down under)…

We’re very pleased to announce that a BowieNet presale for another date on the Australian leg of David Bowie’s 2004 A Reality Tour will begin in ten days time. Here’s the info you need:

Monday 1 March – Supreme Court Gardens – Perth – Western Australia

BowieNet presale: From 9:00am Wed 14 January to 5:00pm Thurs 15 January (Perth time)

General public on sale: From 9:00am Monday 19 January

We’ll post a reminder nearer the time, with details of the public on sale too.

Can you dig our groovy feelin’?…

According to an announcement from Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, a Region 1 DVD release of the much-anticipated Labyrinth Collector’s Edition Box Set is due for a February 3rd 2004 release. Here’s a brief breakdown of it’s content:

DVD Special Features New To This Edition: Four Photo Galleries – Behind the Scenes – Cast – Characters – Concept Art – Vintage Posters – Gallery – Storyboards – Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound

Other DVD Special Features: “Inside the Labyrinth” making-of featurette – Theatrical Trailers – Talent Files – Digitally Remastered Audio and Anamorphic Video Remastered in High Definition Widescreen Presentation – Subtitles: English, Spanish – Interactive Menus – Scene Selections

Exclusive Collectible Items: Limited Edition Animation Cell – Rarely Seen Character Sketch Cards by Brian Froud – Collector’s Edition Booklet

You can read more about this release by taking a look at the press release below.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

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Labyrinth Collector’s Edition Box Set – Press Release

From: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“I couldn’t wish for a movie with more imagination or fun!” – Leonard Maltin, Entertainment Tonight

Dazzling Blend of Live-Action Fantasy Adventure and Remarkable Jim Henson Puppet Creations Featuring Academy Award®-Winner Jennifer Connelly and Music Legend David Bowie

Labyrinth Collector’s Edition Box Set

Must-Have Limited DVD Release Available February 3 Featuring Unreleased Archival Materials and Exclusive Collectible Premiums

Culver City, CA (November 24, 2003) – Journey into the fantastical storybook adventure world of Labyrinth&$153;, where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems, starring Oscar®-winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Hulk) in one of her first lead roles alongside music legend David Bowie (Basquiat, The Hunger) and a cast of incredible creatures by puppet master Jim Henson. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will present this visually stunning film in a special Collector’s Edition Box Set. Features new to this Collector’s Edition DVD include Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound and hundreds of rarely seen elements from Henson’s archives including photo galleries, storyboard images and concept art. In addition, the DVD includes the “Inside the Labyrinth“? making-of featurette with an extraordinary look inside the magical world of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop?. The Box Set also contains exclusive Labyrinth collectible artifacts such as rarely seen Character Sketch Cards by Brian Froud, a Collector’s Edition booklet and a limited edition animation cell. Available for a limited time only in this unique gift set packaging, Labyrinth Collector’s Edition will debut February 3 at the price of $49.95 SLP.

An enchanting fantasy classic that has mesmerized fans for generations, Labyrinth was directed by Jim Henson (The Dark Crystal) and produced by the master of myth George Lucas (Star Wars, Indiana Jones Trilogy) and also features several original songs from Grammy® Award-winner David Bowie on the movie soundtrack.

Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah (Connelly), a teenager with an active imagination, summons the goblins from her favorite fairytale book to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into the world of the fairy tale to rescue him from the wicked Goblin King (Bowie). Guarding his castle is The Labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. To get through it in time to save Toby, Sarah will have to outwit the King by befriending the very goblins who protect him, in hopes that their loyalty isn’t just another illusion.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES NEW TO THIS EDITION: Four Photo Galleries – Behind the Scenes / Cast / Characters / Concept Art Vintage Posters Gallery Storyboards Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound

OTHER DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: “Inside the Labyrinth“ making-of featurette Theatrical Trailers Talent Files Digitally Remastered Audio and Anamorphic Video Remastered in High Definition Widescreen Presentation Subtitles: English, Spanish Interactive Menus Scene Selections

EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIBLE ITEMS: Limited Edition Animation Cell Rarely Seen Character Sketch Cards by Brian Froud Collector’s Edition Booklet

Rated PG Color / Closed Captioned Running Time: 102 Minutes Catalog # 02598 / UPC Code: 0-43396-02598-1 Order Date: 12/23/03 DVD SLP: $49.95

Visit Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment on the Web at www.SonyPictures.com

Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more than 45 years, is a multimedia production company; one of the top character licensors in the industry; a leading publisher of children’s books and home to Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive, Jim Henson Home Entertainment and Jim Henson’s Creature ShopTM. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London. The Jim Henson Company website is located at: www.henson.com

I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try…

Well, that was far too easy. And, as ever, if you already missed it, and you’re wondering what it was all about, check out the news item from December 29th. (12/29/03 NEWS: THE GREAT BOWIENET HOLIDAY GIVE-AWAY – PART 3)

We received a lot of right answers for this one… at least 99.9999999%, or thereabouts. We asked you to name the five tracks from the original Labyrinth soundtrack album that are credited to David Bowie alone. These are the five titles you needed to supply to be in with a chance of winning:

Magic Dance
Chilly Down
As The World Falls Down
Within You
Underground

The ten BowieNetters below are those that TRG randomly selected from the correct entries…

Snowwhite
tawjlee
nu_killer_star
heathenray
ziggizowie
lordofthethings
shadowofheart
roy
redhayes
corrie

A 12″ only vinyl pressing of Magic Dance, remixed by Danny S will be winging its way to you all as soon as you have provided me with your real names and addresses. Can you all still play vinyl? Such an old-fashioned lot you aren’t you! 😉

Stay tuned for more contests over the next few days… and while we’re on the subject of Labyrinth…

Come out of The Garden, baby…

With the next phase of David Bowie’s A Reality Tour just around the corner, I thought you might enjoy this brief review of DB’s MSG show from Rolling Stone magazine, (22 January 2004) as a little reminder of what you’ve got to look forward to… not that you need reminding.

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Rolling Stone – DAVID BOWIE – Madison Square Garden, New York, December 15, 2003 by Rob Sheffield

Rock Legend gives the fans what they want: his best songs

By now, David Bowie should be resting on his laurels as a Rock and Roll Grande Dame. Nobody would begrudge him if he just wanted to do a simple greatest-hits show. But somehow Bowie keeps finding new ways to seduce a crowd and make fans come back for more. Although a recent bout with the flu sidelined him for his first five concert dates, Bowie showed up lithe, limber and lethal. Like Madonna, he just seems to get blonder and hotter with age.

The show was an eccentric tour of the Bowie musical empire, with minimal spectacle. “We’re making it up as we go along,” he announced early on. “Keep calm. No, don’t keep calm, that’s the last thing I mean. Do I? No I don’t.” After the opener, “Rebel Rebel.” he stuck to his word. He did three songs from Outside, his universally loathed 1995 concept album, and he made two of them sound pretty great.

His band was full of old hands – guitarist Earl Slick, pianist Mike Garson, bassist Gail Ann Dorsey – keeping up as he covered the Pixies’ “Cactus” and struggled manfully with a harmonica in “Jean Genie.” He also brought down the house with left-field selections such as “Life On Mars?”, “The Man Who Sold The World”, and a real crowd-killer, “Five Years.”

As any Bowie freak will tell you, his hair is always the mirror of his soul; on this night, his do was a perfect shade of blond to top his snow-white tan. He hasn’t looked this good in years – pure sex in a silver toreador jacket, a black morning coat, high-tops and black trousers. Despite the recent illness, his voice was as slinky and vital as the rest of him. Toward the end, he began busting out the sure-fire anthems including a ferocious “Heroes”, the timely “I’m Afraid of Americans” and the climactic one-two punch of “Suffragette City” and “Ziggy Stardust.” As one woman in the crowd raved, there wasn’t a dry crotch in the house.

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GERMAN ROLLING STONE POLL RESULTS

While we’re on the subject of Rolling Stone magazine, BowieNetter Anlimara tells me that the current German edition (January 2004) has voted David Bowie fifth Best Artist Of The Year and fifth Best Live Gig Of The Year. Readers also voted Reality fourteenth Best Album Of The Year.

Also of interest in the same issue is an eight page feature on Iggy Pop, he apparently mentions David frequently in an interview that includes a photograph of both of them together.

Waiting for the winners of Sound + Vision…

Again, this one was pretty straightforward, if a little frustrating for many of you. if you already missed it, and you’re wondering what it was all about, check out the news item from December 27th. (12.27.2003 NEWS: THE GREAT BOWIENET HOLIDAY GIVE-AWAY – PART 2)

Judging by the amount of entries we received, it doesn’t look like too many of you were thwarted from finding all four of the photocards… even though one of them was posted in the news from over a year ago. Here’s the four correct answers that the great majority of you got:

Photo Card 1 = 10.04.2003
Photo Card 2 = 12.21.2003
Photo Card 3 = 06.28.2003
Photo Card 4 = 12.26.2002

But, as you know, we only had five Sound + Vision sets to give away, and so here are the five BowieNetters that TRG selected from the correct entries:

sandyscandy
aladinvein
peterbraster
Arabia
oneida

A copy of the four CD Sound + Vision set will be winging its way to you lot as soon as you have furnished me with your real names and addresses. Stay tuned for more winners, and even more contests over the next few days.

I just cannot believe, That you want me…

You have responded marvellously to our request to get Reality a decent placing in BBC Album Of The Year poll that we told you about recently. (12/23/03 NEWS: HELP BOWIE BEAT BEATLES IN BBC BEST ALBUM POLL) When I first mentioned this poll, David was already highest on the list, even though he had received just 99 votes.

In my update, (12/24/03 NEWS: SAILOR WISHES YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS) that figure had risen to 603 votes, which gave Reality 74% of the vote. I wondered if you could get the percentage up to 80% for Christmas Day, which you did with ease, and Reality has now snatched an incredible 85%! That means that over 1,700 of you have voted since BowieNetter breakingglass first told us about this one.

Here’s the breakdown, (in percentage order) as it stands right now, numbers in brackets indicate number of votes cast:

David Bowie – Reality (1812) 85%
The Beatles – Let It Be…Naked (114) 5%
Kraftwerk – Tour De France Soundtracks (61) 3%
Neil Young – Greendale (58) 3%
Steely Dan – Everything Must Go (36) 2%
Paddy McAloon – I Trawl The Megahertz (23) 1%
Robert Palmer – Drive (17) 1%

Not sure when this poll ends, but surely it’s in the bag for David Bowie’s Reality now.