Month: February 2004

Ziggy played guitar… (with a little help from his friends)

Those of you that were at the last Vegas show will know all about this particular piece of fun. But, I won’t spoil it for those of you that weren’t there…just click on the image above to view Anthony’s latest mini-masterpiece.

And, as this is such a short, erm… short, we just might spoil you with an even shorter short, a little later today.

Sell me a coat with buttons of silver…

A handful of lucky BowieNetters managed to snaffle a few last-minute places at the taping of Australian TV’s Rove Live in Melbourne today. David and the band played a couple of numbers, The Man Who Sold The World and New Killer Star and took part in what sounds like a typically hilarious interview with host Rove Macmanus.

One of those fans present, maeko.qinza, kindly sent in the following report, which I’ve illustrated with a couple of excellent shots taken by the ever-enigmatic Erik, at the Adelaide show on Monday. I know you all wanted to see this outfit, but I don’t think this is the suit he wore at Rove.

I’ve posted one of my own pictures below, which better matches maeko’s description. I took the shot backstage after David’s 20th October Paris show last year, during a presentation to David of an award for zillions of sales of Reality. Anyway, here’s maeko’s exciting account of the Rove Show:

Before I go on about David, I just want to thank Blammo so very much for staying up til 5am his time just to get SoulLoveChild, Vicious, Dr.Adam, Ski-rack and myself into Australia’s biggest talk show, Rove Live. You can’t believe how grateful we are. SoulLoveChild (Cassandra Moore): “we must give him simultaneous online sex!” 😉 (Blammo: Fair enough) What a lucky guy!

Well anyway. We got to Global television studios rather early. The studios were quite dodgy in a way that we couldn’t greet David and the band as they entered. So unfortunately no photos or stories on that front.

Getting in was rather easy – we were on the guest list. We felt like big shots! We were also given two packets of Jelly Bellies and a can of Red Bull each – so can you imagine how absolutely high I was after that?

The studio was tiny and I think it holds just about 100 people. It was so warm and intimate and we got to sit front row (thank you Bowie t-shirts!)! I was directly in front of where David was supposed to be sitting. I almost had a heart attack right there! And to my near left was the stage that was being set up with David’s Supro just leaning against an amp *squeal*. AND, we were just about, actually pretty much, the only Bowie fans there.

After a few run downs on how to clap and cheer, the show started. We had the Australian Idol, Guy Sebastian, there too and a few other Aussie guests.

During an ad break, Gail Ann Dorsey walked out from backstage followed by David and the rest of the band. This is the first time I’m seeing David Bowie in skin and flesh too, so I was just sitting there stunned. He was wearing this beautiful silver, metallicy and very reflective suit. Vicious and I were just holding hands and screaming under our breaths “the suit!!!!”.

The band set up on stage with the lights really dimmed but you could still see David. When the show started again we had Ed Burns, a stand up comedian from Ireland, to my right doing his stand up comedy stuff. I had my back turned to David as I watched Ed. And that feeling was priceless. Here I’m laughing at this really funny guy with David Bowie just right behind me laughing too.

After Ed, David and the band played The Man Who Sold The World. It was fantastic hearing that in such an intimate place. The music just took control of me and I was moving and singing involuntarily – really!

Then there was another ad break so David and the band went backstage. Then they set up David and Rove’s seats right in front of me and also a huge gigantic bowl of Jelly Bellies. I really wanted to just dunk my head in it. It was that big.

Show back on and there he sat right in front of me about less than three meters away in his silvery, metallicy, reflective suit! It almost made me go blind. Too surreal.

I was still too stunned to remember what was said the first 5 minutes. But I think it was along the lines of “So the last time you came down here was Glass Spider wasn’t it?” – which I’m sure David has been asked more than 300 times now. David mentioned that he’s been loving every stop in Australia so far. He also said the feeling was unbelievable when he walked out of the Sydney Entertainment Centre with fans stuck onto the fences chanting. “They also nicked the cars, too!” laughed David. (Blammo: Stay tuned for more on that)

Rove also accidentally (but enthusiastically) said “He has sold *30* albums!!!!!!!” And then realised what he said and hung his head in shame… “I meant he has MORE than 30 albums!” hahahahaah..

Then at the right moment when there was a short tiny break in the conversation, I held up the sign that I made, “HELLO SAILOR!” His eyes lightened up went “Hey!” really quickly and gave me a huge grin. That just made my night. Absolutely.

Rove mentioned Florence Foster Jenkins which made David tell us the story of how she played at Carnegie Hall and the audience thought she was crap and she died a week after from heart break. Haha. They played a short snippet of F.F. Jenkins and David threw his head back and closed his eyes and tried to sing along to the rather high, and err… funny vocals. “I have the weirdest music collection. Y’know everyone buys Hendrix and all that. I buy this kinda stuff.”

David then reached for the bowl of Jelly Bellies. I thought he was going to eat one. But he sunk his whole hand into it and pulled out a pair of sunglasses from underneath! “This is the first time I’m getting free sunglasses!” and he put them on. “Fancy how they just fit perfectly!!” He started to do funny things with them, like popping them out of his eyes and wiggling them from the ear – it was absolutely hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. Then he finally said “Ok, I’ll stop now…”

The chat wrapped up pretty quickly and we were soon off air. He stayed there chatting to Rove. I couldn’t hear what was going on – but some very funny expressions coming from his face and arms waving everywhere.

On air again and David was with the band to my left to play New Killer Star. It was just fantastic even though there was a bit of a sound problem. We were just having a ball and grooving in our seats. The security had their eye on us a hell of a lot! I think they thought we were stalkers.

After NKS, David and the band were walking backstage. He didn’t turn to look at us… and I was thinking “Oh David, don’t you leave us like that!”, and then he waved to the crowd and turned to look in our direction. I waved like a lunatic and he gave us a huge smile. Thank you, David. That’s all it took!

We stayed back a bit and Harry Williams, the guy who designed our Club UK Melbourne Afterparty posters, got Spooky Ghost to take one backstage to get signed. (See above) Every member signed it, including David! 🙂

So that wraps up the night. I’m still trying to soak it all in. What a great way to see David Bowie live for the first time!! And thank you again, Blammo – for everything. YOU ROCK!

Well, thank you too, maeko… And thanks to Frankie for making it all happen for you people.

Think we’re in for a big surprise…

I promised you an even shorter short, earlier today. Well, here it is. Click on the image above to view the latest, very touching, addition to the Virtual Ticket video section… all the way from Sydney.

What a lovely warm bunch you guys are… a tear to the eye.

With great expectations I change all my clothes…

David Bowie has just finished what sounds like another special Australian show at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. The big surprise of the evening was David’s decision to wear a different outfit to the usual stage clobber… I asked him, moments after the show, what he wore and what was behind the decision to change:

I wore a light gray ‘zoot suit’ that I bought from the most important zoot shop in US. I wore a tight white ‘T’ and my Chucks with it. No reason for the change, just felt like it. Slick bought one in black.

The shop is in Denver and Mexicans and Latinos order their stuff from there from all over the States. They are very hardcore and are now breaking into their first line of hip-hop stuff totally Latino-centric. Love em!!.

Thanks for that David. BowieNetters can visit suavecito.com, the shop where David and Slick bought their suits, by clicking on the hat in the picture above.

As for the music, (Happy now, Keiths?) David performed Quicksand again, let’s hope it stays in the set for his return to Europe and the USA. He also played the very beautiful Try Some Buy Some for the first time in a long time.

Anyway, here’s the 25-song set list, followed by the usual eye-witness report from our lady down under, Charly:

Adelaide February 23rd 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Fame
04 Cactus
05 Reality
06 Try Some Buy Some
07 All The Young Dudes
08 China Girl
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Hallo Spaceboy
12 Sunday
13 Under Pressure
14 Life On Mars?
15 Looking For Water
16 Quicksand
17 Days
18 White Light, White Heat
19 Ashes To Ashes
20 I’m Afraid of Americans
21 “Heroes”

(Encore)
22 Heathen (The Rays)
23 Five Years
24 Hang Onto Yourself
25 Ziggy Stardust

Trilby and Gardening Trousers by Charly

I was on the front row tonight so with camera in hand I was prepared for a good night. The first thing that hit me when David walked on stage tonight was his clothes. A completely different set, a very baggy grey suit comprising trousers and long jacket. A white t-shirt with a green neck tie and the usual grey pumps. Topping this off was a grey trilby. I almost thought I was at a Serious Moonlight gig!

The show started off as normal with Rebel and New Killer Star. After singing Fame and receiving rapturous applause, David said “well that’s nice, thank you. This is a great Oz trip, we’re having a ball”. Cactus and Reality brought the audience to life before Bowie announced “that was called Reality, believe it or not” and then slowing the tempo slightly with Try Some Buy Some. “Confession, that’s the first time we’ve done that on this tour”

All The Young Dudes got everyone swaying from side to side. Bowie again seemed impressed with the audiences’ talent “that was pretty good… makes me feel quite unnecessary….. you know, you’re up here singing and the audience do it better than you. We’ll do one more though, before we go”. China Girl was the one more. David by this time had taken his trilby off and asked the audience “does my hair look alright without the trilby? I lost my jeans, that’s why I’m wearing these gardening trousers. I can get shears in the pocket and a hoe down this side….” Ha ha, they must be the most expensive looking and best gardening trousers I’ve ever seen!

After the next few songs Bowie introduced the band with “so exactly who are we you ask. I haven’t the foggiest, they just turned up with me tonight”. Under Pressure was excellent as was Life On Mars which followed. “The gardening trousers, it just occurred to me look quite like zoot suit trousers!” Hmmm, perhaps David.

After Ashes to Ashes David gave a little chant of “fly away Sterling, fly away Mike, that could have gone on all night – as far as I’m concerned” That ended the night. What a great one. 25 songs and a great costume. Roll on Melbourne.

Thanx yet again Charly, and thanx for making the extra special effort of taking over an internet cafe before you got kicked out at midnight, just to supply us with the set list and your report! Thanx, as usual to Nick too for official confirmation of the set list… Not that Charly ever gets it wrong, of course.

David now has a couple of days away from the stage until A Reality Tour continues with two nights at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th.

Every single move’s uncertain…

The Ultimate Pop Star, a three and a half hour TV programme on Channel 4 last night, made for interesting viewing. Paul Whitehouse and Harry Enfield were reunited as old duffer DJs, Smashy and Nicey, to run down the definitive list of the 50 biggest-selling artists of all time, based purely on actual sales in the UK Singles Chart from the last 50 years.

I sat with my wife, and we managed to guess correctly those that would make the top ten, (once we had reached somewhere around #12 that is!) even if not in the right order. There were a few shocks, not least of all the fact that Sir Cliff Richard topped the list, a realisation that surprised even Cliff himself: “You mean I beat Elvis?”

Anyway, DB managed a very respectful tenth place, with a staggering 9,392,410 UK singles sales. I like to think it was me that bought the 410 on the end there. He also managed to outsell contemporaries such as The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and Marc Bolan, (didn’t even notice Bolan in the top 50 at all, unless I was making a cuppa at the time.)

But, I guess that fact was tempered somewhat by the news of those that have sold more than David. Here’s the breakdown with total UK Singles sales in brackets:

10 David Bowie 9,392,410
09 Paul McCartney 9,781,603
08 Abba 10,004,039
07 Queen 10,334,713
06 Michael Jackson 11,310,958
05 Elton John 13,475,063
04 Madonna 14,562,856
03 Elvis 19,293,118
02 Beatles 20,779,632
01 Cliff Richard 20,969,006

The five-minute slot dedicated to David was made up of archive footage and interviews with both DB and Tony Visconti, but with some nice recent contributions from the following, too:

Marco Pirroni (Adam & The Ants plus guitar on many other artist’s sessions)
I think Bowie will probably go down in history as the second greatest rock star of all time after Elvis.

Bernard Butler (McAlmont & Butler, Ex Suede guitarist, etc.)
Every emotional phase he (Bowie) went through, started to affect the way he came across as well.

Really extraordinary the way he moved through so many different genres in such a short period of time and was successful at nearly every one. It’s sickening really. I mean I can’t bear it sometimes when I listen to his records!

Paul Morley (Journalist, TV presenter and oh, so much more)
Even though he’s tried to fuck it up a few times, with the Tin Machine malarkey and some dreadful solo albums and a bit of drum ‘n’ bass that he’s tried here and there.

Whereas, now, I think we can look at David Bowie and look at everything he’s done, right from the sixties to now, put it all together and just say: “Wow! He’s a great artist.” And we should now respect him as a great artist.

Even Rod Stewart, (who came in at #11) when asked who he thought would be The Ultimate Pop Star, (even if he didn’t quite understand the question) answered: “A cross between me, Bowie and Elton.” Not pleasant to imagine David diluted in that way, but nice of Rod to say it all the same.

You’d let me know when the time was now…

As you should know via an e-mail from BowieNet by now, there’s some more A Reality Tour ticket stuff going on. So here it is…

We’ve finally managed to get a BowieNet allocation for the Hong Kong show and they are on sale now. Also, tickets for the Edmonton show go on sale in an hour. (6:00pm EST) Here’s a handy list of both those shows:

Sunday 14 March – Convention Centre – Wanchai, Hong Kong – China
Friday 09 April – Rexall Centre – Edmonton, AB – Canada

So Hong Kong now, Edmonton in an hour… couldn’t be easier. Click on the image above or go to the A Reality Tour tickets page for all your ticket requirements.

Just the ghost of a story…

Anthony has sent in another film from on the road with the Bowie Band… this time from Sydney. It’s an emotional experience that shows just what an old pro Mike Garson is, even under the most unimaginable pressure.

Watch in disbelief as Mike plays on through what would be a most hair-raising experience for anybody else… But, most of all, laugh your socks off at one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while. And, if you think laughter isn’t contagious, try keeping a straight face while Cat collapses in a fit of hilarity!

Click on either of the above images to get to the Virtual Ticket video section now… that’s if you’re a BowieNet member, of course!

A lover’s secrets in the UK…

The Sunday Times Style magazine here in the UK, today published a four-page feature on David and Iman entitled Crazy In Love. The article, by Lisa Grainger, includes some wonderful quotes from both David and Iman, illustrated with Ellen Von Unwerth‘s beautiful pictures taken for the Tommy Hilfiger H Clothing line in Holland last year.

Here’s are some excerpts from the piece:

My favourite thing to do on a weekend?? muses Iman, sitting back and fingering a large diamond dropping into her golden cleavage. ?I?d say cooking David some shepherd?s pie. He?d probably choose a fry-up and British papers, but I?m trying to keep his cholesterol down.?

Cholesterol and fry-ups aren?t words normally associated with two of the world?s most extraordinary rock and fashion legends. Well, welcome to the real ? and very romantic ? world of Mr and Mrs Bowie. As these intimate portraits, taken for a new Tommy Hilfiger campaign, show, the two have one of the most inspirational marriages in showbiz.

What?s ?in there?, Iman confesses, is ?the wonderful realisation that I have found my soul mate, with whom sexual compatibility is just the tip of the iceberg. We have so much in common, and are totally alike in a lot of things?. It?s not a love of music, or fashion, or the fact that ?like David has his feminine side, I have a masculine side?, she insists, but the more old-fashioned values: romance, family, commitment.

Even when he?s touring, he calls her every day. They don?t miss the party scene at all, Iman claims, and in New York they can live anonymously, ?going to the park and sitting in cafes. We?re just ordinary people. Our life is domestic. I look at recipes and cook whatever takes our fancy ? Chinese, Italian and Thai?.

After the shoot, Tommy Hilfiger said he had never expected the chemistry between them to be ?quite so incredible?. When the music started to play ? a mix, from rap to rock?n?roll ? ?They just fell into this relaxed, comfortable way with each other. It?s quite clear that they are totally in love, and easy with who they are,? he says. ?It?s a much deeper relationship than you could ever expect.?

So, will they ever consider leaving the good times that New York offers for the home country Bowie admits he misses? ?Who knows?? Iman sighs. ?What?s home? At the moment, it?s New York, which we love, and where I?ve been for more than 25 years. But really, home is wherever David is.?

You can read the whole thing here at the timesonline site, and you can see the pictures taken for the Tommy Hilfiger campaign by clicking on the image above.

Of dream Reality…

David Bowie has just completed the second of two triumphant shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in NSW. Charly, our lovely lady reporter in Oz, has managed to get the set list to me, even before the final notes of Ziggy Stardust have decayed into the ether.

The big surprise at this show was the inclusion of one of my own particular favourites, Quicksand. Off the top of my head, I think that’s the first time that one’s been performed since ’97, and it’s certainly the first performance on this tour. I know somebody will correct me on that if I’ve got it wrong.

As ever, pop back a little later on to see what Charly has to say about the show itself. (See previous news items for updates she has already sent in.)

In the meantime, here’s the 28-song set list, that I know some of the message board users simply have to have, before they can even begin to function properly, and attempt to make it through the day:

Sydney February 21st 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Afraid
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Panic In Detroit
07 Pablo Picasso
08 All The Young Dudes
09 China Girl
10 A New Career In A New Town
11 The Loneliest Guy
12 The Man Who Sold The World
13 Hallo Spaceboy
14 Sunday
15 Under Pressure
16 Life On Mars?
17 Looking For Water
18 Quicksand
19 Days
20 Let’s Dance
21 White Light, White Heat
22 Ashes To Ashes
23 I’m Afraid Of Americans
24 “Heroes”

(Encore)
25 Bring Me The Disco King
26 Five Years
27 Hang On To Yourself
28 Ziggy Stardust

UPDATE: Here’s another of Charly’s reports… we’re gonna miss you when the tour gets to Perth, girl!

Hobbits and Professors. By Charly.

So, this show started the same as last night’s with Rebel and New Killer Star. No Reality, but Afraid instead, followed by Fame. David then said “let’s have some names (looking down at the front) – Meren! Any other Merens in tonight?…… A lot of blokes answered that!”

After Cactus, David shouted “that was a song about a dress. You wait ’til I start songs about women!” Panic In Detroit was a welcome newcomer, only performed in the US so far. Pablo Picasso also returned and tonight’s rendition was excellent, even though he fluffed the words slightly.

During All The Young Dudes he did one of his kicks as he sang “we can love” raising a small cheer from the somewhat subdued audience. Again, he praised our singing and suggested we do China Girl on our own… as ever, he wasn’t impressed with our attempt!

The guy who untangles David’s microphone cable was attending to his task and Bowie said “This is Tristan. Tristan is a hobbit, I bought him in New Zealand!” A New Career In A New Town through to Sunday then followed and the band intro caused a little merriment. “On keyboards – Mike Garson. He looks a dream in padded shoulders and stack heeled boots!”…… “Kat Russell, a professor…. Gerry Leonard, a professor….. what a bunch of shit I’m talking!” You said it David.

Life on Mars was excellent tonight, as usual. On it’s conclusion he said: “Thank you, I’ll give you a Eurovision kiss” and proceeded to swing his arms across as if doing just that. Looking For Water was bouncy and then a great surprise which David said they hadn’t done on this tour yet – Quicksand. He did mumble one line a little but pretty much sang it perfectly. Not bad considering he doesn’t use his lyric book anymore.

He again dedicated Days to his stool and then reintroduced Let’s Dance into the set saying that this one had connections with Sydney. Suppose that was an apt one to sing then, and it has been a while. The set ended as usual before Bring Me The Disco King as the first encore. No Suffragette City tonight, but Hang On To Yourself instead.

See you in Adelaide….

A Reality Tour continues at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Monday 23rd. There seems to be a pattern emerging here: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, these Aussies are nothing if not consistent!

It all seems so long ago… *

David Bowie has just come off stage after the first of two shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in NSW. He played a similar set to the Brisbane show, except that he dropped Be My Wife and Always Crashing In The Same Car in favour of the very welcome return of 5:15 The Angels Have Gone, Fantastic Voyage and I’ve Been Waiting For You.

Our BowieNetter reporter in Oz, the very professional Charly, tells me that DB was again “very chatty”, and she’s currently on her way to an internet cafe to get her account of the evening down for your reading pleasure. Pop back a little later on to see what she has to say.

Meanwhile, here follows that 26-song set list courtesy of Charly:

Sydney February 20th 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 5:15 The Angels Have Gone
07 All The Young Dudes
08 China Girl
09 A New Career In A New Town
10 The Loneliest Guy
11 The Man Who Sold The World
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 Under Pressure
15 Life On Mars?
16 Looking For Water
17 Fantastic Voyage
18 Days
19 White Light, White Heat
20 Ashes To Ashes
21 I’m Afraid Of Americans
22 “Heroes”

(Encore)
23 I’ve Been Waiting For You
24 Five Years
25 Suffragette City
26 Ziggy Stardust

UPDATE: Here’s more from Charly via the magic of electronic mail…

Crutches and Hairdryers. By Charly.

So, it was cool being at Sydney Entertainment Centre to start with. Just one of those places I’d always wanted to be. David started again tonight with Rebel Rebel and New Killer Star as is fairly normal these days. A fairly enthusiastic response was echoed around Sydney Entertainment Centre. I was quite over-awed by it all, seeing Bowie live in Sydney – WOW! It’s an amazing city. After he’d finished with Reality, Fame and Cactus he brought in 5.15 The Angels Have Gone which was a welcome return to the set. Been a while since I’d heard that one live.

He then did All The Young Dudes which concluded with many arms waving in the air. David started talking about sticks, saying “let’s see the stick”. A little way behind me, someone was waving a crutch in the air and Bowie thought this was amusing enough to banter a little – “It’s a wonderful summer’s evening and the crutches are waving in the air. What an extraordinary country. I’ve got a bunch of crutches outside my window, and they’re all brown.” Nutter.

China Girl followed with rapturous applause echoing around the room. Bowie sang “Oh baby, just you shut your mouth – she says just shut the fuck up” Then, after the song he said, “it’s that time of the evening you’ve all been waiting for – yes, it’s the instrumental. This lead into my favourite track from Low, A New Career In A New Town.

He followed this by suggesting that “it was always a good idea to follow an instrumental with a song so slow you forget to breathe” – The Loneliest Guy! Afterwards the crowd cheered loudly and he said “go and get a copy, it’s really good. If you can’t get a copy I’ll come round your house and sing it again!” Hmmm…… like that’s gonna happen!

MWSTW, Hallo Spaceboy and Sunday brought the show on a little further where David decided to introduce the band by saying “People ask, you know, who are these guys that work with you on stage, and I say, you know why don’t you mind your own business.” Ha ha. The band intro ensued with David telling us all the different things Kat played, including the ‘hairdryer’!!!!

Under Pressure and Life On Mars caused great pleasure amongst the throng and Looking For Water was great to hear again, as was Fantastic Voyage. I love that one live. Excellent. He continued with Days and White Light White Heat, saying “I had to get that off my chest” after the latter. Ashes through to Heroes ended the show on a great high. So far so good….

The first encore was Waiting For You, not heard that one in a while. The final three songs were the usual show enders, but I still never tire of any of them. All Ziggy material and all bloody excellent. Bring it on for tomorrow.

Thanx yet again Charly. We’ll be hearing more from her after the second show at the Sydney Entertainment Centre tomorrow, Saturday 21st.

* This lyric quote may be a little misleading… it was actually less than an hour ago!