Month: September 2006

This time tomorrow you’ll know what to do…

The official 2007 David Bowie/Mick Rock calendar that we’ve been telling you about, (07.27.2006 NEWS: OFFICIAL 2007 BOWIE/MICK ROCK CALENDAR DETAILS & 09.17.2006 NEWS: OFFICIAL 2007 BOWIE/MICK ROCK CALENDAR UPDATE) goes on sale to BowieNetters tomorrow evening (Sunday) at 8:00pm UK time. Come back here then for the link to the ordering page.

Sorry for the slight delay on this, but SlowDazzle wanted to make sure there were no gremlins in the system, and quite right too.

The good news is that we’ve managed to get a further quid off both calendars, and now we’ll be offering the regular calendar (above left) for £5.99 (GBP) plus shipping (I don’t think you’ll find that cheaper elsewhere) and the limited edition (above right) for a ludicrously generous £4.99 (GBP) plus shipping. This is a special deal for BowieNetters and won’t be repeated elsewhere.

The limited edition will be limited to two copies per member, but you can buy as many of the regular calendar as your fancy takes you.

Also, stay tuned for a contest for ten copies of the limited calendar, which both David and Mick Rock have kindly agreed to sign.

Please remember the limited calendar will only be available here via BowieNet…unless you lot fail to snap up the whole run of 1,000, in which case any remaining will be offered to ordinary folk at an alarmingly increased rate.

Standing on the corner, white scarf in my hand…

David Bowie and Iman, Rosie O’Donnell, Kelly Kline and Rachel Weisz were pictured leaving designer Donna Karan‘s West Village home in New York on Thursday after a fundraiser meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Bowie, Kline, and Weisz could all be seen wearing white blessing scarves, given to each of them at the blessing by the Dalai Lama. The colour symbolises purity of intention and aspiration.

BowieNet members can click on the image above to view a full length version on the MBs, where today’s lyric quotation will make more sense and also where David Bowie himself has supplied a witty caption for aforementioned picture!

I’m just a space cadet, he’s the Commandeur…

After a question from BowieNetter mandn on the MBs, and a few e-mails I’ve received, I thought I’d do a little detective work regarding the cute little pin that David has been wearing on his left lapel during recent public appearances. (Top right in above pic)

Well, it’s a bit more than a cute little pin…it’s a wireless pinhole digi-cam that beams back film of the evening’s encounters to a massive hard drive at David’s home so that he can relive each evening at his leisure. Actually, that’s mainly a big fat lie.

What it really is…

I’m sure you all remember back in October 1999 when David was awarded France’s highest cultural recognition, Commandeur dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, in a presentation by French Minister of Culture, Catherine Trautman.

According to Wikipedia, the award’s purpose “is the recognition of significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields.”

Anyway, you all knew that, but the pin you’ve spotted David sporting on his lapel recently is simply a smaller, more manageable, version of the larger award in the shot above, so that the recipient doesn’t have to go around with that bloody great thing hanging around their neck!

I do remember reading somewhere, (I’m sure one of you lot will find the article) that some years before DB received Commandeur status, (which is only given to a maximum of twenty people per year) he received the lower graded, but still impressive, Chevalier (Knight) dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres…through the post! Classy, eh? That may even be the thing on the fashionably wide lapel in the shot from 1973 above…I’ll let you know either way.

Footnote: Well of course I was hopelessly wrong about the picture above. I asked DB if he was wearing the Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in the picture, and this is what he said: “If only. That is a profile of Lenin on a badge that I picked up in Moscow in 1973.”

The badge/brooch/medal/ribbon/pin, or whatever you call the thing, isn’t dissimilar to the one above…though that isn’t the exact one. Oh well, now we know.

New Music, Night And Day…

This one is best explained in the following excerpt from the press release…

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Nokia launches international community of music connoisseurs ? the Music Recommenders

David Bowie acts as new music ?godfather? for innovative music recommendations.

New York, New York ? Forty leading independent music stores from around the world are working with Nokia to create unique and customizable music recommendations. Music Recommenders brings together great new music across continents and genres, keeping music enthusiasts in touch with the latest tracks as well as helping them discover new artists.

Internationally influential independent record stores including Fat Beats (New York), Reckless (Chicago), Pure Groove (London), Hard Wax (Berlin) and Mona Records (Tokyo) will offer a personalised selection of new music across 12 genres – from Pop to Rock to Classical, Jazz and Electronic.

Every month, experts from each of the stores will bring together music from their specialist genre. No other music recommendation experience offers such an extensive combination of human insight, knowledge and expertise, coupled with global reach.

As a fanatical explorer and discoverer of music from around the world, David Bowie is taking the role of music ?godfather?. He will be contributing to Music Recommenders every month through features and podcasts, sharing his most exciting discoveries as well as appearing in a short film, shot by Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club), which advocates new music and the culture of record stores around the world.

Users can freely browse the music, search for music according to recommender, genre or style, listen to music clips and read weekly updates, artist interviews, city music guides and even information on the stores and recommenders themselves. Once registered, subscribers can receive an instant playlist of 30 second samples tailored specifically to their tastes and purchase the tracks they like. Once a month, users will receive the latest recommendations and editorial features direct to their email inbox.

“We?ve searched around the world to find the most passionate and credible music specialists. The stores featured on Music Recommenders have the experts who are supporting and breaking new artists,” commented Tommi Mustonen, Director, Multimedia, Nokia. “And we?re thrilled to have David Bowie ? a musical icon ? sharing his own passion for what?s new in music. We are able to make a wealth of knowledge, passion and foresight available on a global scale ? something that has never before been attempted.”

“Waking up to a new sound or new band is something that makes my day just that bit more exciting,” said David Bowie. “Unfortunately, so much music goes unheard, especially things that don?t bow to the mainstream. Music Recommenders help navigate the undiscovered music that is out there. I?ve actually been to some of the stores featured on Music Recommenders in various parts of the world, and found them to be a wonderful source for new and less traditional music.”

“Perhaps the hardest thing about finding new music is finding a starting point, an entry point, somewhere to begin. Starting with record shops makes sense, because we listen to a vast amount of music and our ears are almost constantly being refined and tuned in to what is out there,” said Nick Turner from Smallfish Records in London. “As an idea, Music Recommenders is excellent; since the shops are diverse, the music will be too, but in amongst it all there will be something that appeals to everyone, whatever their taste.”

Music Recommenders will be available in a beta version starting in November 2006.

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Well, if anybody is suited to the task, surely there is nobody better than David Bowie. Of course, Bowie fans have been recommended myriad new musics over the past thirty five years or so, from The Velvet Underground via Arcade Fire up to the music DB recommends in the next issue of Q. (09.16.06 NEWS: DB’S FAVOURITE MUSIC PLUS NEW PICTURES IN Q MAG)

If only the man had had the time to be an A & R man too, he’d be the head of Sony Music by now…still rather have him as a good old fashioned Rock God though!

There was a boy, A very strange enchanted boy…

David and Iman are pictured above at the opening of the Lincoln Center Metropolitan Opera 2006-2007 Season in New York last night. They were there to see director Anthony Minghella‘s new production of Puccini?s Madama Butterfly.

The performance was notable for at least two reasons, the first being the employment of a small puppet boy, (used to portray Butterfly?s own boy) manipulated by three puppeteers cloaked in black who stand behind him. Apparently the effect was both bizarre and lifelike and was a surreal alternative to the more traditional rosy-cheeked child actor in a sailor’s outfit.

The second reason was a simulcast of the performance in Times Square, where the giant Panasonic, Nasdaq and Reuters screens beamed the opera north to a blocked-off section of Broadway. Here the event was enjoyed for free by seated viewers and passers by alike.

Anyway, David and Iman were immaculately turned out in some lovely clobber, and I bet they smelled nice too.

(Footnote: I dashed off the item above first thing this morning before any news of it had really broke anywhere. But I hung fire on posting as DB had kindly agreed to write a few words for the news item. On my return from a hard day’s toil in the fields, he had written what I think is better suited to a journal entry than a soon forgotten news piece…I hope you agree)

Secret secret never seen…

David Bowie was out and about in NY again on Tuesday night to introduce Gnarls Barkley to the stage for their secret Nokia-sponsored, invite by e-mail only (see above), show at the Nokia Theater in Times Square.

You may recall David sang the band’s praises in a news item last month, (08.19.2006 NEWS: DB TALKS ABOUT GNARLS BARKLEY AT SUMMERSTAGE) well now he has a few more words to say (not many mind you…before you all get too rowdy) in his latest short, but…erm, short, journal entry.

Thanx to an ecstatic vejgurl for the Bowie picture from the event…If you’re reading this, vejgurl, please get in touch for a little thank you or other.

Snapping pictures of scrawny limbs and toothy grins…

As part of the Q magazine 20th Anniversary, the best in British Rock photography over the last two decades will be showcased at the Getty Images Gallery in London from today.

You may have already seen the above spread of DB and Ms Moss re-enacting scenes from Blow-Up in the Q Idols photo supplement that came with the current issue (October) of Q magazine. If you didn’t, you still have a few days to hunt it down before you need to be looking for that November Bowie cover. (09.16.06 NEWS: DB’S FAVOURITE MUSIC PLUS NEW PICTURES IN Q MAG)

The shots were originally taken by Ellen Von Unwerth for a full colour front cover of the October 2003 issue of the magazine, (08.29.2003 NEWS: BOWIE V MOSS IN LATEST Q) and a mono spread inside including the above shots, now reproduced in colour for the exhibition.

Here’s a bit from the Q Idols photo supplement by the photographer…

‘Q Idols’ presented by Topman opened today, September 25th, and will run for two weeks until October 6th. You can find the exhibition at: Getty Images Gallery, 46 Eastcastle Street, London, W1.

Meanwhile, photographer Kevin Westenberg has an exhibition of his work including a well moody shot of DB from 1995, which can be viewed in THE CLASSICS section of Mr Westenberg’s online gallery, here.

Kevin’s exhibition is at Blink Gallery, 11 Poland Street, London, W1 until October 28th.

He?s got more channels…

BowieNetters in the UK will have trouble deciding which channel to watch tonight, as there are at least four shows airing with David Bowie content.

First up is the repeat of the Extras episode first aired on Thursday, featuring the eagerly awaited footage of David Bowie?s starring role and new song. You can find the show on BBC 2 at 10.45PM.

The Biography Channel in the UK is showing what it describes as the premiere of David Bowie ? A Reality Tour (Documentary). I?m guessing this must be an edited version of the DVD as the show is only one hour long. Find this one at 8.30PM on The Biography Channel (UK).

Before that show ends, you may like to channel hop and check out Best Of Talk? on ITV3. This week?s episode features highlights of Russell Harty?s chat show career and includes a snippet or two of his 1970s interviews with David Bowie. Airs on ITV3 at 9.00PM.

Also at 9.00PM on the newly launched BBC HD channel is Julien Temple?s acclaimed recent documentary of Glastonbury festival featuring David Bowie’s performance in 2000.

There IS a small comfort for those of you in the USA as VH1C airs Top Of The Pops ? The Final Countdown at 10.00PM ET, featuring David Bowie?s seminal performance of Starman.

You can check out the listings of these shows and more on the Bowie Calendar, via the link near the top of this page.

Switch on the TV we may pick him up on Channel Two…

After last night’s screening of EXTRAS I’ve had a few e-mails asking about the lyrics for the song David Bowie performed. Admittedly, most of those requests have come from Bowie cover bands and the like…no doubt all racing for the prize of being the first to perform the song live.

Anyway, here are the words for the song that everybody in the UK is whistling right now.

The Little Fat Man (With The Pug-Nosed Face) ~ (Bowie/Gervais/Merchant)

Little fat man who sold his soul,
Little fat man who sold his dream…

Pathetic little fat man,
No one’s bloody laughing,
The clown that no one laugh’s at,
They all just wish he’d die.

He’s so depressed at being hated,
Fatso takes his own life,
He blows his stupid brains out,
But the twat would probably miss.

He sold his soul for a shot at fame,
Catchphrase and wig and the jokes are lame,
He’s got no style, he’s got no grace,
He’s banal and facile, he’s a fat waste of space

See his pug-nosed face…Pug, pug, pug, pug,
See his pug-nosed face…Pug, pug, pug, pug,
See his pug-nosed face…Pug, pug, pug, pug,
The little fat man with the pug-nosed face, Pug, pug, pug, pug,
Little fat man, pug-nosed face, Pug, pug, pug, pug,
He’s a little fat pug-nosed face, Pug, pug, pug, pug.

Don’t forget that you can still see this episode here online until next Thursday’s episode.

Switch on the TV we may pick him up on Channel Two…

With the amount of TV and radio advertising it has received, nobody in the UK, (or indeed anybody who reads these pages) can have escaped the fact that tonight’s episode of EXTRAS stars funny man David Bowie. (09.13.2006 NEWS: RICKY GERVAIS ON DB AND EXTRAS IN NME AND THE SUN & 09.05.2006 NEWS: DB ON COVER OF LTD EDITION RADIO TIMES…and that’s just this month so far!)

One thing I can guarantee after tonight’s broadcast, is that you will come away with one of the most bizarre Bowie songs you’ve ever heard stuck in your head. Indeed, See His Pug-Nosed Face (or whatever title the song will become known as) is destined to become to David Bowie what My Lovely Horse became to The Divine Comedy. Father Ted fans will understand the connection.

EXTRAS airs on BBC2 in the UK at 9:00pm tonight and if you miss it the first time it’s repeated on Sunday on BBC2 at 22.45pm.

Please also note that viewers outside of the UK can watch the Bowie episode here online for a whole week from now.

Meanwhile ahead of tonight’s show, today’s Daily Telegraph in the UK has the above blurb on its front page, with a full-page feature inside entitled: Thin white duke and the short fat duck.

The item is part of a regular Telegraph feature entitled Perfect Playlist, that we’ve featured on these pages before. (02.24.05 NEWS: DOWNLOAD TEN OF BOWIE’S BEST FOR A FIVER).

The theme of this week’s is Ricky Gervais’ favourite David Bowie songs, and here’s an excerpt:Ricky Gervais’ favourite David Bowie songs

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It?s not often you?ll hear Ricky Gervais gushing. But ask him about David Bowie and there is no stopping him. “He?s a hero, and I feel obliged to admit how important he has been to me.

Apart from Mohammed Ali, there hasn?t been anyone else who has come close as an icon. I?ve been a fan for about 35 years and now a friend for a couple.”

Their friendship began in 2001 after someone gave Bowie a copy of The Office and he emailed Gervais.

“It wasn?t a disappointment when I met him because he?s a normal, grounded human being. You don?t meet David Bowie: you meet David Jones, the bloke who was born in South London, and through integrity and hard work became the biggest star on the earth. He?s not a space alien who talks about spiders.

“He?s a very funny, dry, erudite bloke. I imagine him in a nuclear bunker in New York surrounded by lots of television screens like The Man Who Fell to Earth. But most of all he is very sweet.”

So it?s no surprise that Bowie makes a guest appearance tonight in Gervais?s new series of Extras, or that he is the only celebrity who doesn?t get sent up.

“We don?t take the piss out of him; in fact, he really humiliates the main character Andy Millman.”

Getting Gervais to choose his perfect Bowie playlist is a challenge.”?I could name 10 songs just from two albums. I?m a bit of nerd on the subject.”

“There?s never been a Bowie album that I didn?t like. He?s an auteur and I think he?s right that there should be a certain snobbery in art because its not for debate, its not a democracy, you?ve got to be a complete fascist and if you don?t believe you?re doing the absolute best that you can do there is no point doing it. I despise performers now who say they are doing it so they can buy a house with their advance. Bowie did it because it was his life.”

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I’ll leave you with the ten songs Ricky chose, and you can read what he had to say about them by clicking on the Telegraph blurb above.

01 – Letter To Hermione
02 – Life On Mars?
03 – Lady Stardust
04 – The Jean Genie
05 – Sweet Thing
06 – Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me
07 – Can You Hear Me
08 – Station To Station
09 – “Heroes”
10 – Ashes To Ashes