Month: March 2008

‘Cos Lenin’s on sale again…

The May issue of MOJO magazine has the above feature regarding the artist Scott King and an exhibition of his work at Munich’s Kunstverein gallery entitled: Marxist Disco! (cancelled).

As you can see above, the show features a bust of Stalin as Aladdin Sane and another of Lenin complete with similar facial adornment from the same glam period of Bowie’s glittery past…not to mention Karl Marx as Roy Wood and both Ian Curtis and Cher as Che Guevara.

When asked why he decided on the juxtaposition of totalitarianism and one of rock music’s more excessively flamboyant moments, Scott responded thus: “I don’t know yet. I had the idea while I was attending a lecture at the Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell. While I was listening, I started staring at a bust of Marx and I started to imagine how much more interesting everything might be if it was actually a bust of Roy Wood.”

I guess this kind of brings it full circle, as Bowie would often be seen sporting a medal of Lenin’s profile at the height of his Ziggy/Aladdin Sane fame in 1973, as evidenced in the picture above…

Marxist Disco! (cancelled) runs until April 13th after which it moves to New York’s Bortolami gallery in June.

Climbs across his bike and he’s away…

We promised the above shot of David on location in New York in a recent news item (03.23.2008 NEWS: AUGUST PIC FOR…ERM…MARCH – PLUS WILL UPDATE) wherein I said: “Stay tuned for an exclusive shot of DB in character. It’s intriguing stuff all right.”.

Well, judging by the evidence, it’s certainly that. And apparently, what DB’s role lacks in dialogue (“a ten second scene of absolute silence”) it makes up for in crazy action.

By all accounts, our hero’s scene consists mainly of him cycling into shot and struggling to dismount on account of the heavy bag he is carrying and the revealing nature of the sarong he is wearing.

As we said in that previous item, David Bowie plays himself in the movie, and keen observers will no doubt have noticed the self-referential nature of his wardrobe with a sailor’s top and the huge spider embroidered on his sarong.

It’s looking like this is probably the most bizarre screen appearance by Bowie since 1983’s Yellowbeard cameo.

Stay tuned for more pictures from Will tomorrow.

And a loser I Will be…

Above is another still of David Bowie as Ogilvie in August, enjoying an in-between-takes chat with Josh Hartnett who plays Tom. It’s not the first we’ve featured here, but if it is as far as you’re concerned, then you need to check out the following news items. (01.29.2008 NEWS: EXCLUSIVE STILL OF HARTNETT AND BOWIE FROM AUGUST & 02.04.2008 NEWS: ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE BOWIE STILL FROM AUGUST & 02.15.2008 NEWS: YET ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE STILL FROM AUGUST!)

Who knows, we might yet post another exclusive from August in April…Not planning it as such, but it could happen…that’s how mad we are!

Meanwhile, we can now officially confirm that David Bowie does indeed make an appearance in the upcoming Todd Graff movie, Will, albeit rather briefly. Here’s the synopsis…

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WILL BURTON (Gaelan Connell) is used to being bullied or completely ignored by his schoolmates,

(see today’s lyric quotation) so when cool and popular former cheerleader CHARLOTTE BANKS (Alyson Michalka) starts inviting him to hang out with her, the quirky teenager is stunned and so is his doting single mom KAREN (Lisa Kudrow). Impressed by his eclectic knowledge of music, Charlotte, a gifted singer-songwriter, asks Will to manage her fledgling rock band. The goal: go head to head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend BEN WHEATLEY (Scott Porter) at a regional battle-of-the-bands.

Unsure of what he’s getting himself into, Will agrees to help Charlotte’s off-beat trio, eventually expanding it with a crew of like-minded outcasts. Against all odds, the group’s sound starts to come together and their prospects for success look bright. Even more amazingly, Will’s loser status finally seems to be a thing of the past; he even has a potential romance brewing with a kindred spirit named SAM (Vanessa Hudgens), a classmate with untapped musical talents. But when Charlotte is faced with a family tragedy, she suddenly breaks off her friendship with Will and quits the band, leaving their competition chances in tatters. With Will’s new-found self-confidence on the ropes and the contest almost upon them, he and the band must choose whether to admit defeat or face the music and stand up for what they believe in.

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David Bowie plays himself in the movie and he has now filmed his contribution, which he calls: “a ten second scene of absolute silence”.

Stay tuned for an exclusive shot of DB in character. It’s intriguing stuff all right.

Like the ragged boy who races with the wind…

As I’m sure you’ve already learned from either the original NME item or various reports since, Domino records will release the debut single by The Last Shadow Puppets, entitled The Age Of The Understatement, on Monday the 14th of April 2008. The album, of the same name, will follow a week later on the 21st of April.

The Last Shadow Puppets are Alex Turner (from Arctic Monkeys) and Miles Kane (from The Rascals). The boys made it clear in the original press release what their influences had been: “Firm friends ever since Arctic Monkeys toured with Kane?s previous group, The Little Flames, the pair were so inspired by listening to the likes of Scott Walker, early Bowie and David Axelrod, that they hatched a plan.”

As announced in that NME piece, The Last Shadow Puppets love of early Bowie has extended to them releasing a cover of In The Heat Of The Morning as one of the extra tracks on the forthcoming single along with a version of Billy Fury?s Wondrous Place.

However, despite the reports suggesting that the Bowie cover would be on the CD, I could find no mention of it as an extra track at any of the usual online stores.

After a bit of digging it appears the track will appear on the second of two 7″ singles.

The Age Of The Understatement will be available on CD (RUG288CD), 2 x 7?s (RUG288 & 228X) and via digital download (RUG288D). Here’s the tracklisting for each of the formats…

7? # 1
A – The Age Of The Understatement
B – Two Hearts in Two Weeks

7? # 2
A – The Age Of The Understatement
B – In The Heat Of The Morning

CD
1 – The Age Of The Understatement
2 – Two Hearts In Two Weeks
3 – Wondrous Place

Every magazine on every shelf…

MOJO magazine has created an online gallery of all of their front covers from 1993 to the present day, including the specials they have created.

There is a top ten gallery that is currently lacking any Bowie covers…a situation you may want to help remedy with the following shortcuts…

October 1997 / 047

July 2002 / 104

November 2003 / Special

February 2007 / Special Jan 07

If you’re missing any of the above back issues, you may find they’re still available via MOJO rather than paying inflated auction prices.

Hallo Spaceboy…

Recently released via iTunes Essentials are the above triple disc compilations, Sci-Fi Fantasy and Glam! Released on February 18th and March 3rd respectively, the former has 71 tracks and the latter boasts 74.

Here’s a breakdown of the Bowie-relevant recordings…

Sci-Fi Fantasy – 71 tracks. Release Date: 18 Feb 2008

Space Oddity 4:16 – David Bowie – Bowie at the Beeb – The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions, 1968-1972
Starman 4:13 – David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (30th Anniversary Edition)
Satellite Of Love 3:38 – Lou Reed – Lou Reed: New York City Man – Greatest Hits
The Man Who Sold The World 4:21 – Nirvana – MTV Unplugged: Nirvana Unplugged in New York
Life On Mars? 3:49 – David Bowie – Hunky Dory

Glam! – 74 tracks. Release Date: 03 Mar 2008

The Jean Genie 4:06 – David Bowie – Best of Bowie
Starman 4:13 – David Bowie – Best of Bowie
All The Young Dudes 3:32 – Mott the Hoople – All the Young Dudes
Walk On The Wild Side 4:11 – Lou Reed – Lou Reed: New York City Man – Greatest Hits
The Man Who Sold The World 3:59 – Lulu – Pop Masters: Old Fashioned Girl
John, I’m Only Dancing 2:47 – David Bowie – The Singles Collection
Oh! You Pretty Things 3:12 – David Bowie – Hunky Dory
Raw Power 4:16 – Iggy & The Stooges – Raw Power

Out of personal interest, is there anybody reading this that would consider buying these download-only compilations. Please get in touch if you plan to purchase either or both of the above.

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Today also sees the release of the HEROES Original Soundtrack in the USA via various Digital Service Providers and in good old fashioned CD via Best Buy.

The compilation is released to accompany NBC’s Emmy and Golden Globe nominated drama HEROES and it includes the album version of David Bowie’s own “Heroes”.

You can read much more about the release here. Meanwhile, here’s the tracklisting…

01 ~ Heroes Theme – Wendy & Lisa (Featuring Shankir)
02 ~ Fire and Regeneration – Wendy & Lisa (*new release)
03 ~ He’s Frank – Brighton Port Authority featuring Iggy Pop (*new release)
04 ~ All For Swinging You Around – New Pornographers
05 ~ Glad It’s Over – Wilco (*new release)
06 ~ Weightless – Nada Surf (new release)
07 ~ Nine In The Afternoon – Panic! At The Disco (new release)
08 ~ Chills – My Morning Jacket (*new release)
09 ~ Natural Selection – Wendy & Lisa
10 ~ ABoneCroneDrone 3 – Shelia Chandra
11 ~ Not Now But Soon – Imogen Heap (*new release)
12 ~ Jealously Rides With Me – Death Cab For Cutie (*new U.S. release)
13 ~ All Things Must Pass – The Jesus and Mary Chain (*new release)
14 ~ Homecoming – Wendy & Lisa
15 ~ Man In The Long Black Coat – Bob Dylan
16 ~ Maya’s Theme – Yerba Buena (*new release)
17 ~ Keeping My Composure – The Chemical Brothers featuring Spank Rock (*new release)
18 ~ Heroes – David Bowie

* Denotes an exclusive new release on the HEROES soundtrack album. Fans of The Jesus And Mary Chain will be pleased to learn that their contribution is the first recording by the band in ten years.

Then I got the small silver box…

Those of you with elephantine memories may recall this contest that closed on December 23rd last year.

At the time, I was crossing my fingers that we would get “five boxes in total which will hopefully include at least two or three signed sets.” …And that’s what we got. Five sets…three of which are signed.

You may remember that the contest was a three-parter based on the first album in the set: 1. Outside, and more specifically, THE DIARY of NATHAN ADLER, that accompanied the “non-linear Gothic Drama Hyper-cycle”.

So, before I get on to the winners, here are the three questions we set with the answers you needed to be in with a chance…

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(12.05.2007 NEWS: DELUXE DAVID BOWIE BOX SET CONTEST)

Q1 – Where was the murder scene? In other words, the remains of 14-year-old “Baby Grace Blue” were discovered in the doorway of which building?
A1 – Oxford Town Museum Of Modern Parts.

(12.06.2007 NEWS: DELUXE DAVID BOWIE BOX SET CONTEST – PART 2)

Q2 – Who is the rather inquisitive looking, if not a little unkempt, character in the picture above?
A2 – Detective Professor Nathan Adler.

(12.16.2007 NEWS: DELUXE DAVID BOWIE BOX SET CONTEST – PART 3)

Q3 – It was conclusively proved that the cow in the foreground of the painting above could not differentiate between what and what?
A3 – The cow in Mark Tansey’s “The Innocent Eye Test” could not differentiate between Paulus Potter’s “The Young Bull” and one of Monet’s grain stack paintings.

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For the record, you didn’t have to be word perfect, as long as your answers contained the general gist of those above, you were in with a chance.

In the event, the five members below were lovingly plucked from The Random Selector’s virtual hat.

kazlaaz
juliedawn
johnnie_7
carny
merga

The first three in the list each win a signed box and the remaining two will receive unsigned boxes.

I should point out that the signed boxes have sustained some slight damage in transit, so if you three would rather an unsigned sealed version in absolutely mint condition then please speak up now.

Either way, if all five of you could please forward your names and addresses, we’ll have these wonderful prizes out to you shortly.

Down in space it’s always 1982… (or thereabouts)

As we get closer to the series finale (penultimate episode this coming Thursday) Sony BMG are set to release the original soundtrack which accompanies the hit BBC TV series Ashes To Ashes on Monday…and we have five copies to give away courtesy of LD COMMUNICATIONS.

But, before all that, here’s the full tracklisting:

01 Introduction ? Dialogue: Alex Drake
02 David Bowie ? Ashes To Ashes
03 Visage ? Fade To Grey
04 The Human League- Love Action
05 Duran Duran ? Girls On Film
06 Dexys Midnight Runners ? Geno
07 OMD ? Souvenir
08 The Stranglers ? No More Heroes
09 The Clash ? I Fought The Law
10 Heaven 17 ? (We Don?t Need This) Fascist Groove Thing
11 Interlude ? Dialogue: You?re Nicked
12 Edmund Butt ? Gene Genie (Gene Hunt?s theme from ?Ashes To Ashes?)
13 The Passions ? In Love With A German Film Star
14 Altered Images ? Happy Birthday
15 Joe Jackson ? It?s Different For Girls
16 Flying Lizards ? Money
17 The Beat ? Doors Of Your Heart
18 The Ruts ? Staring At The Rude Boys
19 The Teardrop Explodes ? Reward
20 Tenpole Tudor ? Swords Of A Thousand Men
21 Bryan Ferry ? Let?s Stick Together
22 Ultravox ? Vienna
23 Edmund Butt – Title Music from ?Ashes To Ashes?
24 Epilogue: Dialogue: Fandabydozy

Ashes To Ashes is the full album version, while track 12, despite it’s title, has nothing to do with the similarly-named Bowie song.

Of course, unlike the recent TOTP 80s triple CD release (02.24.2008 NEWS: TOTP TRIPLE CD INCLUDES ASHES TO ASHES) the compiler of this soundtrack hasn’t stuck religiously to 80s releases, with five of the CD’s nineteen non-original compositions being originally released in the 70s.

Now guess what, to be in with a chance of winning one of the five CDs, all you have to do is identify those five tracks that were originally released in the 70s. I should point out that the Ferry track isn’t the 80s remix, but the original.

Not easy, I know. Particularly as it isn’t even a Bowie-related answer…that’s eliminated one possibility for you!

However, if you do find the stamina to enter and you think you have all five answers, (titles alone will do) send your entry to me here.

Usual BowieNet rules apply: Only one entry per BowieNet account, and please remember you must enter using your BowieNet e-mail or at least supply your BowieNet user name.

The contest ends at 10:00pm UK time on Thursday 20th, giving the lucky winners a week to listen before the final episode…A really useful advantage I’m sure you’ll agree.

The five winners will be notified relatively shortly thereafter.

Girls, They come and they go, Like spirits…

The much-missed Gail Ann Dorsey has been in touch with details of a very generous donation she has made to The Institute For Musical Arts. Over to you Gail…

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A VERY ?SPECIAL? PIECE OF GAIL ANN DORSEY MEMORABILIA ON EBAY

Hello Dear Friends & Music Lovers! It?s Gail Ann Dorsey here with a special announcement! Myself, and some of my groovy friends (like DB and Gwen Stefani) have contributed some special signed items up for auction on eBay in the coming days!

The objective is to raise funds for the completion of a professional recording facility at The Institute For Musical Arts in Goshen, Massachusetts. The IMA is a gorgeous, 25-acre, rural site near Northampton dedicated to education, training, hands on experience, and exposure to all things music for aspiring young female artists and seasoned veterans alike.

The IMA is co-founded and run by guitarist June Millington of the fabulous 70?s all-female rock group Fanny. (June?s sister Jean was the bass player and Earl Slick?s first wife!). Fanny were a ground-breaking, all-female tour de force, paving the way for the likes of yours truly, with a level of integrity and musicianship that commands the utmost of respect and acknowledgment.

Being a woman who has reached many plateaus in the music industry that I never imagined I would ever reach, this cause is particularly near to my heart. Therefore, I have donated a very individual item that holds great sentimental value for me and truly represents one of those ?special?, pinnacle moments in my career.

Since my website site is s**t and about to be torn down and completely reconstructed, I thought I needed to let all you Bowie collectors and music fans out there know what I have put up for grabs! My ?special? item goes up on March 14th through the 23rd, and I believe there are already some signed CD?s available for the taking.

So check it out! Bid high! Don?t let the girls down. Don?t let me down! This is a great cause!?And because I am a woman, I can make records at the studio when it?s finished too!

To find out what incredible piece of signed memorabilia could be yours, go here.

Find out more about The Institute For Musical Arts by visiting www.ima.org

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Even if you think bidding on the item may be out of your league, you should check out Gail’s eBay page here, if not only to read all the extra information she has supplied, such as this:

Under the moonlight, the serious moonlight…

Visitors to the BowieNet MBs will be aware that director Duncan Jones confirmed his full length feature debut, Moon, there last month. If you’re in the UK you may have caught a preview of the movie on Film 2008 with Jonathan Ross this week.

Going by what Duncan and lead actor Sam Rockwell reveal about Moon in the Film 2008 interview, it sounds like it’s going to be a truly great piece of cinema, influenced as it is by some of the seventies sci-fi masterpieces such as Silent Running..

Those UK members that missed Film 2008 (Episode 9) can still see it on the very handy BBC iPlayer for a few more days.

Meanwhile, though the film has now wrapped, it sounds like Mr Jones almost didn’t make it through to the end of shooting…as he explains below:

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The live action shoot is DONE! COMPLETE! FINIS! That’s ALL folks, we are OUTTA here!

I can’t tell you how exhilarating it is to be done! It’s very, very sexy. It was also quite emotional. It was an intense shoot, and it all got quite sad as we realized that that was the last time we would all be together.. *sniff* Anyway…

You may have had a gander at the photo above and seen my new scar… also very sexy! Well, I’m OK, but I did suffer a couple of fractured ribs along with it, so I’m feeling a little delicate. I’m sure Ill survive the wrap party though. 😉

All our footage has been looking good. Really good, to be honest. I get my head into the editing at the end of the week, but Nick Gaster, my editor, has said we are looking pretty good. A lot of work ahead of us, of course, but we’re in good shape. So! I’m going to get some sleep…

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Stay tuned for more in the very near future.