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“Day In, Day Out”
Pictured in this wonderful shot are David Bowie (right) and a chap called Dolph Smith at Memphis Academy of Art on February 26, 1973.
Often listed incorrectly as the previous day (Bowie and The Spiders were playing the Ellis Auditorium on the 25th), you can read Dolph’s memories of the visit here.
While you’re there have a good poke around for all things Bowie in Memphis, watch the videos and get the T-shirt etc.
“I can see the magazines”
With less than a week to go till the opening of David Bowie Is at Philharmonie de Paris on March 3rd, the magazine’s featuring Bowie are coming thick and fast.
Anous is one such publication, with a front cover and three-page feature in celebration of the exhibition, plus a page of Bowie accessories available for purchase.
Check it out online here.
“Merry Christmas Mr Newton”
As the peoples of France brace themselves for the opening of David Bowie Is at Philharmonie de Paris on March 3rd, TCM France begin broadcasting two classic David Bowie films over the week starting the same day.
Follow the link below to the TCM Bowie mini-site for airdates, a trailer, stills and such.
David Bowie Spéciale – TCM Cinéma
FURYO
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE (NAGISA ÔSHIMA – 1983)
with David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto
L’HOMME QUI VENAIT D’AILLEURS
MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, THE (NICOLAS ROEG – 1976)
with David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark
“And so the story goes they wore the clothes”
The current French issue of Grazia magazine has more than forty Bowie-themed pages in celebration of the opening of David Bowie Is at Philharmonie de Paris next week.
Among the pages of Bowie-inspired fashion shoots and accessories, there is a six-page feature by the very prolific Eric Dahan regarding Bowie’s music and art (see also current issue of Rock & Folk), along with a further six pages featuring a portfolio of Hedi Slimane’s beautiful monochromatic Bowie costume portraits and images from the 2004 A Reality Tour.
Grazia magazine is available now in both print and digital formats.
(Scroll images to see more)
“One damn song that can make me, break down and cry…”
David Bowie’s Young Americans 45 was released in the UK 40 years ago yesterday.
The release signalled yet another change in direction for Bowie and acted as a taster of what was to come with the album of the same name.
The release was a worldwide hit for Bowie, giving him a Top 20 hit in the UK, a Top 30 in the USA and a #1 hit in New Zealand!
In the regular soundtrack of my life section in today’s Observer, Tracey Emin talks to Killian Fox about the impact the record had on her and on meeting David Bowie over twenty years later.
The sound of my teenage years
Young Americans, David Bowie (1975)
David Bowie made a big impression on me because of the way he dressed, because he was poetic, because of his attitude. I got into him when I was 13 or 14, along with Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed. I’ve probably listened to Young Americans more than any other song. Later, I got to know David Bowie quite well. When I first met him, he said he really liked my work. And I said: “Me too! I’ve been listening to your music all my life.” It’s really nice when that happens, especially when it’s someone you really admire and who’s changed history through their music.
You can read the full Observer piece here.
As we mentioned back in December, don’t forget that the Young Americans / It’s Gonna Be Me 40th Anniversary picture disc is released via Parlophone tomorrow..
“But I’ll be there for you-oo-oo”
For those of you disappointed not to get a ticket for the Labyrinth Masquerade Masked Ball at The Prince Charles Cinema in London on Saturday night (Feb 21), The Goblin King (pictured) has smiled upon you and magicked up an extra date for April.
Here’s a link to The Prince Charles Cinema with details of tomorrow night’s fun with Jareth and a link to the April 18 tickets.
LABYRINTH MASQUERADE BALL – FANCY DRESS Encouraged!
The doors to the screen will open 10 minutes before the advertised time for our Masked Ballers to flow into the screen, where they shall then be serenaded by a selection of music videos featuring the one & only DAVID BOWIE.
10 minutes after the advertised start time, our “David Bowie” hosted pre-show will begin and should last no more than 15 minutes, and will lead seamlessly into a screening of LABYRINTH
Tickets: £13.50 Non Members / £11 Members
Back by popular demand!
Our Pre-Show hosted by “David Bowie” will feature a fancy-dress parade, with a prize for best dressed, the “Rules Of The Labyrinth” – who to cheer for, who to boo & who to wolf whistle (Jareth, obviously!), audience-wide singing along to Dance Magic.
Oh and masks are a must. But that’s a given with an event name like that.
PLEASE NOTE: Just to be completely crystal clear, when we put “DAVID BOWIE” in double quotes, it means we’re taking the mickey. Obviously Ziggy Stardust himself will not be compering our night, however we will have a lovely Bowie-esque impersonator up on stage doing a fantastic job!
“Looked way back, Stardust trail leading back to you”
With just twelve days until the arrival of David Bowie Is at Philharmonie de Paris, La Galerie Stardust of Paris has announced an exhibition of Masayoshi Sukita’s remarkable David Bowie pictures from the thirty-year period, 1972 – 2002.
The Sukita exhibition runs concurrently with David Bowie Is, from 3 March – 31 May. Keep an eye on La Galerie Stardust’s FB page and their FB event page for updates.
David Bowie par Masayoshi Sukita 1972 – 2002
3 March at 13:00 to 31 May at 19:00 in UTC+01
La Galerie Stardust
19 rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, 75003 Paris, France
“Let me put my arms around your head”
Back on January 20 we posted a piece here that commenced thus:
“Generally agreed to have been taped on January 17 1973 (while The Jean Genie was at its peak of #2 on the official UK singles chart), there is some confusion as to when the actual broadcast of David Bowie on Russell Harty Plus took place.
We’re going with today’s date (which was a Saturday and in keeping with other broadcast dates of RHP), unless one of you out there has some other definite proof of broadcast, such as a TV listing magazine. (It worked last time we asked)”
Well, sure enough it was aired on a Saturday, and one of you out there did help us out with a TV listing from the day of broadcast!
So we now have actual printed documentary evidence (thanks Mike and Kaleidoscope), that the programme was shown on February 17, 1973.
Aside from Bowie, the guests were actress and writer, Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs), and former British show jumping champion, Harvey Smith.
So, that clears that up, but does anybody ever really need an excuse to watch David Bowie perform Drive-In Saturday? We thought not.
“‘Cos we’re lovers and that is a fact”
Music On Vinyl, the company that dares to release the vinyl albums others shy from, has again gladdened the hearts of vinyl junkies everywhere with their latest release.
On March 16 MOV will issue the “Heroes” Symphony by Philip Glass on vinyl for the first time. Keep reading for the official MOV blurb…
PHILIP GLASS – HEROES SYMPHONY
MOVCL015
0028948219384
1LP, 180 GRAM
3mm sleeve
• 180 gram audiophile vinyl + insert
• From the music of David Bowie & Brian Eno
• PVC protection sleeve
• First pressing of 1000 copies on white vinyl
• Available on vinyl for the first time!
Side One
1. Heroes
2. Abdulmajid
3. Sense of Doubt
Side Two
1. Sons of the Silent Age
2. Neuköln
3. V2 Schneider
Heroes Symphony is a symphony (also known as Symphony No. 4 “Heroes”) composed by American composer Philip Glass in 1996 based on the album “Heroes” by David Bowie. Glass also based his earlier Low Symphony [MOVCL009] on the David Bowie album, Low. The symphony is scored for 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 3 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, percussion, harp, piano, celesta and strings.
The album includes the “Heroes” Symphony performed by American Composers Orchestra directed by Michael Riesman and conducted by Dennis Russell Davies. Like Low before it, Heroes was one of David Bowie’s most experimental and avant-garde records, so it made sense that Philip Glass would follow the Low Symphony with the “Heroes” Symphony, adapting Bowie and Brian Eno’s original, minimalistic synthesized sketches for full orchestra.
Surprisingly, Glass’ arrangements and orchestrations emphasize the icy allure of the original compositions, and the shimmering, glassy textures sound coldly beautiful. It’s an intriguing listen throughout.
Also available: Glassworks [MOVCL008], Low Symphony [MOVCL009], The Photographer [MOVCL005], Solo Piano [MOVCL007]
“There’s been many others, so many times”
We’re very happy to be able to give you an exclusive preview of the March edition of French magazine Rock&Folk, which is published tomorrow. (February 17)
In celebration of the forthcoming arrival of David Bowie Is in Paris, the popular music monthly has an impressive twenty five-page cover feature with articles by Eric Dahan, Jérôme Soligny and Patrick Eudeline.
Eric has written some great accompanying text in a ten-page selection of classic Bowie photographic portraits. While in an eight-page feature, Jérôme surveys the vast Bowie discography and selects fifty five of his favourite releases for your consideration.
Patrick has contributed four pages on the theme of David Bowie the mod and the remaining three pages (also by Jérôme) concern themselves with a look at various Bowie book and DVD recommendations with the punning title: Beau, oui!
FOOTNOTE: Jérôme informs us that with this edition, Bowie has appeared on the cover of Rock & Folk twenty times since the magazine was founded in 1966. That’s more appearances than any other artist in Rock & Folk’s forty nine-year history.
UPDATE: David from the most excellent David Bowie – On the cover of a magazine has been in touch with his own theory of how many times Bowie has been on the cover of Rock & Folk. Over to you David…
“I have it on good authority that Bowie has appeared in total on 26 R&F covers. He has had 21 full page covers (shared with another person or by himself), along with five other covers featuring a small picture. So strictly speaking he has had 21 covers.”
Of course, Jérôme probably wasn’t including this latest edition so his claim is still good. Perhaps we will feature a gallery of all the covers one of these days.