- David Bowie slays ’em at the BBC
David Bowie and band stole the show during ‘Later with Jools Holland’ Last night at the BBC Television Centre in Shepherd’s Bush. The appearance was David’s second on the show and guests were treated to a truly blistering set of five and a quarter songs. David looked quite gorgeous (I mean that in a manly way) in a green velvet jacket, Blue split-bell-bottom jeans, white V-necked T shirt, black platform boots and tinted glasses.
Against a backdrop that included nine album covers from across the years and a huge reproduction of the ‘hours…’ sleeve, the David Bowie band performed a beautiful rendition of ‘Ashes To Ashes’, the best and most emotionally-charged version these ears have heard of ‘Something In The Air’, the next single ‘Survive’, complete with the addition of seventies style fade-out vocals that are reproduced on the new recording of the song for release next year, and a cracking version of ‘Cracked Actor’, with a saucy lyric change that I couldn’t possibly report on a family site such as this.
As if this wasn’t enough Bowie was obliged to placate the noisy mob with an extra song for fear of the BBC building being razed to the ground. After a false start of 40 seconds worth of a rudely-interrupted ‘Changes’ we were treated to a particularly menacing ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’. A flu-afflicted Bowie also gave a most hilarious interview that re-introduced an old idea that was a recurrent theme through David’s career in the seventies. Yes, David has unveiled the next in a long line of characters that have included ‘Major Tom’, ‘Ziggy Stardust’, ‘Aladdin Sane’, Halloween Jack’ and ‘The Thin White Duke’. The name of this new character…’Ducky Mir’…
All will be revealed in the broadcast that goes out this Saturday, December 4 on BBC2 that also features Gomez, Elastica, The Brand New Heavies and Diana Krall.
Pictures by Total Blam Blam except for the two live shots which were generously provided by the talented and all-round-diamond-geezer Steve King
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From our European Correspondent ~ Total Blam Blam