And if you say hide, we’ll hide…
What better way to start this Valentine’s Day issue of BowiePhiles than with a full page photograph of David and Iman from the Feb 2003 issue of Vogue Magazine (USA). The Bruce Weber photograph, shot in 1995 and part of ‘The Couples Issue – 100 Love Stories’, is accompanied by quotes from David and Iman about their romance. Click on the cover image above to see the photograph.
The rocker and the beauty maven know a thing or two about romance. He once “paid construction workers to scale the nine floors of the next door building and have them graffiti DB © I on the wall opposite our bedroom in four foot letters,” recounts Iman. “She once took me on a dog sleigh ride in Gstaad on my birthday to a sunrise balloon ride with my favourite coffee and two croissants waiting,” recalls Bowie. Icons or not, the couple describe themselves as “homebodies”. Who’s the boss? “Our daughter, Lexi, aged two.”
(Thanks to BowieNetters Cingstars and Aliza)
…and continuing the Valentine’s Day theme, five Daily Telegraph pop writers got together this week, to choose the ten most romantic albums ever recorded. Young Americans is the db album which makes their list. They say:-
From the dreamy crooner look he adopts on the sleeve to his fortuitous discovery of a young Luther Vandross singing hooks outside the Sigma studios, Bowie’s underrated 1975 foray into Philly soul was made for lovers… This album is pure, melting couple-slush… Win and Fascination are obsessive enough for those in the throes of punch-drunk love, while Can You Hear Me? is simply one of the most beautiful love songs you’ll ever hear.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
You’re every nation’s refugee…
Iman has been in the UK this week, giving press interviews in her role as ambassador to the world’s leading refugee agency – UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees). Her mission this time is to raise awareness of the problems of almost 20 million refugees, worldwide.
She appeared on GMTV (the UK morning TV show) on Tuesday, and had this to say in support of her cause:-
Most of the public thinks an asylum seeker is an economic immigrant. An economic immigrant is a person who chooses to leave their country to go to somewhere else for an economic reason, by their own choice, while the refugee and the asylum seeker is leaving their country, fleeing their country because of danger – to their lives and to their well being. Most of the refugees leave their countries with nothing, absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs. The face of a refugee is my face. I am a refugee and I was a refugee.
SusanS has transcribed the whole of the short interview, which you can read by clicking on the image above. (psst.. don’t miss a little more of the debate on the pronunciation of ‘Bowie’)
From Steph on the message boards, and very well worth a listen, is an eight minute interview Iman gave to BBC Radio 4’s Womens Hour on Tuesday morning. As well as discussing the UNHCR, she talks about her other charity work, being the icon for De Beers, marriage and motherhood. Listen, here.
(Thanks to BowieNetters SusanS and Steph)
—————————————————————————————————————————-
‘Bo the Lion’ by Total Blam Blam
I, I will be king…
Contributing to this ‘silly season’ of db press, we have Tuesday’s edition of The Daily Mail, which carried a feature on various celebrities who resemble (they say) cartoon characters. They chose a very candid photograph of db from 1999 to represent none other than ‘Simba’ from The Lion King! Check out Blammo’s image above and make up your own mind..
(Thanks to BowieNetter Chas Pearson)
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Golden years, gold whop whop whop…
An interview with Tom Mueller, chief sound engineer at Hansa studios from 1972, hit the online entertainment news sites this week. Mr Mueller talks about how the studios and Berlin have changed over time and reminisces about what the article describes as the studio’s ‘golden years’.
The high point was David Bowie. He liked it so much he lived here for a few years down the street…
They had quite a wild clique, but Bowie is an extremely disciplined person, he knows his limits. That’s always true in my experience, the big stars are much more focused than the little bands…
When the Wall fell, “Heroes” became a hymn. It was an unbelievable feeling…
Although Hansa is still going strong as a recording studio, sadly the old Studio 2 is no more, having reverted to it’s original role as a ballroom and concert hall. You know what to do for the whole thing.
(Thanks to BowieNetter Enemy Of Silence)
:))
