Month: June 2003

It’s happening now…

On your way to the Kristeen Young show in London tonight, why not stop off at the Virgin MegaStore in Oxford Street and check out Grandaddy. To celebrate their first Top Thirty entry, with the appropriately named Now It’s On at number 23, the band are playing a short set and signing copies of their new album Sumday for those of you that can make it along, but try and get there well before 6:00pm London time for a chance of getting in.

DB is still very much interested in Grandaddy, not only evidenced by the fact that he included He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot in his Ultimate space-is-the-place Mix Tape for Nylon magazine that we told you about the other day, (06/07/03 SNIPPET: BOWIEPHILES) but also when I told him that I spent last Friday with the band at the BBC in Manchester as a guest of Mark and Lard, there was a distinct hint of envy in his reply of: “You lucky bastard!”.

Grandaddy are currently on a UK tour, and if you can get along to any of the following dates, you will be a better person for it:

10TH JUNE – ACADEMY 2 – BIRMINGHAM

11TH JUNE – ANSON ROOMS – BRISTOL

12TH JUNE – ASTORIA – LONDON

1ST JULY UNIVERSITY – MANCHESTER

20TH AUGUST – RESCUE ROOMS – NOTTINGHAM

21ST AUGUST – THE VOID – STOKE

If you’re at Virgin tonight, or at the Astoria on Thursday, I’ll see you there. You’ll recognise me by the big false beard I’ll be sporting and the skateboard under my arm. };-)

Tomorrow night, Tomorrow night, Will you hold hands with me under the moonlight…

Don’t forget about the Kristeen Young show in London tomorrow night that we told you about last month. (05/15/03 NEWS: KRISTEEN YOUNG COLLECTABLE AND LONDON DATE) Kristeen will be playing at the Camden Underworld on Monday June 9th at around 8.00pm, and you can read more Kristeen related news, including new album details and a report from a recent show in Lisbon over at Tony Visconti’s site, by clicking on the image above.

While you’re there, check out some new shots of David from where the picture above is taken, and read Tony’s report about the recording of the DB album. Here’s a little excerpt:

We are recording in New York City and the music is very influenced by being here (just as the music on Heathen was influenced by creating it in the lofty Catskill Mountains). It’s “thrusty,” in David’s singular description. There are plans for release later this year and a major tour to go with it. My word for it is “fantastic.” The new songs are terrific.

Thanx Tony, and for those of you that can make it, I’ll see you at the KY show tomorrow.

I’m the space invader…

Nylon magazine had a lucky scoop for their June/July 2003 issue. David Bowie agreed to compile his “Ultimate space-is-the-place Mix Tape” for them. Here’s what they had to say:

Call him otherworldly, call him a divine alien. Either way, David Bowie is rock?n?roll?s premiere space oddity. And 24 years after he adopted that persona (one of his many shape-shifting self-explorations), he?s still as fascinated as ever by what?s out there in the Milky Way. So much so, he put together his ultimate space-is-the-place mix tape for NYLON. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.

Check out db’s tracklisting:

I Took A Trip (on the Space Shuttle), Legendary Stardust Cowboy (Live in Chicago)

Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, Pink Floyd (Ummagumma)

He?s Simple, He?s Dumb, He?s The Pilot, Grandaddy (Sophtware Slump)

Rocket Man, Elton John (Honky Chateau)

Satellite Of Love, Lou Reed (Transformer)

Time We Left This World Today, Hawkwind (Space Ritual)

Moonshake, Can (Anthology 1968-93)

Space Age Couple, Captain Beefheart (Lick My Decals Off Baby)

I?m The Urban Spaceman, Bonzo Dog Band (New Tricks)

Space Oddity, David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture Soundtrack)

(Thanks to BowieNetter Arsalan for the spot, and SusanS for the scans)

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cover me, cover me, cover me…

Scheduled for release in October this year is Spiders From Venus: Indie Women and Female-Fronted Bandscover David Bowie. You can check out the proposed tracklisting and the rather beautiful cover art, based on a Mick Rock photograph, over at Skipping Discs, a small independent record label based in northern central Massachusetts. Their website has this to say about their output:

We are unique in that we specialize in producing nothing but tribute albums and cover compilations, typically featuring a cross of two diverse musical genres (e.g., bluegrass bands playing disco songs). We strongly believe that one mark of a truly great song is its ability to hold up when performed in a variety of musical styles.

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Could it be the best, could it be?…

If you check out Jonathan Ross‘s home page over at BBC Radio 2 you will see an interactive voting form where you can choose ‘Bowie’s Best Hit’. They have already narrowed down the list to a mere ten songs, but you may still like to add your vote. “Heroes” is neck and neck with Life On Mars? at the moment.

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And the stars look very different today…

The Cure’s Robert Smith was interviewed in The Guardian this week, in connection with the release of the band’s The Trilogy – Live In Berlin DVD and Video. He had this to say about the moment he recognised db as ‘a kindred spirit pop star’:

“I felt that his records had been made with me in mind. He was blatantly different, and everyone of my age remembers the time he played Starman on Top of the Pops. The school was divided between those who thought he was a queer and those who thought he was a genius. Immediately, I thought: this is it. This is the man I’ve been waiting for. He showed that you could do things on your own terms; that you could define your own genre and not worry about what anyone else is doing, which is I think the definition of a true artist.”

:))

Heaven is smiling down…

Today is the eleventh anniversary of the ceremony in which Iman and David renewed their wedding vows at St James Episcopal Church, Florence, Italy. Traditional 11th wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of steel.

Back in April, when we celebrated the anniversary of their private wedding day, BowieNetter Zardoz made this great animated photo montage of the happy couple over the years. If you missed it, check it out right now, and once again you can check out the BowieNet Member’s Message Boards for more greetings.

Happy day to all the family, from all of us at BowieNet!

:))

Just turn on with me and you’re not alone…

Tickets for the special anniversary screening of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture, that we told you about a couple of days ago, (06/05/03 NEWS: ZIGGY LONDON SCREENING TICKETS ON SALE NOW) are on sale now.

The screening takes place exactly 30 years to the day of the original Hammersmith Odeon concert on July 3rd at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton. A £12.50 ticket will get you a seat at the screening, and a place at the post film party at the Rock N Roll Fag Bar from 10:30-2am. Tickets for the film only are £7.50, and you can book either type directly from the booking office on: 0207 733 2229. Each ticket is subject to a 30p booking fee.

The screen room at the Ritzy used for this event seats only 180 people, and 80 tickets have already sold. So get your skates on if you want to attend, as this event is on sale to the general public right now too. On the night, seats will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis, so don’t worry if you want to get near the front, just get there early on the night.

Click on the above image for more information on the Brixton Ritzy. Below is all the press release stuff regarding the event that you’re ever likely to need…

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

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Joint Tickets on sale from today Thursday 5th for the one off “Ziggy Stardust …Motion Picture” 30th commemorative screening at the Brixton Ritzy Cinema + “After Party” at Rock N Roll Fag Bar at Substation South (1 min from Ritzy)?Thursday 3rd July £12.50. including 50p donation to HGLC.

The Rock N Roll Fag Bar and Brixton Ritzy Present

DAVID BOWIE, ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS: THE MOTION PICTURE

30th Anniversary one off screening – Thursday 3rd July 2003

“David Bowie was the bizarre, ineffable Ziggy Stardust. In this timeless film by D A Pennebaker of his legendary “retirement” concert at the Hammersmith Odeon July 3rd 1973, Bowie performs some of his most unforgettable songs “for the last time”.

Tracks include Hang on To Yourself, Ziggy Stardust, Watch That Man, Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud, Moonage Daydream, Changes, My Death, Lets Spend the Night Together and Rock N Roll Suicide, band introductions and farewell speech.

This concert was arguably the most important in British rock history. Musicians David Bowie, Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder Woody Woodmansey.

Post Film party for like-minded people off all persuasions at the Rock N Roll Fag Bar 10:30-2am Substation South 9 Brighton Terrace. DJ Mikko will play glam, rap, electro and rock n roll ranging from Peaches to the Human League to The Strokes to T Rex. Joint Tickets to Film & After Party £12.50, Film only & £7.50. 50pm donation to HGLC.

Further notesThe Hammersmith Odeon concert of 3 July 1973 was filmed by D.A Pennebaker, an American documentary maker who had filmed Dylan’s’ Don’t Look Back (1967) and the rock movie Monterey Pop (1967). Bowie wanted the same sort of cinema-verite techniques used for the Hammersmith appearance. In 1999 Pennebaker was asked why he filmed the last Ziggy Stardust concert?

Pennebaker: “Well, he is incredible to watch. I mean, I could see myself getting a hard-on just looking at him sometimes, which is ridiculous. But I think that the reason we made it was because RCA said, we have this guy and he’s going to do a concert, maybe the last one he’s going to do, and you’ve got to go make a film. “I thought they said Bolan. I thought it was Marc Bolan I was going to do. And I was very excited because I really dug glitter rock. So I kind of set off with the wrong guy in mind. But I’ve spent time with Bowie, and I’ve seen him go into his head. He just disappears. He’s like Dylan. He has someplace where it’s just all music, and he’s all alone.”

Seated 8:50 for 9pm screening Book Ahead.
Brixton Ritzy Cinema Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane SW2 1JG
Box Office 0207 733 2229 & 24 hour information line
All Major Credit Cards, booking fee may apply.

Special thanks to RZO Music and www.davidbowie.com

For further information on the Rock N Roll Fag Bar weekly at Substation South from July 3rd call Patrick Lilley 020 7706 7212.

It happens today…

Keep an eye on your e-mail inboxes over the course of today, for some exciting announcements in the form of a version of the above screen grab…that you can actually read! As those of you with better vision can see, this announcement includes the following:

BE A VIP – At The Mayor Of Sunset Strip World Premier.
Two VIP tickets including access to the screening and after-partyA meet and greet in the VIP room post-screeningGoodie bag including the movie poster, a limited edition CD, (that includes a rare live version of All The Madmen) buttons, and more!

CHAT – With Mike Garson
That’s right folx. One week from today, Mr Mike Garson will make himself available for your probing enquiries, with the emphasis on the man’s brilliant work on the Aladdin Sane album.

ORDER – Myriam Santos-Kayda’s David Bowie Live In New York pictorial book
With a chance to win a copy signed by David and Myriam.

KRISTEEN YOUNG – Live In London
Pre-order tickets for KY’s London show at The Underworld Camden in London for this Monday June 9th @ 7.30PM

It’s all exciting stuff kidz, so keep your eye out for the electronic postperson today.

Without you I’m nothing…

Daniele from Italian Bowie web site, Moonage Daydream, has sent me a reminder regarding a party for fans of David Bowie and Placebo, that’s taking place in Vicenza next week. Here’s all the stuff you need to know:

In occasion of the next Placebo Italian Tour, www.moonagedaydream.it & www.placeboitalia.com will join together to have party after the concert.

Date 12.06.2003
Concert Start at 21.30
Place Concert : Palasport (Bassano del Grappa – Vicenza – Italy)
Party Name :

PLACEBOWIEPARTY 2003
Place Party : Sotto Underbar – Bassano del Grappa – Vicenza
Music & Video: “Bowie” and “Placebo” 1996/2002 releases.
Infoweb : www.moonagedaydream.it E Mail info@moonagedaydream.it

You made me forget myself…

The Lou Reed competition that we set last month (05/10/03 NEWS: LOU REED TALKS ABOUT NYC MAN AND DAVID BOWIE & 05/19/03 NEWS: LOU REED COMPETITION EXTENDED) is now over. Five signed Lou photographs like the one above (except the signature is in black) have arrived here at BowieNet to be distributed to our winners.

The original prize was to have been signed CDs, but we got these instead and I’m sure the winners will be just as happy with one of these valuable signed prints.

Anyway, we asked you to identify the Bowie connection in eight of the tracks from the Lou Reed retrospective NYC Man – The Ultimate Lou Reed Collection. Off the top of my head, here are a few that most of you got:

Sweet Jane
Along with I?m Waiting For The Man and White Light/White Heat, David and Lou performed Sweet Jane together at the Royal Festival Hall, (venue for Bowie’s 2002 Meltdown) when Lou guested with David and The Spiders for his very first UK appearance on July 8th 1972.

David also produced Mott The Hoople‘s All The Young Dudes album, on which Sweet Jane was the first track.

I’m Waiting For The Man
David recorded a version of this song in 1966 toward the end of the sessions for the Deram album, David Bowie. This version was actually recorded before The Velvet Underground‘s own version had even been released, after David received an acetate of The Velvet Underground and Nico, on which I’m Waiting For The Man appeared.

In fact, so enamoured was David with The Velvets that he recorded another song called Little Toy Soldier during the same sessions, which was basically a re-write of Venus In Furs with loads of Bowie strangeness thrown in for good measure. Although neither of these recordings were officially released, they are both widely available on bootleg.

The song was also played on various BBC sessions and on tour in 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1997.

White Light/White Heat
White Light/White Heat was played on various BBC sessions and on tour in 1972, 1973, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1996, 1997 and 2002.

A version apparently recorded during the Pin-Ups sessions, but abandoned by David, was resurrected by Mick Ronson for his own Play Don’t Worry album, complete with a new Ronno vocal.

Walk On The Wild Side
Vicious
Perfect Day
Satellite Of Love
The four songs above all appeared on the Bowie/Ronson-produced solo Lou Reed album, Transformer. Though David contributed greatly to songs like New York Telephone Converstaion (in effect a one minute duet with Lou), his greatest vocal contribution can be heard on the sublime Satellite Of Love. Here’s Lou from the liner notes of NYC Man:

David Bowie’s background vocals – I love them on his records, I love them when he did them on my record. It’s not the kind of part I would have ever come up with if you left me alone with a computer program for a year. But David hears those parts. Plus he’s got a freaky voice and he can go up that high and do that. It’s very, very beautiful. And he’s a great singer.

The world-wide smash hit single Walk On The Wild Side should be noted for a wonderful sax solo played by David’s former saxophone tutor, Ronnie Ross, and also for a widely sampled bassline provided by another musician familiar to Bowie fans who know their stuff, Herbie Flowers.

David also sang a couple of lines, and appeared in the video for a re-recorded all-star version of Perfect Day, that was released by the BBC in 1997 for the BBC Children In Need campaign. The single went to number one in the UK and raised over £2 million.

Dirty Boulevard
This song originally appeared on Lou’s 1989 release, New York. David sang Dirty Boulevard live with Lou when he was joined by Mr Reed onstage at Madison Square Garden on January 9th 1997, during David’s 50th birthday bash. The two also performed I?m Waiting For The Man and White Light/White Heat during the show.

Going by that track record, (remembering the RFH July 8th 1972) David and Lou are due to perform I?m Waiting For The Man White Light/White Heat and another Lou Reed song at a Bowie show in 2022.

So there you have it. The five people below provided enough correct information to be selected by The Random Generator as winners:

im1969
khedden
bettina
nairolf
stoneghosts

If you’d all like to send me your real names and addresses we’ll get your signed Lou pic to you pronto. Thanx again to Lou Reed and Sister Ray Enterprises for the generous donation.