Month: December 2004

Happy at the sound of your voice…

Well I guess the headline pretty well says it all. Click on the image above to view the BowieNet Holiday E-Card, which features a specially recorded message from David, illustrated with a few pictures taken on the A Reality Tour by yours truly.

Obviously you can also send the BowieNet Holiday E-Card to those you think could do with a bit of style to brighten up their holiday season. It’s all good stuff.

Come to the show tonight, Pray to The Light Machine…

BowieNetter, and all round decent chap, Chris Gaffney, was at the Spookyghost show at The Crawdaddy last Tuesday evening. Ahead of tonight’s (Sunday) Spooky half hour set at The International Bar, here’s Chris’s report from Tuesday…

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The Return Of The Thin White Spook

Almost thirteen months have passed since that memorable Friday evening when Spooky, Gail, Mike and friends took to the stage at The Cobblestone in Dublin’s Northside, closely watched and cheered on by fans and the rest of the Reality band. It was a fantastic evening for all lucky enough to be present and a great warm up for the two Bowie shows to follow at The Point.

Tuesday’s gig at the intimate Crawdaddy venue was equally exciting, with Spooky playing an impressive set to a delighted gathering of family, friends and fans..

Most of the tracks performed were from “Spooky Ghost” and “The Light Machine” (Gerry?s studio albums) with some new exciting material yet to be recorded. Mr Ghost informed us that he intends to lay down these tracks live some time in the new year…

He did do one cover…a song he said was “written by an English fella I met in New York”…Gerry then performed the stripped down version of “Loving the Alien “…sounded great with his Dublin accent.

Support on the evening was by Stone Ocean (sorry didn?t see these guys cause my taxi was late) and the talented Pamela Sue Mann.

Spooky performed alone. However, Pamela Sue Mann did join him for backing vocals on some songs.

Here’s the set list from Tuesday night:

01 Pray-er
02 Sign
03 The Gathering
04 The Palace
05 Treasure
06 Water
07 Shiny Little Star
08 Victim 4 Now
09 Start Again
10 Happiness
11 The Getaway
12 Loving The Alien

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Thanx a lot for that Chris, much appreciated. If any of you are at a loose end in Dublin tonight, what better way to spend your evening than cheering on The Spooky One. Sordid details following:

The International Bar
23 Wicklow Street
Dublin 2
+353 (1) 677-9250

Share my life…

BBC 6 Music DJ, Marc Riley, has another treat for the avid Bowie listener on his Rocket Science show this afternoon. Following on from his world-exclusive first play of Space Oddity from the upcoming David Live reissue, the teetotal DJ will now be playing the previously-unreleased Be My Wife, from the forthcoming Stage reissue.

There have been a few “news” items circulating recently (including on our very own message boards) stating that both David Live and Stage will be released in the DVDA format (DVD audio) and as normal double CDs.

Obviously this is not news to the regular BowieNet news page watcher, as we posted this information almost four months ago. (08/25/04 NEWS: DAVID LIVE AND STAGE REISSUE DETAILS)

Don’t forget we also posted an interview with Tony Visconti regarding these reissues last month. (11.27.2004 NEWS: TV TALKS DAVID LIVE)

As I type this, BowieNet is having some outage problems with the database dongle, or some other technical problem that means I can’t make this story live.

The way things are going, it’s highly likely you won’t read this until after the event. However, there’s no need to fret as you can listen to the show again a little while after the initial broadcast. Click on Marc’s big eye to reach the Rocket Science web site.

Give me peace of mind at last…

I have it on good authority that the 110 signed copies of the official 2005 David Bowie calendar have now been despatched.

The calendars (signed by both David Bowie and Mick Rock) have been posted from the UK, with the overseas orders being sent yesterday, (Wednesday) and the UK ones this morning.

To recap, the following 110 BowieNetters (user names listed in alphabetical order) will each get a signed calendar:

4411
aad
Aladdinkent

On top of these, the five competition winners below will be notified by e-mail as soon as their calendars have been despatched.

eleanor57
johnwiseman
keiths
ritabowie
zig

So, even with the Christmas post, you should all receive your calendars in time for Christmas, and certainly before 2005!

Site Alert ? We will be upgrading our systems today (Tuesday, Dec 14) between 2:00pm ? 8:00pm EST. During this time you may experience intermittent site issues. Please report any ongoing problems to bugs@davidbowie.com.Thank you for your patience – The BowieNet Staff

Hey, bring me more fish…

Out today in the US through Hollywood Records is the soundtrack CD for The Life Aquatic.

Here’s the 20-track breakdown for those that missed it last time (12.03.2004 NEWS: SEVEN DB SONGS ON LIFE AQUATIC SOUNDTRACK CD)

01 Sven Libaek “Shark Attack Theme”
02 Mark Mothersbaugh “Loquasto International Film Festival”
03 David Bowie “Life On Mars?”
04 Seu Jorge “Starman”
05 Mark Mothersbaugh “Let Me Tell You About My Boat”
06 Seu Jorge “Rebel Rebel”
07 Mark Mothersbaugh “Zissou Society Blue Star Cadets/Ned’s Theme Take
08 Devo “Gut Feeling”
09 Sven Libaek “Open Sea Theme”
10 Seu Jorge “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”
11 Joan Baez “Here’s To You”
12 Mark Mothersbaugh “We Call Them Pirates Out Here”
13 Iggy and The Stooges “Search and Destroy”
14 Paco de Lucia “La Nina De Puerta Oscura”
15 Seu Jorge “Life On Mars?”
16 Mark Mothersbaugh “Ping Island/Lightning Strike Rescue Op”
17 Seu Jorge “Five Years”
18 Scott Walker “30 Century Man”
19 The Zombies “The Way I Feel Inside”
20 David Bowie “Queen Bitch”

Wes Anderson‘s The Life Aquatic will go nationwide in the US on Christmas Day. Stay tuned for a Life Aquatic related competition soon.

Andy threw a party… (Well, obviously he didn’t actually throw it himself)

As promised a couple of days ago, (12.11.04 NEWS: A FEW WORDS FROM DB ABOUT THE WARHOL PARTY) we have more shots from the Andy Warhol‘s Interview: The Crystal Ball of Pop Culture – The Best of the First Decade 1969-1979. launch party at the Stephan Weiss Studio in New York City on Friday night.

The three shots above (courtesy of Dimitrios Kambouris and WireImage.com) are: Iman, Fran Lebowitz and David Bowie; David Bowie and Jeff Koons; David Bowie and The Black Eyed Peas.

If you’re a BowieNet member, you can view large format versions of the images in the triptych above by clicking on Apl.de.Ap’s hair erection thing…at least I hope that’s Apl.de.Ap…I’m always too busy looking at Fergie to notice the other Peas!

Now I’ve hustled a pair of jeans

Monday’s Daily Mirror newspaper in the UK has managed to get David Bowie’s Reality tour jeans as one of 30 donations from celebrities for a charity raffle.

It’s all in aid of The Mirror’s ongoing Village Of Hope campaign that they are running in conjunction with Oxfam. Here’s the blurb from the Oxfam site:

Village Of Hope

Between now and the end of 2005, Oxfam and the Daily Mirror will be reporting regularly on the progress of Nyamikamba – the Village of Hope. The Village of Hope is a joint appeal by Oxfam and the Daily Mirror to help the people of Nyamkamba in northern Rwanda.

And, here’s a bit from Monday’s Mirror:

Britain’s biggest stars are backing the Mirror’s Village Of Hope appeal by donating something special. Today we’re giving them all away and if you ring our phoneline one could be yours..

Here’s what they say about the pair of strides above, as worn on the A Reality Tour DVD cover:

DAVID BOWIE’S FAVE JEANS

HE was once known as the Thin White Duke and had a hit with Blue Jean, but now David confesses his favourite clobber is a pair of tight black denims. And you can pull on a pair – as worn by the singer on his Reality tour – with a black T-shirt to complete the contemporary Bowie look. Call: 09069123600 (Lot 10)

Here’s what you have to do to have a chance of winning one of these thirty incredible prizes, according to The Mirror:

Just call 09069 123 600 and state the lot number of the item you want. (The Bowie Jeans are Lot 10) Then answer a simple question and leave your name and phone number. Winners will be selected at random from all correct entries.

You can also text CHARITY followed by a space and your two-digit code number to 84080 (Rol, 57788). Calls cost just £1 and the more often you ring or text, the more chances you have to win.

Remember, it’s all for charity. One pound doesn’t mean much to you but in a poor, rural part of Africa where most people live on just six pence a day it can be a real Lifesaver.

Phone lines are supplied by Eckoh Technologies who, with The Mirror – will donate all profit to our Village Of Hope Appeal. Texts cost £1.50 (Rol, 2 euro). Standard MGN rules apply.

Sadly, I don’t think these numbers work outside the UK…but, if you would still like to donate, go here.

Obviously there are 29 other donations, from Mick Jagger‘s signed guitar via Sir Cliff Richard‘s Shoes, to Tea at No.10 with Tony Blair, or Dinner at The Osbournes’. Yeah, right! who of you is going to be interested in anything other that lot #10.

A quid to get inside David Bowie’s jeans…Now, that’s what I call a bargain!

It’s Warhol, actually…

A cleanly-shaven David Bowie was accompanied by his wife, Iman, to the Stephan Weiss Studio in New York City last night, for a party celebrating the publication of Andy Warhol‘s Interview: The Crystal Ball of Pop Culture – The Best of the First Decade 1969-1979. (See above)

As one would expect for such an event, the party was attended by celebreties too numerous too mention here, but you can view thumbnails of the lot of ’em on the WireImage site by going here. Keep an eye on the message boards for some larger format pictures from the bash, (courtesy of WireImage.com) which I’ll hopefully post on Monday.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a shot of a couple of handsome fellows who attended, along with some words from the chap on the left about the party, and indeed, about the chap on the right…

“Going to an Interview party is like taking a time trip. So many people from the past turn up as the mag has been going for so long now. I remember when I lived in NY in the 70’s that the real source for what was going on in town was Andy’s mag and a weekly called Soho Weekly News. I’ve still got most of the Soho’s, though it packed up in 1980 or so.

It was great to see Jeff Koons last night as we haven’t seen each other for well over a year now. Hard to believe that in these last few years Jeff has almost filled the spot left empty by Warhol, he was having such a tough time in the mid-nineties.”

Thanx for that, David. And may I say, on behalf of myself and a lot of happy BowieNetters, how very good you look. I’ve nothing against moustaches myself, but that Keiths reckons they can be a little bit too tickly.

David has also contributed an essay to the project, as mentioned in the press release below:

Andy Warhol’s Interview: The Crystal Ball of Pop Culture

Volume 1: Best of the First Decade 1969-1979
Edited by Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant
Essays by Sandra Brant, David Bowie, Elton John, Jeff Koons, Bruce Weber, et al. Creative Director, Karl Lagerfeld.
7 oversized books housed in a wooden trolley
Published by Editions 7L. Distributed by D.A.P.

The October 2004 edition of Interview magazine marked 35 years of the award winning journal founded by pop art pioneer Andy Warhol. In that time it has developed from the newsletter of the Studio 54 set into the definitive guide to the most significant stars of today and tomorrow. Adopting an original format the magazine uses recordings of questions and answer sessions to reveal information about celebrities, politicians, filmmakers, musicians and literary figures. The questions are often put by another celebrity and the answers are revealing, intimate and candid.

Alongside the interviews are photographs by the creme de la creme of celebrity and fashion photography – Robert Mapplethorpe, Francesco Scavullo, Herb Ritts, Ara Gallant, Peter Beard, Bruce Weber, Perry Berenson and others – who are given the opportunity to make some of their most challenging and original work. For 35 years Interview has offered an original perspective on the sexy, fascinating and funny people who are shaping popular culture. This collection of 7 books presents the first catalogue of the first decade of that extraordinary history and like the rare, early issues of the magazine is bound to become a valuable collector’s item.

Book 1: The Covers – Facsimile reproductions of every cover of the first decade of Interview magazine published. 160 pgs / color printing.
Book 2: The Pictures – A selection of the best Interview magazine photo-shoots of the first decade. 192 pgs / tritone and color printing.
Book 3: The Interviews – A selection of the best interviews from the first decade of Interview magazine. 400 pgs/ Audio CD.
Book 4: The Andy Warhol Interviews – The best interviews for Interview magazine done by Warhol.
Book 5: The Fashion – A selection of the best interviews with fashion designers, together with the bet fashion photography of the first decade of Interview magazine. 192 pgs / tritone printing.
Book 6: The Directors – The best interviews with the visionary leaders of the movie industry. 192 pgs.
Book 7: The Back of the Book – Fran Lebowitz’s legendary “I cover the Waterfront” columns with photos and illustrations. 96 pgs.

Well there’s one for my Christmas list.

It’s No Game…

Perhaps it was remiss of me not to have mentioned this in the news pages just yet. But, I guess I thought if you need persuading to buy the UK’s no.1 single, Band Aid 20‘s Do They Know It’s Christmas?, then you’ve kind of misunderstood the message. However, if a news piece on BowieNet can shift even one more copy, then that’s a good thing.

Ignore the Scrooges who may attempt to dissuade you from buying the single, simply because they feel all you are trying to do is ease your own guilt. So what if you are? The recipients of the cash you spend welcome your guilt if lives are being saved.

And in case you need more incentive than charity, perhaps you hadn’t realised that the third track on the UK version of the CD single is the Live Aid rendition of Do They Know It’s Christmas? performed live by all of the musicians present at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985…you may remember David kicked off the performance by singing the first four lines.

Doesn’t matter where in the world you are, this CD is available from all the obvious online stores. If you’re in the privileged position to afford a copy, then don’t hesitate.