Month: March 2005

And every bottle battled with the reason why…

David Bowie is to launch his own brand of perfume this autumn, called Mesmer. Here’s a bit from the press release…

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Mesmer by David Bowie is a spellbinding and erotic blend of sensuality and warm awakening aromas of bergamot, lemon, and patchouli singapour balanced perfectly with musk, red marechal rose and African wengue wood.

Tipped to become the perfume of the season, the production of this fragrance has been personally overseen every step of the way by David Bowie himself, from the blending of the perfume right down to the very original presentation of the product.

Mesmer is aimed at both men and women and is bottled in a unique glass container, (every hand-blown bottle is actually formed differently) that uses a new light-refracting technology meant to recreate the feel of the ever-changing colours of the Aurora Borealis, that is indeed mesmerising.

Due to the slow production of the bottles themselves (made by Greek company Áðñéëßïõ Áíüçôïò) Mesmer by David Bowie will be available initially as a limited edition only. Pre-orders for the perfume have already exceeded the 3,000 bottles due in time for the October launch.

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I’ll post more details as I get them, but with Mesmer retailing at approx $280 per bottle, I think I may be sticking with Brut!

Still, it’s not like David could give a care what I think…allegedly, perfume connoisseur Brian Eno has already ordered ten bottles!

Seeing my past…

David Bowie: Pin Up is the latest photographic exhibition by London music picture gallery Redferns, following acclaimed shows of The Beatles, Nick Drake and Ronnie Scotts. Here’s some stuff from the press release…

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DAVID BOWIE: PIN UP
An exhibition celebrating the extraordinary career of David Bowie
June 15th – 13 August 2005

David Bowie is one of the most enigmatic performers of our time and Redferns Music Picture Gallery is privileged to present a unique insight into his extraordinary career.

David Bowie, as a musician, performer and songwriter, has challenged and redefined rock and roll convention for more than 30 years. His ever-changing musical styles and the Images and personas he has used to present them have fascinated and attracted audiences from Ziggy Stardust, through to the Thin White Duke to the glossily immaculate 80s rock star and beyond. This exhibition is a celebration of an artist with a real understanding for rock’s visual appeal.

Featuring rare and unseen Images by an impressive list of legendary photographers: Brian Aris, David Bebbington, lan Dickson, Andrew Kent, Terry O’Neil, Denis O’Regan, Barry Plummer, Mick Rock, Michael Putland, Kate Simon and Ray Stevenson all contribute to this amazing photographic narrative.

David Bowie: Pin Up takes place at Redferns Music Picture Gallery, 3 Bramley Road, W10 6SZ, Latimer Road Tube Station and turn left. Open Monday to Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 12-5:00pm. Redferns Music Picture Gallery believes exhibitions should be accessible and therefore our policy means admission to view exhibitions Is free to all.

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Redferns Music Picture Gallery plans to display between thirty and forty Bowie photographs for this exhibition, all of which will be available for purchase.

Click on either of the images above to view hundreds of Bowie thumbnails in the Redferns Music Picture Library…none of which will necessarily form part of the exhibition.

It’s this week’s pick…

Nice to see that NME magazine in the UK has Stage as reissue of the week in the current issue. It’s actually a great review worth reproducing in its entirety here. Keep reading for a few more reviews of both David Live and Stage.

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NME Reviewer: Rob Fitzpatrick

1978 was a long time ago. In 1978, a former folkie, turned cross-dressing pop-rock belter, turned alien sex fiend, turned cocaine-cadaverous soul crooner, turned Berlin-bound, cleaned-up synth-obsessive could take to the stage of Manhattan’s enormous Madison Square Garden by playing an instrumental piece – ‘Warszawa’ – so full of sobering portent that it makes Spinal Tap’s “little children of Stone’enge” number sound positively apologetic before launching headfirst into ‘Heroes’, a song so anthemic no other artist in the world would dare place it anywhere but the encore.

But this was 1978, and in 1978 David Bowie could do anything. He could invent ’80s New Romanticism – ‘Sense Of Doubt’ and ‘Beauty And The Beast’ lay out the entire ennui-laden, art-funk blueprint for everyone from Japan to Talking Heads. He could invent mid-90s Blur – the fabulously bored, mockney snarl of ‘Be My Wife’ would have been right at home on ‘Parklife’ – and he could, now minus the cocaine, pull back from his own ego enough to let an instrumental like ‘Speed Of Life’ take up precious Me time.

Who today would have the balls to make an album like ‘Stage’? Who would be as willing to reimagine some of their biggest hits in the way Bowie does? Massive, crowd pleasers like ‘Fame’, ‘Five Years’ and ‘Stay’ are either pitched down so hard you can hear the bones of the song creaking, or seen anew through the prism of a burgeoning avant-garde bent. At no point does Bowie simply kneel before the audience’s open fly with his songbook-sized mouth open and make it easy for them.

So ‘Star’ is followed by ‘Hang On To Yourself’, which is followed by ‘Ziggy Stardust’ – featuring, naturally, a string ensemble where Mick Ronson’s brutalist guitar used to be – well, you know how much those ’70s US rock crowds loved a cello! Just as the audience is about to reach giddy satisfaction, Bowie hits them with the double whammy of ‘Art Decade’, an instrumental more suited to promoting good working conditions in a Korean lift factory and an unlistenably atonal ‘Alabama Song’. Brilliant.

Modern pop types, that noise you can hear is a 27-year old gauntlet hitting the floor.

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Good stuff eh? Here follows a few excerpts from other reviews with links to the full online pieces.

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BBC Reviewer: Daryl Easlea

The Thin White One’s reissue program progresses onward with these two ’70s live artefacts. Often dismissed by Bowie critics, they remain his only contemporaneous official live solo albums to date. With these releases, the pair are, at last, done full justice; original set orders are restored, the sound is given pin-drop clarity and the picture-stuffed packaging is a joy.

Visconti has done a great job polishing up the silverware with David Live and Stage, and Bowie’s voice is truly stunning throughout. If you’re a newcomer, I wouldn’t suggest that these reissues are at the top of your Thin White priority list. As a complement to the studio albums, however, they are absolutely invaluable. Read more here…

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HybridMagazine Reviewer: L. Keane

Why the re-issues, you may ask? Is there such a tremendous sound difference between my old cd versions of these awesome David Bowie live shows and these new re-mixed ones? The answer, my good friend, is yes. Tony Visconti, who originally recorded and mixed both Stage and David Live, is once again responsible for re-mixing the records into the 21st century. Sound quality is crisper, instrumentation clearer at times, and the actual running order of the live shows has been followed, rather than the chronological ordering of songs as on the initial releases.

Any fan of Bowie, or anyone that doesn’t already own either David Live or Stage, needs to run out and get these re-issues. They are not only classic representations of live rock and roll perfection, but they are musical and much more contiguous with the new track lists. Read more here…

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AtomicDuster Reviewer: Nick James

But how to pick from these two albums, now that’s a difficult one. Buy both! But if you couldn’t, then perhaps decide between a Bowie, learning, growing and escaping his glitter spangles and heals far too high for safety and the Bowie inventing a movement that would later see Steve Strange and Boy George create music in his shadow, yet still playing to a wild guitar. Any the wiser, uh? No, these albums are just brilliant, porn the cat, forgo that lunch-time ‘Pot Noodle’ (well they’re dangerous anyway) and throw all caution to the wind and just buy both! They each have their time and place anyway. Read more here…

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HipOnline Reviewer: Charlie Craine

Fans of Bowie?s will unite in their joy of this wonderful re-issue but it is those who have never dug deep into Bowie that will surely learn the most. David Live and Stage are a one-stop shop to the sheer genius of David Bowie. Rarely does a live record make a great addition to a record collection and it should be no surprise that Bowie worked it out. Read more here…

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So there you go…Surely, if you’ve not already done so, it would be churlish of you not to buy these masterpieces after reading that little lot!

A chance for folks to meet…

I think the above advertisement says everything I would normally have to say here…but, if it doesn’t say it big enough for your liking, click on it for a bigger version.

For those of you that enjoy a bit of Marc Bolan when you can get it, and if you would find it easier to travel to London rather than Amsterdam on May 29th, keep reading…

Man I need TV when I got T Rex…

In celebration of the newly-restored 5 hour 25 minute double DVD version of Born To Boogie and the 2 CD soundtrack (both due May 16th) you may want to pop along to the 1st Mojo Film Festival at the Vue Cinema in Leicester Square where Born To Boogie will receive a one-off screening at 4:00pm.

Here’s what MOJO says about the film: “Fittingly Ringo Starr directed this 1972 classic that captures T Rex at the height of their powers and emphasises Marc Bolan?s status as the greatest UK teen idol since The Beatles. This brand new version of this long lost film features a new enhanced 5.1 mix by Tony Visconti.”

As many of you know, T Rex producer Tony Visconti has been beavering away on this project, and he is interviewed on the bonus DVD by Marc’s son, Rolan Bolan, for the documentary: Cosmic Rock – When T.Rex Ruled The World.

There’s tons of stuff online about Born To Boogie, including a very informative press release, an official site and the Mojo Film Festival site where you can buy tickets.

And if the homework brings you down, Then we’ll throw it on the fire…

My 14-year-old daughter, Holly, attended an evening with the poet Benjamin Zephaniah in Harrow last night. Sadly, I had a prior engagement in Camden with The Secret Machines. (Though I have to say, I’m glad I went. It was a great gig!)

Anyway, Benjamin gave a special performance, by all accounts, during which he took questions from the audience and read some of his poetry. Here’s a bit from Holly which stuck in her mind for obvious reasons…

“A young audience member asked if Benjamin could name one star/celeb that he is inspired by and would like to meet and work with.

Initially, he answered by saying how ordinary people inspire him, yet he continued to say that if he did have the chance to meet two stars they would be, (he says without hesitation) David Bowie and then pauses, thinks and says Jessie Jackson as well.”

That’s pretty cool isn’t it? While there is no reason why Mr Zephaniah shouldn’t have chosen David Bowie, you have to admit it’s a pleasant surprise that he did.

Anyway, you’re probably wondering what the Dickens the illustration above has to do with all of this. Well, it’s a detail from a work in progress Holly is working on for part of her art GCSE.

The painting comprises four different images that she has reproduced using acrylics and coloured pencils. I think most of you got the eye on the left and perhaps even the Warhol/Monroe mouth.

You may even have realised that the right eye is a detail from Adrian Piper’s “Self-Portrait Exaggerating My Negroid Features” (1981). But who would have recognised the dreads as belonging to one Benjamin Zephaniah!? Small world, eh?

I feel duty-bound to point out that, despite appearances, it’s not Family Blam Blam week here on BowieNet. (03.21.05 REMINDER: LAST WEEK OF MICHAEL PUTLAND EXHIBITION)

Also, contrary to what you may reasonably think, I don’t force-feed my children a diet of David Bowie…quite the opposite in fact. I rarely suggest anything they should listen to…rather they stumble upon the things that grab their fancy, in much the same way I did. Thankfully it seems to have paid off, and they’ve both inherited the very same good taste gene that I did. };-)

Music May change…

I’ve been informed by EMI Gold that the David Bowie – The Collection CD that I’ve been telling you about (03.18.05 NEWS: EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT DAVID BOWIE – THE COLLECTION & 03.04.05 NEWS: DAVID BOWIE – THE COLLECTION, DUE NEXT MONTH) has been put back a couple of weeks from April 18th to May 2nd.

See either of the aforementioned news stories for further details of this low-priced 12-track compilation CD.

Snapping pictures of scrawny limbs and toothy grins…

Michael Putland‘s photographic exhibition, My Generation, ends this Saturday. The shots he took of a pre-fame Ziggy Stardust (see above) are among my very favourites. The series of pictures (generally reproduced in mono, but, I think, actually taken in colour) was taken at David’s home in Beckenham, Haddon Hall.

The majority of the shots were of David sat down relaxing, possibly during an interview. But, there were others of him, (still in the famous outfit worn during the Ziggy album cover shoot) paintbrush in hand up a stepladder, adding the finishing touches to the paint work of one of the downstairs rooms.

Anyway, as I say, it’s a great session that I’m sure the majority of you are familiar with.

My Generation, at the Snap Galleries in Birmingham, England, only displays one of the shots from the session (with the opportunity to buy a high quality Bowie print too) but if you’re in the area, I think it’s still worth a visit to check out Michael’s other brilliant work.

Here’s an excerpt from the press release by Snap Gallery Director, Guy White.

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My Generation – Photographs from the music archives of Michael Putland

Michael Putland didn?t have a day off in the seventies. At least that’s how it seemed to him at the time. And looking back, there?s just no other way he could have assembled a photographic archive of such immense breadth and depth. Michael started photographing musicians in the late sixties. He really hit his stride in the seventies and by the mid-eighties he had captured pretty much everyone of significance in the music business over the course of a twenty year career.

My Generation is Michael?s first solo exhibition in the UK and will consist of around 100 photographs which, as a body of work, represent a cross section of his career as a music photographer ? from AC/DC to Frank Zappa, and back again, taking in Bowie, Bolan, Clapton, The Clash, Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Hendrix, Rod Stewart, Bryan Ferry, The Who, The Rolling Stones and many many others. Michael has a very intimate and personal style of portraiture and combined this with a flair for live work.

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All Michael?s photographs are available to purchase, and admission to the exhibition is free. Here are the details for those of you thinking of popping along.

Snap Galleries
Gibb Square
The Custard Factory website is at The Custard Factory
Birmingham B9 4AA
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30 am to 6 pm, Thursdays to 7 pm. and any other time by prior appointment.
Telephone 0121 224 7345
info@snapgalleries.com

As this is the last week of the exhibition, it may be worth calling to check it’s still OK to attend before you set out on a long journey…particularly on Saturday.

Have you heard the news?…

BowieNet members in the US will be relieved to learn that Club Bowie (10.30.2003 NEWS: NINE TRACK CLUB BOWIE CD DUE NEXT MONTH) should now be available to purchase digitally. Here’s how EMI broke this terrific news:

“Only available in the U.S. on CD as an import, this U.S. digital-only release is a unique and eclectic collection of 8 remixes either specially commissioned for this project or previously only available on limited club vinyl formats.

EMI is aiming to have this release up on 4/19 and will be available on iTunes, and all DSPs (digital outlets) such as Real Networks, Napster, MusicMatch and Liquid Audio.”

It’s at times like this I have to agree with some of the grumpier European members: American David Bowie fans are truly spoilt!

Here’s that track listing again for those of you that don’t already know this fine collection off by heart…

1 The Scumfrog vs Bowie – Loving The Alien
2 David Bowie – Let’s Dance (Trifactor vs Deeper Substance Remix)
3 David Guetta vs David Bowie – Just For One Day (Heroes) (Extended Version)
4 The Scumfrog vs David Bowie – This Is Not America
5 Solaris vs Bowie – Shout (Original Mix)
6 David Bowie – China Girl (Riff & Vox Club Mix)
7 David Bowie – Magic Dance (Danny S Magic Party Remix)
8 David Bowie – Let’s Dance (Club Bolly Extended Mix)

You heard it here first, folx!

Sometimes I fear that the whole world is queer…

Boy George is high profile in the UK right now as he plugs the follow up to his Take It Like A Man autobiography, entitled Straight. Those familiar with Take It… will know George gives very good quote, and Straight is just as entertaining…if not more so…and it includes a limited edition 5-track CD!

Needless to say, there are never too many pages between mentions of David Bowie in Straight, as a quick scan through the index confirms, with one whole chapter, Starman, concerning itself pretty much entirely with David Bowie.

There’s far too much to quote in the news, but here follows the first mention of our man as early on as page 2!

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From the age of twelve to seventeen my main fantasy was to befriend David Bowie and hang out with him at Haddon Hall in Beckenham. I thought: ‘He’d really understand me. We’d have so much in common.’

How strange that panic was still in place twenty-odd years later when I sat with my hero in a New York restaurant. I faked cool but every corpuscle in my body was screaming: ‘Ohmigod, it’s Ziggy Stardust!!’

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Here’s an excerpt from an interview in today’s Guardian, (The Guide) in which George names the most important artist of our time, and frankly, it’s no surprise to anybody…least of all us.

You turned down I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, even though they offered you £300,000.

I turned them all down, The Farm, Celebrity Big Brother. I’m a hideous snob. You wouldn’t have seen Ziggy Stardust on The Farm. Old Bowie stomping around the thoroughfare with his platforms – I don’t think so, and if it’s not good enough for Ziggy then they can fuck off. I’m not good in the morning. I don’t do casual. The idea of a jungle is hideous enough but especially stuck there with a load of twats I have absolutely no respect for. It was a bad move for Lydon, a good move for Jordan and Janet Street-Porter belongs there.

Who for you was the most important artist of our time?

David Bowie. He was just everything for me. He was and still is so important. He is a genius.

You can read the whole thing by clicking on George’s titfer.

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Britain’s favourite homo was also on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross last night. I missed it, but apparently there was Bowie content, if not only in the shape of George’s new line of clothing, B-Rude, which we told you about last month. (02.27.05 NEWS: MORE CELEBRITY BOWIE FANS SHOW THEIR LOVE)

The programme is repeated again tonight, according to the Radio Times, but I’ll be buggered if I can find mention of a repeat anywhere online. The Radio Times also has an interview with George in the current issue, as a preview to his forthcoming interview on The Paul O’Grady Show, on ITV1 on Monday. This Boy gets about a bit, doesn’t he?

Check out George’s official site here, for all the latest BG news including links to a rash of recent controversial interviews with UK newspapers, in which he talks plainly about a few fellow pop stars.

‘Til the sun drips blood on the knights who say “Ni!”…

Iman attended the opening of the Monty Python musical Spamalot at the Shubert Theatre in New York City last night. She was followed around by British glam rock star husband, David Bowie, who apparently made a horse clip-clop noise with two half coconut shells every time she got up to walk around a bit.

The pair were spotted giggling throughout the production, and were even said to have participated in some loud guffawing and a few bursts of tittering. David also used the opportunity to partake of a solo chortle.

She looked lovely in specially designed supermodel clobber and he wore high heels, suspendies and a bra. …OK too silly…stop that now.

If you want to read something sensible about the evening go here and here and check out the official Spamalot website here.