Month: September 2005

From Central Park to…

As exclusively predicted in last week’s news, (09.11.2005 NEWS: DB TALKS HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND THE ARCADE FIRE) David Bowie joined Arcade Fire on stage again last night during the band’s show at SummerStage in New York’s Central Park.

Resplendent in white suit and Fedora, (Actually lilac suit and Panama…see correction from DB in tomorrow’s news!) David apparently strolled on to the stage to join AF for an encore of 1971’s Hunky Dory classic, Queen Bitch, and the band’s own Wake Up as performed at Fashion Rocks. (09.08.2005 NEWS: BOWIE STEALS THE SHOW AT FASHION ROCKS)

It seems the atmosphere moved up a couple of notches as David took to the stage, with the excitement probably best summed up in this excerpt from a very enthusiastic review by Chris over at musicsnobbery.com illustrated with a couple of great pix from the excellent BrooklynVegan.com…

“Let’s cut to the chase. Arcade Fire comes out for their encore, which you pretty much expect is going to be “Wake Up”. Win said, “Okay, we’re going to do a David Bowie song.” I’m in the front against the railing, so I can see David Bowie wearing a white suit and white fedora walking up from the side. The rest could be described as one of my greatest concert going experiences of all time.

They recreated their performance of “Wake Up” at Fashion Rocks, but instead of playing for a bunch of fashion and entertainment industry douche bags who probably didn’t pay to get into Radio City, they played for a bunch of hard working, hard playing New Yorkers ? the people who pay good money and take time out of their busy lives to come out to shows week after week. Dammit, we deserve this once in a lifetime pairing.

So they do “Queen Bitch” and “Wake Up”. I lost my mind, it’s beyond words. My class ring fell off my hand, my hat fell off and I think my pants might have fallen to my ankles. Bowie was 10 feet from me. DAVID FUCKING BOWIE.

For those of you who were there, it will be a pivotal moment in your life ? the day the Arcade Fire, the best rock band in the past few years, team up with a pioneer. We’ll have reunions where we can remember the day 9/15/05 with great fondness. It will bind us together.”

Visit aforementioned sites for the full review and more pictures.

Fame, What’s your name?

David Bowie is 40 years old today…at least the name David Bowie is. Having said that, the actual date is debatable, (or should that be db datable) perhaps we’ll never know for sure.

The date that David chose to go with Bowie over Jones as his professional name has been published variously as the 15th, 16th and 17th of September 1965, and even as late as January 1966!

However, I think the most solid evidence appeared in Kenneth Pitt‘s book, David Bowie The Pitt Report. In it Ken talks about the transition between David’s managers from one Ralph Horton to Ken himself. In a telephone conversation of the 15th, Ralph discussed with Ken the possibility of Ken taking over the management reins.

The time wasn’t right for Ken just yet. But, by his account, he did suggest a name change for the 18-year-old David Jones, due to similarly named entertainers in the public eye at that time…not least of all a young actor who was to find world-wide fame as a singing Monkee.

Ralph responded to Ken in a letter dated the 17th in which he wrote: “I have taken the liberty of writing to you and advising you that I have now changed Davie’s name to David Bowie.”

Obviously it’s unlikely that Ralph had any hand in the selection of the new name, as David had already been toying with various stage names. It’s also highly likely that the name of Bowie had been kicking around in David’s mind for some time…particularly as he says the Bowie knife was the inspiration for the name, a weapon that he would have been aware of since his childhood days.

In the event, it seems the new name didn’t actually come into use until the following month when weekly adverts in the live pages of Melody Maker for shows at the 100 Club and The Marquee changed from Davy (sic) Jones and the Lower Third to DAVID BOWIE and the LOWER THIRD.

The first of these seems to have been published in the October 9th issue of the magazine, advertising a gig at The Marquee on Friday October 8th, supporting Gary Farr and The T-Bones. Was this the very first appearance of the name David Bowie in print? Please do let me know if you have evidence to the contrary.

In a press handout (above) produced to promote the release of the very first record to bear the name Bowie, (Can’t Help Thinking About Me released January 14th 1966, as David Bowie and the Lower Third) David showed an early interest in a continuing nautical theme as suggested in the handout. For those of you with failing eyesight, here follows the content, word for word and in its entirety:

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“Davie Jones is back in his locker….. at the bottom of the sea. And instead we have David Bowie, a 19 year old singer discovered by Tony Hatch. Why David Bowie? “There are too many Davie Jones’s” David explains. “David Jones is my real name and when I first turned professional two years ago and my pirate-like character was just right at that time, and the name fitted in with the image I wanted to give myself.”

Looking at DAVID BOWIE it would be difficult to recognise under that smart exterior the somewhat controversial and angry young singer who styled himself after his famous namesake. Gone are the outlandish clothes, the long hair and the “wild” appearance and instead we find a quiet, talented vocalist and song writer ? DAVID BOWIE.

His debut disc has been written by himself and tells the story of a young man leaving home. Most of David’s lyrics are taken from his own experiences of city life ? a theme about which he is well qualified to write since he has attempted ‘to make his own way’ since he was sixteen.”

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Priceless stuff! Particularly the line: “Gone are the outlandish clothes, the long hair and the “wild” appearance”. Not for very long it would appear.

It seems there was a concerted effort to make the public aware of the name change ahead of the new record, with lots of press on the subject and even a two inch square box ad in the back pages of the Christmas eve ’65 issue of Melody Maker. The advert contained the simple legend: BOWIE…And what a legend the name was to become!

Happy 40th David Bowie. Look at that sky, life’s begun.

I like the clothes that you wear…

After yesterday’s news piece about DB and Arcade Fire on stage at SummerStage in Central Park, David dropped me a line regarding the wardrobe he settled on for this particular event. So I’ll shut up and hand you over to him:

“The lilac (not white, old chum) suit and the fab hand-painted T-shirt were by Paris’s Agnes B. (Gail Ann’s favourite designer) Cuban heeled boots by Dior and my trusty Panama hat about a hundred years old and still running, originally bought in Chile in the eighties.

The guitar is a Takamine 12 string that I’ve had for about ten years and is indispensable.”

Thanx for that sir…I guess the suit colour is a little more obvious in the picture above by lizandthecity, who I hope doesn’t mind us using her shot (shows off the T-shirt nicely too). Sorry, couldn’t find an e-mail contact for you Liz.

Thanx also to long-time BowieNetter ramoana for staying up late and hunting down the source of these pix we’ve used from SummerStage over the last couple of days.

While we’re on the subject of DB’s glad rags, there’s a nice piece on NewsWeek online about the designer, Thom Browne, who was responsible for the much-talked-about outfit David wore for Life On Mars? during last week’s Fashion Rocks event.

For those of you that missed it, and as I said at the time, the international (non-US) TV broadcast of Fashion Rocks will contain all three songs that were performed that night, including Five Years. We’ll give you further screening details as we get them.

It’s all really too exciting, isn’t it kidz?

And he laughed insane…

David and Iman attended Dior and Andrew Saffir‘s new Cinema Society screening of Proof at 160 Charles St. in New York last night.

Here follows a brief synopsis of the film, which is directed by John Madden and stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins and Hope Davis…

The daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician, recently deceased, tries to come to grips with her possible inheritance: his insanity. Complicating matters are one of her father’s ex-students who wants to search through his papers and her estranged sister who shows up to help settle his affairs.

Don’t forget that David just might be out and about in New York tonight, too…as hinted at in Sunday’s news. (09.11.2005 NEWS: DB TALKS HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND THE ARCADE FIRE) If you hadn’t noticed, them you need to Wake Up!

He’s in the best selling show…

One of the nicest surprises of David’s appearance at Fashion Rocks last week, (09.08.2005 NEWS: BOWIE STEALS THE SHOW AT FASHION ROCKS) was the beautiful rendition of Life On Mars? Part of its beauty is the simplicity of the arrangement, in that it is one vocal and one piano… But, what a singer and what a pianist!

I asked Mike Garson what it meant to him to have been a part of the performance:

“To play on a concert grand piano with David alone was an incredible feeling. I found that experience to be a very spiritual moment. It’s hard to say why, but I felt blessed and honored to be in that space with David for those precious five minutes at Radio City Music Hall. I’m still savoring the moment.

We had played there with The Spiders From Mars in February 1973 and did a band version of Life On Mars? then. I remember Mick Ronson’s inspiring solo in the middle and I always strive to get a similar essence. But, it’s hard, as the piano is no guitar!

I found myself not being the usual flamboyant Mike Garson, but more in a surrender and truly supportive role. Maybe as I get older the old saying less is more is really true. I know I was good at the opposite! (lol)”

There ya go. David Bowie’s longest-serving sideman and he still gets as big a kick from performing with David now as he did back in 1972. Thanx for that Mike.

Loving The Alien…

The French version of The Man Who Fell To Earth, L’Homme Qui Venait D’Ailleurs, is released as a collector’s edition DVD through Studio Canal this week. The 2 DVD set comes in a nicely designed metallic slipcase which isn’t done justice by the scan above.

Disc 1 features the uncensored English language version with French subtitles and fifteen minutes of original theatrical trailers. Disc 2 features the original censored, dubbed French language version, which is unintentionally amusing in places…TJ Newton doesn’t sound quite right with a French accent to these ears.

Disc 2 also features lots of extras, pretty well all of which are already available on at least one recent English language version of the DVD, if memory serves.

But, if it’s the ultimate English language version of the film you’re after, then don’t forget about The Criterion Collection version due on September 27th, which we told you about back in July. (07.06.05 NEWS: CRITERION TMWFTE DVD WITH DB COMMENTARY)

I asked for an autograph…

For those of you who have just come out of hibernation, this contest was to give BowieNet members the chance to win one of five 40cm x 40cm exclusive holograms of David Bowie…each one signed by the bloke in the hologram himself.

The holograms have been made especially for us by Martin Richardson, the man responsible for the original ‘hours…’ lenticular, and my approximation of the hologram, above, obviously does the real thing no justice.

You may remember the contest was in three parts, posted on the 22nd, 24th and 26th of last month…and here are the answers:

Part 1:

The missing song in the list of anagrams was Brilliant Adventure

Part 2:

The CD cover not represented in the montage of ‘hours…’ singles was The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell

Part 3:

1 – Who wrote What’s Really Happening? David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels and Alex Grant

2 – Many of the tracks on ‘hours…’ were originally created for another project. What was it? Omikron: The Nomad Soul

3 – Rex Ray was responsible for the graphic design on ‘hours…’. What other Bowie albums has he worked on? BBC Radio Theatre (Bonus live CD with Bowie at the Beeb) (2000), Best of Bowie (2002) and Reality (2003)

4 – What is the name of Martin Richardson’s book of portraits in which David features? Spacebomb

5 – Which of the following titles was not a bonus track on one of the singles from ‘hours…’?
a) We All Go Through
b) We All Go To Town
c) We Shall Go To Town

b) We All Go To Town

I received a very high percentage of correct answer, though there were a fair few who stumbled on the Rex Ray question. Earthling wasn’t designed by Rexer. Obviously he designed many other Bowie releases, including the A Reality Tour DVD and various posters, single sleeves, etc. But, so far he has designed just the four aforementioned albums.

Anyway, the majority of you answered correctly, but here are the five BowieNetters who need to furnish me with their names and addresses as they are winners!

billyinnes
haywoodstenton
prettycranium
shakeh
Shilo65

Commiserations to those of you that didn’t win this time, but do stay tuned for another cool contest later in the month.

Think we’re in for a big surprise…

I’m not sure what kind of press David’s appearance at Fashion Rocks garnered outside of the UK, but I’m sure you’re all aware of double-page spreads in both the The Sun and The Mirror yesterday.

Both articles featured brief interviews in which David talks about the fitness regime he has followed since last year’s heart trouble. Here’s an excerpt from Victoria Newton‘s aftershow interview conducted for The Sun:

“It’s great to be back. I loved every minute of being back on stage – I didn’t want to come off, I could have stayed up there all night. I feel fantastic at the moment.

After I had the heart attack I decided to take a year off and do nothing. I didn’t do any work and just made sure I looked after myself. I go to the gym, I don’t drink and I’m feeling really good today.

I gave up smoking six months before I had the heart attack – so that was worth it, wasn’t it! I started to give up when my daughter was born because I wouldn’t smoke in the house with her there so I had to go outside. It’s bloody cold in winter in New York, so I just quit.

As far as I’m concerned I lead a healthy lifestyle now so it did come as a bit of a shock to have a heart attack, but I feel on top of the world after tonight.

When I was asked to do this event I said I wanted to perform with Arcade Fire, who I love, and it went from there.”

According to The Sun piece, Simon LeBon of Duran Duran was particularly worried about David’s ‘black eye’, apparently rushing backstage to check he was OK! “We were a bit worried, I should have known better.”

Expanding on the Arcade Fire comment to the 3am Girls in The Mirror, David explained the lure that made him decide on “a comeback at a fashion event in the States”. He enthused thus: “I told them I’d do it only if they got Arcade Fire to perform. They’re fantastic.”Laughing, he added: “I discovered them a year ago. Coldplay’s Chris Martin has been saying he’s discovered them first, but I did. So there. Na na na na na!” You can read the whole of The Mirror piece online here.

Speaking of Arcade Fire, don’t forget that the band is about to start another string of dates in North America and Canada, kicking off with a show at Central Park Summerstage in New York, this coming Thursday, September 15th.

Tickets are still available, and any BowieNetters in the area may want to attend – not just because Arcade Fire are such a magical live experience, but also because you just never know who might be the band’s special guest!

Switch on the TV we may pick him up on CBS…

Don’t forget that highlights from last night’s Fashion Rocks show will be broadcast on CBS in the USA this evening at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Click on the image above to reach the CB/Fashion Rocks site, where you can spy even more of David’s ankle (see below) in the photo gallery.

As promised in yesterday’s report, we have a shot of David backstage with Arcade Fire. But, before that, here’s a shot that shows the exact length of those trousers you’ve all been wondering about.

He has such a well-turned ankle doesn’t he? The other one’s not too bad either. Anyway, on to aforementioned Arcade Fire picture, followed by a shot of David during his performance of Wake Up with the band…

Thanx again to Kevin Mazur of WireImage.com for the kind use of his pictures.

NB: Because the scheduled two hour show ran at three hours live last night, only Life On Mars? and Wake Up will be broadcast this evening.

But, even though Five Years has been cut from the US showing, along with bits and pieces from many other acts, (including one of Billy Idol‘s songs) all three songs will be shown in the rest of the world. I know this isn’t much consolation for US viewers, but I’m sure everybody will get to see the whole thing in the end.

You better look out below!

David Bowie returned to the concert stage this evening for the Fashion Rocks show at Radio City Music Hall in New York, and he stole the show with trademark cool and unmatched passion.

First up, Alicia Keys introduced our man for an emotionally charged rendition of Life On Mars?. His voice sounded stronger than ever and he looked strangely surreal, but nevertheless stunning with a blackened right eye and a bandaged left hand.

David was dressed in a charcoal grey suit by new American designer, Thom Browne, with matching grey tie and white shirt and a stars n stripes lapel pin. (see detail below, all pix kindly supplied by Kevin Mazur of WireImage.com) The overall strangeness of David’s appearance was completed with trousers that don’t go quite all the way down…you know, Oliver Twist length.

Mike Garson accompanied DB for this sublime performance of Life On Mars?, which echoed the similarly brilliant version the pair performed at the Yahoo Internet Music Awards in July 2000. David and Mike left the stage to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, leaving no doubt that Bowie was back in tremendous style.

Before long, and after an introduction by Lisa Marie Presley, (and much to the audience’s delight) David returned to the stage. This time with a 12-string over his shoulder and a very welcome Arcade Fire in tow.

That immortal opening line: “Pushing through the market square” was met with a cheer of recognition from a very vocal audience, clearly packed with Bowie fans determined to make their presence felt. Five Years is a song well suited to the sound of Arcade Fire, and when Win Butler joined David for the “It was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor” line, there wasn’t a hair on any neck not standing. A most moving performance indeed.

Five Years moved straight into Arcade Fire’s own Wake Up, with DB taking the lead vocal for the first lines of the song: “Somethin? filled up my heart with nothin?, someone told me not to cry.” David took command of the song as if it were his own, alternating verses with Win. The incredible energy of the song peaked as a frenetic Arcade Fire wove their magic with steely determination, while a grinning Bowie continued to chop at his 12-string throughout. Powerful stuff.

Bowie wore oatmeal brown tweed suit trousers and embroidered waistcoat by Agnes B with a black shirt and no jacket during Five Years/Wake Up…for which the black eye and bandage had mysteriously vanished, thereby putting the minds’ of several BowieNetters at rest!

So, all in all a triumphant return to the stage for David Bowie…as if it could have been any other way, and yet another classic and very memorable performance.

David took the time to have a few shots taken after the show with various celebrity types, looking gorgeous in the full Agnes B outfit. Just look at the embroidery detail on that waistcoat in the picture with Gwen Stefani above!

I’ll leave you with a picture of David and Iman with Gwen Stefani and Lisa Marie Presley.

Stay tuned for pictures of DB with the Arcade Fire and hopefully a few other shots sometime tomorrow.