Month: August 2009

Its web was also unique in that it had many layers, Like floors in a building…

I had a few e-mails regarding a BBC online item last week entitled: Stadium rock, from Beatles to Bono. I think it still warrants a post here now.

In the piece, the BBC music reporter, Ian Youngs, traced the history of Stadium Rock from The Beatles at Shea Stadium in New York in August 1965 up to U2‘s ZOO TV Tour of 1992/93.

For obvious reasons the Live Aid event from 1985 was singled out as was David Bowie’s Glass Spider show from 1987…

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DAVID BOWIE – GLASS SPIDER TOUR, 1987

Bowie pioneered the art of performance over several world tours, combining rock with theatre, costume and choreography.

The Glass Spider tour, which began at the Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, and was seen by three million people, was the culmination of his elaborate efforts.

U2’s long-time stage designer Willie Williams says: “That has become the blueprint for Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney, Kylie…

“There will be one set of costumes and they will do a few songs, then there will be another big scene change and move on to the next thing. Bowie crossing rock ‘n’ roll with Broadway was where that began.”

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I know I’m not the first to suggest that the Claw stage set design for U2?s current 360° Tour has echoes of the Glass Spider set. And I’m certainly not suggesting that Mr Williams is diverting that comparison by mentioning other artists.

As he says: “Bowie crossing rock ‘n’ roll with Broadway was where that began.” …in fact that crossover is something that DB experimented with on the 72/73 tours culminating in the brilliant rock theatre of The Diamond Dogs Show of 1974…all predating the other examples in the BBC item. And then of course, there was also The Serious Moonlight Tour of 1983.

However, it is a nice nod to DB that U2 are walking on stage to Space Oddity on this tour, as I’m sure many of you reading this have either witnessed first hand or watched on YouTube.

So inviting – so enticing to play the part…

David Brighton has about three weeks left to go of his four month residency as part of the Legends In Concert spectacle in Las Vegas.

As you can see from the billboard above, the event is a pretty big deal in Vegas and you can catch the show through to September 13th.

For show times, list of celebrity impersonators, directions and ticket into, please visit: Legends In Concert and see our previous story from May. (05.05.2009 NEWS: DAVID BRIGHTON VEGAS RESIDENCY)

Feel my blood enraged…

The Inglourious Basterds soundtrack is released today (August 17th) in the UK and tomorrow in the USA…though it seems HMV shipped early in the UK with pre-order copies arriving last week.

The limited edition Cat People vinyl 45 7″ is still available via the outlets we mentioned in our previous news piece, (08.03.2009 NEWS: NO NEED TO PAY $150 FOR CAT PEOPLE LIMITED EDITION VINYL 45) so we’re postponing our contest to win copies in the short term.

Having now seen Inglourious Basterds, I can concur with the general opinion that Cat People is used to great effect and that the scene it is used in (featuring the quite stunning Melanie Laurent, above) was probably written very much with the lyrics in mind.

It was ragged and naive, It was Heaven…

There can’t be many reading this that aren’t already well aware of the inspiration for David Bowie’s 1969 song Memory Of A Free Festival: the Beckenham Free Festival at Beckenham Recreation Ground, Croydon Road on August 16, 1969.

Local boy and photographer on the day, David Bebbington, was there to photograph the event at DB’s request and he has kindly given us permission to reproduce some of those shots here.

Mr Bebbington also recalled his memories of the event for the Beckenham History website, where you can find six fascinating pages on the subject…That’s if you didn’t already check them out last time I mentioned them. (10.17.2008 NEWS: PLAQUE FOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF BECKENHAM FREE FESTIVAL)

Don’t forget that David Bebbington has one of his excellent colour shots from a 1969 studio session with David Bowie at the upcoming Beatles to Bowie exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. (06.25.2009 NEWS: RARE BOWIE SHOTS AT NPG BEATLES TO BOWIE EXHIBITION)

Dance magic dance…

Many happy returns of the day to young Lexi who has reached the age of nine…that most magical of numbers.

If you need convincing of that, Lexi, click on the image above and learn the song to sing to your Dad whenever you get the chance.

He’ll probably help you learn it too, as it’s his favourite musical genre.

Meanwhile, all those of you who want to send Lexi your own personal message can join in on this thread that Simone has started on the MBs.

We had a friend, a talking man…

MOON is scheduled for a DVD release through Sony Pictures on November 16th and on Blu-ray around the same time.

Meanwhile, check out the official site for many more screenings near you and go here if you’re in the UK.

Also, if you haven’t already stumbled upon it yet, Duncan’s Q&A session at NASA that we told you about last month (07.18.2009 NEWS: DJ’S NASA SNAPS AND TONY SCOTT’S MEMORY LOSS) can now be viewed in the Media section on the official MOON site.

And the Magic in the stare, Of the Wild Eyed Boy…

Following our exclusive last week, (08.05.2009 NEWS: DOUBLE CD 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPACE ODDITY ALBUM DUE) EMI has released a press release (see PR section above) committing themselves to an October 12th release for the Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Edition.

The label also announced that, aside from the double CD and digital download, the album will get a simultaneous release on 180gm heavyweight vinyl…

Space Oddity 40th Anniversary 180 gram limited edition vinyl:

Side 1:
1. Space Oddity
2. Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
3. Letter To Hermione
4. Cygnet Committee

Side 2:1. Janine
2. An Occasional Dream
3. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
4. God Knows I’m Good
5. Memory Of A Free Festival

EMI also plans to get as close to the original gatefold cover as feasible, but with the added bonus of a poster and a printed inner dust jacket.

The title Space Oddity will also be removed from the front, in keeping with the original Philips David Bowie album.

With all of this and EMI’s intention to get back to the original sound, this Space Oddity 40th Anniversary vinyl edition should be the best vinyl pressing since the Philips/Mercury release almost forty years ago.

The return of the Thin White Duke…

It is with much pleasure that we can exclusively reveal details of the upcoming four disc special edition of the Station To Station album, originally released on RCA in January 1976.

Due in the first half of 2010 (we’ve learnt our lesson about giving exact dates this far in advance) the package will contain the following…

Station To Station Special Edition

Disc 1
CD = Original stereo Station To Station album
Disc 2
DVD = 5.1 Station To Station surround sound mix and original stereo album. 5.1 – Mixed by Harry Maslin.
Discs 3 & 4
2 x CDs = Uniondale, Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum March 23rd, 1976 – Mixed by Harry Maslin.

Live Nassau 1976 tracklisting

01 – Station To Station
02 – Suffragette City
03 – Fame
04 – Word On A Wing
05 – Stay
06 – Waiting For The Man
07 – Queen Bitch
08 – Life On Mars?
09 – Five Years
10 – Panic In Detroit (with most of drum solo edited out)
11 – Changes (with band Intro)
12 – TVC 15
13 – Diamond Dogs
14 – Rebel Rebel
15 – The Jean Genie

I know Nassau ’76 has always been a popular show among Bowie fans, coming fourth as it did in our Bowie bootleg poll of last year. (04.26.2008 NEWS: VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE BOWIE BOOTLEG & 06.01.2008 NEWS: YOUR FAVOURITE BOWIE BOOTLEG POLL RESULTS)

The poll asked: “What other bootlegs would you like to see get the official treatment?”. The Thin White Duke still came fourth even after I stipulated that it would be coming out anyway.

I guess what I’m trying to say in a roundabout way is that it’s probably even more popular than our poll suggested. Either way, I for one can’t wait to hear Harry‘s 5.1 mix of Station To Station and his mix of Live Nassau 1976.

Stay tuned for more details.

On peut être un héros, Pour juste une journée…

Though due on August 7th, it seems the “Heroes”/”Helden”/”Héros” digital EP was only available on iTunes Germany on that day.

However, the release is now up on iTunes in the UK, Ireland and France, with more territories to follow.

I’ve noticed the EP is available cheaper on Amazon UK, (£1.69 for EP or £0.69 per separate track) than it is on iTunes UK (£2.49 for EP or £0.79 per separate track) so if you’re not tied to iTunes it may be worth shopping around for.