Month: October 2011

 

Uncage the colours…

Hotly-tipped (and deservedly so) London band, Films of Colour, have successfully grabbed the attention of much-loved, record-producing chap, Tony Visconti, with their version of David Bowie’s Slow Burn…a track which Visconti had a hand and two ears in when it was recorded for the 2002 Heathen album.

Films of Colour’s version of Slow Burn came to Visconti’s attention earlier this year following the online buzz around the band’s single Capital/Persinette. After hearing Slow Burn, Visconti flew to London to see Films of Colour perform. He was blown away and is now lined up to work with them in the studio. Talking about the track and the band, he said:

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“When I was given a batch of demos to consider working with Films Of Colour I was struck with how many catchy songs they had written. I was also impressed with the quality of their demos; that they were clever, creative lads was very apparent. But one song stuck out, sounding so familiar yet I didn’t really recognise it until the second chorus.

I knew the song because I produced it with David Bowie for his 2002 Heathen album release. But Films of Colour had altered it so much they had clearly made it their own. I think Bowie is one of the most difficult artists to cover, since his versions of his own compositions seem to be the definitive versions. After I heard Films of Colour’s version I was completely won over.”

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Now we can exclusively reveal this link on the band’s site where you can download both the video and the song for free.

The track will enjoy a wider release on December 12th when it will be issued with one or two other tracks with the sleeve below…

 

Films of Colour were described by Fierce Panda/Label Fandango head honcho Simon Williams (who released the band’s debut single Actions) as the best band he’s signed since Radiohead and Coldplay. Media support has come from 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq who made them his Favourite New Band, The Guardian (New Band of the Day), The Independent’s Barometer of Cool along with continued national radio support from XFM, Absolute Radio and on Amazing Radio where they reached No 1 in the listener’s Chart .

Films of Colour are: Andy Clutterbuck (vocals), James Hatcher (guitar), Jack Allinson (bass/synths) and James Rees-Flynn (drums)
 

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

One magical moment…

Pete McKee’s Great Moments in Popular Music exhibition at SNAP Galleries that we told you about in August, (08.13.2011 NEWS: NEW McKEE BOWIE PAINTING AND EXHIBITION AT SNAP & 09.12.2010 NEWS: MARC RILEY PAINTS BOWIE FOR COVER VERSION EXHIBITION) ends today, as you may have already gathered from this e-mail notification.

In the unlikely event that you still have time to get along to the exhibition at Snap Galleries in London after reading this, you can instead view all the images online here…though they really are better in the paint if you can whiz over now.

While you’re online, I should remind you to check out this feature on artist Morgan Howell, (also on the Snap Galleries site) with an introduction to his wonderful paintings of iconic 45s, which we have featured on these pages more than once or twice.

The great moment depicted above, Three Minutes To Lift Off Mr Stardust, is of David Bowie and Trevor Bolder (Ronno and Woody are just out of view) about to cause a national rumpus with the televisual debut of Starman during Lift Off.With Ayshea on June 21st, 1972.

I’ll leave you with another exclusive that Mr McKee kindly gave us permission to use…I’m sure it will take a few of you back to your teenage bedrooms. It’s called: Bowie v Bolan…

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

Battle For Britain…

I imagine we’ll give you a reminder regarding this exhibition nearer the time as it’s not due until March 2012.

It’s another V&A project, (09.09.2011 NEWS: BOWIE TRACKS ON V&A POSTMODERNISM SOUNDTRACK) this time entitled British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age and it includes the following three Bowie pieces…

~ Aladdin Sane album cover original dye-transfer photograph by Brian Duffy. 1973.
~ Stage costume for David Bowie, Kansai Yamamoto, Knitted wool. 1973.
~ Diamond Dogs session photograph of Bowie by Terry O’Neill. 1974

Here’s a bit of official blurb…

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A Jaguar E-Type, a David Bowie album cover and the new London 2012 aquatics centre will all feature in a new exhibition dedicated to some of the classics of post-war British design.

A model of the Olympic venue, designed by award winning architect Zaha Hadid, will be part of the show at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in west London,

Other exhibits include the 1959 Morris Mini Minor, an Alexander McQueen evening gown, Laura Ashley textiles and Brian Duffy’s original photograph for the cover of David Bowie’s 1973 Aladdin Sane album showing the star with a lightning bolt painted across his face.

The museum’s director, Professor Martin Roth, said: “As people around the world will be focusing on the UK in the summer of 2012 this is an ideal moment to showcase British innovation, taste and creativity. We are also delighted to be hosting a series of British themed displays across all the collections in the Museum to accompany the major spring exhibition.”

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A 350-page Hardback book (see above) will be published February/March 2012 and is available to pre-order online from the V&A now.

The exhibition itself, British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age, runs from March 21 to August 12 next year.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

Everything will be alright tonight…

If you didn’t manage to get in to see Life on Mars Revisited at The Creators Project today and you’re still kicking around New York with nothing to do, you could do worse than pop along to Joe’s Pub to see the chap above in action.

Yes, it’s the brilliant Taylor Mac who has been wooing audiences around the globe with his excellent Comparison Is Violence or The Ziggy Stardust Meets Tiny Tim Songbook.

Taylor has a new show and it’s over to him for details of it…

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If you live in New York, are visiting, or knows someone who does: I’m doing a series of concerts at Joe’s Pub (my first time performing in the city since last February as I’ve been on a long long tour).

Essentially I’m getting a 24-hour concert of the history of popular music ready so am breaking the decades up.

First up the 1970’s on October 16th. At Joe’s Pub, New York, NY at 7pm.

Come join me, Matt Ray (on keys), Gary Wang (on bass), Yair Evnine (on cello Rock Lobster and guitar), Jon Natchez (on just about everything), David Berger (on drums), Davina Cohen singing backup, and the fabulous Machine designing my shame.

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Considering how well-rehearsed his Bowie setlist is after touring Comparison Is Violence, (05.31.2010 NEWS: TAYLOR MAC’S ZIGGY/TINY TIM SHOW HITS LONDON & 06.11.2010 NEWS: DUMDUMBOY REVIEWS TAYLOR MAC AND MICHAEL CLARK) I can’t imagine he won’t take this opportunity to perform one or two DB songs for this 70s section of tonight’s musical history lesson.

If you do get along, please let us know exactly what he did do…one thing’s for sure, on past form, it will be hugely entertaining.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

It’s happening now…

If you didn’t manage to get in to see Life on Mars Revisited at The Creators Project event yesterday but you still want to check it out, (06.10.2011 NEWS: LIFE ON MARS REVISITED INSTALLATION PREMIERS IN PARIS & 06.17.2011 NEWS: LIFE ON MARS REVISITED MORE DETAILS FROM PARIS & 10.01.2011 NEWS: LIFE ON MARS REVISITED IN BROOKLYN FOR CREATORS PROJECT) you may still be able to get a ticket for Sunday if you’re quick.

Go here now.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

I keep a photograph…

You’ve no doubt seen a number of the ubiquitous Sonic Editions adverts for the sale of rock photographs over the past year or so…that’s a full page Bowie one below from UNCUT’s David Bowie Ultimate Music Guide. (09.01.2011 NEWS: TEN COPIES OF BOWIE UMG UP FOR GRABS)

Well now they have an exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall in London of the greatest artists of the last 50 years, which runs through to the end of the month.

I’ve not actually been to the thing myself. However, I’m going to stick my neck out and say there must be Bowie pictures on display…particularly considering the subject matter and how frequently Sonic Editions have used Bowie in their adverts.

If you do attend and there are no Bowie photographs, I’ll eat the Royal Albert Hall.

Actually, you could make a day of it and walk ten

minutes down Exhibition Road from the RAH to the V&A’s current show, Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990. (09.09.2011 NEWS: BOWIE TRACKS ON V&A POSTMODERNISM SOUNDTRACK)

Check out the Sonic Editions Bowie portfolio here.

The Uncut Collection at The Royal Albert Hall: 5th Oct – 1st Nov 2011. Free Entry Oct 8th, 22nd & 23rd.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

It’s ‘appening now… (Geddit? App…ening)

As promised last month (09.01.2011 NEWS: TEN COPIES OF BOWIE UMG UP FOR GRABS) here follows more detail regarding UNCUT’s David Bowie Ultimate Music Guide app for the iPad…

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Uncut presents David Bowie: The Ultimate Music Guide, iPad edition. Over six hundred interactive pages that trace the Starman’s extraordinary five decades of fame, with a wealth of videos, audio clips, original artwork and hundreds of rare photographs.

We’ve rescued the most revealing Bowie interviews, unseen for decades, from the archives of NME and Melody Maker, and commissioned in-depth new reviews of every single Bowie album. From Beckenham to Berlin, from Space Oddity to Ziggy Stardust, from Thin White Duke to Tin Machine – and beyond! – David Bowie: The Ultimate Music Guide, iPad edition takes you on one of the most thrilling journeys in the whole of rock’n’roll. Commencing countdown, engines on…

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Not sure of availability outside the UK, (looking into it) but the app is £2.99 on iTunes with a free lite version being released on October 13th.

Total Blam Blam – (BowieNet News Editor)

Singing old songs we love…

If you’re in Sydney on Friday the 14th, (Oooer missus) you might want to go check out the beautiful bunch of talented rock ‘n roll loonies above, at the exciting event below. (L to R: Paul Capsis, Jeff Duff, Steve Balbi, Christa Hughes)

 

Go here for tickets…Meanwhile, here are a few words on the subject from young Mr Duff himself…

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Hey Blam,

Well we’re on again…Ziggy is walking the plank one more time at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney on Friday 14th October. It’s going to be bigger and far more raunchy than last years sold out Ziggy show.

We have a new promoter, a dynamic new cast, new material and of course fabulous new costumes, darling! Ha!

I’ve enlisted three highly unique vocalists to join me on stage for this outing….all three have absolutely amazing voices, all three are incredibly wild live performers. Unpredictable, dangerous and full of raunch.

I’ve added a sexy rock diva to the cast for this show in Christa Hughes, who is well known downunder. She hails from a very well known entertainment family and fronted a controversial, but highly successful band here called ‘Machine Gun Felatio’. As well as doing her select Bowie faves, she’ll join me for a duet on ‘Under Pressure’ [she can be Freddie].

Paul Capsis is a huge star in rock cabaret and is currently touring his one man show around Australia, he also starred in Rocky Horror and a few movies.

Steve Balbi and myself are the permanent Ziggy mainstays…both huge DB fans and I really think we both come close to channelling the true Bowie Spirit in our performance.

It’s going to be one hell of a show. I think Bowie would be proud.

I’ve even reserved a seat for you on stage…you can keep me company! Don’t worry about dressing up, I have a lovely leopard skin leotard for you to slip into.

Yowza – Jeff Duff

PS – Tell David that his Elizabeth Bay house here in Sydney was sold a couple of months back for three million. I move in tomorrow! Ha!

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(Blam note: Those attending may be relieved to learn that I can’t make it this time…I don’t think anybody’s ready for a Giant Haystacks look-a-like in a leopard skin leotard spoiling the view…next time perhaps.)

I was running at the Speed Of Life…

We’ve had a couple of bits on these pages regarding the forthcoming book of Sukita’s Bowie photographs, Speed Of Life, since March. (03.05.2011 NEWS: GENESIS PUBLICATIONS PRESENTS SUKITA’S BOWIE PHOTOGRAPHS & 06.08.2011 NEWS: SUKITA CHECKS SPEED OF LIFE PROOFS AT GENESIS)

Subscribers to the Genesis Publications newsletter service will have received this e-mail on September 27th inviting them to pre-order Speed Of Life from a hidden microsite.

That was followed on the 29th by this e-mail declaring that the Deluxe edition of Speed Of Life had been online for a mere 48 hours, yet more than half the 350 copies had already been sold.

This news obviously led to a bit of panic buying as the very next day, the chaps at Genesis e-mailed me to say that the Deluxe edition was now completely sold out!

News of the signed Collector Edition (1650 copies) will follow next month, along with information regarding a great little extra which we can’t tell you about just yet as details are yet to be finalised.

Speed Of Life will see the publication of over 350 images mutually selected by David Bowie and Masayoshi Sukita of which over 80% will be seen for the first time…many from sessions we didn’t even know had taken place.

Both authors have signed the edition and written captions for images that hold a particular significance to them.

The first Deluxe copies will ship worldwide in January 2012.

Check out the Speed Of Life microsite for more pictures and information.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, LIFT OFF…

We first warned you…I mean told you…about this release back in April. (04.15.2011 NEWS: WILLIAM SHATNER IS SEARCHING FOR MAJOR TOM)

Seeking Major Tom is a kind of travelogue of the epic journey that William Shatner has undertaken in his attempt to track down the elusive Major Tom, via the medium of the space-themed cover version.

Out on October 11th in the USA, it looks like the rest of the world will have to wait until November 7th for their chance to endure the 2CD and 3LP vinyl physical format of the album.

However, don’t despair, you can hear it way before that outside of the US, as the digital version is released worldwide on the 11th too.

Here’s the tracklisting complete with contributor names for each recording…

William Shatner – Seeking Major Tom – Track Listing:

DISC 1
01. Major Tom (Coming Home) feat. Nick Valensi (The Strokes)
02. Space Oddity feat. Ritchie Blackmore & Candice Night
03. In A Little While feat. Lyle Lovett
04. Space Cowboy feat. Brad Paisley & Steve Miller
05. Space Truckin’ feat. Ian Paice (Deep Purple) & Johnny Winter
06. Rocket Man feat. Steve Hillage (Gong / System 7)
07. She Blinded Me With Science feat. Bootsy Collins & Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues)
08. Walking On The Moon feat. Toots Hibbert (Toots & The Maytals)
09. Spirit In The Sky feat. Peter Frampton
10. Bohemian Rhapsody feat. John Wetton (King Crimson / Asia)
11. Silver Machine feat. Wayne Kramer (MC5) & Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge / Rod Stewart)
12. Mrs. Major Tom feat. Sheryl Crow

DISC 2
01. Empty Glass feat. Michael Schenker
02. Lost In The Stars feat. Ernie Watts
03. Learning To Fly feat. Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream)
04. Mr. Spaceman feat. Dave Davies (The Kinks)
05. Twilight Zone feat. Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule / Allman Brothers)
06. Struggle (original track William Shatner / Adam Hamilton)
07. Iron Man feat. Zakk Wylde & Mike Inez (Alice In Chains)
08. Planet Earth feat. Steve Howe (Yes / Asia)

If you’re lucky enough to be in the vicinity of the Hollywood branch of Amoeba on Friday the 14th, you can get your product signed by the great man himself…details here.

Check out the Cleopatra Records’ page on The Shat for more information, including a fascinating two-part interview regarding the creation of Seeking Major Tom.

Finally, trivia fans may like to note that things have come full circle with this release. Thirty five years ago this theatrical trailer for The Man Who Fell To Earth was blessed with a voice-over by the space-lovin’, star-trekkin’ Shatner