Month: April 2013

 

“And stories they made up”

 

If you tuned in to The John Murray Show on Ireland’s RTÉ Radio 1 on Monday, you may have heard Gerry Leonard in conversation with John regarding his favourite iPod selections.

It was a fascinating item with lots of great little insights into Gerry’s world, including the creation of the live version of Loving The Alien.

However, you may have also been distressed by the revelation during the interview that Bowie was lined up for Eurovision 2013. If you were, you probably hadn’t noticed the date. We’re safe for at least another year! 

Apparently Bowie himself was in on the joke, as Gerry explained to Herald.ie:

I couldn’t have done this without David’s agreement so when RTE approached me, I contacted him. He was up for the gag immediately. ‘Me doing Eurovision. This is supposed to be secret. How did they find out?’ He really liked the idea.

You can listen to the full John Murray Show interview here.

While we’re talking April 1st, you may want to check out the Delta Lemons item we posted here yesterday. Scroll to the bottom of the piece for the real identity of the artwork we used. Sorry folks, but you really should be used to it.

(The picture here is of Gerry and DB on stage at The Point in Dublin in November 2003, the show that was recorded for the A Reality Tour DVD and CD.)

 

“I asked for an autograph…”

 

In celebration of the wonderful news that David Bowie’s The Next Day remains in the Official UK Albums Chart at #3 today, we’re giving you the chance to win a signed CD of your choice simply by voting for your favourite Bowie album.

What’s your favourite David Bowie studio album?

Vote for your favourite of David Bowie’s 27 studio albums for your chance to win a signed-by-Bowie copy of the Bowie CD of your choice (includes standard issues from the currently available back catalogue of studio albums only).

Take your time with this difficult vote as the poll is open until midnight PST of Sunday April 7th, 2013.

A random voter will be selected each day, with all seven being posted on Monday April 8th, 2013. 

Go here to cast your vote now.

 

“Secret secrets never seen”

 

Among the delights at the V&A’s David Bowie is Exhibition are the numerous items even the Bowie uberfans had absolutely no knowledge of.

Gig posters by the sixteen-year-old David Jones in 1963 (years before the name change to Bowie) included designs for both The BOW-MEN and The Delta Lemons.

Well, now a printer’s proof for an album cover for the latter has surfaced, too late for the exhibition, but not too late for an exclusive here.

Apparently young Jones commissioned a local illustrator to create the sleeve for what would have been a live album.

The painting was based on a photograph of David and friends at a local dance and you can clearly make out which of the characters is David.

The mop of long blond hair is the giveaway, as evidenced in portraits of David with the Kon-Rads in the same year.

As for the tracklisting, we’ll probably never know as only the front cover was taken to proof stage and it is unknown whether there were serious plans to release it.

Fascinating to see how Jones was already aware of professional presentation at such a young age.

 

FOOTNOTE: We’re sure many of you will have noticed the date of this news item, but for those that didn’t, sorry folks, but the above tale is April Fool’s Day poppycock.

Of course, it’s based on a truth, in 1963 the sixteen-year-old David Jones did create artworks for The BOW-MEN and The Delta Lemons (as witnessed at the V&A), but the above is actually detail from a 1963 painting, by Doris Leireiser, called The Rockers courtesy of Wayne Hemingway’s splendid collection, Just Above the Mantelpiece: Mass Market Masterpieces. It’s a fine publication which, coincidentally, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook’s company, a name you may be familiar with.

You can view the complete unadulterated painting by scrolling the image above.