Month: December 2015

 

“We were born upside down”

 

The Mail on Sunday has made ★ Album Of The Week in the EVENT magazine supplement.

Here are a few edited excerpts from the full-page review by Tim de Lisle…

 

“At some point in the past 20 years, rock turned upside down. Young singers discovered that it was hip to be square, and the task of delivering the shock of the new fell into the hands of the old. The boldest single released by a big name in 2015 comes from a gentleman who qualified for his pension in 2012.”

 

“The David Bowie song Blackstar is very long, very dark and very strange, lasting ten minutes, feeling both contemporary and medieval. This is a proper Bowie single. It has reached four million people via a powerful video, which adds a blind prophet to the great gallery of his iconography.”

 

“Donny McCaslin’s dexterity suits Bowie’s voice, which switches as adroitly as ever from intimacy to melodrama, sorrow to anger, desperation to grandeur. His long break from touring since 2004 seems to have kept his voice fresh.”

 

“Lazarus, the new single and title track of the musical, is six minutes of slow-burning magic.”

 

“Bowie has something granted to only a few stars in the whole firmament: a licence to be bad. And he uses it, most of the time, to be very good.”

 

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  

 

“Born the wrong way round”

 

The Sunday Times has a half page profile of Bowie, including mentions of Lazarus the stage presentation and some quotations from an as yet unpublished review of the ★ album by Dan Cairns. Here are some excerpts from the piece.

 

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“Now comes Blackstar, an extraordinary new album, to be released in early January, to coincide with Bowie’s 69th birthday.

 

At a time when most people are slowing down, the Thin White Duke is having a surge of creative energy. Blackstar signifies yet another dramatic turn in Bowie’s output. Bleak and disturbing, the title track’s video is not for the delicate of disposition: eyes bound by bandages, Bowie wails into a blasted landscape, swirling with juddering human bodies and images of crucifixion. On the ground is what looks like the body of an astronaut, but when the helmet is lifted there is only a skull inside.

 

Dan Cairns, The Sunday Times’s pop music critic, says “His approach to making music is that of an actor immersing himself in a role. He’s been reading a lot of history books and that’s coming out in his fascination with demagogues, the tyrant behind the smile. The result is another masterclass in experimentation and reinvention. Working with young musicians has fired him up. Some of the songs are staggeringly beautiful, vocally he hasn’t sounded this strong for decades.””

 

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The full Dan Cairns review of the ★ album will appear in the paper’s Culture section next Sunday.

Meanwhile, you can read the profile of David Bowie here.

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  

 

“Look up here, I’m in heaven”

 

Happy Holidays!

 

 

#LazarusSingle  #LazarusVideo  #LazarusBowie  #Imablackstar  #Blackstar  

 

“And tomorrows of rich surprise”

 

The current issue (December 17-31, 2015) of Rolling Stone magazine in the US, has a two-page feature by Andy Greene titled: Bowie’s Newest Surprise, which is subtitled: “Secret meetings, jazz musicians and lots of Kendrik Lamar: Inside the sessions for Bowie’s adventurous new LP, Blackstar”.

Rolling Stone Deutschland has translated Andy’s piece for its German audience and put Bowie on the cover for good measure. (The US cover has characters from a film about an interplanetary war among the stars that seems a bit far-fetched.) 

There is also a four star review of ★ by Markus Schneider in the German issue and elsewhere in the mag there’s an appreciation of other albums in the Bowie canon that Rolling Stone Deutschland considers ground-breaking along with ★, such as Low, Lodger, The Buddha Of Suburbia, Outside and Earthling.

 

#RollingStoneBowie  #Blackstar #Imablackstar  #RSUS  #RSDE  

 

“Strange, mad celebration”

 

Out on February 26th 2016 is the vinyl box set of Bowie At The Beeb, originally mooted for release in 2000.

Previously released on CD the same year, this is the debut of the Best Of David Bowie’s BBC radio sessions from 1968 – 1972 on vinyl.

The 39-track 4-disk set comes in a lift off lid box and features a full colour 20 page booklet. This vinyl version features Oh! You Pretty Things from the Sounds Of The 70s Bob Harris session, broadcast in September 1971, which was previously exclusive to the Japanese release of the CD. This performance features just David and Mick Ronson as a duo.

Completely exclusive to this collection, and therefore making its debut, is the once lost The Supermen from the Sounds Of The 70s Andy Ferris session, broadcast in March 1970, and performed by The Hype. This recording was only rediscovered during the research for the original CD set and remained unreleased until now.

Keep reading for the tracklisting for the eight sides.

 

#BowieAtTheBeeb

 

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Bowie At The Beeb vinyl box tracklisting:

 

Record 1 Side 1:

 

1/ In The Heat Of The Morning

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Orchestra

Programme: John Peel In Top Gear

Recorded: 13th May, 1968

Transmitted: 26th May, 1968 and 26th June, 1968

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

2/ London Bye, Ta-Ta

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Orchestra

Programme: John Peel In Top Gear

Recorded: 13th May, 1968

Transmitted: 26th May, 1968 and 26th June, 1968

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

3/ Karma Man

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Orchestra

Programme: John Peel In Top Gear

Recorded: 13th May, 1968

Transmitted: 26th May, 1968 and 26th June, 1968

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

4/ Silly Boy Blue

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Orchestra

Programme: John Peel In Top Gear

Recorded: 13th May, 1968

Transmitted: 26th May, 1968 and 26th June, 1968

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

5/ Let Me Sleep Beside You

David Bowie and Junior’s Eyes

Programme: D.L.T. Show (Dave Lee Travis Show)

Recorded: 20th October, 1969

Transmitted: 26th October, 1969

Produced by Paul Williams

 

6/ Janine 

David Bowie and Junior’s Eyes

Programme: D.L.T. Show (Dave Lee Travis Show)

Recorded: 20th October, 1969

Transmitted: 26th October, 1969

Produced by Paul Williams

 

Record 1 Side 2:

 

1/ Amsterdam 

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

2/ God Knows I’m Good (3.38)

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

3/ The Width Of A Circle

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

4/ Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

Record 2 Side 1:

 

1/ Cygnet Committee

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

2/ Memory Of A Free Festival

David Bowie and The Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype)

Programme: The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel

Recorded: 5th February, 1970

Transmitted: 8th February, 1970

Produced by Jeff Griffin

Sound balance by Tony Wilson

Engineered by Chris Lycett

 

3/ Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

David Bowie and The Hype

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Andy Ferris 

Recorded: 25th March, 1970

Transmitted: 6th April, 1970

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

4/ The Supermen

David Bowie and The Hype

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Andy Ferris  

Recorded: 25th March, 1970

Transmitted: 6th April, 1970

Produced by Bernie Andrews

 

Record 2 Side 2:

 

1/ Bombers 

David Bowie and friends

Programme: In Concert: John Peel

Recorded: 3rd June, 1971

Transmitted: 20th June, 1971

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

2/ Looking For A Friend

David Bowie and friends

Programme: In Concert: John Peel

Recorded: 3rd June, 1971

Transmitted: 20th June, 1971

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

3/ Almost Grown

David Bowie and friends

Programme: In Concert: John Peel

Recorded: 3rd June, 1971

Transmitted: 20th June, 1971

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

4/ Kooks 

David Bowie and friends

Programme: In Concert: John Peel

Recorded: 3rd June, 1971

Transmitted: 20th June, 1971

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

5/ It Ain’t Easy

David Bowie and friends

Programme: In Concert: John Peel

Recorded: 3rd June, 1971

Transmitted: 20th June, 1971

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

Record 3 Side 1:

 

1 /The Supermen

David Bowie with Mick Ronson

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded: 21st September, 1971

Transmitted: 4th October, 1971

Produced by John Muir

 

2/ Oh! You Pretty Things

David Bowie with Mick Ronson

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded: 21st September, 1971

Transmitted: 4th October, 1971

Produced by John Muir

 

3/ Eight Line Poem

David Bowie with Mick Ronson

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded: 21st September, 1971

Transmitted: 4th October, 1971

Produced by John Muir

 

4/ Hang On To Yourself

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s

Recorded: 18th January, 1972

Transmitted: 7th February, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

5/ Ziggy Stardust

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s

Recorded: 18th January, 1972

Transmitted: 7th February, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

6/ Queen Bitch

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s

Recorded: 18th January, 1972

Transmitted: 7th February, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

Record 3 Side 2:

 

1/ Waiting For The Man

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s

Recorded: 18th January, 1972

Transmitted: 7th February, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

2/ Five Years

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s

Recorded: 18th January, 1972

Transmitted: 7th February, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

3/ White Light/White Heat

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Recorded: 16th May, 1972

Transmitted: 23rd May, 1972

Produced by Pete Ritzema

 

4/ Moonage Daydream

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Recorded: 16th May, 1972

Transmitted: 23rd May, 1972

Produced by Pete Ritzema

 

Record 4 Side 1:

 

1/ Hang On To Yourself

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Recorded: 16th May, 1972

Transmitted: 23rd May, 1972

Produced by Pete Ritzema

 

2/ Suffragette City

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Recorded: 16th May, 1972

Transmitted: 23rd May, 1972

Produced by Pete Ritzema

 

3/ Ziggy Stardust

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Recorded: 16th May, 1972

Transmitted: 23rd May, 1972

Produced by Pete Ritzema

 

4/ Starman 

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show

Recorded: 22nd May, 1972

Transmitted: 5th – 9th June, 1972

Produced by Roger Pusey

 

5/ Space Oddity

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show

Recorded: 22nd May, 1972

Transmitted: 5th – 9th June, 1972

Produced by Roger Pusey

 

Record 4 Side 2:

 

1/ Changes 

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show

Recorded: 22nd May, 1972

Transmitted: 5th – 9th June, 1972

Produced by Roger Pusey

 

2/ Oh! You Pretty Things

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show

Recorded: 22nd May, 1972

Transmitted: 5th – 9th June, 1972

Produced by Roger Pusey

 

3/ Andy Warhol

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded 23rd May, 1972

Transmitted: 19th June, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

4/ Lady Stardust

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded 23rd May, 1972

Transmitted: 19th June, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

5/ Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide

David Bowie and The Spiders From Mars

Programme: Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Recorded 23rd May, 1972

Transmitted: 19th June, 1972

Produced by Jeff Griffin

 

 

“Just like that bluebird”

 

Out now is the January/February 2016 edition of Rolling Stone France (RSFR), which has a one and a half page review of the ★ album and an eight-page feature, not to mention a Bowie front cover.

Both the review and the feature were written by Paola Genone, music critic (musicologist) at the French national magazine Madame Figaro and a regular writer for RSFR.

In the feature Paola interviews Donny McCaslin, Ben Monder, Mark Giuliana, Jason Linder, Tim Lefebvre and Ryan Keberle about their work on the album.

The ★ album has been given a five stars out of five review and it is the RSFR album of the month (actually for Christmas, Rolling Stone France covers two months, until February 15).

According to Paola the title of the review, “L’homme qui marche”, is a reference to Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti’s sculptures “L’homme qui marche” (“The Walking Man”).

Paola has kindly translated a portion of the review for us…

 

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“Bowie’s astonishing new work comes from the very border between jazz and electronica.

 

David Bowie knows how to write music for everybody, but he does it like nobody else…

 

In a bold move, ★ is a breath-taking live performance and a culmination of a lifetime of experimentation. Forty-two minutes and seven pieces meet at the crossroad of jazz, electronic improvisation, Kurt Weill’s musical theatre and rock’n’roll. Listening to “Blackstar” or to the lunar reprisal of “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)”, to Bowie’s cantato and all its modulations, to these sax and flute improvisations reminiscent of Ornette Coleman, one’s mind wonders : suddenly, one imagines Bowie and the musicians of ★ playing these songs at the MoMA, against the background of Pollock’s dripping canvases or Picasso’s sculpture Goat’s Skull, Bottle and Candle.

 

With ”Lazarus”, like a jazz musician reinventing a standard, David Bowie delivers a heart wrenching version, with deliberate urgency. The word « freedom » and the image of this « bluebird » that he sings about, reminds us of the Charles Bukowski poem, “Bluebird” : “There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out. But I’m too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes”.

 

With an ethereal voice, he tackles “Girl Loves Me”, incarnating at once the awkward fragility and the solid determination of Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture « Man Walking »…

 

The constraint of language falls apart when confronted by the encyclopaedic sonic, visual and literary scale of Bowie, the key to which we have searched so long and so fruitlessly for..”

 

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Read the full review online here.

 

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  #RollingStoneBowie  #RollingStoneFrance

 

“By the time I got to New York, I was living like a king”

 

As you surely know by now, David Bowie’s new single Lazarus (released globally in the digital format today), was performed by Michael C. Hall and the Lazarus cast and musicians on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.

Those who have access can watch the full broadcast here.

Otherwise you can view Michael C. Hall’s performance of Lazarus here on YouTube.

 

#LazarusSingle  #LazarusBowie  #Imablackstar  #Blackstar  

 

“Now ain’t that just like me”

 

An amusing ad for the aforementioned appearance by Michael C. Hall on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was posted ahead of the broadcast yesterday.

To make sense of our headline, go watch it here.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the US you can watch the full broadcast here.  

Otherwise view Hall’s version of Lazarus here on YouTube.

David Bowie’s new single Lazarus is released globally in the digital format today.

 

FOOTNOTE: Alongside the shot of Michael C. Hall last night is a picture of David Bowie from almost 40 years ago on the DINAH! show in February 1976.

 

#LazarusSingle  #LazarusBowie  #Imablackstar  #Blackstar  

 

“This way or no way”

 

Great review of ★ in The Telegraph by Neil McCormick today.

The piece is headed “With his new album, rock’s oldest futurist returns to his first love”, and here’s the concluding paragraph…

 

“Lazarus is currently the hottest theatre ticket in New York. How wonderful if all of this actually represents an entirely new phase in Bowie’s extraordinary career. How fantastic to have an album as rich and strange as Blackstar that refuses to yield in a few listens. It suggests that, like a modern day Lazarus of pop, Bowie is well and truly back from beyond.”

 

Read the full review online here.

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  #TheTelegraph

 

“Oh, look out you rock ’n rollers“

 

David Bowie’s Hunky Dory LP (his first for RCA), was released on this day in the UK in 1971. The album had already been released in the USA at this point, as had the attendant single, Changes.

However, despite a decent press campaign and very appreciative reviews, the record didn’t enter the UK Top 50 for another ten months and it took several more weeks before it entered the Top 20 at the height of Ziggymania.

It eventually peaked at #3, incredible when one considers how important a recording the majority of Bowie fans (and indeed, rock fans in general), consider Hunky Dory to be today.

If for some mad reason this masterpiece has escaped you thus far, prepare yourself for greatness here.

 

#DavidBowie  #HunkyDory  #HunkyDoryBowie