Month: February 2016

 

“The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)”    

 

Judging by all of the recent David Bowie chart action, it’s safe to say that there are a lot of people discovering his music for the first time.

There are still two best of compilations currently sitting in the UK Official Albums Chart Top 20, with one of those, Best Of Bowie, at #3.

Some of you reading this may wish to explore further, a move encouraged by Reeves Gabrels, who wrote and recorded with Bowie on several albums, from the first Tin Machine LP in 1989, right up to ‘hours…’ in 1999.

Here’s a line from an interview with Reeves for MOJO last week…

 

“It would be wonderful if music fans took this opportunity to listen. Now is the time to go deep. There is a life’s work waiting there to be heard.”

 

Indeed there is and there’s no time like the present to begin that voyage of discovery.

 

 

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We’re kicking off with a Reeves co-write from the 1995 1. OUTSIDE album, The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels)

 

Produced by David Bowie, Brian Eno and David Richards, the track was never released as a single, but it was a firm live favourite on both the 1995/1996 Outside tour and the 1997/1998 Earthling tour.

 

Listen to The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) by David Bowie on Spotify.

 

Listen to The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) by David Bowie on Apple Music,

 

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#DBDCOTD  #BowieDeepCut

 

“Hey babe, it’s time to say goodbye*”

 

Rebel Rebel and Alabama Song are two Bowie 45s which were originally released on this day in 1974 and 1980 respectively. (February 15th)

The former was a Top 5 single on the UK chart while the latter peaked at #23.

Alabama Song was a fan favourite on the 1978 World Tour, so even though the record buying public may have found the unusual tempo and key changes a challenge, fans were glad that a studio version of the song had finally been made available.

The release was coupled with a new stripped back recording of Space Oddity which Bowie performed on UK TV with a video filmed especially for the Kenny Everett New Year’s Eve TV show, as the decades changed from the 70s to the 80s.

If you’ve not seen it before, view it here. Certain scenes may seem familiar.

*Today’s lyric quotation lifts a bit from Rebel Rebel and Alabama Song. You do the math.

 

#BowieRebelRebel  #BowieAlabamaSong

 

“Sue, I got the job”

 

It is with much pleasure that we can report that Maria Schneider has won two gongs at the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Maria won BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM, for her excellent The Thompson Fields album.

And she also picked up the award for BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS for her contribution to the Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) recording.

Tony Visconti (who co-produced the track with Bowie at Avatar Studios), posted this on his FB page…

 

“This just in from pre-broadcast Grammys: Maria Schneider just won the Grammy for best arrangement in the Jazz catagories, her arrangement for SUE (or in a season of crime)! She was in tears when she thanked David and me from the stage. Hooray for Maria! She’s a real talent, been working all her life, a student of Gil Evans. David would’ve been over the moon to hear this. I am so happy. This was reported by my handsome manager, Joe D’Ambrosio.”

 

All this in the very week that Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) hits its highest position in the Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 30 in the UK, where it currently resides at #4.

Congratulations to Maria and everybody involved in the making of this record.

 

#58thGrammyAwards  #MariaSchneider  #SchneiderBowie  #BowieVisconti

 

“They watch us from behind their shades”

 

Tilda Swinton paid tribute to her friend David Bowie while introducing The Man To Fell To Earth at a Berlinale Special screening on Friday night.

Swinton (co-star with David Bowie in the video for The Stars (Are Out Tonight)), gave a moving speech, from which, this excerpt…

 

“I have an interesting relationship to this film, I come from a family that has no connection to film at all, and when I was 17 I was ill in bed with glandular fever and I had read every book in the house. And my mother’s cousin was married to a screenwriter, and he bought me a screenplay to read. I’d never seen a screenplay in my life, and it was The Man Who Fell to Earth. And I’ve always felt a connection to the film for that reason, and also of course the first album I ever bought, several years before I had a record player, was Aladdin Sane, and I used to carry it around with me even though I couldn’t hear it, I could look at that picture.”

 

You can view the full thing on the Berlinale FB page.

Screen Daily also posted a review of the event here.

 

#TMWFTE  #BowieSwinton   #TJNewton

 

“We could steal time, just for one day”

 

Back on January 12, we told you about an event in New Orleans billed as:  Arcade Fire and Preservation Hall Jazz Band Present “Pretty Things” A Memorial Parade for Bowie.

Here’s an entry from the Arcade Fire FB page on that day:

 

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David Bowie was one of the band’s earliest supporters and champions. He not only created the world that made it possible for our band to exist, he welcomed us into it with grace and warmth. We will take to the grave the moments we shared; talking, playing music and collaborating as some of the most profound and memorable moments of our lives. A true artist even in his passing, the world is more bright and mysterious because of him, and we will continue to shout prayers into the atmosphere he created.

 

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Arcade Fire have now posted a 5:40 film of the parade on their YouTube channel. Check it out here.

See the FB event page for more footage.

 

#DavidBowie  #BowieTribute  #BowieArcadeFire

 

“And 300 thousand peoploids”

 

David Bowie’s ★ has officially reached Platinum status in the UK now that it has passed 300 thousand sales.

Though the album has now dropped to #5, it is still among eleven Bowie albums in the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100.

The full list of eleven Bowie albums in this week’s chart appears below:

 

03 – BEST OF BOWIE – PARLOPHONE

05 – BLACKSTAR – RCA

13 – NOTHING HAS CHANGED – THE VERY BEST OF DAVID BOWIE – PARLOPHONE

25 – HUNKY DORY – PARLOPHONE

31 – THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST – PARLOPHONE

47 – ALADDIN SANE – PARLOPHONE

57 – “HEROES” – PARLOPHONE

60 – THE NEXT DAY – RCA

67 – LOW – PARLOPHONE

87 – DIAMOND DOGS – PARLOPHONE

93 – STATION TO STATION – PARLOPHONE

 

View the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 here.

 

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  #BowieOCC

 

 

“…like my grandfather Jones…”

 

Congratulations to Duncan and Rodene Jones with the posting of their happy news on Twitter.

Duncan made the moving announcement, which was quickly followed by Rodene’s hilarious response…

 

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Duncan Jones ‏@ManMadeMoon 

1 month since dad died today. Made this card for him at Christmas. Due in June. Circle of life. Love you, granddad.

 

rodene jones @rodeneronquillo

Shame on those of you who just thought I was really fat and didn’t say anything. HAHA. 😉

 

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#BabyJones  #GranddadJones  #DuncanAndRodeneJones

 

It is with sadness that we report the news that Teddy Antolin has passed away.

 

Teddy was a former hairdresser for David on several tours, video shoots and photo sessions.

 

He will be missed.

 

“So I turned myself to face me”

 

David Bowie’s domination of the UK album chart continues apace, with the news today that ★ has finally been knocked from the top spot…by David Bowie!

He has seen off a strong challenge from Sia to claim the #1 spot for a fourth week, albeit with a different album.

Bowie has become the first act to knock themselves off the top of the Official Albums Chart in nearly six years, as the Best Of Bowie compilation, originally released in 2002, has replaced Blackstar at #1.

★ slips to #2, the last time any act held both top positions on the Official Albums Chart was Adele back in May 2011 (with 21 and 19).

Bowie retains 7 albums on this week’s Official Albums Chart Top 40 with a total of 14 albums in the Top 80.

Here’s the full list of the 14 Bowie albums in this week’s Official Albums Chart:

 

01 – BEST OF BOWIE – PARLOPHONE

02 – BLACKSTAR – RCA

08 – NOTHING HAS CHANGED – THE VERY BEST OF DAVID BOWIE – PARLOPHONE

19 – HUNKY DORY – PARLOPHONE

22 – THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST – PARLOPHONE

37 – ALADDIN SANE – PARLOPHONE

39 – “HEROES” – PARLOPHONE

45 – LOW – PARLOPHONE

51 – THE NEXT DAY – RCA

52 – STATION TO STATION – PARLOPHONE

57 – DIAMOND DOGS – PARLOPHONE

62 – YOUNG AMERICANS – PARLOPHONE

64 – SCARY MONSTERS – PARLOPHONE

79 – LET’S DANCE – PARLOPHONE

 

View the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 here.

 

#Blackstar  #imablackstar  #BlackstarAlbum  #BowieOCC