You can tell me all about it, On the next Bardo…
In their regular ‘Burn it!’ feature, this week’s NME has the Dove’s Jimi Goodwin choosing his “ultimate compilation” of ten all-time favourite tracks. One of the tracks that Jimi chose was David Bowie’s 1971 classic, ‘Quicksand’. And here’s what he had to say about it:
“If there’s an afterlife I’m buying Bowie’s version ? ‘Don’t believe in yourself/Don’t deceive with belief/Knowledge comes with death’s release’. That’s not fatalistic. It’s fucking Zen-like! Quicksand should be taught at primary… OK, maybe secondary schools! Sing it at morning assembly.”
Speaking of which, it would seem one school in Cheshire, in the UK have already picked up on a similar idea…
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Sisters, Beth (aged 8) and Kate Riley (9) yesterday.
Hey, hey, good morning girls…
The Woodheys School in Sale, Cheshire have indeed been enjoying the music of David Bowie at morning assembly this week. A pupil at the school, Kate Riley, explains:
“Every week in Assembly we have a ‘Composer of the Week’ and Mr Byrne plays the composer’s music as we go into the school hall – then he tells us things about the person he has chosen. In the past we’ve had Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Burt Bacharach. This week it’s been David Bowie. Mr Byrne has played four of David Bowie’s records so far this week, Space Oddity, Starman, Ziggy Stardust and Changes this morning…me and my sister Beth could sing along with all the songs, because my dad’s always playing them in the car!”
So, respect due to Mr Byrne and Mr Riley for flying the flag, and helping to point today’s youth in the right direction. In the same area, geographically at least…
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John Walker, proudly displays his £1,000 signed-by-Bowie guitar.
He played it right hand…
A guitar signed by David Bowie went for a very generous £1,000 ($1,575) to a certain Mr John Walker at a charity auction in Cheshire last week. The charity is in aid of the tragic Bowes family. One of the auction organisers sent in this report:
“On Wednesday 17th July 2002 a charity auction was held at the Queen Adelaide pub in Hyde, Cheshire, to raise money for a family of children whose mother died recently. James, Dean, Jade, Michael and Lisa Bowes were brought up by their mum Julie – who died unexpectedly two months ago.
The family are now being raised by their Grandmother Joyce – who has not only five children between the ages of 7 and 14 to cope with, but also faces the extra hardship of looking after the eldest boy, James, who suffers from a terminal illness.
The local community has arranged a series of money raising events, this auction being one of them. Several items were auctioned, including signed copies of both Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue’s most recent albums ? four tickets and VIP passes for the imminent Oasis gig at Lancashire County Cricket Club gig in Manchester (scene of David’s recent heralded return to the city) ? and most impressively, a guitar signed by David whilst in Manchester the previous week. It was bought by John Walker of Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire.”
Our thoughts are with the Bowes family at this very sad time. Thanks to Mr Walker and the auction organisers for their generosity.