Ultra-chat Recap

We had a good bit of fun in the Ultrastar chat last night with the Bnetters that were in attendance, or at least it felt that way. So, for those of you that couldn't make it, we thought we'd re-cap the highlights for you.

New Ultrastars
To start the chat off, we introduced a few new Ultrastars. Most importantly we introduced Jeff, who is the head of customer service, and is the one answering all the info@ emails, all the prizes and LAW fulfillment issues. Jeff IS the man, he'll take care of you. So feel free to contact him with any concerns you may have. Jeff has a helper too, her name is Anita NewHelpSection... (cringe...)

New Help Section
The new help section is all about effective efficiency. That is, if you have a problem or question, your best bet is to first check out the SITEMAP/HELP section to see if you can find if your type of question or problem has already been answered. If it hasn't been answered, you can always send an email to Jeff through the provided form. Sending an email using the form will route your email to the proper person and get it answered much more efficiently that it would if you send a random email to info@davidbowie.com. Hopefully, this new help section will grow as questions become more frequently asked. Check it out.

Bowiestore
The Christmas season ended with a bang, and regretfully we weren't able to have our newest product in the store before it was to late to make a great gift of it. Live and Well is now available for purchase in the Bowiestore. The exclusive double disc set comes with an annual subscription to Bowienet and can be purchased as a gift. YES! Now you can give Bowienet as a gift! Also, you can get 5 percent back on merchandise purchases by joining the Bowiestore Affiliate program. Some people have already joined and are getting cash in their mailbox as you read this. Check out store.davidbowie.com for more info and be sure to stop by regularly to keep up with all the latest and most exclusive bowie stuff.

MOW Radio
As you may remember, about a month ago ( see 12/06/01 NEWS: THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS...) we conducted a poll to sort out what to do with the MOW Radio. The results were to have a chat and discuss possible solutions. Thus, after the chat, we have what we think is a very good solution.

In a few weeks, your user profiles will contain 2 new elements: a new field called "MOW Radio Playlist", and a link to the full BowieRadio Playlist. To create your list, simply copy and paste 10 or 20 tracks from the full playlist into the "MOW Radio Playlist" field and save your profile. (don't worry, if you aren't getting this quite yet, there will be full instructions posted when the feature launches : )

New Bowienet Features
The newest Bowienet feature will be with us in just a few days. The Bowienet Poll will give you all the power to shape the future of Bowienet. Everytime a new poll question is posted, your votes will give us a clear idea as to what direction Bowienet should go - and as long as David is cool with it, it will most likely go there. The new poll engine also gives you the ability to submit your own ideas for future polls. All this is part of an effort to have you all even more involved with shaping the site and turning your experience here into one of the more organic ones available on the internet. Look for the Polls in the MUTATIONS box on the Bowienet home page.

Read David's First Journal Of 2002

"Milton Keynes with palm trees..." Now what's he on about?

Sending me so far away, so far away...

David may not have been around quite as much as many of you would have liked recently, but if you go check out the new journal you'll see why.

Reminder For Chat And Give- Aways Tonight

What could be nicer for you...

Don't forget to come and join us in chat for a bit of fun and feedback this evening at 5:00 PM (EST). As we said a couple of days back, (01/07/02 NEWS: WIN BOWIE GOODIES FOR HAVING YOUR SAY) topics for discussion include the way ahead for MOW Radio, a new Help section, BowieStore, and some other new Bnet Features.

You should swot up on your Bowie trivia this afternoon too, as we'll be digging into the vaults for some groovy Bowie prizes for you to win.

Happy Birthday To You...

There's a starman waiting in the sky...

Where would the song that started all the fuss, 'Starman', be without the year 1947?

"I leaned back on my radio"...couldn't have done that without the transistor which was invented in 1947. "Look out your window I can see his light"...UFO sightings were invented in 1947, with the very first sighting officially recorded that year. Not to mention The Roswell Incident of 1947.

And, of course, 'Starman' couldn't have existed without the birth of David Bowie...yes you guessed it, spookily that was 1947 too! Yes siree, 55 years ago today David Bowie was born in the back garden of 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton, London...in a wheelbarrow during an air raid!*

As I post this, the message boards are already heaving with birthday wishes for David, but whether you've already posted or not, please feel free to send your own personal birthday wish to David, by clicking on the image above.

Also, don't forget to watch the Performance Channel today...see the BowieCalendar for details, and if you're in the London area tonight, why not pop along to the Pin Ups club for a special Bowie Birthday Bash! Go here for more details.

Whatever you're up to today, I know everybody reading this will want to join us all here at BowieNet in wishing David a very happy and healthy 55th birthday.

*Sorry, I made that bit up!

Runeee And The Loonies!

We're* happy, hope you're happy too

Here's another little treat to mark this 'Happy Birthday!' day. Click on this link and check out the 'Featured Work of the Week' in our gallery. You will find a new and rather special version of Ziggy Stardust, recorded on MP3 by no less than eight of our members, and mixed and posted by RuneKJ, in honour of David's 55th birthday.

LaLaLinda, one of the singers, told us, "Rune got eight of us together and asked us to sing Ziggy Stardust so he could compile our voices together to create this song. Rune played the guitar and has done a wonderful job. You can't help but smile when you hear this."

She's absolutely right about the smile. :)))) So go and enjoy and smile away...

*I'm

Win Bowie Goodies For Having Your Say

They say hey that's really something...

There will be an Ultrastar/BowieNet chat on Wednesday, January 9th at 5:00 PM (EST). Topics for discussion include the way ahead for MOW Radio, a new Help section, BowieStore, and other new Bnet Features. And as ever, we would enjoy your input.

As if a general groovy time and loads of fun isn't enough of an incentive to join in, how does the chance to win a load of Bowie goodies and some more of those valuable points grab ya? Click on the image above and scroll down to see some of the incredible prizes given away in chat last September.

Win Bowie Goodies For Having Your Say

They say hey that's really something...

There will be an Ultrastar/BowieNet chat on Wednesday, January 9th at 5:00 PM (EST). Topics for discussion include the way ahead for MOW Radio, a new Help section, BowieStore, and other new Bnet Features. And as ever, we would enjoy your input.

As if a general groovy time and loads of fun isn't enough of an incentive to join in, how does the chance to win a load of Bowie goodies and some more of those valuable points grab ya? Click on the image above and scroll down to see some of the incredible prizes given away in chat last September.

Have You Seen This?

As an added bonus to our regular Friday news, here is a fun little gem we've unearthed for you. It's an oldie but it's a goodie. Enjoy!

Bowiephiles

David Bowie as the really very odd Phillip Jeffries
in David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me'.

What's Really Happening?
In case you hadn't noticed yet, Spaceface has updated the BowieCalendar for January. Depending on your geographical location, you can view films that include performances from David, such as: B.U.S.T.E.D. (aka Everybody Loves Sunshine), Basquiat, Absolute Beginners, Mr Rice's Secret, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and The Hunger.

Also listed is a broadcast starting on our man's birthday next Tuesday, when the digital only Performance Channel begins a three-day run of a new David Bowie profile compiled from Alan Yentob's meetings with David over the years. Yentob was the man behind the superb 'Cracked Actor' documentary and the 'Changes Bowie at 50' programme from 1997. He also interviewed David in Berlin during the 1978 tour for Arena Rock. Here's the blurb for the programme:

"If David Bowie ever needed his very own Boswell, he wouldn?t have to look far: BBC culture vulture Alan Yentob has met the rock star at regular intervals since the first explosion of fame in the early 70s up to the present day. These insightful interviews have all been brought together for this in-depth profile ? going from glam rock, to Brian Eno and Berlin, through the lucrative Let?s Dance years, to the new technology guru of today."

Have to admit I can't find out much about this one, and the way it reads, it could almost be that the Performance Channel have just licensed the 'Changes Bowie at 50' programme. Still, all will be revealed on Tuesday.

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A most peculiar way...
Funny chap Adam Sandler can be seen singing a couple of lines from 'Space Oddity' in the trailer for his latest movie, Mr. Deeds. Hilariously, he sings into one of those electrical appliances some ladies keep in their handbags...well, as do some men too I guess. Hi Rex.

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We can beat them, Just for one day...
BowieNetter Vaun Norman informs me that "Hereos"/"Helden" was used by BskyB's Soccer Extra programme in the UK as a backdrop for the "5-1 drubbing of Germany". I'm guessing the broadcast was an end of year look back, as the original game took place in September. Vaun also claims that pretty much the whole song was used, not bad considering the track is over six minutes long!

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The Duke and Carlos in '76. That's Carlos on the right.

Boy could he play guitar...
Both PattiBowie and Bladz have forwarded news of a rare live Carlos Alomar performance at THE BOTTOM LINE in New York on January 17th. You're all familiar with the work Carlos has done with David over the years, and as David pointed out in a recent journal, Carlos has contributed to the new album too. Here's the stuff you need to know:

In Association With The NY Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences: "NOTHIN' BUT...GUITARS" Featuring CARLOS ALOMAR, SHARON ISBIN, VERNON REID, NILE ROGERS and STEVE VAI takes place live at the The Bottom Line, 15 West 4th St (Cor. Mercer) NY 10012. Doors Open 6PM for 7:30 Show/10PM for 10:30 Show. For more Information call: 212-502-3471.

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Video crime...
Some of the fun that was captured at the recent plaque unveiling at The Rat & Parrot (12/07/01 NEWS: BECKENHAM REMEMBERS DAVID BOWIE AND THE ARTS LAB) is now available on video, and it features:

The Unveiling of the Plaque
Interview with Mary Finnigan and Christine Ostrom
Interview with David Bebbington
Interview with Ken Simmons
Interview with Avril Barrymore
Steve Harley's short live set (Excepting 'Sebastian')
Photographs of David Bowie in 1969 and the Beckenham Free Festival

Unfortunately it seems that none of the evening's outrageous behaviour was captured for this video. Susans, Spaceface, Rednik and a cast of loads breathe a collective sigh of relief!Prices including VAT and postage: UK £14.95, Europe £15.95, Rest of the World £17.95. Price includes donation to the Chernobyl Children Life Line Charity.

How to buy
Send a cheque or postal order to:
EditPoint
Medway Enterprise Centre
Enterprise Close
Rochester
Kent ME2 4SY
UK

oryou can telephone your order and give your card number over the phone 01634 720321 (+44 1634 720321 from outside UK)

orsend an email to video@editpoint.co.uk

EditPoint can take credit card payments but they do not have a secure site. You can include your card details in an email if you wish but you do so at your own risk.If you are going to do this it may be a good idea to send your number over two emails.

Xfm Listeners Vote For 'life On Mars?' Again

'LIFE ON MARS?' video shoot 1973 © Mick Rock.

It's about to be writ again...

The kids with their collective finger on the pulse of good taste, have proved that David Bowie's placing in the top ten of THE X-LIST last year wasn't just a flavour-of-the-moment type thing. (11/16/00 NEWS: XFM LISTENERS VOTE FOR 'LIFE ON MARS?') You will no doubt recall that Xfm, the UK champion of alternative music, runs a listener-voted annual chart compiled from Xfm listeners' three all-time favourite tracks.

Despite a year of relative public inactivity, David Bowie has remained in the minds of voters who have kept 'Life On Mars?' in the top ten of THE X-LIST 2001. Here is the full top ten with last year's placings in brackets:

01. Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit' (25)
02. Radiohead 'Creep' (36)
03. Stone Roses 'I Am The Resurrection' (4)
04. The Clash 'London Calling' (10)
05. The Smiths 'How Soon Is Now' (34)
06. David Bowie 'Life On Mars?' (2)
07. Blur 'Song 2' (14)
08. The Beatles 'Revolution' (15)
09. Radiohead 'Just' (1)
10. The Strokes 'The Modern Age' (New)

As if to endorse this public feeling, Coldplay included 'Life On Mars?' on their playlist when they took over the station's airwaves in the regular Hijack feature a couple of weeks ago. The Cure, who were guests of the show the previous month, included 'Ziggy Stardust' on theirs. Good stuff, eh?

Site Of The Month

"The language is not intellectual, it goes straight to the body, to the senses, to the soul."

The first Site of the Month for 2002 comes to us from Buenos Aries, Argentina. This amazingly unique and innovative piece of performance art is a sensory driven, total body experience.

Check out the Site of the Month to get a look at this Latin-flavored performance from the outside, which is about as close as you'll ever get without a pair of tickets!

New David Asks

Here are we...

"Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans." ...So reckoned Betty Talmadge, American meat broker and cookbook author. Among those of us that agreed with that observation was that other great modern thinker, John Lennon, who agreed so strongly that he adapted it for his song 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)'.

And, what has all of this to do with David Asks, you are most likely enquiring? Well, go check it out and all will become clear.

Happy New Year To All Bowienetters

Good god! was it really yesterday?

Happy New Year to everyone reading this from all of us here at BowieNet. As I've said more than once before, 2002 promises to be a very exciting year for us Bowie fans. A new album on David's own label, a promise of some sort of live appearances, Ziggy celebrations and plenty of other stuff we've yet to find out about.

But, who was it that said "You have to hug the past before you can embrace the future"? Well, I'll be damned if I know...but in the spirit of that message, we present Spaceface and Susan's look back at 2001. Due to space restrictions, this is but a small sample of what actually happened last year, but with your help I think the girls have pretty well mentioned all of the more memorable events from a very memorable year.

We are aware that not every corner of BowieNet is covered by this page, but a little bird tells me that Seven is working on another of her brilliant 'Inside' projects for 2001, which will no doubt incorporate submissions from The Gallery and the Message Boards.