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Gad, Tv & Ky Shows, Plus Gad Caption Competition

"They tell me I can blow..." Gail Ann celebrates her 40th birthday in NYC
last week...She says the birthday cakes were: "made solely by my best friend
Sara Lee - the bass player, NOT the baker!" Picture taken by Tony Visconti.

I found the secrets, I found gold...

I've had word from Gail Ann Dorsey that she is playing a couple of shows at The Bottom Line club next Friday the 6th December. Here are the details:

GAIL ANN DORSEY will be opening for Alana Davis on Friday, December 6th, 2002 at THE BOTTOM LINE, 15 West 4th Street @ Mercer New York, NYShowtimes are 7:30 PM and 10:30 PM and reservations can be made on (212) 228 6300

The very next evening, (one week from today) Tony Visconti plays Joe's Pub with his band again. The lead singers for this show will be Kristeen Young, Richard Barone, Daphne Rubin Vega (star of Rent) and Everett Bradley.

The aforementioned Kristeen Young is playing with her band at CBGBs on December 17th at 8:30pm, and also at The Common Space in St. Louis on Dec. 28th, at 9:00pm.

Do try and get along to these shows if you can, and if you get to say hello to anybody please do send all of our very big BowieNet love.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GAIL ANN DORSEY CAPTION COMPETITION

"Get away from the cakes, I'm pre-menstrual and I've got a great big knife."
Another great TV shot from Gail's party, and your chance to better my caption.

I think the heading is a pretty good clue as to what you have to do here. Simply compose a better caption than I have for the above picture (shouldn't be too hard) and send it to me at TotalBlamBlam@davidbowie.com with a subject line of "I've written a better GAD caption than you, Blammo!". If you don't send your entry from a BowieNet e-mail account, please be sure to include your user name, or you will not be entered.

The three best captions we receive will each get a jolly impressive GAD related prize. One of those prizes may very well be a brilliant gift from the woman herself (presuming she can find it) in the form of a signed black & white photo of a 15/16-year-old Gail in the 70's, wearing a Peter Frampton iron-on T-shirt, a Scorpio baseball cap, and playing a Guild electric guitar!! How cool is that?

The competition will run until midnight UK time on Thursday December 5th...so get your thinking cap on and give us all giggle. };-)

categories: News
Friday 11.29.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Db Makes Two More Top Tens & Vote In Virgin Top 100

The toppest top of all the tops

The recent BBC celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Official UK Singles Chart included a vote by 188,357 listeners to determine the Top 100 No 1's from all of that period. Each voter had to choose 50 songs from a list of all 942 - so they deserved a pat on the back for their persistence at least. David emerged with three songs in the popular Top 100, one of which was in the Top 10:-

1 Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
2 John Lennon - Imagine
3 Beatles - Hey Jude
4 Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
5 George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
6 Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
7 Animals - The House Of The Rising Sun
8 Abba - Dancing Queen
9 Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
10 Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
25 David Bowie - Space Oddity
75 David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes

The Guardian have the Top 100 in it's entirety, listed in this article, and The Times said:-

The chart of No 1s, compiled to mark the 50th anniversary of the UK charts, reveals the enduring popularity of Lennon, McCartney, David Bowie and the Beach Boys.

Not to be outdone, NME, who of course 'invented' the charts and published the first list on November 14th 1952, followed with their own Top 100, voted for by the current NME staff. They say:-

Our list is not based on sales. It's simply the singles that have touched us deepest, the 100 singles of the last half-century that have indelibly marked our souls. Voted for by NME staff, our chart brings together innovators, outsiders, superstars, people in torment and people on top of the world. Artists, in other words, with nothing in common but the immortality of their music.

David had two songs in this critic's chart and once again, one in the Top 10:-

1 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
2 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
3 The Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK
4 The Rolling Stones - Paint It, Black
5 David Bowie - 'Heroes'
6 The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
7 The Smiths - This Charming Man
8 Oasis - Live Forever
9 Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
10 The Clash - London Calling
56 David Bowie ? Starman

In celebration of this 50th anniversary, a 42 track double CD '50 Years of the Greatest Hit Singles' (cover above) is available now, featuring both "Heroes" and 'Under Pressure'.

If all of this talk of lists has whetted your appetite, then Virgin Radio is the place to go next. They have just announced an online vote to find the Top 100 Great British Artists, the results of which will be announced on air on New Year's Eve. Check it out, here.

:))

categories: News
Friday 11.29.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Db Online Round-up

All the 'sonic' dreams in my mind's eye

The November issue of MIX magazine, "The world's leading magazine for commercial and project studio recording", has two interesting articles featuring db. Firstly, as part of the magazine's annual look at vocal-recording techniques, they chose four stylistically different recent CD's and talked to the respective engineers. Tony Visconti does the honours for 'Heathen'.

The magazine says:- Bowie is an even better singer today than he was during the earlier decade-plus he worked with Visconti. And both remain committed to taking chances in the studio: Heathen is loaded with brilliant and unusual instrumental and vocal touches; it's quite a tour de force all the way around. Tony talks at length about David's often 'off the cuff' methods of working and says:- I guess only Bowie can work this way. His mind is mercurial, and his vocal chops are first-class!

Check out the whole thing, which is altogether a fascinating insight into the making of 'Heathen' with lots to please the techies among you, here. (Thanks EOS)

The second article is even more technical and describes the sound facility as observed on the last night of the Area 2 tour in Seattle. So if you want to know what kind of mics David and the band were using and whether or not the FOH engineer liked his mixing desk, then go here. (Thanks EOS)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got believers

EOS must have been on a roll last weekend, and his next offering is not available online so he's very kindly transcribed it for you. This month's Keyboard Magazine has an interview with Rick Wakeman ('Hunky Dory' and 'Space Oddity' musician and notable keyboardist) and he's asked:-

"Was there on artist who had the biggest influence on the direction you took?"

His reply:- Studio-wise, David Bowie. I learned so much from David in the studio. He was always very well prepared when he went in. He used to be 80-percent ready when he went into the studio, and the studio would take you that last 20 percent. He still writes everything on a battered old 12-string guitar. He used to say, "Why don't you go over to that old piano. Don't bother with all those new sounds yet. If you sound good on a battered old piano or a battered old 12-string, then when we start adding good sounds, it can only get better."

You know, when you listen to something and somebody goes, "What do you think of that track?" You usually say, "Wow, great sounds," which often means, "crap songs." But if you pull away the sounds, you see what you've got left. I learned a lot from David and his producers, Tony Visconti and Ken Scott.

In that particular era, the early '70's, David was a big influence on how I worked. And he always said you've got to do what you believe in. He said that if you really believe in something when you do it, then the people you've got to convince are the audience - not the heads of record companies. He always considered those to be complete and utter idiots. I think to a lot of extent sometimes he's right. They don't know a hatchet from a crotchet.

And the danger is, sometimes people in record companies, because they have no talent themselves, try to get the bands and musicians they've got to play what they would like. And that's absolutely crazy, because they don't have the imagination to do that. If you were an editor of a publishing company and had a great author, say Steven King, and you asked him to come in, and said, "I'm looking forward to your next book. Oh, by the way, it would be really good if you could have a couple car crashes, boats sinking, and a bit of racism. Apart from that you can do what you like." Steven King would say, "Who's writing this book, you or me?"

But that's what happened to so much in the record industry; they tell their bands what they want, which is actually disgraceful. And I've always admired David, who'd put two fingers up and say, "I do what I do, and if you don't like it, that's tough." There's so much music, so many bands sounding the same these days.

(Thanks EOS)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You should spend the morning lying to your father

There is also a brand new interview with David, online at lam-online.com - the web version of 'Living Abroad Magazine'. 'Vinyl' first posted the link on our boards, but it's well worth repeating here for those of you who may have missed it. Here are a couple of extracts:-

Most Spinal Tap moment

"Oh God! I thought [the 1986 movie] Labyrinth got pretty damn near it, but I was made to do that. What ones did I do of my own volition? That's more telling, isn't it? I've always hated the way I looked when I was with the King Bees [in 1965]. Yeah, it was that coalman's jacket I used to wear, the leather kinda waistcoaty affair. It was very long and it had no sleeves. It was what coalmen used to wear to put their sacks over their backs but I thought it was an interesting fashion item! My hair was none too clever either," he chuckles.

BowieNet

He brews his first cup at 5am, when he logs onto www.davidbowie.com to check what his beloved cyber "community" has said about him during the night. The level of his involvement is astonishing. He has personally programmed three streaming radio stations, he diarises regularly, updates recommended reading and web links and participates in promotions, discussions and feedback.Bowie's tone is jovial, generous and, yes, fatherly. Far from the icy enigma of Ziggy Stardust, here's a pop icon who seems to genuinely love hanging with his homies.

"Oh yeah, I do," he says. "And I also get angry with them and wanna tick 'em off sometimes. I'm forever correcting 'em: 'No I didn't! That was Ozzy Osbourne, not me!' Someone once told me, 'David, don't explain, don't complain.' But I've never taken that to heart. I always wanna say, 'You got that wrong!'"

Most valuable contribution to rock'n'roll

"I would like to think I opened up a lot of avenues for people to explore," he says with measured modesty. "More than anything else I like the idea that what I did was a liberalising experience in a way and took music away from a kind of claustrophobia and narrow-mindedness. It certainly opened it up a bit."

There's also a slightly suspect, although not altogether bad if you can get past the 'Mrs Malaprop' song and album titles, analysis of David's output. Check out the whole thing, here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'He' planted seeds of rebirth

and finally - are you still awake at the back? - 'feed your head' with this from Grammy.com. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of 'Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars', John Sutton-Smith gives an appraisal of that album and looks back over the whole of David's career. The article is eminently quotable and bang-on in most cases, for this 'homie' anyway. He says:-

It's hard for a rock star to remain cool for more than a few years. But David Bowie ? the constantly changing and elusive "chameleon, comedian, Corinthian and caricature" as he sang on Hunky Dory's "The Bewlay Brothers" ? has managed it for more than 30 years.

So this year's 30th anniversary of the release of The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars prompts an appreciation of the landmark album, both for its own sake as a work of remarkable originality and power, and for its astonishing influence on the birth of a number of seminal musical genres, crossing barriers of both style and gender.

and

It is no exaggeration to say that disco would not have had the same style and sophistication if not for the groundbreaking Young Americans album that presaged that era.

Likewise, his collaborations with producer Brian Eno (sic) on Low and Heroes helped popularize a techno-production style that was the foundation for the then future world of electronica.

and

As for Ziggy, a 1972 Cashbox review of the album, which Bowie's label RCA used in their promotions, said in part, "If they are still putting phonograph records in time capsules, then we would like to recommend the new Bowie for inclusion. David's latest full-scale invasion of the mind is the telling saga of a rock and roll star's trek through a garden of unearthly delights ... It's an electric age nightmare*. It's a cold hard beauty. It's another example of the shining genius of David Bowie. An album to take with you into the 1980's."

And well beyond.

To steal from TBB, "you know what to do" for the whole thing. (Thanks to Bonster for the link)

*Grammy say 'beauty' here, which is probably a copy typing mistake, spotted by our eagle-eyed news editor.

:))

categories: News
Thursday 11.28.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Db Wishes You All A Happy Thanksgiving

David reflects on another great Bowie year, and he was only half way through it at the time.
DB in pensive mood at this year's BowieNet Roseland show in NYC. Pic by Total Blam Blam.

I'm happy, hope you're happy too...

David has posted a thanksgiving message for you lot on the MBs... Everyone here at BowieNet would like to join him in wishing you all a lovely time... and all that other thanksgiving type stuff. Lucky sods, we don't have such a groovy national holiday such as this over here, but we'll be with you in spirit.

BowieNet members can read David's message by clicking on the image above.

categories: News
Wednesday 11.27.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Db Wishes You All A Happy Thanksgiving

David reflects on another great Bowie year, and he was only half way through it at the time!
DB in pensive mood at this year's BowieNet Roseland show in NYC. Pic by Total Blam Blam.

I'm happy, hope you're happy too...

David has posted a thanksgiving message for you lot on the MBs... Everyone here at BowieNet would like to join him in wishing you all a lovely time... and all that other thanksgiving type stuff. Lucky sods, we don't have such a groovy national holiday such as this over here, but we'll be with you in spirit.

BowieNet members can read David's message by clicking on the above image.

categories: News
Wednesday 11.27.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowienetter Derek Remixes Tweaker

and now he is a puppet dancer...

BowieNetter Derek Donovan, (who is enjoying some relief from a blocked vas deferen) has informed us of his latest remix project that he has created as his alter ego, Love Among Puppets. Derek has remixed an original Tweaker tune called 'Take Me Alive', which we reckon is such a good piece of work, that you ought to be the first to hear it... Not YOU personally, (who knows if YOU'LL be the first?) but BowieNet collectively...

Anyway, I'm rambling now, so I'll hand you over to Derek himself, who has written a bit just for you... Not YOU personally... (Stop that, stop that...too silly)

BowieNet, in association with Waxploitation Records and Love Among Puppets, is happy to feature the world premier of a brand-new remix from Tweaker. As most Bowiephiles already know, Tweaker is the new solo project from Chris Vrenna, longtime Nine Inch Nails drummer who appeared with our man db on the Outside tour. Vocals on this song are courtesy Craig Wedren, legendary frontman for Shudder To Think, as well as the voice for the (very) fictional Brian Slade in the film "Velvet Goldmine."

Charter BowieNet member Derek Donovan is the man responsible for this remix of the Tweaker tune "Take Me Alive," from the album "The Attraction to All Things Uncertain." Derek first came to Bnet's attention when db gave him the Special Creativity Award in the Cyber Song contest. He's been working under the LAP name since 1993, releasing original music and numerous remixes for other artists.

This Love Among Puppets remix will be featured on the upcoming Tweaker DVD. Enjoy this exclusive first listen!

Well done Derek, great stuff. This gives a whole new meaning to LAP dancing. I'm sure this remix will lead to more work for you, and I do hope the swelling reduces a little soon... though I have to say it did make you look rather impressive!

BowieNetters can now enjoy that exclusive first listen by clicking on the image above.

categories: News
Wednesday 11.27.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Spaceface Reports - Do Believe The Hype!

Is it a bird? Is it a dame? No...It's Rainbow Man!
Rare colour shot of DB at the Roundhouse 1970.

Tapping out your memories...

Our very own Spaceface has created a wonderful page relating to just one of the events in the book we told you about recently, 'A Promoter's Tale - Rock At The Sharp End' by Geoff Docherty. (10/15/02 NEWS: BOWIENETTERS MAKE GOOD (PART 236)) As you know, Spaceface helped edit the book, and obviously the event she has focused on for us, is David's gig with The Hype at The Fillmore North in Sunderland on 13th March 1970.

Apart from the stuff in the book, Spaceface has managed to get some eye-witness reports and she's also salvaged some of the bits that didn't make the book. I won't spoil it by giving too much away, but one of the issues raised by the piece is what David actually wore on the night. Unfortunately, there are no actual pictures from the night, all the shots used here and in Spaceface's piece are from the show at The Roundhouse a couple of days earlier on the 11th.

DB and TV with THAT collar at the Roundhouse.
Inset: the original ad for the Fillmore North show.

Mike Brown, an attendee at the Fillmore show is pretty sure David wore the cape with the huge collar that Hype Man (aka Tony Visconti, see pic above) wore at the Roundhouse show two days earlier. 32 years later, neither Rainbow Man or Hype Man's memories were particularly enlightening. When I asked David if TV and DB were into a bit of role reversal for the Hype shows, this is what he said:

"All I know is that it's more than likely, what with our budget an' all."

Tony wasn't much bloody use either! };-)

"Okay. I saw a brief film clip on the recent A&E Biography where I thought I saw David wearing that cape! I don't have time to view the entire tape, but I'm certain I saw him wearing the cape."

First person to e-mail me a still from the scene Tony is referring to gets something groovy from the vaults. Click on either of the images above to take you to Spaceface's page, and do check out Geoff's book if you get a chance...it's a jolly good read.

categories: News
Tuesday 11.26.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Pre Order The Limited Edition Rex Ray Poster

categories: News
Tuesday 11.26.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Limited Signed Rex Ray Db Print In Bowiestore & More

If you want it, boys, get it here, thing...

As most of you know from the e-mail you should have received today, there are a few new items for sale in the BowieStore. First up is a 20" x 16" limited edition print of the image created by Rex RayThe print is limited to just 100 copies, numbered and signed by both David Bowie and Rex Ray, and for three weeks it's available to BowieNetters only... so get your skates on kidz.

"Growl, growl, woof, woof... Are you barking mad? I said Diamond Dogs, not
bleedin' Ziggy Stardust! Is that Rex a dog? Must be with a name like that?"

Other new additions to the store include two new Bowie hats... A Ziggy Stardust baseball cap, as modelled by Henry above, and a Diamond Dogs logo cap. Click on either of the images to take you to the relevant pages. Next week, my cat Lulu models a very stylish Bowie nightie. };-)

While you're over at the store you may want to check out the Holiday Packages, which, while they contain no new items, are a great way of purchasing several collectibles at a reduced rate, just in time for your best Bowie-deprived friend's Thanksgiving/Christmas gift!

categories: News
Tuesday 11.26.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Best Of Bowie Dvd Stays At The Top

Things seem good again...

Last week we told you about the BoB DVD going straight into the Music DVD chart at number one. (11/20/02 NEWS: BoB DVD ENTERS UK CHART AT NUMBER ONE!) Well the good news is that, despite heavy competition, the two-disc set has remained at the top of the chart.

BowieNetter Rus kindly sent me the scan above from trade magazine, Home Entertainment Week (HEW). There wasn't enough room here to use more than the top five, but I'm sure Rus will post the whole top 20 on the MBs if you ask him nicely.

Well done to everybody involved with making the BoB DVD such a success, particularly to David for having the vision to create such timeless work that's just as exciting now, as it was when it was first shown.

categories: News
Monday 11.25.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

The Gallery And Mow Have Been Refreshed.

categories: News
Monday 11.25.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowienetters Organise London Guided Tour And Party

Screaming above Central London...

BowieNetters LadyArt and Linda have sent me details of a fairly ambitious guided tour that they are planning for any of you BowieNetters that are going to be in London around February or early March 2003. The exact date of the event will be arranged around the re-opening of the Rat & Parrot in Beckenham, when the establishment will revert to its former name, The Three Tuns, when it will also host a party that the girls are organising for the evening.

The daytime tour commences with a tour of Hammersmith Apollo at 10.45am, and continues throughout the afternoon to take in all of the obvious London Bowie landmarks. Then it's on to The Three Tuns for what promises to be a very entertaining evening.

When I described the event as "ambitious" above, this was not intended as a slur on the organisational skills of LadyArt and Linda, more an understanding of what half of you lot will be like after a liquid lunch! That phonebox in Heddon Street is gonna feel the strain alright!

Anyway, I'll hopefully be able to make it on the day to take a few snaps for posterity... but don't let that put you off, I'll do what I can to make sure that even the most slaughtered of you are portrayed in a most sympathetic light... yeah, right!

Click on the image above to take you to LadyArt and Linda's "BowieNetters London Tour 2003" mini site, where you can see a more detailed breakdown of events, and proposed ticket prices, etc. This looks like being a pretty memorable event, and I'll hopefully see you there. };-)

I'm duty bound to point out that the "BowieNetters London Tour 2003" is not an official BowieNet event. BowieNet and UltraStar have no involvement with the organisation of this event, so please do not aim any of your enquiries at us. The organisers can be contacted through the aforementioned "BowieNetters London Tour 2003" mini site.

categories: News
Monday 11.25.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Tmwfte Dvd Competition Winners

Guess it's over...

Yesterday's competition to win one of five copies of the Region 2 DVD of 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' is now over. Probably one of the most irritating contests I've ever dreamt up, but a bit of fun all the same. The key was in finding the original competition that was posted on 08/04/02, once you had that you were away!

I have to admit, the whole thing was over far quicker than I had imagined, it was done and dusted in a twelve hour period... I expected it to go on for months! Anyway, we got our five winners, (listed below) who should all furnish me with their real name and address. (Already got Kiless's and Maarten's.)

sandyscandy
Kiless
ziggy1972
Maarten
ts25

For those of you that are still interested, here is the solution:

08/04/02 = Number One
08/31/02 = Number Two
09/09/02 = Number Three
11/11/02 = Number Four
06/30/02 = Number Five
11/24/02 = Number Six

I apologise again for the things that wound people up about this competition, and I promise to make the next one an altogether more agreeable affair. Thank you and good night. };-)

categories: News
Sunday 11.24.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Win Tmwfte On Dvd Now... Or Sometime In The Future?

No mistake here... If you know what to do, good luck. If you don't, you need to look around!

categories: News
Saturday 11.23.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bowiephiles

"You'll dance to my tongue..." David Bowie at the Westpoint
Arena, Exeter, November 1995. Picture by Total Blam Blam.

In the absence of a Bowiephiles from Spaceface this week, here are a few little bits to tide you over until her next epic. The two live pictures I've dug out of my archives have absolutely nothing to do with anything here, but hopefully they make up for the lack of Bowie pix in these stories...Onwards!

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You shout it while you're dancing on the dance floor...

The Solaris vs Bowie production of 'Shout' is the first of a couple of dance-orientated, Bowie-related releases this month. Released on the Nebula label as a 12" only vinyl single, 'Shout' is essentially a chopped up remix of 'Fashion'.

According to those in the know, the record is not only bangin' and wicked, but, it is apparently slammin' too! Here's a bit from the press release:

Nebula Music take a switch in flavour, taking time out of the hectic trance schedule to deliver this thundering, chunky house cut from one of London?s cheekier producers, famed for his ?DJ Only? cut ups. (i.e. he?s a very naughty boy.) Having graced Nebula?s presence last year with his ?unique? interpretation of Spandau Ballet?s ?Chant No.1? in the form of the funky cut ?Groove No.1? the man Solaris returns with this funky ass mix of David Bowie?s 80?s masterpiece ?Fashion?.

On the A side Solaris throws everything at the mix including the kitchen sink Making sure the lead mix of ?Shout? is as rocking as humanly possible without actually falling over. On the B Phazon (AKA Solaris in dark b*stard mode) delivers a deeper, darker and all together, much more driving mix.

Make up your own mind about 'Shout' by checking out the mixes online via the links below:

Original Mix

Phazon Dub

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Well you wouldn't believe what I've been through...

Released this coming Monday the 25th, is a 4-track CD of 'Cat People' by the very handsome Klaus Waldeck. Again, the press release says it better than I ever could:

Cat People by Waldeck on Dope Noir Records, DONO 0012

01 JUNG COLLECTIVE REHASH
02 ORIGINAL VERSION
03 BTO & JEREMIAH?S BLUE EYED SOUL CAT
04 MUSHROOM DIVE?S DANGER CAT

Vienna based top producer Klaus Waldeck strikes again ? this time with a haunting rework of a song that couldn?t fit better into his ever-changing repertoire: The Giorgio Moroder/David Bowie-penned Bowie smash hit "Cat People". This is the third release from the critically acclaimed "Night Garden" album.

The first track finds a bunch of top-secret London-based production all-stars, named Jung Collective, transforming the album version onto your local dance floor with a voom. Classic house beats, brooding percussion and bone-dry mixed pop vocals - Jung Collective Rehash of "Cat People" crowns the 80s craze with a bizarre climax.

The second track is a lower octave version of the original album version.

Vienna?s most beloved house DJ icon BTO Spider comes up with a highly danceable rendition for the third cut on this "Cat People" bundle, created together with yet another Vienna DJ expert, Jeremiah. Their "Blue Eyed Soul Cat" version of "Cat People" should appeal to both the "dance" maniac and the "regular" maniac.

Finally, the last track, entitled "Mushroom Dive?s Danger Cat", supposedly Waldeck´s alter ego, captures the crawling movements of a puma ready to attack his prey?deep, dangerous and deadly!

Listen to an online Cat People Dub Mix here.

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Inspirations have I none - just to touch The Flaming Lips...

NME this week have a report from Flaming Lips' lead singer Wayne Coyne in which he says he would like nothing more than to perform more joint tours like the one with Beck, only this time he'd like the band (who return to the UK for dates in January) to work with David Bowie.

He told NME: "If you run into David Bowie, tell him we're doing this with Beck and we want to go on tour with him. We'll play what we feel are his best songs, kick him into shape."

Despite the cheeky message in that last sentence, Flaming Lips are clearly appreciative of our man's song-writing abilities. You may remember their single 'This Here Giraffe' which had a piano/vocal version of 'Life On Mars?' as an extra track. Here's what they say about the recording on their official site, which you can reach by clicking on the image above:

The second track is also a treat. It features a piano and vocals only rendition of David Bowie's 'Life On Mars'. Wayne audibly sings to the limit of his vocal range but this somehow sounds really appropriate for the song. When he draws out the aaa in Mars it really is quite affecting, and Steven's piano work is exemplary, as ever, with a pretty little ad-lib at the end.

Well Wayne, I'm sure David will read this, I'll let you know if he's up for it! };-)

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That's about it folx, I'll leave you with that other photograph from 1995 that I mentioned earlier. If you like these, there are plenty more where they came from.

DB, Exeter, November 1995. Picture by Total Blam Blam.

categories: News
Thursday 11.21.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Rca Secret 2002 Online @ Bowieart Now

"He's the man in the middle..." It may not have been created by DB, but that little chap
in the phonebox sure looks familiar! Just five of the hundreds of cards for sale this year.

I found the secrets, I found gold...

Some of you have no doubt already viewed the contributions to this year's RCA secret, either in the flesh, or, more accurately, in the card at the Royal College of Art...or even online over at bowieart.com. You've most likely been scrutinising each entry for that particular card that just may have been created by a well known artist, designer, director or rock star, and if you have viewed the lot, then you will have seen works by people who fall in to all of those categories.

It seems that everybody looking for a Bowie-made postcard last year was completely caught out. Unlike efforts of previous years, there was no obvious clues in last year's work to link it to DB. This fact was reflected in the fact that his contribution nearly didn't sell at all!

In a two-page feature in last week's Sunday Express, Phil McNeill recounts the fate of an original David Bowie artwork:

There are still some gems that escape the eagle eyes of the early birds. Last year, David Bowie's offering didn't sell until the final afternoon. "It was a very moving moment," says Emily Sargent. "We had been waiting for three days, watching this card, and finally along came this family. They looked thoroughly at everything, then the parents let the daughter choose. When they turned the card over and saw it was Bowie, they were shaking. We felt like hugging them."

I could be cruel and keep you all guessing again this year, but I think one whole day of teasing has been enough! Unfortunately, due to a rather heavy schedule of writing new material and recording demos for his next album, David really hasn't had the time to donate anything this year.

But don't let that put you off trying to sniff out a £35 original by Damien Hirst, Sol Lewitt, Julian Opie, Sam Taylor-Wood, Giorgio Armani, film director Ken Loach, Turner Prize nominee Keith Tyson, Patrick Caulfield, Terence Conran, Nick Park, Christo, Zandra Roades, Manolo Blahnik and Holly Johnson and many, many more. Here are the viewing details and all that sort of stuff:

RCA Secret 2002
Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU

Viewing:
21-28 November, 10am - 6pm (On-line Viewing:
www.bowieart.com from 21 November)
29 November, 8am - 8pm
30 November - 1 December, 10am - 6pm

If you haven't already, pop over to bowieart.com now to check out the whole lot of the 120,000,000 cards on display this year. The sale starts at 8:00am on 29th November until December 1st. See you in the queue! };-)

categories: News
Wednesday 11.20.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Db Confirms Tibet 2003

David Bowie at the 11th annual Tibet House benefit in 2001.

The silent guns of love will blast the sky...

Though he has made no secret of his intention to play it again, David Bowie today confirmed he will perform at next year's Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall. The concert will be the 13th annual Tibet House benefit, and it will take place on Friday, February 28, 2003, in the Tibetan New Year, the Year of the Water Sheep!

As usual, Philip Glass will be the Artistic Director, and to date, David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, Ray Davies, Angelique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley, Rufus Wainwright and the Drepung Gomang monks have accepted invitations to play. The organisers of the event have e-mailed out the following information:

Tickets for the evening (includes prime concert tickets and entrance to the party) are available now ($375 for one, $700 for two) Please call Kyra Borre at Tibet House (212.807.0563) or email kyraborre@mindspring.com for reservations. Concert only tickets can be purchased by calling Carnegie Charge, (212) 247-7800 or in person at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, located at 154 West 57th Street. Concert tickets are $30, $35, $45, $50, $80, $108; available in late December, 2002.

We'll post more information, such as additions to the line-up, as we get it, but in the meantime why not check out Susans' and Spaceface's mini-site that they created for the 12th annual Tibet House benefit last year.

categories: News
Tuesday 11.19.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

Bob Dvd Enters Uk Chart At Number One!

Yeah you got to live yeah your life as though you're number one*

We are enormously proud to announce that the Best of Bowie DVD has gone straight to the top of the UK Music DVD chart on its first week of release. Now available across the planet, the double DVD is the most comprehensive collection of Bowie videos ever compiled, and is an attractive purchase for even the most casual of fans.

Many of you that already have the DVD have struggled to find the hidden extras, or "Easter Eggs" as they are called. Well, we're not going to make it any easier for you just yet, (especially as the DVD was only released yesterday in the US) as it sort of spoils the whole point of them being hidden in the first place.

Those of you that really need to know now should check the BowieNet message boards, as lots of you tracked the Easter Eggs down immediately. If you're having trouble even finding out what any of the extras are, just check out the credits section on the second disc.

Anyway, it's no real surprise that the collected works of such a visually exciting artist as DB should be so popular, but I'm sure you'll all join me in congratulating David just the same. Well done sir!

*Yeah, I know it's a Lou Reed song, but it's more Bowie than you probably thought.

categories: News
Tuesday 11.19.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

New Ask David - David Asks

Rare footage of the chameleon-like DB camouflaging
himself against a backdrop of Zebra stripes. Note the
remaining blue flesh tones from a previous deep blue
sea background camouflage attempt seconds earlier.
Shot in a secret London laboratory by Total Blam Blam.

We had a friend, a talking man, Who spoke of many powers he had...

Some of you have already stumbled upon the new David Asks and Ask David entries posted in the last couple of days. If you haven't already read David's answer to a question from BowieNetter Caroline, or read about another of his party tricks even more remarkable than the one above, simply click here to take you there.

Not only will you be astonished by what David is capable of, but I think you'll also be impressed by the particularly bizarre things that our own membership can do. What a bunch of weirdoes! };-)

categories: News
Tuesday 11.19.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 

It's Her Fortieth, By Gad!

GAD and DB just before taking to the stage at this year's
BowieNet Roseland show. Picture By Total Blam Blam.

As long as you're still smiling, There's nothing more I need...

I'm sure you'll all want to join me in wishing the extraordinarily talented, and quite delicious, Gail Ann Dorsey a very happy birthday. Gail, who has worked with David for around one hundred and seventy two years, celebrates her 40th year on the planet today. (OK, the math doesn't work, what of it!?)

Gail in rehearsal at this year's Roseland show. Picture By Total Blam Blam.

I'm celebrating by showing you a couple of my Gail pictures that I haven't posted before, and by listening in rotation to live versions of 'O Superman', 'Under Pressure' and 'Absolute Beginners' along with the very lovely 'Planet Of Dreams'. Much love to you Gail from David and everybody else here at BowieNet, staff and members alike... Have a wonderful day, and here's to many more.

David and Gail perform a touching version of 'Absolute Beginners'
at Hammersmith Apollo last month. Picture By Total Blam Blam.

categories: News
Monday 11.18.02
Posted by Mark Adams
 
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