Bowie Tributes - February Dates And More

Looks like you've been there too...

I'm sure those of you interested in these things have one eye on the gig schedules of your local Bowie tribute band. But, a little reminder can do no harm. Over to you guys...

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Space Oddity (above) - David Brighton's Tribute to David Bowie will be doing a couple of special shows in February. The band will be doing more requests than ever, from pre-Ziggy through Labyrinth and beyond.

Friday, Feb. 11th
Martini Blues Supper Club
Show time: 9:00pm
5874 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA, USA
(714) 840-2129
(reservations recommended)
www.martiniblues.com
BowieNetters can email us to get a $2.00 discount at:
BowieLive@aol.com and bowielive@juno.com
$12.00 at the door. ($10.00 with discount)

Saturday Feb. 19th
Chumash Casino
Showtime: 8:00pm
3400 E. Highway 246
Santa Ynez, CA, USA 93460
1-877-CHUMASH
For more info: www.DavidBowieTribute.com

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You are invited to a very special event at Mr Kyps on the evening of 16th March 2005 (Mr Kyps, 8a Parr St, Lower Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. Tel, 01202 748945. www.mrkyps.net ) We would like you to join us for an `in the round` performance of the music of David Bowie in the `unplugged` style.

Because of your support we have had the privilege of many successful gigs at Mr Kyps and whilst we endeavour to portray Mr Bowie as faithfully as we can we are well aware that it all begins and ultimately ends with the brilliant music that we all enjoy, so before we kick off in May with our new for 2005 show we`re just gonna get down `n` dirty and play the music.

It will be off the main stage and as well as quite a number of new songs there will be the opportunity to ask the band questions. (If you want to post your questions before the event go to www.thebowiexperience.com and send us an e-mail.)

Also because we don`t have plans to do this anywhere else we intend to capture this unique event by recording it and putting it out on CD, those who ask questions will be able to get their hot paws on this rare commodity at a heavily discounted price!

It`s been a stimulating and eventful eight years since thebowiexperience began, a journey that has taken us to all four corners of this fair isle, and has seen many highlights, and due to it`s purity of theme, this event promises to rank among the most exciting. We hope you can come, because you make the gig. thebowiexperience unplugged plus support, Contact Mr Kyps, details above, tickets £6.

Now to the month in hand, February already and it only seems like yesterday.

As you can see we`re up and about midlands way this month which is always enjoyable and gives us the chance to get reacquainted with the many friends we have made. Apologies to those who were expecting us to gig at The Half Moon in Paignton this month (you know who you are) but as many of you may already be aware Keith (the landlord) is leaving for `greener pastures`, our best wishes go with him. We do intend to return to the area of course once we have a new venue.

All the best, Laurence. (thebowiexperince - don`t accept imitations) (Blammo Note: Now that's funny!)

Remaining February dates
Friday 11th - Laurence - The Cricketers, 41 Windham Road, Bournemouth, Dorset. - Tel: 01202 551589
Saturday 19th - Bowiexp as 5 piece - The Oxford Arms, Moreton Parade, Maybank, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffs. www.oxfordarms.co.uk
Friday 25th - Laurence - The Castle Inn, East Street, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset. - Tel: 01929 480208
Saturday 26th - Laurence - The Ilchester Arms Hotel, 9 Market St, Abbotsbury, Dorset. - Tel: 01305 871243
Sunday 27th - Bowiexp as 4 piece - The Nags Head, 119 Queens Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. - Tel: 02476 325581

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Finally, after what was reportedly a promising debut on David's birthday last month, there are currently no new dates for HunkyDory. (That's Gareth as Ziggy and The Thin White Duke in the picture above)

But, they are planning a summer of action with some larger scale shows. Meanwhile, to get a taste of how the band actually sounds, you can check out the fruits of their recent recording session by going here.

Reality Dual Disc Out Again Today

It happens today...

The Reality DualDisc that we told you would be available again from January 28th, (01/04/05 NEWS: REALITY DUAL DISC TO BE REACTIVATED) was put back by a couple of weeks and can now be found in any self-respecting DualDisc retailer's store across the USA from today.

If you're signed up to the Sony/Columbia news service you will know this already, via an e-mail that was sent out today. If you're not, go here to sign up and order The Reality DualDisc.

Reality DualDisc features:

CD Audio Side:
~ Entire Album

DVD Side:
~ Entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound and enhanced LPCM Stereo
~ The exclusive film Reality
~ Exclusive video performances of Never Get Old, The Loneliest Guy, Bring Me The Disco King and New Killer Star
~ Photo Gallery
~ Lyrics
~ Biography
~ Discography
~ ROM Content/web links

The DualDisc plays on existing CD and DVD devices such as DVD players, car stereos, PCs, game consoles and CD players!

Two New Paintings Of Db Now Showing

"At least a picture on your wall..." Bowie '74 by Andy Parry.

Andy, here's your fifteen minutes...

Speaking of Bowie-related art, (see yesterday's news) two 1974-era pictures of the Diamond Canine himself are currently on display in England and France.

First up, Manchester artist Andy Parry has an exhibition of his work at Kro 2 in Manchester, including the painting above, along with a series of other depictions of celebrities that include Bryan Ferry, Tommy Cooper, Badly Drawn Boy, Jack Nicholson, Pete Postlethwaite and Jimmy Saville, to name but six.

Andy hit the local news recently when head honcho of The Fall, Mark E Smith, turned up at the exhibition with members of his band and demanded the removal of a caricature Andy had made of him. (See below) The Gallery obliged while the hot-headed punk genius was still around, but defiantly returned the picture to it's rightful position once Smith had left the premises.

No oil painting... Mark E Smith of The Fall by Andy Parry.

This isn't the first time Mr Parry has fallen foul of the locals, as he recounts in this tale of a teenage lad growing up as a Ziggy clone in Runcorn...

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I was running at the speed of life by Andy Parry

Avoiding being an oddball wasn?t helped by going to see Bowie at the Liverpool Empire in June 1973. After this ? the best gig I?ve ever seen ? I became alarmingly, a ?small town Bowie?, in Runcorn. My sudden transmutation, from a hardcore Northen Soul, suedehead didn?t go down too well with parents, peers and girlfriend.

I was duly despatched to the psychiatrists by my parents, excommunicated by my mates and dumped by my girlfriend. I coerced my mother into making me my first cosmic cowboy outfit, complete with very conspicuous ?sticky out? shoulder bits.

I purchased a pair of girls? platform boots, (just in) from Whittakers in Runcorn High Street. ?They only make them for girls Sir? said the mocking sales girl??they will do just fine?, I replied. Outside the shop I proceeded to spray them and my new brush back Ziggy hair-do, silver.

Luckily for me, the then King of the Runcorn Skins, ?Gidge Garner?, a Paul Calfe prototype, took a shine to me. ?I like you Paz ? coz you?re an oddball? he?d say. Such patronage would save me from a bigger percentage of beatings.

Naively I set about preaching the word of ?Glam? to the locals, hoping for converts, and was largely unsuccessful. Although my mate Jeff ?Psycho? Derbyshire went a bit Eno for a while. Yet again my poor mother was press-ganged into making Jeff a ?For Your Pleasure? period Eno outfit, out of a pair of curtains stolen from the school music room.

Nights out were spent hanging around in shop doorways listening to Bowie, Sparks, Lou, Bolan, Ronson and Roxy on a ?portable? tape machine. My particular ?look? so incensed passing Runcornians that some would be driven to get off passing buses in order to administer a ?good hiding?. I soon mastered the art of running very quickly in my ?platties?!

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Thanx Andy, that story most likely sounds spookily familiar to a multitude of men in their mid-forties, the length and breadth of Britain!

Andy's paintings are still on display at Kro 2, which is near the BBC in Oxford Road, Manchester, and is well worth a visit. I've seen the originals and have to say that the images here really don't do the work any justice.

"Halloween Jack is a real cool cat..." (Well, he's half dog actually...but mainly human!)

Meanwhile BowieNetter artsfactory (AKA Laurent) has sent in details of a solo exhibition by French comic artist Thierry Guitard, (who's artwork features every month in the very Bowie-friendly music magazine Rock & Folk) which takes place this month at the Art's Factory in Paris, France.

The show is entitled 'Rock 'n' Roll Circus' and is showing the rendition of Bowie as Diamond Dog, above, and portraits of Elvis Presley and Iggy Pop, among many others. The show runs until February 25th.

Address: Art's Factory - 48, rue d'orsel 75018 Paris, France. - Tel : +33 (0)1 53 28 13 50.
Opening hours: Tuesday till Friday 13:00 to 19:30. Saturday 11:00 to 19h30 - Sunday 14:00 to 19:00.

You can read the full press release here, presuming you understand French that is. If you don't, BowieNetter Celine offers a good service at a reasonable rate, and she may even help with the translation too.

Bloc

Bowieart and County Hall Gallery, in association with Bloc media, presents

The inaugural exhibition opens at County Hall Gallery, London, on 10 March 2005.  BLOC provides exposure for 16 of the UK?s most promising emerging artists at a crucial time in their career.  Sourcing talent from our most prestigious institutions, BLOC explores the trends, concerns, techniques and diversity of a new generation of British artists.

The exhibition includes work by Eleonora Aguiari who recently daringly masked Lord Napier of Magdala, the equestrian sculpture on Queens Gate (Kensington Gore, London) with red tape.   Doug Fishbone, the artist who recently bought 30,000 bananas to Trafalgar Square is transporting soil from Israel onto the gallery floor of County Hall, a minimal gesture with massive geo-political clout.  Whilst Raul Ortega Ayala, originally from Mexico, continues his investigation into the principles and world-weariness of office work; the artist creates a fantastical escape out of the materials he finds himself surrounded by during a stint as a jobsworth.

Glasgow based artist Ruth Barker?s, Dream of the Northern Lights replicates the aurora borealis in miniature which will be contained in a home made bell jar.  Continuing her investigation into learning and the abstracted reality of physics, Naglaa Walker, winner of a Jerwood Photography Award, will create an ambitious site-specific installation, including film and photography.

Sigga Bjorg Sigurdardottir?s, disquieting drawings and animations are motivated by the stories told to the young artist growing up in the darkness of Iceland. Through her fictional narratives relayed in film and drawing Erica Eyres invites you into an uneasy world of disenchanted youth and beyond. Animation is explored as a medium, in the work of Mathieu Gallois whose digital animation appropriates the schematics of on board safety information leaflets found on commercial passenger aircraft.  Another Goldsmiths graduate, Anthony Gross, presents an exploded narrative, through a fabricated day in the life of a group of generic commercialized males.  Incorporating music, images and the spoken word Ben Sadler?s new video piece The Palace is composed of a long narrative which operates using the aesthetics of film.

Catherine Morland paints English landscapes scenes in smoke on glass which are then projected onto a second surface; these delicate projections act like residual images or distant memories. Upturned overhead projectors are used a light source in the work of Colin Guillemet who presents drawings laser-cut onto aluminium plates.

Developments in recent painting are represented by the work of Simon Keenleyside and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye; wannabe Essex landscapes sit alongside larger than life painterly portraits.  Neil Zakiewicz on the other hand combines the grandiose and heroic tendencies of traditional subjects with a malleable and impermanent modern material; his subjects emerging out of foam blocks, leaning and warping and threatening movement or collapse.

A DVD catalogue, interactive cutting edge website www.bloc-art.com and SMS services are provided by Bloc Media the Official Media Sponsor of Bloc 2005.  A panel discussion exploring the emerging art scene in the UK chaired by Dr Suhail Malik (Senior Lecturer and Course Leader, Postgraduate Fine Art Critical Studies, Goldsmiths College) will take place on Sunday 13 March 2005, 3pm.   The panel consists of Miria Swain (Curator, Modern Art, Oxford), Duncan McLaren (author and journalist), Martin Herbert (Critic) and Nigel Cooke (artist). 

BLOC at White Space, County Hall Gallery, London SE1, 10^th March ? 22^nd May 2005.

Friday to Monday 10:00am ? 6:00pm, 0870 744 7485, Admission Free

For more information on the featured artists and images visit www.bloc-art.com

Or email edward@bowieart.com or nnenna@countyhallgallery.com

London Underground's public art programme Platform for Art is showing work by artists in BLOC as posters in the network at Charing Cross and Earls Court Stations. For more information please contact Tamsin Dillon tamsin.dillon@tube.tfl.gov.uk

Re-launched in 2000, Bowieart.com has a reputation of establishing the strongest young artists, connecting them with dealers, curators and collectors, the web site is visited by around 800,000 people a week.

BLOC provides an invaluable platform for a selection of the most exciting up-and-coming artists in the UK.  For several years now serious international attention has been paid to British based artists and more than at any other time in history, British art is booming.  BLOC presents the work of tomorrow?s stars, positioning itself as the space to encounter the strongest young artistic talent around.

Beth Greenacre, Director, Bowieart

www.bowieart.com

County Hall Gallery is London?s most versatile art and exhibitions centre, home to the permanent Dalí Universe exhibition and inspirational temporary exhibitions.  The gallery is situated in the heart of London South Bank in surroundings synonymous with cutting edge art.

BLOC is a real opportunity to guide new artists from across the UK to the next level, securing the future of British art.  Art institutions in the UK are bursting with inspired, unseen talent and if British art is to uphold and maintain its world class standard we need to continue to bring that next generation into the spotlight.

Andrea Pedroni, Managing Director, County Hall Gallery

www.countyhallgallery.com

Bloc Media are the official Media Sponsor, providing all web, mail, sms and digital media technology.   Founded in 2000, Bloc Media provides inspired creative and digital marketing to the art, entertainment and fashion industries.

BLOC represents a new platform for emerging talent and a fantastic opportunity for the world to meet the next generation of truly inspirational British artists. We are delighted to be part of what is sure to become a staple in the British Art Calendar.

Rick Palmer, Managing Director, Bloc Media

www.blocmedia.com

For more information please contact:

Ed Greenacre, Bowieart                                  020 7352 4976 edward@bowieart.com

Nnenna Oleforo, County Hall Gallery            020 7450 7619 nnenna@countyhallgallery.com

Rick Palmer, Bloc Media                                020 7739 1718 rick@blocmedia.com

 

 

 

Life Aquatic European Release Dates

Somebody plays my song in tune...

Wes Anderson's latest film, The Life Aquatic, finally gets a chance to be viewed by Europeans when it is released in the UK on February 18th. The film, which contains a Bowie-heavy soundtrack (see numerous other stories regarding the soundtrack on these pages) will be released in other European countries throughout February and March. View the full list of release dates at www.imdb.com.

The 25 soundtrack CDs have now been despatched to the winners of our recent BowieNet competition, and should be arriving over the coming week.

Bowieart And Bloc Present New London Exhibition

I opened doors that would have BLOCked their way...

I'm sure the majority of you are subscribed to the Bowieart newsletter and take regular looks at the site anyway. But, if neither assumption is correct in your case, then you're missing out on a lot of great stuff.

The latest project that Bowieart is involved with is an exhibition in conjunction with BLOC in London next month. Here's a bit from the press release:

Bowieart and County Hall Gallery, in association with Bloc media, presents the inaugural exhibition which opens at County Hall Gallery, London, on 10 March 2005. BLOC provides exposure for 16 of the UK?s most promising emerging artists at a crucial time in their career. Sourcing talent from our most prestigious institutions, BLOC explores the trends, concerns, techniques and diversity of a new generation of British artists. You can read the whole press release here.

The artists selected include Eleonora Aguiari, Ruth Barker, Sigga Bjorg Sigurdardottir, Erica Eyres, Doug Fishbone, Mathieu Gallois, Anthony Gross, Colin Guillemet, Simon Keenleyside, Catherine Morland, Raul Ortega Ayala, Ben Sadler, Matt Stevenson, Naglaa Walker, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Neil Zakiewicz...all of whom are represented at the bloc-art.com exhibition site, which is well worth an online browse at least, even if you can't make it to the exhibition itself.

Beth Greenacre of Bowieart had this to say about the BLOC:

BLOC provides an invaluable platform for a selection of the most exciting up-and-coming artists in the UK. For several years now serious international attention has been paid to British based artists and more than at any other time in history, British art is booming. BLOC presents the work of tomorrow?s stars, positioning itself as the space to encounter the strongest young artistic talent around.

BLOC is at White Space, County Hall Gallery, London SE1, from 10th March to 22nd May 2005.
Opening times: Friday to Monday 10:00am ? 6:00pm. Admission Free.
Telephone: 0870 744 7485.

Other news stories that have arrived via the Bowieart newsletter but seem to have generally slipped under the radar include this one regarding the Glasgow School of Art going online at Bowieart at the end of last year...

Cécile Azoulay?s, Nightscape, 2004 from a set of 4 inkjet prints on black paper.

Bowieart is delighted to announce the handover of Bowieart pages from last years MFA at Glasgow School of Art to those currently in their second year at the college.

The Master of Fine Art programme at Glasgow is a two-year, full-time, research-based postgraduate degree. Throughout the 1990s, the City of Glasgow witnessed an explosion of activity in the visual arts. Artists, critics and curators from all over the world have visited Glasgow to see for themselves what curator Hans Ulrich Obrist has termed 'the Glasgow miracle'.

There are many young practising artists working in Glasgow who have helped shape a thriving creative community generating artist-led initiatives, permanent and temporary gallery spaces, and innovative approaches to public and site specific work.

The Glasgow School of Art, Master of Fine Art programme began in 1988 and has achieved international recognition as a centre of excellence in postgraduate education in the visual arts. The course occupies a unique and influential position within the extraordinary dynamic that characterises the visual art community in Glasgow.

Whilst in the wider international art community the MFA has developed a wide range of international links and formal exchange agreements with other prestigious art schools and students have been invited to participate in four international exchange exhibitions: Berlin, Brussels, Chicago and most recently New York.

You can check out the work of the Glasgow School of Art in the COLLEGE section of Bowieart under Student Artists. While you're there, take a look at the other 10 colleges in the US and the UK that are represented on Bowieart.

Db Joins The Arcade Fire On Stage In Nyc

"Run for the shadows, run for the shadows..." The Arcade Fire and friends play to Win.

Did I find you, or you find me?...

No, not that DB. But, THAT DB was present to witness David Byrne join The Arcade Fire on stage at the Irving Plaza in New York on Wednesday evening, for a rendition of his old band's (the much missed Talking Heads) quite beautiful song, (as quoted in today's lyric) This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), from the very funky 1983 album, Speaking In Tongues.

THAT DB has been bangin' on about The Arcade Fire to anyone he thinks will listen since last year, and with very good reason. If you've still not heard the brilliant debut album, Funeral, you really must check it out...as David suggested in his journal entry back in November. (11.24.2004 NEWS: DB BACK ON THE MBs ...WITH A VENGEANCE)

The band embarks on a short European tour in March, including two dates in London. Here's the itinerary:

The Arcade Fire March 2005 European Tour

8th London UK Kings College
10th Paris, France Le Nouveaux Casino
11th Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg
13th Berlin, Germany Magnet
14th Oslo, Norway Garage
15th Stockholm, Sweden Debaser
17th London, UK ULU

They then travel back across the water for some Canadian shows but are back in Europe for more dates in May, if you don't manage to catch them this time.

Funeral will be released in Europe on February 28th as a CD and gatefold vinyl through Rough Trade... that's for those of you mad enough not to already own an import copy of the album.

Visit the official The Arcade Fire site here, and the jolly cool Arcade Fire fansite, Us Kids Know, here, from where you can find links to aforementioned David Byrne guest appearance.

The Arcade Fire are Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and Will Butler (Win?s little brother).

See Ziggy's Band Live In The Uk Tonight

Come to the show tonight...

As mentioned in the news last week, (01.29.2005 NEWS: ZIGGY'S BAND TAKES TO THE STAGE NEXT WEEK) don't forget BowieNetter Mark Wheeller's production with the Oaklands Youth Theatre, Ziggy's Band, begins a three-day-run in Southampton in the UK this evening.

The pictures here are from a dress rehearsal a couple of days ago, after which Mark said: "It went really well... feeling a little more confident now!".

If you can make it along, please do go and give them some appreciation with typical BowieNetter warmth and vocal encouragement.

Remember these are simply snaps from rehearsals...I believe the Oaklands Youth Theatre's answer to Pierre LaRoche will be on hand tonight and Ziggy's air guitar (see above) will also be fully-inflated! };-)

Here are the details you'll need if you are thinking of attending:

Oaklands Youth Theatre Proudly Presents Ziggy?s Band
Written and Directed by Mark Wheeller - Choreography by Danny Sturrock
Thursday 3rd February - Saturday 5th February. 7.30pm.
Oaklands Theatre (Lordshill) Southampton

Tickets for Ziggy?s Band are available from:
Oaklands Community School Reception 02380 739797
£4.00 (Advance sales)
£5:50 on the day of the production

I'll hopefully see some of you on Saturday night.

No Bowie Live Dates Planned For 2005

David Bowie live on stage in LA exactly one year ago today.

Round and round the rumours fly...

Rumours persist about DB playing European festival dates this summer. Normally I would ignore them, but even Rock & Folk are in on the act, apparently claiming that David will perform at this years Vieilles Charrues Festival in France.

There are currently no David Bowie live dates planned for 2005, but obviously you'll be the first to know if this situation changes.

Btwn Dvd Out Next Month

Putting on the black tie, cranking out the white noise...

Seeing as how most of you will have already bought the excellent Black Tie White Noise triple disc reissue back in 2003, you probably won't be interested in this...But, it's my duty to report, nevertheless.

Now that the triple disc has been deleted, (don't panic, it's still very easy to find) the 63-minute DVD is being released in its own right through EMI on March 7th in Europe and around a month later in North America.

I'll leave you with this montage from the back cover which utilises stills from this most delicious visual feast, funnily enough.

David Live 5.1 Listening Party Winners

Listen to me, don't listen to me...

Sadly, time doesn't permit that I string this out to one winner a day, so I won't prolong the agony...here are the five winners for the David Live 5.1 listening party at Studio 3 of the legendary Abbey Road Studios on February 12th:

charly
dez
DukeBox
legal_alien
nicyooyak

Well done you lot, I'll be in touch with all the details you'll need on the day, shortly.

Meanwhile, could all five of you please confirm that you can still definitely attend.

Thanx once more to the uncommonly generous, and all round top bloke, Nigel Reeve, and indeed, EMI and Abbey Road for making all this possible.

Ziggy's Band Takes To The Stage Next Week

"Prayers they hide the saddest view..." Ziggy's Band poster
with Adam Sanders who plays young fan, Shakey Threwer.

Became the special man...

BowieNetter Mark Wheeller (eedsud) has sent in details about his latest production, Ziggy's Band, which hits the Southampton stage in the UK next Thursday, February 3rd.Here's the synopsis from his site:

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It wasn't only the Spiders from Mars who were Ziggy's band... thousands of teenagers around Britain in the early 1970?s were too?

Shakey Threwer is one such fan, and, as an adult, becomes David Bowie, in a TV ?70s Special? tribute show. Awaiting the announcement of the tele-vote, he reflects on his teenage years when he dreamed of being the next Ziggy Stardust.

He forms The Luminous Earwigs with friends, Billy, Buddy and Lorraine, and composes a new Rock Opera (about a monk!) as a tribute to Ziggy. His jealous rival, John, destroys the dream. Shakey and Lorraine vow to reek their revenge and find themselves assisted by the unexpected appearance of a mysterious, undersized Genie!

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Sounds like a lot of fun. Mark expanded on the synopsis with his recollection of the moment he became smitten by Ziggy, in the following piece he wrote for BowieNet...

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It wasn't only the Spiders from Mars who were Ziggy's band... thousands of teenagers around Britain in the early 1970?s were too? I was one of them. I?m not sure whom I worshipped more? David Bowie or Ziggy Stardust. David said he suffered an identity crisis at the time? well? I had an acute case of "role model crisis"!

I had been locked away in the vacuum of a British sixties boarding school until 1972. To illustrate the insular attitudes of our housemasters I should tell you that the TV was always turned off when adverts for bras came on. They were deemed far too saucy for us thirteen year olds!

Pop music was another no-no so I?d had literally no exposure to it? until I was "released" into the normal world and witnessed David Bowie (or was it Ziggy) appear on Top of the Pops. He was singing Starman with his arm draped around Mick Ronson for much of the chorus.

This image entered my life completely out of the blue and blew my mind! It was as if my world was somehow transformed into glorious Technicolor in one three-minute spell, even though I?d only witnessed the event itself in not-so-glorious black and white.

I was awestruck, though my parents feared this "alien" might abduct my soul. Such was the effect this "creature fair" had on me. I wanted to be the next Ziggy. I wrote rock operas. They were embarrassing and were never likely to allow me to occupy the lofty position I dreamed of.

Now some 33 years later I am a teacher and playwright with some successes behind me. I have finally decided to tackle the subject of being a Ziggy fan and subject my Youth Theatre group to playing it out for me. For most of them David Bowie was an historical figure? now he has become a part of their teenage years.

The play is a mix of fiction and fantasy and after a year in preparation we are showing what I consider to be a draft, to see what an audience thinks of it!

Further details of the play can be found on the news page of my web site where I will also post reviews any BowieNetters may want to send me? I will leave you with an extract from a review of our Youth Theatre?s last show, which, while successful, was a very different sort of play? the tragic true story of a local boy who had gone missing?

"This was teamwork one always hopes for in Youth Theatre but witness all too rarely, alas! Individual performances were first class? the direction showed the same flair, imagination and rigorous discipline as the writing."
Paul Fowler: (Adjudicator of Missing Dan Nolan at the Woking One Act Play Festival (2003) where OYT won the Best Youth Production.)

Ziggy?s Band is a must see show for all Bowie fans!

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Thanx a lot, Mark. I'm hoping to pop down for Saturday's performance, so please save a ticket for me. I'll leave you all with the details you need should you wish to attend...and, of course, you should! Click on Shakey to get to Mark's site.

Oaklands Youth Theatre Proudly Presents Ziggy?s Band
Written and Directed by Mark Wheeller - Choreography by Danny Sturrock
Thursday 3rd February - Saturday 5th February. 7.30pm.
Oaklands Theatre (Lordshill) Southampton

Tickets for Ziggy?s Band are available from:
Oaklands Community School Reception 02380 739797
£4.00 (Advance sales)
£5:50 on the day of the production

Win A Pair Of Tickets To See Ky On Saturday

Judy Garland sings live from The Palace...oops, sorry... No
she doesn't. It's KY live at The Barfly in London last October.

One more, weekend, of lights and evening faces...

If you're in the Brooklyn area on Saturday evening, you would be wise to go and see the Kristeen Young show at her regular haunt, Galapagos.

For the benefit of those of you not signed up to KY's news service, here's the content of her latest communication regarding this and other upcoming KY stuff, including a string of London dates in March:

KRISTEEN YOUNG AT GALAPAGOS (70 N. 6th St. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 @ 11pm

***new year! ***new material! ***same L train to Bedford Ave.!.... you know, you know, it's a ***wintermagicwonderland!***

LONDON SHOWS throughout March:

2nd, 14th, 24th, maybe 29th and 30th at the Barfly in Camden town 10th at the Underworld in Camden town

IN GERMANY:

Look for an interview (and a song on their compilation) in the March issue of Eclipsed Magazine.

ST.LOUIS SHOWS (and other midwest cities) in May.

Hope your new year is the happiest, Kristeen

So, if you want to attend and can definitely be there, send me a PM or an e-mail with an indication of how badly you need to be present and we'll randomly select a winner for a pair of tickets. This offer is open until noon Friday UK time.

Bbc's Cracked Actor Is Thirty Today

I'm just the space cadet...he's the commander...

On the evening of Sunday 26th January 1975, BBC1 screened Alan Yentob's Cracked Actor documentary which was made for the Omnibus programme. Thirty years later it's almost impossible to calculate just how important the broadcast was to Bowie-starved fans in the UK.

Having looked forward to the broadcast with massive anticipation (hand held microphone and Philips cassette recorder at the ready) I settled in for what was to become another life-changing piece of Bowie TV.

I was 14, he was 28...Christ! He was twice my age! Funny how I seem to have caught up with him a bit now.

I'm not going to give you a blow-by-blow account of Cracked Actor, as any Bowie fan worth their salt probably knows the thing off by heart anyway. And besides, BowieNetter dukebox has already posted a fine review on the MBs which pretty well sums up how Bowie fans of a certain age feel about the documentary, myself included. Members can view dukebox's post here.

Like much of the dialogue from The Man Who Fell To Earth (coincidentally it was Cracked Actor that inspired Nicolas Roeg to approach Bowie for the film) many fans would learn parrot-fashion almost every word David uttered. "Tissues for my eyes..."

I became the envy of fellow Bowie-fan school friends (all two of them) when I created a series of Japanese Kabuki Aladdin Sane stick masks, utilising our new vacuum-forming machine. The contraption allowed me to form transparent plastic over a life-size mold I had made of David's head! Of course, this was inspired by first seeing David performing with the things in the documentary...and the death mask sequence at the start of it.

The list of new ideas that presented itself in the film to a fan of my age was endless. I soon started writing my own songs using the cut-up method...Though I wasn't sure if the technique I used was how David did his. (Somebody will get that!) And I almost perfected my moonwalk from the book on mime I had borrowed from the library.

Overnight I took to wearing Fedora hats, though in retrospect, it was more likely something approximating a Fedora from a jumble sale...Anyway, I could go on for hours...But, as I say, dukebox already has. So go check out his excellent piece about this still-fascinating documentary here now.

David Live 5.1 Listening Doo Dah Update

And he looks straight through you when you ask him...

I've had several communications from BowieNetters who definitely can't attend the David Live gathering at Abbey Road on February 12th, but, are still wondering if they can instead nominate another BowieNetter in their place in the event that they do win.

Instinctively I thought "Why on Earth not?". Then I got to thinking about it properly and realised that if I were to say "Yes", the ruling could be seen as unfair and even open to abuse.

I believe there should be just one chance to enter for each member that wants to attend. Otherwise, with a little organisation and the support of a few friends, a popular member would stand a much better chance than poor old Billy No-Mates. Sorry folx, but this really is the fairest way to do it.

On a related note, many of the e-mail entries I am receiving ask for an automatic read receipt. Perfectly reasonable request. The problem is, for some reason these auto responses just sit in my outbox and eventually freeze Outlook up. From past experience, your e-mails are getting through to me OK. I have yet to inform a worried member that their e-mail didn't arrive, so please rest easy. I'm sorry I don't have the time to acknowledge every entry.

On yet another related note to that, if I don't respond to an e-mail or a PM, please don't take it personally. You probably wouldn't believe the amount of communications I receive every day via e-mail and PMs and bricks through my windows. Those of you that frequent the MBs would be surprised to learn just how many members never ever post, but still enter competitions and send e-mail/PMs...it's a very large percentage.

Anyway, it would be physically impossible to respond to everything I get, but please don't be afraid to scream a little bit louder if you really must have a response from me. (Hallo debivee...you know I love you!)

If you're wondering what this is all about, see Saturday's news (01.22.2005 NEWS: DAVID LIVE 5.1 LISTENING PARTY AT ABBEY ROAD) for details of how you can join in.

There, keiths, got through that without mentioning the word party once! Well, apart from the one above and the one on the left, but that don't count as it's reported speech...kind of. };-)

The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch

THE RUTLES 2: CAN'T BUY ME LUNCHLong-Awaited Sequel to The Rutles: All You Need is Cash Available for the First Time on Video on March 1, 2005 All-star cast including Eric Idle, David Bowie, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jewel, Gary Shandling, Salman Rushdie, Clint Black, Billy Connolly, Bonnie Raitt, and many more! Burbank, CA (December 15, 2004) -- The Rutles are coming! The Rutles are coming! Coming to DVD that is, on March 1, 2005 when Warner Home Video presents the DVD premiere of The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch. From executive producers Lorne Michaels and Eric Idle, this is the highly anticipated sequel to The Rutles: All You Need is Cash. Previously unavailable on video and only seen by fans in exclusive, limited screenings, this hysterical follow-up to Eric Idle's1978 mockumentary about the Beatles reveals the final exploits of The Rutles as they do a reunion tour through America. Fans of The Rutles will be thrilled at the opportunity to revisit this great band's story, including footage from historic performances, plus interviews with many artists who were inspired by the legendary band including, David Bowie, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jewel, Gary Shandling, Salman Rushdie, Clint Black, Billy Connolly, Bonnie Raitt, and many more. The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch is packed with special features including extensive deleted scenes, a never-before-seen alternate ending, and a bonus "Easter egg." In 1976, Eric Idle and Neil Innes, founding members of the cult comedy-rock group The Bonzo Dog Band (chosen by The Beatles to appear in their 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour), founded The Rutles, a mythical band created to parody The Beatles. The Rutles made their American debut that year with the airing of their first video, "I Must Be in Love," on Saturday Night Live. In 1978 NBC aired the group's first television special, All You Need is Cash, which was produced by Lorne Michaels and firmly established the group's cult status. The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch received its world premiere in Los Angeles in 2003 at the first annual Don't Knock the Rock Festival, and now makes its debut on DVD. Neil Innes wrote, recorded and produced all the music - witty pastiches of Beatles songs, while Eric Idle wrote and co-directed the spoof documentary. Both acted in All You Need is Cash, and now are back in this sequel with Innes cast as Ron Nasty (the John Lennon character) and Idle as Dirk McQuickly (the Paul McCartney role), along with Ricky Fataar (a top session musician and '70s-era Beach Boy) who plays Stig O'Hara (the George Harrison character), and British drummer John Halsey, who became Barry Wom, The Rutles version of Ringo Starr. "The Beatles, Monty Python, The Rutles -- all influential entertainers who have stood the test of time. The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch is a must-have DVD for not only the passionate and dedicated core fans, but also those who have only "heard" the legendary tales about the Rutles," said Christine Martinez, WHV Vice President, Non-theatrical Franchise Marketing. DVD Special Features: · Additional interviews· Extensive deleted scenes· Never-before-seen alternate ending· Bonus "Easter egg" BASICS:$24.98 SRPStreet Date: March 1, 2005Languages: EnglishRunning time: 56 minutes

Rutles 2 Dvd For March, Plus Mcml And Lytt Dvds

I believe in Rutles, I believe my little soul has grown...

The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch, (the long-awaited sequel to The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash) will finally get a Region 1 DVD release on March 1 through Warner Home Video.

The 56 minute film received its world premiere in Los Angeles in 2003 at the first annual Don't Knock the Rock Festival, and has not been available for public viewing (apart from limited fan screenings) since.

BowieNet members may remember from David's very own journal entry here on BowieNet at the time, that he recorded an interview for the film back in February 2001, and now his hilarious contribution can at last be seen by all.

Those not familiar with The Rutles and their massive contribution to music, (and, indeed, culture, The Counter Culture, fashion and silliness) can read the official press release here.

Meanwhile, here's the technical guff:

DVD Special Features:

? Additional interviews
? Extensive deleted scenes
? Never-before-seen alternate ending
? Bonus "Easter egg"

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Today sees the release of the Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence special collector's edition region 2 DVD, which is described as "The definitive edition of Oshima's masterpiece".

David received much critical acclaim for his portrayal of tormented POW Major Jack Celliers, not least of all from Stephen Dalton in The Times who said: "David Bowie gives one of his best acting performances."

If you don't own Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence yet, this is the DVD to get, containing, as it does, many extras as outlined below:

Release Information:
? Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
? DVD Release Date: January 24th, 2005
? Run Time: 124 minutes

Edition Details:? Region 2 encoding (Europe, Japan, South Africa and the Middle East including Egypt)
? PAL
? Catalogue Number: OPTD0065

DVD Features:? Special Feature Information:
? Interviews With Nagisa Oshima, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jerry Thomas
? The Oshima Gang Making Of Documentary
? Theatrical Trailer
? Main Language: English

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The charming 1968 promotional film, Love You Till Tuesday, finally gets a DVD release in a couple of weeks, when it is due to be issued on Region 0 DVD through Universal on February 7th. (Though some maverick European territories have already been selling the thing! If you want it before February 7th, It's been available in Germany and The Netherlands since December 6th and it's just gone on sale in France.)

For those of you not familiar with the film, here's the tracklisting:

01 Love You Till Tuesday
02 Sell Me A Coat
03 When I'm Five
04 Rubber Band
05 The Mask
06 Let Me Sleep Beside You
07 Ching-A-Ling
08 Space Oddity
09 When I Live My Dream

Apparently the whole of the Love You Till Tuesday film ha been digitally restored and remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

While it's great to have this stuff on an official DVD, the surprise bonus is the inclusion of The Looking Glass Murders, the 1970 made-for-TV adaptation of Pierrot In Turquoise in which David plays the part of Cloud...a character who spends much of his time up the top of a step-ladder in an outrageous wig, punctuating the bizarre production with his funny little songs, all included here:

01 When I Live My Dream
02 Columbine
03 The Mirror
04 Threepenny Pierrot (Which borrows the melody of London By Ta Ta)
05 When I Live My Dream (Reprise)

This Lindsay Kemp production was originally made for Grampian TV in Scotland where it was filmed in February 1970 and eventually broadcast in July of the same year. I've had this DVD for a couple of weeks and it seems to me that it's a cleaned-up version of the video tape that has circulated as a bootleg among fans for some time.

Whatever, if you've never seen it, you're in for a shock. The DVD also includes a photo gallery with "extensive period photographs"...I presume that's excluding the live shot from 1974 and the 1966 sleep-deprived mod of the cover!

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I'll be doing a round-up of some of the DVDs that have surfaced over the last few months, with an indication of just how essential each one may or may not be.

David Live 5.1 Listening Party At Abbey Road

Gather you all and listen here...

This is the one a few of you seem to be getting a bit excited about, and rightly so. On Saturday, February 12th, 2005, five BowieNetters will attend a 5.1 David Live listening party in Studio 3 of the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, England, as guests of the very generous Nigel Reeve and EMI.

I know five members doesn't sound a lot, but due to the nature of the 5.1 listening experience the physical area in which you can enjoy the full effect of 5.1 is actually quite small. Anyway, if five was good enough for Willy Wonka, then it's good enough for me.

If all goes to plan and things run smoothly on the day, we will also give the winners a chance to listen to Stage in 5.1.

To be in with a chance of winning your Golden Ticket, all you will have to do is be absolutely certain you can be there on the day, then e-mail me at TotalBlamBlam@davidbowie.com with a subject line of: David Live Golden Ticket

The draw will end at midnight UK time on January 30th to give the winners plenty of time to arrange their own travel. The randomly-selected winners will be announced on the morning of January 31st here on the news page.

Usual rules apply: You must either enter from your BowieNet account, or at least supply your username, the validity of which will be checked before the winners are announced. Only one entry per member account.

One final point, the subject line of David Live Golden Ticket must be used on your entry e-mail. This is because the entries are routed to one in-box from where the winners will be selected. Failure to do so could jeopardise your chances of a successful entry.

Good luck, kidz.

Gad At The Borderline By Liz 'n Phil

GAD brings a bit of colour to an otherwise gloomy London.

Last night they loved you...

No, not THAT Liz and Phil! BowieNetters LizSK2 (Liz) and iforgot (Phil) were among the numerous BowieNetters present at Gail Ann Dorsey's London show last night and they have recorded the event in words and pictures respectively, for those of us that couldn't be there. (Grrrr)

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Gail Ann Dorsey at the Borderline, London ? Jan 20 2005 by Liz Tray

The last time I saw Gail Ann Dorsey was at the closing strains of Ziggy Stardust in the Amsterdam ArenA last June. So how ironic that the same song should end Gail?s first solo show in London since 1993.

Since Gail got the call from DB in 1995 and ran off to join his rock and roll circus her solo work has been put on the back burner. By then she?d made two albums, Corporate World and Rude Blue, and surely had a huge future ahead of her. While I?ve adored every bass lick and soaring note she?s played and sang with Bowie, last night?s acoustic show made me realise just how much her talent is worth. This woman is supremely gifted with a sharp eye for melodies, torch songs and exquisite ballads, and her voice? Well, even last night she was restrained, holding in its awesome power, to save blowing the roof off this tiny venue.

She started with 60s classic Alfie, such a brave choice, and I realised why the NYC Bnetters were so lucky! They get to see Gail?s solo shows every few months and what a treat they are. A packed Borderline roared its appreciation after each song. A few cheeky hecklers got the truth out of Gail about her possible involvement of the upcoming Queen tour, "No, I won?t be doing it. Paul Rodgers didn?t want me! Don?t get me started?"

She played tracks from all three solo albums; the most recent, I Used To Be, came out last year. Before last night I?d never heard one of her songs, despite my parents owning Corporate World some fifteen years ago. I am converted. Tracks like The Fool and Netherland from I Used to Be, Wasted Country from Corporate World and a stunning More Than I Can Give from Rude Blue had the crowd in her thrall.

She again confessed her teen crush on Olivia Newton-John and did a song by her, just before the strangely familiar Ziggy encore. We all sang it together as if back on the tour. I saw Gail dance with David on stage at Hammersmith in 2002. All this time I felt a tinge of jealousy. I realised last night I was jealous of him.

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Thanx folx...I'm dead envious that I couldn't be there. I WILL get to see this woman solo one of these years!

No Bowie For The English Roses

Ziggy and female fan in 1996 during DB's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.
The lady in the picture (left) accepted David Bowie's induction trophy on his behalf.

Rumours and lies...etc., etc.

News stories circulating that BowieNetter Madonna has "managed to secure the vocal skills of DAVID BOWIE" for the animated film version of her children's book, The English Roses, are untrue...as, indeed, Cavebat presumed on the BowieNet MBs.