Labyrinth Masquerade Ball In Seattle Tonight

As The World Falls Down...

If you're expecting to be sleepless in Seattle with nowhere to particularly go this evening, why not pop along to the Oddfellows Hall to ring in the new year and enjoy a bit of Labyrinth lunacy while you're about it.

Despite the poster's claim, I am pretty sure this event is New Year's Eve 2009 and as I post this item you still have a good ten hours to throw an outfit together.

Click on the URL on the poster above to find out all you need to know about something that sounds like it's going to be a cracking evening...and it's all in support of the AIDS Alliance.

I should point out that attire is strictly masquerade or Labyrinth costume and tickets are not available on the door, so be sure to give them a call to make sure you'll get in before you start stuffing your tights!

Space Oddity 40th And Signed Card Winners Part Two

Commencing countdown...Four

Here's the second clutch of winners that The Random Generator plucked from the partridge's pygostyle for our latest contest. (12.27.2009 NEWS: WIN SPACE ODDITY 40th LIMITED EDITIONS AND SIGNED CARD)

Those listed below get the item they chose and one of the very desirable signed-by-David Bowie promotional Space Oddity postcards, pictured above...

UK CD = philn
UK VINYL = mlighter
US CD = loz
US VINYL = Brotherziggy

So, if you lot want your stuff, send us your abode details.

Stay tuned for more winners.

Space Oddity 40th And Signed Card Winners Part One

Commencing countdown...Five

Last week we offered an undisclosed quantity of US and UK copies of both the Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Limited Edition CD vinyl and CD with the above signed-by-David Bowie promotional postcard. (12.17.2009 NEWS: WIN SPACE ODDITY 40th LIMITED EDITIONS AND SIGNED CARD)

Five members had already won a CD each and automatically qualified for the signed card too. (12.14.2009 NEWS: SPACE ODDITY 40th WINNERS' LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA)

Those five winners are again listed below simply because I've only had names and addresses from two of them so far...

gmoney
ikehatabin
jungtheforeman
tenimmo
zig

Congratulations to the first four winners that The Random Generator selected from Santa's sack for the latest contest, who all get the item they chose and the very desirable signed-by-David Bowie promotional Space Oddity postcard...

UK CD = sookie
UK VINYL = keithbubb
US CD = acg
US VINYL = Dez

I'm sure you lot know what to do next...Clue: We don't know where you live.

Stay tuned for more winners...who knows how many? Well, I do actually.

Holiday Message From Mr David Bowie

See the day when men of good will, Live in peace, live in peace again...

DB has sent in the following seasonal greeting for you all...

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

A giant happy holiday to everyone and a peaceful new year

David B

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

Thanks David ...all love back to you and yours, and to everybody else, from everyone here at BowieNet.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to abuse my position and thank everyone reading this that has sent me cards, be they actual or electronic.

I'll leave you with a link to an old story from The Washington Post, by Paul Farhi, entitled: Bing and Bowie: An Odd Story of Holiday Harmony.

It's an interesting piece regarding the recording of the duet, Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy, for Bing Crosby's Christmas show in September,1977.

The show aired in December the same year and the song became a #3 hit in the UK when it was released as single five years later in November 1982. (That's the shop window poster above advertising the release.)

More than ever, this unlikely and wonderfully strange duet seems to be everywhere this year, and it seems to be topping many people's favourite Christmas song lists...and rightly so...it's still a very moving performance and its simple message remains a strong one, reiterated in David's message today.

Design Your Own Beatles To Bowie Poster

I believe in Beatles...

Check out a section on the NPG's Beatles To Bowie minisite where you can create your very own poster advertising the exhibition.

Granted, you can only change the picture and the strapline, but I had fun with my effort, above, utilising a Beatle and a Bowie for the picture element.

We first told you about the exhibition back in June, (06.25.2009 NEWS: RARE BOWIE SHOTS AT NPG BEATLES TO BOWIE EXHIBITION) followed up by a report in October. (10.14.2009 REMINDER: BEATLES TO BOWIE EXHIBITION OPENS THURSDAY)

Stay tuned for your chance to win a special very limited promotional copy of the exhibition catalogue with the above signed Bowie postcard in a transparent pouch on the inside front cover.

Beatles to Bowie: The 60s exposed is at the National Portrait Gallery in London and runs through to January 24th, 2010.

Jimmy King's Report On Bowie Night At The Living Room

Somebody plays my song in tune...

Not sure how this one slipped under the radar, which is a real shame that it did as it sounds like it was a pretty special evening at The Living Room on Tuesday.

Anyway, our man in NYC, Jimmy 'The Wardrobe' King, found out about it last minute and scurried down to kindly provide this report and take a few snaps.

Here's what he had to say regarding the evening's entertainment....

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

Bowie Night at The Living Room, Tuesday December 15th, 2009, by Jimmy King.

A cold Tuesday night at New York's Living Room warmed up Manhattan's lower east side by playing host to a diverse mix of forty plus musicians, each performing their own rendition from a set of fifty plus Bowie songs.

Reminiscent of a beatnik speakeasy, the small intimate seated venue was tightly packed as a stream of artists hit the small stage, one after another, to present an interpretation of their own "chord striking" favorites.

This was an evening about the music, there were no look or sound-a-likes, just musicians. Whether it was done with fun, passion or intensity, the one thing that was obvious was the importance and sheer joy it was giving each of them to be expressing something close to their hearts.

The diversity of personality behind each performance made it hard to single out favorites, but Dina Regina's 'Moonage Daydream' was quite beautiful, as was Dayna Kurtz's '5 Years' and Sam Bisbee's 'Heroes'. Other standouts for me were, Eric Fei Genbaum singing 'Queen Bitch' and Emilie Cardineaux's animated 'John I'm Only Dancing'.

The night was a five hour long marathon with fifty plus songs from across the years on the set list. The pace never faltered and the choice of songs throughout was an interesting and selective mix. The entire evening had a fantastic energy level that kept me glued to the stage in anticipation of the next performance.

A night of sheer poetry, giving a fun but also some very moving perspectives on something familiar...as translating Shakespeare would be to an Actor, this felt like the musicians' equivalent.

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

Thanx for that JK, much appreciated.

As I say, not sure how we didn't get to hear about this one in advance, we normally get notified about these things from several sources beforehand. Anyway, it sounds like the place was packed and everybody had fun.

I'll leave you with an outrageously huge animation of a few of Jimmy's pictures of the performers, along with the setlist he managed to grab...even if he did make some of it slightly illegible by spilling his Cinzano on it!

Win Space Oddity 40th Limited Editions And Signed Card

Love is careless in its choosing... (Though that doesn't mean you have to be)

As you may have noticed from the previous contest, (12.03.2009 NEWS: SPACE ODDITY 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION CD WINNERS) to win one of the above signed-by-David Bowie promotional postcards, you first have to win a copy of the Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Limited Edition, be it vinyl or CD.

Five members have already won a CD each and automatically qualify for a signed card too. (12.14.2009 NEWS: SPACE ODDITY 40th WINNERS' LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA)

So, to be in with a chance of winning, you have to make the almost impossible decision of which format to go for. We have US and UK copies of both the Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Limited Edition vinyl and CD. The only catch is, we're not telling you how many of each we do have!

Click on ONLY ONE of the following links to let me know your preferred choice.

There's no closing date as such, though The Random Generator will be selecting winners and posting them in the news right up to New Year's Eve when we will have exhausted our supply.

I should also mention that there are no fundamental differences between the UK and US copies of either the CD or the Vinyl...the stickers are slightly different, but that's about it.

Usual BowieNet rules apply: Only one entry per BowieNet account and please remember you must enter using your BowieNet e-mail or at least supply your BowieNet user name. If you do neither of these things you won't be eligible to enter.

Happy choozin', kidz!

Pre-order Royal Mail Ziggy Stardust Stamp Now

So send me a letter...

For the philatelic Bowie fans among you, you may be pleased to learn that you can satisfy both of your passions by pre-ordering the official Royal Mail Ziggy Stardust stamp and associated merchandise from the Royal Mail store now.

You may also be pleased to learn that we will be getting a quantity of first day covers signed by David Bowie for a contest early next year.

We told you about the stamp in October when we posted details of the Classic Album Covers collection which will be issued on January 7th, 2010. (10.11.2009 NEWS: ZIGGY STARDUST COVER BECOMES FIRST CLASS BRITISH STAMP)

Illustrated above is the first day cover and the Ziggy Stardust card, available to pre-order now, alongside other collectibles such as a strip of five Ziggy Stardust stamps and first day covers for non-UK addresses.

Tvotr's War Child Heroes In Top Ten Covers Of 2009

Just for one year...

Over at NPR's All Songs Considered Blog, TVOTR's version of David Bowie'e "Heroes" has been selected as one of the best ten cover versions of 2009.

Here's the full top ten...

1) Beck -- "Sunday Morning" from Record Club on beck.com (Originally by The Velvet Underground)
2) The Flaming Lips -- "Borderline" from Covered, A Revolution in Sound: Warner Bros Records (Originally by Madonna)
3) Thom Yorke -- "All For The Best" from Ciao My Shining Star: Songs of Mark Mulcahy (Originally by Mark Mulcahy/Miracle Legion)
4) The Books + Jose Gonzalez -- "Cello Song" from Dark Was the Night (Originally by Nick Drake)
5) The National + St. Vincent -- "Sleep All Summer" from SCORE! 20 Years of Merge Records: THE COVERS! (Originally by Crooked Fingers)
6) TV on the Radio -- "Heroes" from War Child Presents Heroes (Originally by David Bowie)
7) Yim Yames (Jim James) -- "Long Long Long" from Tribute To (Originally by The Beatles\George Harrison)
8) The Bad Plus -- "Comfortably Numb" from For All I Care (Originally by Pink Floyd)
9) Taken By Trees -- "My Boys" from East Of Eden (Originally by Animal Collective)
10) Marianne Faithfull -- "The Crane Wife 3" from Easy Come Easy Go (Originally by The Decemberists)

And here's the entry for "Heroes" by Michael Katzif.

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

War Child Presents Heroes is a benefit album produced by the War Child organization with proceeds devoted to the charity's aid efforts in war-stricken areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Uganda. Thematically the record features musical icons who selected one of their own songs and then nominated a new artist from the "next generation" to create a modern reworking. It's a smart concept that yielded Beck covering Bob Dylan, Yeah Yeah Yeahs covering The Ramones and TV On The Radio covering David Bowie's "Heroes."

There is a strong connection between TV On The Radio and Bowie, considering he sang backup on Return To Cookie Mountain's song "Province," so it feels natural for them to tackle this classic anthem. Their use of fuzzy synths and blankets of washy guitar feedback give the song a jolt of energy, while the electronic beats feel like an homage to Bowie's late '70s and early '80s sound.

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

So there you have it...well done boys, well deserved and a very deserving cause to boot.

Speaking of best Bowie covers...

Ziggy Gayest Lp And Nirvana's Tmwstw Best Cover

Repetition...

Had a few e-mails regarding a story about Ziggy Stardust being voted the gayest album of all time by Out magazine and Nirvana's cover of The Man Who Sold The World being voted the best cover version of all time by Spin magazine.

Keen observers of BowieNet will know that the Ziggy Out story is over a year old (09.07.2008 NEWS: ZIGGY STARDUST VOTED GAYEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME) and that we posted the Spin item in October. (10.03.2009 NEWS: NIRVANA'S TMWSTW VOTED BEST COVER VERSION OF ALL TIME)

So stick that in your pipe!

Space Oddity 40th Winners' Little Something Extra

Don't look at the card, pet, I drew a little something extra on it...

OK, so the 'little something extra' we promised the five winners of our Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Limited Edition CD contest can all stop wondering now. (12.03.2009 NEWS: SPACE ODDITY 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION CD WINNERS)

You guessed right, along with your original CD win you'll also receive the above double-sided promotional postcard signed by David Bowie on the reverse!

As I think I explained previously, all of the Space Oddity 40th CDs are sealed. So, rather than break the seal we thought it was better to provide an associated item that would be far easier to frame than the CD packaging...assuming you want to frame your autograph that is. You're still free to display it in any other way you see fit...within the law at least.

In case they had forgotten, these were the five winners who should all now supply their names and addresses if they haven't already done so...

gmoney
ikehatabin
jungtheforeman
tenimmo
zig

On Thursday we'll be running the next contest to win more Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Limited Edition CDs and vinyl...all with exclusive and 100% genuine hand-signed (at least I think that's what he uses) accompanying promotional postcard.

PLUS... We'll be running another contest concurrently to win something else signed by David Bowie to make up for the lack of a new contest last Thursday...and that won't be the end of it.

Poet Simon Armitage Gives Bowie Narration Thumbs Up

Boys like Peter aren't afraid of wolves...

The British poet, playwright and novelist, Simon Armitage, has written a nice piece in The Guardian regarding Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, ahead of a performance of it with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in London, from December 28th to the 30th.

Here's his opening paragraph...

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

"I have to hand it to you, David, your version was edgier. I wish I'd kept mine a dry mix."
Bill Clinton and David Bowie get to compare Peter and the Wolf narration notes at the
2007 Food Bank of New York Can-Do Awards Dinner in New York, April 23rd, 2007.

Question: what do Mikhail Gorbachev, Sting, Sean Connery, Sir David Attenborough, David Bowie, Patrick Stewart, Sharon Stone, Terry Wogan, Captain Kangaroo, Dame Edna Everage, Mia Farrow and Bill Clinton have in common? No, unfortunately it isn't the leaked line-up for the next series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, in which we'll cover our eyes as "Dave" Attenborough tucks into a par-boiled koala bear testicle.

The unlikely answer is that they have all played the role of the narrator in Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, presumably with varying degrees of success. I haven't heard every one, but the Bowie recording from 1992 is particularly good value. In a voice somewhere between Harry H Corbett and a Radio 3 continuity announcer, Bowie led us through the garden gate towards a little pond to tell us a story about a duck, a bird and a boy called Peter. Bowie: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin."

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

Simon is obviously referring to one of the CD reissues when he says 1992, as the album was originally released in 1978. David apparently recorded Peter and the Wolf as a gift to young Zowie Bowie, (who would have been just seven when the LP was released) and to children everywhere.

Initially released on green vinyl, supposedly as a limited edition, it seems both the green vinyl and the single-sided promo are both more common than the straight black vinyl version of the original release.

Finally, I'll leave you with a couple of excerpts from the original Bowie biog album insert, bearing in mind it was primarily aimed at kids...

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

Some people thought Bowie "became" the orange-haired rock star Ziggy. But if he did, he didn't remain Ziggy for long. He produced albums for other performers, made records as different as one about a disaster city and one of his favourite songs from the late '60s.

He had a hit record with Fame, which was played for disco dancing, and then he made music influenced by modern German expressionism and European electronic abstractionism.

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

You can read the full Guardian piece here.

See David Brighton And Space Oddity For Free!

Free yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah...

The ever industrious David Brighton has been in touch with details of a 'Special Free Holiday Show' on December 26th...by way of thanks to all of those that have supported Space Oddity throughout the past year.

Here's the thingumy stuff...

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

David Brighton and the Space Oddity Band return to Southern California for a Special Free Holiday Show on Dec. 26th. Space Oddity will be performing a 90 minute, full David Bowie Tribute production show, featuring material dating from pre-Ziggy through the 90s, with as always, special surprises. We hope to see you there!

Here's the info:
12/26/2009 8:00 PM at Pala Casino - the Grand Cabaret
11154 HWY 76, Pala, California 92059

For Directions: www.palacasino.com
1-877-WIN-PALA (1-877-946-7252)
www.palacasino.com/entertainment
www.davidbowietribute.com

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

As if that wasn't enough, it probably won't rain either. So, as somebody once said: "What could be nicer for you?".

World's Best Comic Artists Make Thin White Sketchbook

See my life in a comic...The little details in colour...

Ashamed to admit that I hadn't even heard about this project until Google Alerts highlighted a piece about it on Pitchfork.com.

The project, an online collection of illustrations compiled by comic artist, writer and critic, not to mention huge Bowie fan, Sean T. Collins, is called The Thin White Sketchbook and lots of great comic artists and illustrators have contributed incredibly good drawings of Bowie to it.

The ongoing project started in September 2007 and has just been updated with a piece (far right in the above montage) by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe.

The other drawings above, from left to right are by Cliff Chiang, Tom Kaczynski, Seth and director Michel Gondry.

Check out the remaining seventy four drawings contributed so far over on Sean's flickr page dedicated to The Thin White Sketchbook.

Signed Official 2010 Calendar Contest Winners

It was a day in that blue month October... (Well, the seasons are all over the shop)

Seems a few of you really did miss this one the first time around, (11.26.2009 NEWS: THANKSGIVING CONTEST EVERY THURSDAY UNTIL 2010) as we did get a load more entries during our extended week. (12.03.2009 NEWS: SIGNED CALENDAR CONTEST EXTENDED BY ONE WEEK)

Ten copies of the above 2010 official calendar signed by both David Bowie and Mick Rock...were the prizes in this first of our autograph-based contests to take us up to David's birthday next year.

All you had to do to be in with a chance of winning one of these very desirable prizes was supply the venue, the month and the year that the cover shot of the calendar was taken.

The answer was, and actually still is: The Marquee Club, London, October 1973.

I don't think that particularly stretched you, but the ten members who were plucked from the gloomy uncertainty of The Random Generator's big hat to the bright sunshine of a glorious win were as follows...

anel
dreamgirl
flux
glamfan
ladinsane
rusphillips
Simone
Soosan
sriusmoonlight
stevesmith

So, the sooner you smug buggers send us your postal whereabouts, the more likely you are to get your calendar before 2010.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of these contests in which you too could win a genuine David Bowie autograph.

Michael Clark...the Interval Stuff

White Light make me sound like Lou Reed...

In my last piece about Michael Clark's newest work (12.04.2009 NEWS: BERLIN IS LAST CHANCE TO SEE CLARK'S COME, BEEN, GONE) I recommended that those attending the last shows in Berlin should "try and catch the interval music before come, been, gone...you'll like it!".

Well, that teaser got a few of you wondering and you e-mailed me for further details. Well, it's not that big a deal, but they were good choices that I imagine Mr Clark chose himself and they really got the place buzzing with anticipation.

Anyway, here's what was played...

Warm Leatherette - The Normal

(Swamp)

Waiting For The Man - David Bowie Bowie At The Beeb
Queen Bitch - David Bowie Bowie At The Beeb
White Light/White Heat - David Bowie Bowie At The Beeb
Velvet Underground - Jonathan Richman I, Jonathan

(come, been, gone - Act One)

Lady Stardust (Demo) - David Bowie Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Edition
Hang On To Yourself - Arnold Corns Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Edition
Moonage Daydream - Arnold Corns Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Edition
The Gospel According To Tony Day - David Bowie David Bowie Deluxe Edition - Due January 2010

(come, been, gone - Act Two)

No Fun - Iggy & The Stooges ~ The Stooges

See aforementioned news story for the music used during the actual dance sequences.

FOOTNOTE: For those of you wondering where today's lyric quotation came from, it's from the May 23rd, 1972, BBC John Peel session version of White Light/White Heat available on Bowie At The Beeb or on the Original John Peel Session digital EP. Well, you might not have known.

Learning The Alphabet Is Easier With Db

Carving up my children's future, Read 'em pal and grin...

BowieNetter Peter Cami has been in touch with details of a new learning aid created by designer Christopher Monro DeLorenzo. You've probably got the gist of it from the images above, but here's a bit from Christopher anyway...

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

We used to learn our alphabets by reading those classroom banners that associated each letter with an animal or object. These days as kids become increasingly computer dependent at an early age I thought it was about time to adapt an old method to a new medium.

From cultural icons to greek mythology, this keyboard sticker set will advance the alphabetical knowledge of any child, or adult.

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

Cool idea, Christopher. But how about a Bowie-centric version for us guys. I'll start you off...Aladdin Sane, Bowie, Cat People, Diamond Dogs, Elephant Man...it could work.

Fs2s Collector And Deluxe Edition Bonuses

I wrote a note for you...

Those of you who subscribe to the Genesis Publications newsletter should have received a notification regarding the above signed by David Bowie facsimile of a While You Were Out memo.

The facsimile has been produced as a bookplate to paste in to the Collector Edition of From Station To Station, as the Deluxe copies were signed by Bowie anyway.

Here's the content of that e-mail for those that haven't subscribed yet...

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

While you were out... David Bowie Called

In a move that will delight Bowie fans and Genesis book collectors alike, David Bowie is signing copies of Geoff MacCormack's FROM STATION TO STATION - available to purchase from Genesis Publications today.

These very special books are a must-have for any collector and are available to order now. Purchase your copy of this fabulous limited edition with a facsimile 'While You Were Out' memo, hand-signed and dated by David Bowie, pasted into the inside front cover of your book.

Geoff MacCormack's tales of his travels with Bowie from '73-76 have already earned his fascinating book five star reviews, with Goldmine describing the book as "leather-bound, gold-trimmed and so full of great, candid pictures that you feel by the end of it that you yourself were on tour with Bowie - without the sex, drugs and rock and roll, of course."

We are delighted and honoured to announce David Bowie's participation; it offers a remarkable close to our 35th anniversary year.

David Bowie: "What a terrifically clever idea this is. Take the two of us and pretend that we went to America, Japan and, wait for it, f'ing Russia of all places... and then write a book about it. Brilliant!"

In January 2010 we will be outlining a scheme whereby readers who already own a copy of FROM STATION TO STATION may, if they wish, submit their book to Genesis for the addition of the 'While You Were Out' bookplate. This is in thanks for your support, and will be a complimentary service, provided you are able to cover shipping to the Genesis office. More details to be announced soon.

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

If you subscribed to the Deluxe Edition you will be pleased to learn that you're not being left out. Indeed, you're probably already aware of that fact, as you should have received the following communication by now...

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

Re. Deluxe copies From Station To Station

You may have read in a recent e-newsletter that David Bowie is signing Collector copies from the limited edition, From Station To Station.

We will be providing a scheme in 2010 where readers who have previously purchased Collector copies may have their book signed as well.

Your Deluxe copy of From Station To Station was of course already signed and dated by David Bowie at the time of publication.

Nevertheless, we would like to provide something for everyone. So, to that end, please expect a signed photographic print to be arriving soon courtesy of the book's author, Geoff MaCormack.

He is signing 350 special numbered prints that are made exclusively for Deluxe customers of From Station To Station. This will be an archival-grade print produced from the negative, created and despatched to you with our compliments, as a token of our thanks.

We're very grateful. None of these editions would be made possible without your support.

We look forward to writing more in the New Year.

Yours, Nick Roylance - Genesis Publications Limited

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

Pretty generous of Genesis, eh?

John I'm Only Dancing (again) Released Thirty Years Ago

Boogie down with Daddy now...

Perhaps it's not easy to imagine in these days of bonus CDs of extra tracks and previously unreleased versions, etc., just how big a deal the release of John I'm Only Dancing (Again) was to the Bowie faithful, in December 1979.

Aside from the fact that the record was Bowie's very first UK 12" 45, John I'm Only Dancing (Again) was legendary among fans aware of the song's existence, but who hadn't actually heard it until this release.

The track seemed to have evaded bootleggers and this release provided the full length version, (along with an edited version for the UK 7") not to mention a new mix of the original Ziggy Stardust sessions version of John I'm Only Dancing.

Here's the text from the UK press advert...

And here's the text from the US press advert...

To sum up, the tracks released went thus....

UK
12" 45
A - John I'm Only Dancing (Again) (full length version)
B - John I'm Only Dancing (1972) (1979 remix)

7" 45
A - John I'm Only Dancing (Again) (edited version)
B - John I'm Only Dancing (1972) (1979 remix)

US
12" 45
A - John I'm Only Dancing (Again) (full length version)
B - Golden Years

7" 45
A - John I'm Only Dancing (1972) (1979 remix)
B - Joe The Lion

This 1979 remix of the original 1972 Ziggy version of John I'm Only Dancing created a third version of the track.

The first version was released by RCA as a UK 45 on September 1st 1972. (There was no US release of the track at this time.) This version was superseded by a second version recorded during the Aladdin Sane sessions which eventually came to be known as the Sax Version.

Evidence points to the fact that this second version was released without fanfare sometime close to the release of Aladdin Sane in 1973. Though Bowie's RCA singles remained on catalogue for many years after their release, for a time John I'm Only Dancing was unavailable.

It would appear that once John I'm Only Dancing was once again made available as a back catalogue single, it was the Sax Version, and not the Ziggy version, that unsuspecting buyers got. Either way, the same RCA 2263 catalogue number was used for both pressings.

In fact, it wasn't until one or two thousand (depends where you read it) 'mispressed' copies of the 1976 CHANGESONEBOWIE album were released with the Sax Version included that the different versions became known to fans. Indeed, I can't recall any mention, anywhere, of the Sax Version before the CHANGESONEBOWIE mispress.

Therefore, the 1979 remix created a third version, albeit a very slight variation of the original Ziggy version.

What isn't generally known is that when RCA pressed black label variations of their 45s in the UK (including the Lifetimes series) they inadvertently created a fourth version by swapping the stereo channels!

Coincidentally, both the 1972 and 1979 45s reached #12 on the UK single chart.

Finally, I know there are a few of you out there that collect the press ads for Bowie releases, as I get enquiries every time I post a rare one in the news. So, just in case you can't identify the four on this page...At top left is the A2 UK record shop colour poster. Next to that is the US music trade advert.

The two mono ads pictured above are both versions of the UK music press advert which collectors don't seem to realise exist. Everybody I've pointed out the variations to were previously unfamiliar with both. So, ner, ner, ner, ner, ner!

Moon Picks Up Best Film And Debut Director At The Bifas

Battle For Britain...

Congratulations are due to Duncan Jones and everybody involved in the creation of MOON for picking up two gongs at the prestigious British Independent Film Awards on Sunday evening.

MOON won Best Film and Duncan also picked up the Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director at the ceremony at The Brewery, Chiswell Street in London.

The BIFAs, for British independent films with a budget of less than Ã‚Â£10m, are sometimes seen as a hint at the films that may do well at the Oscars. Last year's big BIFA winner was Slumdog Millionaire.

MOON had received 7 nominations in 6 categories, and did incredibly well to win Best Film, particularly when considering the very strong competition in An Education, Fish Tank, In The Loop and Nowhere Boy.

Duncan himself wasn't present at the awards as he is currently in Los Angeles preparing for his next movie, the Sci-Fi thriller Source Code, for which he will be directing Jake Gyllenhall.

You can view the full list of 2009 BIFA winners here.