“Take a look at my life and you’ll see”
As previously mentioned on these pages and following it’s run at the AGO in Toronto, the V&A’s hugely successful David Bowie is Exhibition is about to open at the Museum of Image and Sound in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The museum hosts the exhibition for an eleven week run from 31 January to 20 April 2014 and if you haven’t already, you can book tickets and read about some of the related events here.
“Pushing through the market square”
Regular visitors to these pages will know that today is the anniversary of the very first Ziggy Stardust gig, which took the form of a warm up show at Aylesbury Friars, Borough Assembly Hall, on January 29th, 1972.
Billed by the club as THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD, Bowie gave the Friars audience an exciting taster of the phenomenon that would shortly sweep the UK and ultimately the civilised world.
So what could be more appropriate than the news that tickets go on sale for the first ever Aylesbury Friars exhibition at the weekend?
There are several Bowie shows related to Aylesbury Friars, but there is a wonderful piece of memorabilia that has surfaced from Bowie’s appearance on Saturday, July 15th, 1972. The show that Friars awarded THE MOST CELEBRATED GIG IN FRIARS HISTORY.
But before that, here’s a recollection from that July 15th show via the healthy brain cells of Mr Memory Man himself, Rick Pearce...
“Memories of the gig itself are a jumble of confused images and impressions:
A huge wave of energy and sound coming off the stage, Hang On To Yourself always hits like a bolt of lightning and it’s the first time I’ve seen them in a small venue since they played here in January…Blue lit otherwise darkened stage for The Supermen… Total strobe disorientation and fragments of She Shook Me Cold during the jam section of I Feel Free… Ronno raising his arm to signal the end of White Light White Heat and Woody just keeps on drumming… Crushed against the PA by the crowd with Jackie, Jenny and her friend Tim and being deaf for days after… Bowie taking off his jacket towards the end of the show, ripping it to pieces, throwing rags to the crowd. At the same time Stuey George and (probably) Stage Manager Peter Hunsley are hurling fliers from both sides of the stage, girls are fighting over bits of white satin and I’m wondering how it’s possible to look cool in the middle of all of this, realising it’s impossible and giving up on even trying… Grabbing Ronno’s guitar as he runs to the front of the stage and shoves it out into the audience… The surface of the guitar is rough, almost like sandpaper and the strings are very light gauge… Wondering if seeing the Beatles at the Cavern was anywhere near as good as this…”
You've no doubt already guessed what aforementioned scrap of memorabilia is, Rick’s words and the image here being a bit of a giveaway.
Well, it’s a piece of the satin shirt Bowie threw from the stage, which was caught by Vivien Symons, then 16, who was standing as close to the stage as she could. Vivien describes the moment thus...
“Everyone grabbed at it. We all held on but it ripped, and I ended up with a piece from the front with some buttons and a sequin.”
Great stuff. Scroll the images here to see Mick Rock’s before and after shots from the night.
Friars founder and promoter David Stopps said: “I have been hoping to present a major exhibition on Friars for years and at last it’s going to happen. It’s a huge undertaking.”
The exhibition will feature rare posters, photographs and memorabilia from Friars extensive archive as well as unique items including guitars, keyboards, horns and drums on loan from artists who have performed there.
It will also relay some of the many stories from artists and Friars members from the many concerts presented over the years. Whilst most of the shows took place in Aylesbury the exhibition will also cover "Foreign Gigs" in towns such as Bedford, Dunstable, Watford, High Wycombe and Princes Risborough.
Friars members and artists have been specially filmed talking about their memories of Friars, which will be shown in a specially created cinema section of the exhibition.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 1st March to 5th July. There will be an exclusive Private View on Friday 28 February with drinks and canapés.
Tickets on sale from 1st February 2014
Adults: £4.00
Students/ES40 holders: £2.00
Under 16's: Free
Exhibition Season Ticket: £15.00
Special Preview Evening Tickets 28 Feb 6.30pm – 9.30pm: £15.00
Tickets available in advance online from:
www.theticketsellers.co.uk or by phone 0844 870 0000
Booking fees and other charges apply.
Entry is by timed ticket.
Tickets can be booked up to the day before visit to ensure entry.
Tickets also available at the Museum for The Preview Evening and in person on day of visit (subject to availability)
OPENING HOURS
1 March to 31 March: Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm
1 April to 5 July: Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm
Also on the following Mondays: 7,14,21 April and 26 May 10am – 5pm
EXHIBITION VENUE
Buckinghamshire County Museum, Church Street, Aylesbury HP20 2QP
MORE INFORMATION
“Who’d have ever dreamed”
Flamboyant, guitar-playing, Bowie sidekick, Gerry Leonard (currently on tour with Suzanne Vega) will be probed by curator/musician Tom Wilcox at The Hospital Club in London on Friday, February 7th.
However, tickets for the event are VERY LIMITED and if you want to be sure of a seat go here now.
If, on the other hand, you cannot attend but are interested regardless, carry on reading...
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DISCUSSION WITH GERRY LEONARD, BOWIE'S GUITARIST
LONDON: The Hospital Club
FRI 7TH FEB, 2014 1pm to 2:15pm
1pm to 2:15pm
Join curator and musician Tom Wilcox for a moment of harmonic rock n roll anecdotes as he interviews David Bowie's renowned guitarist, Gerry Leonard.
Gerry Leonard is a Dublin born guitar player, songwriter and producer now based in New York city. As part of the New York scene, Gerry’s distinctive and innovative ambient style has led to his working with many great artists over the years, including David Bowie, Roger Waters, Roger Glover and Suzanne Vega - with whom he is playing at the Barbican on the evening of Friday 7 February.
A highlight was becoming music director / guitar player for David Bowie on his last year long “Reality” world tour and DVD (2003/2004). Apart from Bowie’s previous two records, “Heathen” and “Reality” and the subsequent tours, Gerry also features on David's surprise comeback album “The Next Day” of last year, and has two co-writes with David on the record: “Boss of Me” and “I’ll Take You There”.
Gerry will be discussing his career with Tom, including the artistic processes behind the secret making of "The Next Day" and life on the road and in the studio with David Bowie and other great artists.
£15.00 + £1.50 Booking fee = £16.50
“Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers”
The folk at OHYOUPRETTYTHINGSNYC.COM have been in touch with details of their annual Bowie/Elvis Celebration this Sunday in NYC. And here they are...
Oh! You Pretty Things : Bowie and Elvis Birthday Bash
Sunday January 19th @ 9pm - Martin Luther King Weekend
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker and Thompson St., New York City
Oh! You Pretty Things is proud to present a birthday spectacular for rock's two greatest Capricorns, David Bowie and Elvis Presley.
Michael T and the Vanities and This Ambitious Orchestra perform larger-than-life arrangements of hit songs from their catalogue along with live sets from the Sons & Heirs and Tyburn Saints, plus burlesque performances by The Love Show, Aurora Black, and Brewster for this Vegas-style three ring circus.
More info @ OHYOUPRETTYTHINGSNYC.COM
“One magical moment from 2013”
The results are in, NME readers have spoken and they have made ’David Bowie's Surprise Return On His 66th Birthday’ the ultimate music moment of 2013.
He was up against some stiff competition, but who could disagree with the final NME result.
Many thanks to both the NME readership and the magazine for their incredible support in 2013 and for continuing to fly the Bowie flag so high. It’s appreciated.
We’ll leave you with the full list of nominees and the terrifying realisation of just how narrowly disaster was averted! ;-)
NME Readers Top 20 ultimate music moments of 2013
1. David Bowie's Surprise Return On His 66th Birthday
Final Rating: 8.74
2. Miley Cyrus dominated headlines with her clothing-averse antics
Final Rating: 7.73
3. Arctic Monkeys return to headline Glastonbury again
Final Rating: 6.96
4. Foals demonstrate headline quality at Latitude
Final Rating: 6.90
5. Noel and Damon bury the hatchet at Teenage Cancer Trust
Final Rating: 5.38
6. After years of rumours, the Rolling Stones triumphantly headline Glastonbury
Final Rating: 5.29
7. Pussy Riot activist Maria Alyokhina goes on an 11-day hunger strike
Final Rating: 5.05
8. Daft Punk return and 'Get Lucky' takes over the world
Final Rating: 4.97
9. Morrissey's long awaited 'Autobiography' is published
Final Rating: 4.39
10. Biffy Clyro make the step up to headline Reading and Leeds
Final Rating: 4.36
11. Christine McVie rejoined Fleetwood Mac on stage
Final Rating: 4.32
12. Lorde's Climb To The Top
Final Rating: 4.23
13. Lily Allen battled sexism with a controversial video
Final Rating: 4.21
14. Pixies finally recorded new material - but without Kim Deal
Final Rating: 3.90
15. My Bloody Valentine returned aftera lengthy hiatus
Final Rating: 3.75
16. James Blake was a surprised, but deserving, Mercury Prize winner
Final Rating: 3.50
17. Yeezus is joined onstage by Jesus
Final Rating: 2.91
18. 'White Noise' kicked off a Nu-Garage UK dance movement
Final Rating: 2.91
19. Kendrick Lamar threw down the rap gauntlet on his 'Control' verse
Final Rating: 2.82
20. Eminem's returns to form on 'Marshall Mathers' sequel
Final Rating: 2.37
“Looks like you've been there too”
Rebel Rebel is the next release in the continuing run of David Bowie limited edition 40th anniversary 7” picture discs.
The record will be the seventh in the series, due to be issued by Parlophone on March 10th, with the usual regional variations.
Originally released on February 15th 1974, Rebel Rebel was a first taste from the upcoming Diamond Dogs LP, though it was considered a bit of a curveball compared to much of the music on that album.
It was the first release since the dissolution of The Spiders From Mars, though stylistically it may have been more at home on Aladdin Sane, with its up-tempo, Stones feel and with an unmistakable and instantly recognisable riff played by Bowie. A riff that he was more than grateful to have conjured up, later saying of it: “It's a fabulous riff! Just fabulous! When I stumbled onto it, it was 'Oh, thank you!'”.
The track reached #5 on the UK singles chart and even managed a placing in the US Billboard Hot 100, no doubt helped by the US version of the single released in the US, Canada and Mexico in May of the same year.
The A-side of the 40th anniversary edition features the original single mix of Rebel Rebel, which hasn't been available on 7" since the early 80's and sadly remains unavailable on CD to this day.
The AA-side has the aforementioned US Version, which is a remixed edit of the song with overdubs and extra backing vocals, more akin to the version Bowie would play on the North American Diamond Dogs Tour that year.
The photographs on the disc were taken of Bowie while in Amsterdam promoting the single and recording the Rebel Rebel video for the Dutch Top Pop television show in February 1974.
DAVID BOWIE - REBEL REBEL 40th ANNIVERSARY 7" PICTURE DISC
RELEASE DATE: March 10th, 2014
A-Side Rebel Rebel (Original single mix)
AA-Side Rebel Rebel (US Version)
Catalogue Number DBREBEL40
“Drive-In Saturday”
The 16th annual Italian Bowie Bash that is held in Bassano del Grappa (near Venice) is coming to its climax after a full week of events.
Following a week full of celebrations and events involving many local bands and national celebrities, the popular Bowie fan get-together culminates tomorrow (Saturday Jan 11th) in a packed day of Bowie-related fun and excitement.
Keep reading for links and a schedule of that jam-packed final day,
16th DAVID BOWIE BASH in Bassano del Grappa, Italy
Saturday will be a very special day for the Italian Bowie Bash, as it will also feature "all day events" including book presentations, interviews and more, all happening at the Revolution Studios in Molvena, Vicenza from 4pm on. Among these the famous Marco Castoldi aka Morgan - best known as the Italian X Factor long time presenter - on his second time at the Bowie Bash. Morgan will play songs by Bowie and Lou Reed. He will be introduced by live performances by Camilla Fascina, The Ghostway Band, Memorie dal Sottosuono, Veronica B. and Giuseppe Piol.
11th SAT JANUARY 2014
Ore 16.00 – @ BOWIE’S ROOM – Proiezione del Docufilm «Five Years» (Francis Whately – BBC)
Ore 16.45 – @ BOWIE’S ROOM – Presentazione del Libro in uscita « L’UOMO DELLE STELLE »
Ore 17.00 – @ BOWIE’S ROOM – BedRoomRevolution – Il collezionismo e David Bowie
Ore 17.30 – MAIN STAGE Live – THE GHOSTWAY BAND – Bowie’s Tribute
Ore 18.45 – LOUNGE ROOM Live – MEMORIE DAL SOTTOSUONO (BO) – “QUALCOSA NEI NOSTRI CIELI”
Ore 18.45 - LOUNGE ROOM - CLO’ ART ROOM – BOWIE’S APPETIZERS
Ore 19.30 - MAIN STAGE Live – VERONICA B (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Veronica+B&sm=3)
Ore 21.30 – MAIN STAGE Live « A SECOND FACE » CAMILLA FASCINA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdS3I0GUI-I)
Ore 22.30 – MAIN STAGE Live: PIOL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoF3UUcnvzc)
Ore 23.30 – MAIN STAGE Live: MARCO CASTOLDI in arte «MORGAN» LIVE SHOW
Ore 00.30/04.00 - DJ SET «GOLDEN YEARS» by Charlie «OUT» Cazale (Frigidaire Tango) & Sound & Vision Crew
FULL PROGRAM INFO
SOUND AND VISION MAGAZINE (http://www.soundandvision.it/morgan-david-bowie-lou-reed/)
FACEBOOK EVENT
16° DAVID BOWIE BASH (https://www.facebook.com/events/625039774226180/)
DAVID BOWIE FANS ITALIA (https://www.facebook.com/groups/97807189644/)
“Battle For BRITs”
We’re very pleased to announce that David Bowie has received two nominations for this year’s @BRIT Awards.
He is nominated for both ‘British Male Solo Artist’ and ‘Mastercard British Album Of The Year’ for The Next Day.
Bowie won the best male category in 1984 and also went on to receive an “outstanding contribution” award in 1996.
Tune into the BRIT Awards on February 19th to see who takes home the awards.
#BRITs2014
“They got a message to the action man”
The community of loyal fans that make up the German Bowie fansite, davidbowie.de, has been in touch with a personal message for David Bowie on his 67th birthday, along with details of their annual Bowie party in Berlin. Over to the folk at davidbowie.de
“Inspired by the YOU-booklet of the EXTRA edition and in a flush of creativity ;-) WE, members of the German fansite www.davidbowie.de, designed a CD booklet for David's birthday and the annual birthday party in Berlin.
With our good wishes and blessing for the Next Year, we created 42 words in German language which we associated with David Bowie, his life and career. ”
Here’s the link to the booklet they created and this is their Facebook page.
“You got your head all tangled up”
OK, if you’ve been following this over the past few days you’ll know that this is your chance to win a specially pressed single-sided vinyl 45 of David Bowie’s Farewell Speech/Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide.
This unique pressing was created for this exclusive DavidBowie.com contest, which we originally announced in 2013, and David very kindly offered to sign copies just for us.
2013 was the 40th anniversary of Ziggy and The Spiders final show on the evening of July 3rd 1973, at Hammersmith Odeon in London, as captured on Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture Soundtrack.
We asked three questions on the theme of three and you can find each of those in the three previous news items here on DavidBowie.com.
You have until midnight EST on Friday, January 31st, 2014, to email your three answers here.
We will announce the winners here on Monday, February 3rd. Good luck!
If the email link above isn't working for you, email your answers to dbcontests@davidbowie.com with a subject line of: Ziggy Farewell vinyl 45
“I ran to the street, looking for information”
As you know by now, we have a handful of signed, specially pressed single-sided vinyl 45s of David Bowie’s Farwell Speech/Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide to give away here on DavidBowie.com.
Today we’re asking the last of three questions on the theme of three and here it is…
Not including the intro music of the Wendy Carlos interpretation of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Ode To Joy, from the Clockwork Orange soundtrack, what was the third actual Bowie song played by Ziggy and The Spiders on the evening of July 3rd 1973, as captured on Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture Soundtrack?
Stay tuned for instructions on what to do with your three answers tomorrow.
“Battle cries and champagne”
As mentioned yesterday, we have a handful of signed, specially pressed single-sided vinyl 45s of David Bowie’s Farwell Speech/Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide to give away here on DavidBowie.com.
Today we’re asking the second of three questions on the theme of three over three days. You don’t need to do anything just yet, aside from ponder the questions until further instructed.
On to question number two…
The title track of Aladdin Sane was listed with three dates in brackets after the title. What were those three dates?
Stay tuned for the remaining question tomorrow.
“Not only is it the last show of the tour”
So this is the contest we mentioned in our ’David Bowie and the beauty of three’ item recently.
We have a handful of signed, specially pressed single-sided vinyl 45s of David Bowie’s Farwell Speech/Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide, which is pictured top left in our montage.
The audio is from the final date of the Aladdin Sane UK tour which took place at Hammersmith Odeon on July 3rd, 1973, and was immortalised for the Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars Motion Picture.
We’ll be asking three questions on the theme of three over three days. The first of them is below, but you don’t need to do anything aside from ponder until further instructed.
So here’s that first question…
David Bowie’s backing band had been considerably expanded by the time of the Hammersmith Odeon show on July 3rd, 1973.
But what were the real names of the three original Spiders From Mars who backed David Bowie? You can include nicknames if you like.
Stay tuned for the remaining questions and instructions on how to enter over the next couple of days.
“And the next day, And the next, And another day”
Congratulations are due to David Bowie with the news that his The Next Day LP was the most purchased album in the UK’s independent record shops during 2013, according to the Official Charts Company’s year-end sales data.
The chart has had a bit of a shuffle since we posted it back in October, but one thing has remained constant and that’s David Bowie’s position at the top of it.
As well as The Next Day finishing at Number 1 on The Official Record Store Chart Top 40, it also placed at Number 23 on the overall Official Biggest Selling Albums Of 2013 Top 40.
Unlike the Official Albums Chart however, The Official Record Store Chart is compiled exclusively from sales in independent record shops who participate in Record Store Day.
Here’s the final Official Record Store Chart Top 10 Of 2013
01. David Bowie 'The Next Day'
02. Arctic Monkeys 'AM'
03. Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'
04. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 'Push The Sky Away'
05. Queens Of The Stone Age 'Like Clockwork'
06. The National 'Trouble Will Find Me'
07. Boards Of Canada 'Tomorrow's Harvest'
08. Mumford & Sons 'Babel'
09. Jake Bug 'Jake Bugg'
10. Vampire Weekend 'Modern Vampires Of The City'
Read the full item over on officialcharts.com
“But still The Next Day seems the same”
While we’re on the subject of TND cover appropriation, you can see from our illustration that there have been many since the artwork was first revealed almost a year ago, on David’s 66th birthday, January 8th, 2013.
Barnbrook’s design definitely divided people, but nobody could deny the campaign itself was a masterstroke that will be remembered and referenced for a long time to come.
First off the blocks was the brilliant Nicholas Currie’s Momus who not only ran with the sleeve idea by obscuring his own Tender Pervert album, but was the first to cover a song from The Next Day when he released his version of Where Are We Now? on the same day as the Bowie version! Check it out here.
He also pre-covered The Stars (Are Out Tonight) before anybody (including Currie himself) had even heard the song. The only point of reference for Momus being the title and a life of Bowie worship.
The TND cover spoof idea quickly caught on via BuzzFeed's Make Your Own David Bowie Album Cover, the first Velvet Underground album being the example illustrated here.
In October Belfast band, Girls Names, released their 12" EP, The Next Life, also pictured here.
A year later you can find cover versions of every song on The Next Day on YouTube and the notion of dropping an album on the public unannounced has also been borrowed by the likes of My Bloody Valentine right through to Beyoncé most recently.
There have been other nods to The Next Day sleeve, right up to a piece in The Independent Magazine in the UK last weekend in their round up of 2013. And flattery in the form of imitation is unlikely to end there.
“Drink, drink, drain your glass, raise your glass high”
A very happy 2014 to everybody reading this from everybody here at DavidBowie.com.
Thank you for your incredible support over 2013, it has been hugely appreciated.
While we’re in celebratory mood, here’s to David Bowie’s 50th year as a recording artist and here’s to many more. Cheers!
(Apologies to Barnbrook for the crude appropriation of the TND cover)