I heard the news today…* New Earl Slick/Bowie vinyl release; Ava Cherry and Carmine Rojas to perform in Bowie tribute; Labyrinth live tour extended; Raw Power to be reissued; Bowie in new Placebo documentary, plus profiles, reflections, lists and MUCH MORE!
This is my weekly summary of news about Bowie. The bolded titles link to the original stories I summarize below. Read on…
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NEWS
Earl Slick announces vinyl release of Bowie collaboration. The limited-edition Earl Slick x David Bowie “Isn’t It Evening” 7” vinyl is now available for pre-order, featuring autographed copies in stunning turquoise blue. Get yours before it’s gone—release date is 8 November. And if you want to see my exclusive interview with Earl Slick, click HERE. We talk about “Isn’t it Evening” and much more. The song is not new, but the vinyl record is. Also, many fans missed it when it was originally included on Slick’s 2004 album, Zig Zag, so if this is new to you, you are in for a treat.
Ava Cherry, Carmine Rojas to perform at AFAS Bowie tribute in Amsterdam. To commemorate David Bowie eight years after his passing, a special tribute concert featuring original Bowie band members and the Dutch tribute band Starman will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at AFAS Live in Amsterdam. Original band members, including bassist Carmine Rojas, who played on hits like “Let’s Dance” and “China Girl,” and singer Ava Cherry, who I’ve been featuring on this blog all week, will join forces with Starman, whose frontman Rias Baarda is noted for his striking resemblance to Bowie. Tickets are available now via davidbowielive.nl.
Bowie inspired “War Child” Auction. David Bowie’s music has inspired the Sound & Vision exhibition and online auction, raising funds for War Child, with 33 artists, including Bowie’s childhood friend George Underwood, creating works based on Bowie’s lyrics to support the charity he first collaborated with in 1994. The Sound & Vision War Child fundraising auction concluded on October 1st.
Labyrinth: In Concert Tour Extended to 2025. Due to popular demand, the “Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert” North American tour, which features a live band performing the score to the 1986 David Bowie cult classic in sync with his original vocals, has announced a second leg starting in March 2025, adding over 35 new cities including Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, and New York.
Bowie-influenced Film festival. The Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2024 takes place from November 14-24, showcasing 42 features and 19 documentaries celebrating the intersection of music and film within LGBTQIA+ culture. This year’s theme, ‘Formative Sound and Vision,’ is inspired by David Bowie’s influence on queer music culture, as highlighted in Darryl W. Bullock’s book David Bowie Made Me Gay: 100 Years of LGBT Music.
Raw Power is being reissued. The reissue of Iggy and the Stooges’ Raw Power, featuring David Bowie’s original 1973 mixes, will be released as a 7-inch single box set through Third Man Records’ Vault on November 8, 2024.
Pensioners recreate album covers to highlight ageing stereotypes. A group of Dorset pensioners have recreated iconic album covers, including David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane, as part of a campaign organized by Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council, which serves the coastal area in Dorset, England, to challenge aging stereotypes and celebrate the contributions of older people in the community. The photos, shot by photographer Louise Ahrens, are on display throughout the BCP area to mark the United Nations International Day of Older People.
Hedi Slimane exits Celine. Hedi Slimane has exited his role as creative director of Celine after seven years, during which the brand saw significant growth, with no successor announced yet, according to Celine’s owner LVMH. Slimane previously worked for LVMH’s Dior Homme, famously designing clothes for David Bowie, before moving to Saint Laurent.
Bowie in The Last Days of the Space Age soundtrack. The Last Days of the Space Age began streaming on Hulu on October 2, 2024, following three families in 1979 Western Australia during a power strike and the Miss Universe pageant. The soundtrack features David Bowie’s songs “Starman,” “Suffragette City,” and “All the Young Dudes,” alongside music by Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, and others, enhancing the show’s retro atmosphere.
Reeves Gabrels promotes Rochester music festival. The Avant Garde A Clue music festival, taking place in Rochester, New York, USA, will feature more than 200 international and local acts and runs from October 7-14th. One of the highlights is acclaimed guitarist Reeves Gabrels, known for his work with David Bowie and The Cure, who will perform with his band Doom Dogs on October 7th at 75 Stutson Street.
Ken Scott to Discuss Crime of the Century. Ken Scott, the legendary Grammy-nominated producer known for his work with David Bowie, The Beatles, and Supertramp, will present a special edition of the Vinyl Sessions in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. The event, taking place at Starling Independent Bar Café Kitchen on October 9, 2024, will focus on Scott’s production of Supertramp’s Crime of the Century, but with his Bowie connections, there is potential for him to touch on Bowie-related topics during the talk. This unique event has already sold out.
Placebo documentary contains rare Bowie footage. Placebo’s new documentary, This Search for Meaning, released on October 3, 2024, explores the band’s 30-year career through rare and unseen footage, including candid moments of their relationship with David Bowie. Directed by BAFTA winner Oscar Sansom, the film features celebrity contributions and live performances while delving into themes such as addiction, mental health, and gender politics.
Eno documentary is “a different film every time it’s shown.” I still haven’t seen this documentary, which has been getting a lot of coverage since its release, so I’m not 100% sure if it literally changes with every showing but read this review yourself to see how the concept is explained. The film obviously focuses on Brian Eno, but his collaborations with Bowie is an important subject.
Conservative columnist evokes Bowie to downplay Congressman’s use of blackface. In an attempt to downplay the controversy surrounding Congressman Mike Lawler’s past use of blackface in a Michael Jackson costume, conservative columnist Jeffrey Blehar shares that he once lightened his skin for a David Bowie costume. I think this comparison misses the mark—blackface has a long racist history, while trying to resemble Bowie does not. For context, my wife and I once dressed as Prince and Bowie for Halloween. As a white guy, I didn’t alter my skin color to portray Prince, and everyone still knew who I was. Lawler could have done the same with his Jackson costume and avoided controversy. While Lawler has apologized, Blehar’s piece seems dismissive of the issue.
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REFLECTIONS
When Bowie was arrested in Rochester. This article tells the story of Bowie’s arrest and subsequent mug shot. Coincidently, I used to work for Bob Duffy when he was Lieutenant Governor of New York. Bob was a former Rochester police chief, but he joined the force after this incent happened.
Bowie’s Feud with Marc Bolan. Bowie and Marc Bolan of T-Rex shared a long-running rivalry and friendship, marked by competition, collaboration, and a mutual influence on glam rock, until Bolan’s tragic death in 1977.
The tricks of Labyrinth. Bowie was a master showman, known for his transformative stage presence as Ziggy Stardust in the 1970s and later his iconic role in Labyrinth during the 1980s, though not all of his legendary moves were entirely his own…
Reflections on Station to Station. Gavin Friday recalls his first live experience with David Bowie during the Station to Station tour, describing the album as a profound and complex work that marked a turning point in Bowie’s career, blending minimalism, soul, and rock with extraordinary musicianship.
A track-by-track guide to hours… The album showcases Bowie addressing themes of time, aging, and resilience while balancing nostalgia with an unwillingness to linger in the past, as seen in tracks like “Thursday’s Child” and “Survive.” Each song on the album delves into Bowie’s personal reflections and his ability to constantly evolve, making hours… a significant piece in his diverse body of work.
Another hours… reflection. This is a distinct reflection on Bowie’s now-25-year-old album, which makes an observation that I have shared for some time that Bowie had reached a point where he “embraced his age” with hours…
Classic Album Review: Danny Michel’s Loving The Alien: The Songs Of David Bowie. In his 2004 album Loving The Alien: The Songs of David Bowie, Canadian singer-songwriter Danny Michel strips away Bowie’s glam rock gloss to reveal the melodic beauty of his songs through reimagined, folk-blues acoustic renditions of classics like “Young Americans” and “Ashes to Ashes.” As a side note, I remember the first time I heard this, in a coffee shop about 20 years ago. I tracked it down and it remains one of my favorite Bowie cover albums.
Bowie’s ‘Rock’n’Roll Star!’ is one of the best box set releases in years. Click on the title to read this review, but I’m not sure I agree with it. I have been holding off on posting my own thoughts about the box set, which I will eventually get to, but I’m not confident that I’m coming down with quite such a positive conclusion.
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PROFILES
Rankin. Photographer Rankin reflects on his iconic shoots with fashion and music legends, including David Bowie, whom he describes as energetic and vastly different from his expectations, highlighting Bowie’s influence on his creative process.
The Killers. Brandon Flowers, frontman of The Killers, revealed that David Bowie’s Hunky Dory album, particularly the song “Queen Bitch,” inspired the vocal line for their iconic track “Mr. Brightside.”
Shinichirō Watanabe. Shinichirō Watanabe, creator of Cowboy Bebop, credits David Bowie as a major influence on his decision to avoid repeating the same creative formula in his work, embracing a philosophy of constant reinvention similar to Bowie’s approach to music and artistry.
Rick Astley. Rick Astley recalls that his 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” made him famous worldwide, joking that for about 15 seconds, he might have been almost as famous as David Bowie.
Sir Paul Smith. Paul Smith is showcasing his celebrity-focused exhibition “A Frame Around a Picture: Dressing the Greats” at his Melrose store in Los Angeles until October 21, 2024, featuring iconic outfits worn by stars such as David Bowie, Jenna Ortega, and Cillian Murphy, while reflecting on his 50 years of dressing some of the world’s most famous figures.
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LISTS
Four Songs That Rock Stars Claimed Were “Divine Intervention.” Bowie’s somewhat obscure “Silly Boy Blue” is on this list because it reflects his interest in Tibetan Buddhism during the 1960s, inspired by a personal encounter with a lama, and tells the story of a young man who journeys to a monastery.
25 stars who stepped away from the spotlight unexpectedly. Not sur if this one has appeared before, but if you haven’t seen it, Bowie is included (there’s a brief writeup explaining why).
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FAR OUT MAGAZINE
The online magazine always manages to post Bowie stories. This week featured:
1. “Hang on to Yourself” as proto-punk.
2. Bowie almost reunited The Beatles
3. David Bowie used to store his urine
4. 10 Nostalgic albums. Young Americans is on the list.
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THIS WEEK IN THIS BLOG
September 29: Last week’s news.
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And with that, “we’ve finished our news…”*
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*“I’ve heard the news today” is Bowie’s adaptation of the Beatles lyric, which is heard in “Young Americans.” **“We’ve finished our news” is a line from, “Oh You Pretty Things”