I heard the news today…* Celebrating Bowie tour cancelled; British media swoon over Bowie the Collector; “Under Pressure” book released; Maddie Prior; Ian Donaldson; Zaine Griff; Rick Wakeman plus reflections, lists AND MUCH MORE!
Welcome to my weekly roundup of Bowie news! Click on the bolded article titles to read the originals. This week didn’t feature an enormous amount of what I would call genuine news, but as with every week there were plenty of stories that were about, or at least mention Bowie. With that said, read on…
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NEWS
Celebrating David Bowie European Tour Canceled! The January 2025 UK/Europe tour featuring Peter Murphy, Kevin Armstrong, Angelo Moore, and the Iggy Pop backing band has been canceled due to Murphy’s sudden illness, with refunds available and plans for rescheduling in the future. The tour, previously canceled in the USA, will hopefully only be postponed rather than permanently canceled.
More coverage of Nick Smart’s new Bowie book. Nick Smart’s new book, David Bowie: the Collector, has been getting massive media play in Britain. Last week I summarized a story that appeared in The Mirror, while this week The Star highlighted anecdotes from the book about Bowie’s playful sense of humor, including how he and drummer John Cambridge would replace the word “love” with “knob” in song lyrics for laughs. The book also touches on Bowie’s mixed feelings about his early novelty track “The Laughing Gnome,” which he later described as “cringey” but musically “bizarre.” Click HERE for my interview with Nick.
“Under Pressure” book released. Max Brzezinski’s Under Pressure, released this week, explores the story behind the iconic 1981 collaboration between Bowie and Queen, examining its creation during a spontaneous meeting in Switzerland. The book analyzes how the song reflects the interplay between pop music, collective politics, and the forces of state, corporations, and civil society. Brzezinski argues that “Under Pressure,” like all great anthems, channels collective emotions to inspire new ways of thinking and acting, making its themes as relevant today as when it was first recorded.
Rita Ora pays homage to Bowie. Model Rita Ora channeled Bowie at the 2024 Fashion Awards on December 2nd, wearing an oversized grey suit reminiscent of the 1980s, paired with a Ziggy Stardust-inspired bleached haircut, matching bleach brows, and chunky silver jewelry from her latest Primark collaboration.
The Horrors Release Bowie-sequence single. I don’t know the band, The Horrors, but they are amidst a successful UK tour and recently released the single, “Lotus Eater,” their third single from upcoming album Night Life, which, according to this article, is reminiscent of Bowie’s “Five Years.”
Tucker Zimmerman joins Tony Visconti on Podcast. On the latest Talkhouse Podcast, Tony Visconti and Tucker Zimmerman discuss their decades-long friendship, collaborations, stories about Bowie, and Zimmerman’s resurgence thanks to Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker.
Bowie the puppy spreads cheer. Bowie, a labradoodle named after David Bowie, is helping The Brick, a charity based in Wigan, a town near Manchester in northwest England, reduce the stigma of receiving aid by bringing joy and kindness during deliveries of essential goods.
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REFLECTIONS
Ricky Gervais recalls working with Bowie on Extras. This article highlights Ricky Gervais’s reflections on collaborating with his “hero,” David Bowie, for the sitcom Extras, sharing humorous anecdotes about Bowie’s charm and creativity while noting their surreal friendship and Bowie’s lasting impact on his life.
On “I’m Afraid of Americans. This piece reflects on the enduring relevance of David Bowie’s 1997 song “I’m Afraid of Americans,” exploring its prophetic critique of American culture, its broader sociopolitical implications, and how it resonates in today’s political and social climate.
When Bowie visited the Waterford Palace Theater. This is a story that recounts a somewhat mysterious visit by Bowie in 1973 to this English theater, possibly to see Marianne Faithfull. I think it was really an excuse for this local Waterford paper to publish its archival photo (see above).
Review: C’est Vrai | A.I. Assisted Novelty Songs. Steve Schmolaris’s review of this album on Tinnitist praises the platform’s latest update, which incorporates Bowie’s entire catalog into its training data, allowing users to create highly personalized, Bowie-infused compositions.
Rock Stars turned down Bond role. this article recounts the well-known offer made to Bowie to play the James Bond villain, Max Zorin, in the movie, A View to a Kill. Sting also said no to the part. I had read that before, too, but what I don’t remember reading before is that Bowie was actually announced as having been cast for the role and that Mick Jagger was also offered the part and also refused.
Bowie’s record-breaking shows in Hong Kong in 1983. David Bowie’s record-breaking 1983 concerts in Hong Kong, marked by sold-out shows, fan frenzy, and Urban Council complaints about audience behavior, solidified his status as a global music icon.
“Space Oddity” versus actual space technology. Despite technological advancements, the essence of art lies in human creativity and expression, which cannot be replicated by machines.
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PROFILES
Maddy Prior. Co-founded Steeleye Span, Prior discusses the band’s history including a collaboration with Bowie on the song, “Now We Are Six.” You didn’t know about that one, did you? (Actually, my understanding is that Bowie played sax on the song, “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” from the album Now We Are Six. I’ve embedded a recording of that song in this post, which some fan illustrated with images of Bowie. His voice isn’t on the song, but the sax playing seems like Bowie. Maybe I misread this article.
Ian Donaldson. Former H2O frontman Ian Donaldson reflects on his career, drawing comparisons to David Bowie as a “Scottish Bowie,” and credits Bowie’s “Starman” performance for inspiring his lifelong passion for music and storytelling.
Zaine Griff. This article highlights Bowie’s far-reaching influence in the music and arts world, as Zaine Griff’s resemblance to Bowie during the Ashes & Diamonds recording sessions with Tony Visconti left an impression, leading Bowie to involve Griff in re-recordings of his songs.
Rick Wakeman. Wakeman discusses his career with the band Yes as well as Bowie.
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LISTS
11 Practical Effects In Older Movies. On the list is the crystal ball trick from Labyrinth, where professional juggler Michael Moschen knelt behind Bowie to perform the intricate moves, seamlessly replacing Bowie’s arm for the effect.
The most cringeworthy music interviews of all time. Bowie’s 1975 interview with Russell Harty makes the list because his stimulant-fueled paranoia, alien persona, and awkward video-linked discussion of fame, teenage fans, and glam culture created an uneasy yet unforgettable TV moment.
Three of the Best Uses of David Bowie Songs in Film. Read the list to see how “Fashion,” “‘Heroes’” and “Starman” were used in different movies.
20 artists who released surprisingly excellent late-career records. We might have seen this exact list before. Anyway, not surprisingly, Bowie makes the list with Blackstar.
25 music videos that changed the face of pop culture. “Ashes to Ashes” makes the list. That’s a good one to include but my only objection here is that Madonna has two videos on the list and Bowie just has one!
Songs with a country in the title. This is another list I think we’ve seen before — “China Girl” is included.
20 Rolling Stones Covers. This is yet another list I think we’ve seen before. Bowie’s version of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” is included.
Top 15 Reissues of 2024. Rock ‘N’ Roll Star is on the list on the premise that its six CDs provide a fascinatingly thorough audio documentary of Bowie’s transition to Ziggy Stardust, featuring demos, unused tracks, and BBC sessions that chronicle the making of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. I have my own opinions, which I haven’t gotten around to posting yet…
11 Unbelievable Treasures Purchased At Thrift Stores. Making the list is a David Bowie painting bought for $4 at a landfill donation center in Ontario, which the buyer immediately suspected was authentic due to its vivid portrait and the identifying labels on the back.
The Top 5 Songs Used in Ski Films. Did you know there were at least five ski films in 2024? Well there were, and one of them used “Space Oddity” to elevate Colby Stevenson’s Proof into an unforgettable cinematic experience, pairing Bowie’s timeless track with skiing that solidifies the film’s status as a classic. Who knew?
4 David Bowie Love Songs. The songs included here are “Be My Wife;” “Letter to Hermoine,” “Lady Grinning Soul” and “An Occasional Dream.” I’m not sure I would classify all of these as love songs, but there they are.
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FAR OUT MAGAZINE
The online magazine always manages to post Bowie stories. This week featured:
1. Three bands David Bowie refused to collaborate with
2. The line Lou Reed thought he could have never come up with
3. How David Bowie saved Iggy Pop’s life
4. The 10 greatest David Bowie needle drops.
5. The “ultra-masculine” song David Bowie wrote for Marc Bolan
6. The Lord of the Rings role David Bowie was desperate to play. Note: I’m not sure that the characterization of Bowie as “desperate” is accurate here.
7. Mick Ronson’s favourite guitarist of all time
8. Dread: The film that inspired Trent Reznor.
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THIS WEEK IN THIS BLOG
December 1: Last Week’s News
December 4: Alessandra Celletti’s Intimate Tribute to David Bowie
December 5: Minor Arth’s New Mashup Bring Bowie and the Cure together for “Where Are We Alone?”
December 6: Free Form Friday: 80s Wrestling, the Law and Trump
December 7: Nick Smart on his book, David Bowie: The Collector
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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”