I heard the news today…* Bowie alumni join shows around the globe; RIP David Lynch; Young Americans 50th Anniversary; Amatory Murder Covers Bowie; lost tapes rediscovered plus much more!
Welcome to my weekly roundup of Bowie news! Click on the bolded article titles to read the originals. There was a lot of Bowie news this past week, especially news regarding upcoming and recent-past shows featuring Bowie alumni. Bowie’s name came up on many remembrances of David Lynch, who passed away this week. Also, don’t lose sight of the 50th-anniversary edition of Young Americans slated to be released this year. And there’s a lot more— many interesting stories this week. With that said, read on…
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NEWS
David Bowie Sound and Vision in New York City!. The Times Square Chronicles published a review of the recent David Bowie Sound and Vision concert at The Cutting Room, highlighting standout performances from Bowie collaborators Gail Ann Dorsey and Carmine Rojas, as well as a captivating sax solo by Donny McCaslin. I attended the same show and shared my own review in this blog on Wednesday, which you can find linked in the “This Week in This Blog” section.
Tony Visconti and Woody Woodmansey Announce Holy Holy – A Celebration of David Bowie UK Tour!. Tony Visconti, David Bowie’s longtime producer and bassist on *The Man Who Sold The World*, and Woody Woodmansey, drummer for Bowie’s Spiders from Mars, will tour the UK with their band Holy Holy to celebrate Bowie’s music, performing at O2 Academy venues across cities including London, Leeds, and Manchester from May 15 to June 6, 2025.
Dublin Bowie Festival 2025 line up released!. This year will see Bowie fans celebrate 50 years of David Bowie’s album Young Americans. The festival will run from February 26 to March 2. Read the article to see an extensive breakdown of the truly impressive lineup.
Blackstar Symphony at Stifel Theatre in St. Louis. The Blackstar Symphony: The Music of David Bowie concert on February 7th at the Stifel Theatre will feature the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra alongside Bowie collaborators Donny McCaslin, Gail Ann Dorsey, and others, with special guest John Cameron Mitchell. McCaslin, who served as Artistic Director and played a key role in shaping the Blackstar album with his jazz quartet, will lead the musical journey celebrating Bowie’s final masterpiece and iconic hits like “Space Oddity” and “Heroes.”
Slick, Garson joining KillerStar in London Show! The band KillerStar is set to return to London’s iconic 100 Club with two headline shows on March 7th and 8th, featuring the acclaimed line-up from their live album, including renowned pianist and longtime Bowie collaborator Mike Garson. With special guest Earl Slick joining the band, these electrifying performances promise to celebrate KillerStar’s art-rock legacy alongside support from NYC-based alternative-R&B artist Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars.
Young Americans 50th Anniversary Celebration Releases. On March 7, 2025, the 50th anniversary of Young Americans will be commemorated with a limited-edition half-speed mastered LP and a picture disc featuring a poster. The album, which introduced Bowie’s “Plastic Soul” era, includes his first U.S. number-one single, “Fame,” co-written with John Lennon and Carlos Alomar.
RIP David Lynch. The film director passed away this past week. Bowie appeared in his movie, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and Bowie’s song, “I’m Deranged” was used on Lost Highway. According to this article, Bowie one of Lynch’s favorite musicians.
Amatory Murder Covers “I’m Afraid of Americans.” Brooklyn’s The Amatory Murder, passionate David Bowie fans, have released a lyric video for their cover of “I’m Afraid of Americans,” featured on their EP Crazy In A Coffin (On A Saturday Night) and included in their live performances. I’ve embedded their video above.
Rare Bowie Tapes Discovered by Music Collector. Philadelphia music collector Max Ochester uncovered rare, unreleased Bowie recordings from the Young Americans sessions, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” and raw versions of “Win” and “Fascination.” The tapes, discovered in a foreclosed home, provide a glimpse into Bowie’s creative process and his experiments with the Philly soul sound; efforts are underway to preserve and share these historic recordings.
On the trail of David Bowie. Paul Gorman’s David Bowie’s London, set for release on January 23, explores the Bowie’s rise to stardom through a detailed map and walking tour of his significant London haunts, from his early days as an ambitious teenager frequenting Denmark Street’s music scene to his transformative Ziggy Stardust era.
Bowie as Astarion? What does it even mean to imagine 1980s casting for a Baldur’s Gate 3 movie? This article highlights a fan consensus that David Bowie would have been perfect as Astarion, adding a nostalgic lens to the fantasy casting discussion.
Renée Zellweger’s New Bowie-Inspired Pixie Cut. Yes, an entire article about Renée Zellweger’s haircut, which supposedly makes her “unrecognizable.” Spoiler alert— if the pictures in the article are of Zellweger with the new haircut, she very much looks like Renée Zellweger. She also does not look like David Bowie. Amazingly, there was a similar story about Julia Fox’s new hairstyle that uses almost identical language.
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REFLECTIONS
Gerry Leonard reflects on “Kissing the Roof of Heaven”. Ireland in 50 Albums, No. 32: “Kissing the Roof of Heaven” by Hinterland (1990) explores the creation and legacy of this album by the duo of Gerry Leonard, who later worked with David Bowie, and Donal Coughlan, whose poignant lyrics often reflected his life with multiple sclerosis, highlighting its critical acclaim and status as a hidden gem in Irish music history.
On Scary Monsters. This article asserts that Scary Monsters represents a shift by Bowie to optimism and accessibility following the experimental Berlin Trilogy. I personally do not see the album as optimistic at all but read this and decide for yourself. To some extent the article might conflate Bowie’s personal optimism, which I can’t speak to, with the album’s supposed optimism, which I really don’t see.
Low anniversary. On January 14, 1977, David Bowie released Low, his 11th studio album and the first installment of the Berlin Trilogy, now celebrated as one of his greatest works.
ABBA’s Frida cover of “Life On Mars.”. This article is more like a profile of Frida, focused around the circumstances behind her 1975 solo album, Frida ensam, which includes the Bowie cover.
George Michael on Station to Station. George Michael revealed that Bowie’s 1975 album Station to Station was one of his favorite albums of all time, citing its soulful influences and the exceptional musicianship of collaborators like drummer Dennis Davis.
The secret message on the cover of Low. It’s “low profile.” Hey, I’m not the one calling it a “secret message.”
Mick Ronson’s “Play Don’t Worry.”. Although the focus of this piece is on Ronson’s second solo album, it also serves as a recap of his post-Bowie career, including commentary on his first solo album, Slaughter on 10th Avenue.
Ziggy Stardust Allowed David Bowie a New Sense of Expressive Freedom, but Not Without Its Worries. This article explores how Bowie introduced Ziggy Stardust in 1972, a persona that allowed him expressive freedom in music, fashion, and identity while navigating concerns about being labeled or confined. It highlights how Ziggy helped Bowie gain creative confidence during a period of personal and artistic exploration, ultimately shaping his legacy as a musical and cultural icon.
Freddie Mercury & David Bowie’s Isolated Vocals for Queen’s “Under Pressure.” An article explores the creation of “Under Pressure,” highlighting the collaborative and improvisational studio sessions, the tensions between Mercury and Bowie, and the song’s eventual release and legacy as a chart-topping track and 1980s classic.
Bowie’s literary influences. Bowie’s literary influences, ranging from Orwell’s 1984 to Kerouac’s On the Road, shaped his artistic innovation by inspiring themes of dystopia, mythological references, existentialism, linguistic experimentation, and a spirit of adventure.
Bowie’s Historic Show At Madison Square Garden. This is a reflection on his 1997 50th birthday concert— which my sister attended and didn’t tell me. Yes, I’m still mad at her!!!
Berlin through Bowie’s eyes. This story describes a walking tour of Berlin conducted by Dan Borden, “a former New York architect, sometime writer, filmmaker and die-hard Bowie fan who also works as a guide with Insight Cities, which offers tours of Berlin through the eyes, and via the life, of the musician.”
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PROFLIES
Tony Visconti. This article provides insights from a 2007 archive interview with legendary producer Tony Visconti, reflecting on his career collaborating with iconic artists such as David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Thin Lizzy, and U2. Visconti shares anecdotes about pivotal moments in his work, including Bowie’s evolving creative process, the production of classic albums like The Man Who Sold The World and T. Rex’s Electric Warrior, and his ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the artists he worked with.
Naomi Watts. This article features Naomi Watts reflecting on her personal journey, including the stigma of early menopause explored in her new book, Dare I Say It, her admiration for David Bowie and his album Hunky Dory, and her Golden Globe-nominated acting career, alongside her thoughts on topics ranging from pickleball and Paris to cooking and social activism.
Keanan Duffty. An acclaimed New York-based fashion designer and musician, Duffly, who collaborated with David Bowie, discusses his band Slinky Vagabond’s new album The Eternal Return—featuring Ava Cherry, Glen Matlock, Mike Garson, Percy Jones, Earl Slick, and Dom Beken.
David Baddiel. Baddiel is a comedian who mentions that “Lady Grinning Soul” is “weirdly beautiful” in answer to a question about a song to have sex to. I will add that the song clocks in at three minutes and forty six seconds in length…
Yukio Mishima. This article reflects on the life and legacy of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, highlighting his influence on cultural icons like David Bowie, who referenced Mishima in his lyrics and painted his portrait in 1977. Mishima’s provocative works and dramatic death remain a cautionary tale about the intersection of creativity, identity, and fanaticism.
The Aladdin Sane Cocktail Bar. Who will love Aladdin Sane? Bowie fans and cocktail enthusiasts alike will enjoy this Japanese-inspired omakase cocktail bar in Detroit’s Book Tower, offering Bowie-themed drinks like the “Panic in Detroit” and a curated progression of unique beverages.
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LISTS
Blackstar tops list of 21st Century Rock Albums. This list appears to be published by a classic rock radio station and ranks Blackstar as the very best album of the past 25 years. It is a shorter list than the one recently published by Rolling Stone, that placed Bowie’s final album at #24. It’s also a more coherent list, and not just because I’m in the tank for Bowie. The other 24 albums on this list are all consistent with what we might call classic rock— some are from newer artists like the Black Keys and the White Stripes, but they are not trying to compare those artists with, say, Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. Taking nothing away from Beyoncé or Taylor Swift, they just make a different type of music. So this makes more sense to me.
3 Pop Stars’ (Cringy) First Songs vs. The Song That Made Them Famous. The Bowie songs here are “Space Oddity” (made him famous) versus “Mr. Gravedigger” (‘cringy”). I have to say that I agree. I am not a fan of Bowie’s debut album and in my mind, there is a competition for the worst song on the album– “Gravedigger” is one, the other being “Uncle Arthur,” which opens the album and, in that respect, opens Bowie’s entire catalouge of albums.
10 Musical Moments from David Lynch Movies. The use of Bowie’s “I’m Deranged” in Lost Highway (with a link to a video) is on the list.
7 of the Best Bass Lines from Iconic Female Bass Players. Gail Ann Dorsey’s performance of “Under Pressure” on the live album A Reality Tour (on which she also sang) is on the list despite her not appearing on the original studio recording with Queen.
4 Music Stars Who Appeared in David Lynch Movies. Not surprisingly, the list includes Bowie.
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FAR OUT MAGZINE
The online magazine always manages to post Bowie stories. This week featured:
(1) ‘Heaven’s In Here’: The David Bowie song that became his ‘Dazed and Confused’
(2) Was the Kate Bush classic ‘The Saxophone Song’ written about David Bowie?
(3) ‘Word on a Wing’: David Bowie’s overlooked Nietzschean masterpiece
(4) Iggy Pop’s three favourite David Bowie songs of all time
(5) Five albums that could make you hate an artist’s entire discography
(6) Elvis Costello on the four David Bowie albums everyone should own
(7) David Bowie and Lou Reed: The friendship and the feud
(8) What was the final song David Bowie ever recorded?
(9) ‘Nightclubbing’: The gruesome recording session that birthed Iggy Pop’s masterpiece
(10) What albums did David Bowie produce?
(11) David Lynch’s favourite songs
(12) 10 writers who shaped the music industry
(13) 10 artists that went against their audience
(14) The album that gave birth to glam rock, according to David Bowie
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THIS WEEK IN THIS BLOG
January 12: Last Week’s News
January 12: KillerStar Announces Live Album Featuring Bowie Collaborators
January 13: David Bowie Cover of the Week: Sébastien Bédé covers “Sense of Doubt”
January 14: Find Bowie Game (updated again)
January 16: 10 Bowie songs that mention “nothing”
January 16: RIP David Lynch
January 17: 2024 in Review: Bowie Books and Authors
January 18: Author’s Roundtable: Lance Olsen and Jordan Rothacker discuss Rothacker’s new Bowie-inspired novel
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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”