I heard the news today…* Ava Cherry reimagines “Love Is Good News”; Lexi Jones releases debut album; “The Prettiest Star” returns to the charts; Pussy Riot’s Masha Alyokhina warns America (exclusive interview); new Bowie book by Don Klees; plus reflections, profiles, lists and MUCH MORE!
Welcome to my weekly roundup of Bowie news! Click on the bolded article titles to read the originals…
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NEWS
Ava Cherry launches a new soulful version of “Love is Good News”. Ava Cherry, renowned for her collaborations with David Bowie and Luther Vandross, has released a re-recorded version of “Love Is Good News,” a song written by Curtis Mayfield. The track was released on April 5, 2025, under Black Barbarella Music. Fans can listen to the song on major streaming platforms and stay tuned for a special interview with Ava about her new single, coming very soon on this blog and my YouTube channel.
Lexi Jones releases Xandri. Lexi Jones, daughter of David Bowie and Iman, has recently released her debut album titled Xandri. The album became available on April 2, 2025, and features tracks such as “Along the Road,” “Cracks of Me,” and “In the Almost.” You can listen to ‘Xandri’ on major streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube. As of now, detailed reviews are limited, but early listeners have shared positive feedback on social media. I have started listening to it and like what I’m hearing but should caution Bowie fans that this is not a Bowie album and should be evaluated on its own terms.
“The Prettiest Star’ Charts in UK! Bowie’s 1970 single “The Prettiest Star” has reentered the U.K. Official Physical Singles chart at No. 87, thanks to a minor promotional push for its 55th anniversary and ongoing support from Bowie’s dedicated fanbase. Though it initially failed to chart meaningfully upon release, the song has now reappeared on the chart for the first time since 2021, showing its lasting appeal despite not reaching the commercial success of Bowie’s biggest hits.
New Bowie book released. A new book titled David Bowie 1983-2016 | Every Album, Every Song by Don Klees, examining Bowie’s post-Let’s Dance career through his final album Blackstar, was released this past week. It focuses on Bowie’s artistic evolution, experimentation, and eventual resurgence leading up to his death.
Next Musician Biopic Odds: George Michael And David Bowie Among Favourites. Unlike my April 1st post, this story is on the level.
Brian May didn’t like “Under Pressure.” I don’t know if this actually news, but I didn’t know that the Queen guitarist (who, by the way, I great) didn’t like the otherwise beloved song.
Another Bowie-related house for sale. Just a week after David Bowie’s childhood home went on the market, a Toronto house he and Iman toured for its award-winning architecture has listed for C$13.99 million.
When David Bowie Showed Up on 2ManyDJs’ Forum. 2ManyDJs composed the soundtrack for Netflix’s new film Banger starring Vincent Cassel, and in discussing their work, they recalled how David Bowie once participated on their online forum and expressed admiration for their music.
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REFLECTIONS
On “Never Let Me Down.” The title of this reflection is slightly misleading because it suggests that “Never Let Me Down” was Bowie’s last top-40 single in the U.S. I believe “Lazarus” reached #40 in 2016, however no Bowie song charted higher than “Never Let Me Down” after it peaked at #27 in 1987.
“Aladdin Sane” was inspired by which Evelyn Waugh novel? Its Vile Bodies, according to a special music quiz featured in The Irish Times as part of the Cúirt International Literature Festival.
Did Bowie think Bob Dylan hated him? I feel like I’ve seen this one before…
How David Bowie stared down death itself for his final left-turn. The article describes how Bowie, aware of his impending death from cancer, crafted Blackstar as a final artistic statement, exploring mortality and dismantling his own myth through experimental music, vivid lyrics, and haunting visuals.
How “Rebel Rebel” Influenced Dwight Yoakam. The article describes how Bowie’s song “Rebel Rebel” influenced country artist Dwight Yoakam, highlighting Yoakam’s admiration for Bowie’s artistry, his appreciation for Bowie’s guitar work on “Rebel Rebel,” and his broader respect for Bowie’s dedication to his craft.
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PROFLIES
Peter Carpenter. The article describes Peter Carpenter’s personal journey of visiting locations associated with David Bowie, which he calls “Bowieland.” His walks, inspired by Bowie’s life and career, became a way to both honor Bowie and aid his own physical recovery after heart surgery.
Steve Jones. The punk guitarist on the perfect gig length, raiding David Bowie’s trucks, and handling a cantankerous Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jeff Buckley. The piece mentions that David Bowie described Jeff Buckley’s 1994 debut album Grace as “the greatest record ever made,” highlighting Bowie’s admiration for Buckley’s talent and artistry.
Alice Cooper. Cooper states that David Bowie attended Alice Cooper’s shows when he was a mime artist and drew inspiration from Cooper’s theatrical approach. Bowie reportedly told his band that Alice Cooper’s theatrics were something they needed to emulate, indicating that Cooper’s stagecraft influenced Bowie’s own development of a theatrical persona.
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LISTS
4 Classic Rock Songs That Sound Even Better Today Than the Year They Charted. “Fame” is on the list.
20 absolutely necessary songs for any David Bowie playlist. We’ve seen this type of list before, and I apologize if I’m linking to a list that we have actually seen before. It’s hard to tell, but the nearest thing to a surprise is the inclusion of “As the World Falls Down” on this one, and maybe the complete ignoring of anything Bowie did after the 80s, and maybe the mismatch between songs and pictures of Bowie from other eras.
The 25 best albums of 1976. Station to Station is on the list.
The 40 best-selling vinyl albums of the 21st century, from the 70s, 80s and 90s. The Bowie albums on the list are The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars at number 9 and Hunky Dory at number 25.
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FAR OUT MAGAZINE
The online magazine always manages to post Bowie stories. These stories are usually built around a nugget of known information, given a title that hints at a detail or connection, encouraging readers to click and read further as the story gradually provides the full context. This week featured:
(1) The musician who stopped Eric Clapton in his tracks
(2) Doctor’s Orders: Simon Rix of Kaiser Chiefs prescribes his nine favourite albums
(3) The moment David Bowie embarrassed himself in front of Andy Warhol
(4) ‘Holy Holy’: David Bowie’s experiment with nonsense
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THIS WEEK IN THIS BLOG
March 31: Bowie Cover of the Week: Magdalena Bay covers “Ashes to Ashes”
April 1: Weird Al to Star in All-Polka Bowie Bio-Pic
April 2: Dictators, Demagogues and Dystopia: 10 Bowie Songs that Predicted the Current State of Affairs
April 3: Time and Space Converge: Gail Ann Dorsey at Club Passim
April 4: “Black Tie White Noise” versus “I Can’t Breath” Different Artistic Approaches to American Racial Injustice
April 5: “To Be Quiet Does Not Mean That You Will Be Safe”: Masha Alyokhina’s Urgent Warning to America (Exclusive Interview with Pussy Riot Co-Founder)
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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”