I heard the news today…” Tom Hiddleston; Lexi Jones; Peter Hook; Hongjoong; Jerry Fish; Gena Gleason; the band, Air, Jerry Harrison; Leah Coloff; David Coverdale; Katy Perry; Street Artist Pegasus; a dog named David Bowie, and, if you can believe it, MUCH MORE!
This is my weekly summary of news about Bowie. Many of the stories this week don’t focus on Bowie so much as mention him. Nonetheless, I include many of them (there were more that I omitted) because it’s like Bowie exists out there, as an ever-ready cultural touchstone. Some of the articles are interesting beyond what they say about Bowie. And of course, some of these really do focus on Bowie. The bolded titles link to the original stories I summarize below. Read on…
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Tom Hiddleston Labyrinth rumor. “Rumors and lies and stories they made up…” Did you hear the rumor about the Loki-star taking up the role of Jareth, the Goblin King? Spoiler alert: the rumor is false. This article gives context, so you might want to take a look.
Lexi Jones turns 24. Iman and Bowie’s daughter, Lexi Jones, celebrated her 24th birthday on August 15th. She has lived a largely private life while developing her career as an artist, designer, and budding musician, often sharing tributes to her late father on social media. This article provides a nice biographical sketch, and has a link to the video of her singing “Starman” and “Life on Mars?”
Vogue reflects on Zoolander Catwalk Scene. Here, the fashion magazine reflects on the absurd walk-off featuring Bowie as the judge in the 2001 Ben Stiller comedy.
Classic Gear Live to Showcase Archive Equipment. The Public Address System (PAS) rig used by David Bowie for his 1973 Ziggy Stardust performances will be featured alongside vintage consoles, including the Allen & Heath mixer used by Pink Floyd, at the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) Show in London this September.
Musicians Fight Back Against Unauthorized Campaign Use of Their Songs. Artists including David Bowie’s estate, alongside others like Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Marr, have objected to Donald Trump’s use of their music at rallies, employing legal means such as cease-and-desist letters to prevent unauthorized usage.
Peter Hook thinks Bowie was a better songwriter than AI. Peter Hook, former bassist of New Order and Joy Division, condemned AI-written songs as lacking the intangible quality of human creativity, contrasting them with the brilliance of David Bowie’s songwriting, which he described as an unteachable art.
Fashion by HONGJOONG. Hongjoong, inspired by a David Bowie mural, created one of his favorite custom-dyed pieces and shared how touring has broadened his fashion sense, allowing him to experiment with new styles and trends across the globe.
A cringeworthy interview. This compilation of uncomfortable interviews includes one from Bowie in the 70s. And no, it’s not the one with Dick Cavett.
Jerry Fish on Bowie. Fish cites Bowie (as well as Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, and Lou Reed) as one of his influences, but what’s even more interesting is discovering who Jerry Fish is.
Bowie also inspired Gina Gleason. This is another artist I had never heard of before reading about how Bowie inspired her here.
The Source of Inspiration. This story isn’t so much about Bowie, but begins with a story he told about being inspired by an exchange Mick Jagger had with a heckler. It is also illustrated by a picture of Bowie and Jagger performing together.
“Fame” listed as Electric Ladyland great. A new documentary on Electric Lady Studios highlights its history as a creative hub. The article, from The New York Times, recognizes Bowie’s “Fame” as one of the greatest songs ever recorded there.
Ziggy Stardust mixed using Dolby ATMOS. The link here will take you to a post that in turn links to a video about the Bowie album remixed using the new (?) technology.
David Bowie wasn’t on a reality show, but… In 2016, during Celebrity Big Brother UK, Angie Bowie’s announcement of David Bowie’s death led to a viral moment of chaos when fellow houseguest Tiffany Pollard mistakenly believed she was referring to their housemate David Gest, sparking mass confusion and hysteria in the house.
“Life on Mars” on list of story songs. This is less a piece of journalism and more one of those lists that pop up on the internet. Nonetheless, you might find it interesting what other songs appear here.
Bowie with Air. This article is about the band, Air, that performed in the Olympics’ closing ceremony. It is illustrated in part with a photo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel of the band with David Bowie at The H&M High Line Festival 2007. The article itself does not mention Bowie, but if you are looking for a photo of Bowie that you probably haven’t seen before, this has something for you.
Bowie’s New York producer signs up new band. Glen Robinson, described in the article as “Bowie’s New York producer,” has signed on to work with Oxfordshire band LAKE ACACIA after discovering them on social media, marking a shift from his previous collaborations with legendary artists like Bowie, Dave Grohl, and U2.
Source Code getting good reviews. This movie, made by Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, is more than a decade-old but is apparently being rediscovered and getting positive feedback. Bowie himself is only mentioned in passing here. For whatever reason, this story appeared in multiple outlets this past week.
Jerry Harrison on Remain in Light. While this story primarily focuses on Jerry Harrison’s collaboration with Adrian Belew for the “Remain in Light” tour, David Bowie is mentioned due to Belew’s work as a guitarist for Bowie.
“The Secret Life of Arabia”: A Hand Clapping Classic. This is a somewhat silly top ten style list article from which you will get one Bowie song and two pictures of Bowie.
Bowie one of Barrowland’s Best! Bowie performed at Glasgow’s Barrowlands in November 1997 and was said to have had a great affinity with the place.
Bowie liked Leah Coloff. Coloff, a Grammy-winning cellist who has performed with Bowie, uses her show Super Second Rate to share her personal journey of defying her father’s doubts about her musical career, blending autobiography and music in a captivating performance.
Perry following in Bowie’s footsteps. Katy Perry will win the MTV Video Vanguard award, which Bowie was previously awarded to Bowie. Bowie is only mentioned here (though there’s also a picture), but there were similar stories that also mentioned him this week.
Fontaines D.C. Embrace Bold New Look in Spirit of Bowie. Fontaines D.C.’s fourth album, Romance showcases a bold new aesthetic inspired by artists like David Bowie, blending diverse musical styles while embracing a futuristic, dystopian vision without stylistic restrictions.
Earl Slick featured on re-release. David Coverdale’s solo album Into The Light, featuring guitar work from Earl Slick, will be re-released in a remixed and expanded edition alongside Coverdale’s other solo works. Bowie himself is only passingly mentioned in this article, but I’m including it here in case you are looking for another album on which to hear Earl play guitar. And if you want to hear him talk about playing guitar, check put my interview with him in yesterday’s post!
London Street Artist Memorialized Bowie. British street artist Pegasus, known for his tributes to cultural icons such as David Bowie, discusses the influence of Banksy on the street art scene and criticizes the double standards that allow famous artists like Banksy to evade legal consequences for graffiti while others face punishment. The featured image at the top of this post, of the three faces of Ziggy, is a creation of Pegasus.
Bowie among high-achieving left-handers. The only problem with this article (that simply mentions Bowie) is, I don’t think Bowie was actually left-handed. He has the line in “Ziggy Stardust,” “he played it left hand,” so maybe Ziggy was left-handed, but I don’t think Bowie himself was.
Best of Best Ofs. This list/article includes Changesonebowie as a top-ten compilation album.
Maybe this is why Bowie liked Mustique. Toucan Hill, a luxurious villa on the private island of Mustique, known for attracting high-profile figures like David Bowie, offers guests a Moroccan-inspired paradise with stunning views, exceptional service, and indulgent treats such as ginger ice cream.
David Bowie looking for a home? If you ever wanted David Bowie to move in with you, here’s your chance. No, it isn’t that David Bowie. This story is about a dog who happens to have the same name. he seems like a diamond dog, who won’t bomb the moon and like Iggy Pop, wants to be yours. And no, this article doesn’t make any of those jokes!
Far Out Bowie stories: The online magazine always manages to post Bowie stories. This week featured: (1) Bowie on death; (2) Bowie’s best; (3) Kurt Cobain’s favorite albums (have we seen this one before?); (4) John Lennon on “Fame”; (5) Peter Hook blasts music industry (but praises Bowie); (6) One damn song that can make Bowie Break down and cry; (7) Station to Station on list of drug-inspired albums
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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
