A double CD/DVD expanded YOUNG AMERICANS is being released on Tuesday June 5th in the USA including the bonus songs - WHO CAN I BE NOW? / IT'S GONNA BE ME (with Strings) / the 7 minute version of JOHN, I"M ONLY DANCING (again) - much different than the other released alternative versions. AFTER TODAY has been strangely overlooked but can be found on the SOUND AND VISION Box Set. The DVD is the entire album and bonus songs mixed in 5.1 as well as picture and sound of Bowie on THE DICK CAVETT show being interviewed as well as performing 1984 and YOUNG AMERICANS. Unfortunately, the 3rd number he performed that night, the oldie R 'n' B number "FOOT STOMPIN'" is not included (nor is it on the Dick Cavett DVD Box Set) Lost to the ages I suppose (and it was the best of the 3 from that famous show - go figure)

Also out on Tuesday is Bowie's BEST OF 1980 - 87 with non Bowie album songs UNDERGROUND / ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS / CAT PEOPLE (single edit) but the whole thing seems like an after thought and nothing really new.

BTW, Anybody know what Bowie's been doing since his Heart Surgery? He shows up here and there but his music and acting career feel like they're all in the past, he seems to be RETIRED. Have not heard ANY talk of a new Album or Tour happening soon.... Anyone have any info?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-06-03 10:49 by bv.

Last I heard or saw from Bowie was about 3 years ago. He played a small theatre in Berkeley and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. He's always threatening to retire,but keeps popping back up.

He played Mr. Tesla in last years movie the Prestige, along with Michael Cane, Scarlett Johansson and Batman. He also did a show with David Gilmour and sang lead on Comfortably Numb...quite good actually.

He moved his office on 5th Ave in NYC to the Soho section of the city.

Continues to sell really awful paintings on his website.

Hey Helter...Major Tom is still hangin' ashes around the Loo.....But where's Bozo??


Rolling Stone - Random Notes - Issue 1027 - Photo Larry Busacca



ROCKMAN

Well I was in NYc at one f his last shows, the 2005 "fashion rocks". He sang "life un mars" only with Mike Garson on the piano, then he appeared later on the show to play two more tunes, on of them was "five years" with Arcade Fire, a good indie-band. It was an incredible emotion.
I'm sure he will come back someday, surprising us like he has always done.

Bowie's 30th anniversary re-issues are terrific releases,
but Young Americans and David Live are the only 70s Bowie albums I dislike - so I'll pass on this one

Last year Bowie said he wasn't going to be releasing any more music "through conventional channels" because he was disgusted with the industry. He was rumoured to be recording an instrumental album. Not sure of he'll ever do a world tour again because of his health problems.

At the time of his heart attack, Bowie was set to release a third album in the Heathen/Reality vein, but this was put on ice after his op. Not a bad thing, because I thought Reality was mostly dreadful.

Bowie's a relentlessly creative guy, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see new music from him soon, probably as a download only release, or released exclusively through his website.

Young Americans deluxe has been out in the UK for a few months. In the US you'll be able to buy it with and without a cigarette on the cover - hence the delay in the reissue. Ha, ha! Like you can really die from passive smoking from a photograph.

Erik_Snow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bowie's 30th anniversary re-issues are terrific
> releases,
> but Young Americans and David Live are the only
> 70s Bowie albums I dislike - so I'll pass on this
> one

sure.
I never got into that white philadelphia r'n'b sound those two albums have. That was his worst american period to me, glad he came back in Europe in Berlin to find new inspiration.

farawayeyes2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sure.
> I never got into that white philadelphia r'n'b
> sound those two albums have. That was his worst
> american period to me, glad he came back in Europe
> in Berlin to find new inspiration.


If you've seen the 1974 tour movie, "Cracked Actor", you'll excuse him for his albums in 74/75 (NOT counting Diamond Dogs of course), Bowie was really freaked out at that time...both by cocaine and his own mind



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-06-03 14:37 by Erik_Snow.

yeah Erik i saw that movie..there's a story from that period that says he was not eating at all, just a milk and cocaine diet. He was really thin and lost in that 1975. He said he does not remember at all that year. The funny thing is that he released Diamond Dogs, and Station to Station from 1974 to 1976, some of Bowie finest albums ever.

I always tought he seemed more an alien in '75 than in his Ziggy Stardust period.

Arf, those pictures are awful..and scary, thanks !
Bowie mentioned his David Live album as "David Dead" in retrospect, I'm glad he got out of LA, and got himself to good ol' Berlin
Very funny story about Bowie visting Iggy Pop in a mental institution in 75, bringing cocaine to his insane friend...think about it, bringing cocaine to a mental institution..!

sure he's scary in those pics, but very beatiful in his own way!
he's even more pale than the walls!

other pics from that period here erik:
[www.velvetgoldmine.it]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-06-03 15:13 by farawayeyes2.

The cigarette is airbrushed out on some covers?????????? That is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!

How a photo of someone smoking a cigarette harms anyone is beyond my comprehension. Same thing with the cover of 'No Security' and the problems it had being sold in some parts of the world and the airbrushed-out cigarette on the cover of a Simon & Garfunkel box-set. Unbelievable. Very Stalin-esque (to be fair, so was the removal of Bill Wyman from 'Rarities'!).

Jack Knife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The cigarette is airbrushed out on some
> covers?????????? That is absolutely
> ridiculous!!!!!!
>
> How a photo of someone smoking a cigarette harms
> anyone is beyond my comprehension. Same thing
> with the cover of 'No Security' and the problems
> it had being sold in some parts of the world and
> the airbrushed-out cigarette on the cover of a
> Simon & Garfunkel box-set. Unbelievable. Very
> Stalin-esque (to be fair, so was the removal of
> Bill Wyman from 'Rarities'!).


They're going to do that for the Beatles reissues too. It's utterly ridiculous, I know. Can you imagine those classic Frank Sinatra albums wothout the cigarettes? They're an integral part of the design. Bowie's Young Americans cover was a pastiche of those classic Hollywood studio shots.

This is even more insane than the "Merry Christmas"-expression-ban
I'm shocked

Yeah, Rockman, I saw a shot kinda like that on his complicated web site/page. He still goes out for a night on the town, but how about some new music Mr. Thin White Duke????? BTW, I love the STATION TO STATION album, anybody know what kind of extra songs they'll be tacking on the reissue when it comes out? I believe I've never seen any outtakes, leftovers, or B-sides from that period, always live stuff from the tour that followed the album... Any info on rare tracks from that period?

HelterSkelter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, Rockman, I saw a shot kinda like that on his
> complicated web site/page. He still goes out for a
> night on the town, but how about some new music
> Mr. Thin White Duke????? BTW, I love the STATION
> TO STATION album, anybody know what kind of extra
> songs they'll be tacking on the reissue when it
> comes out? I believe I've never seen any outtakes,
> leftovers, or B-sides from that period, always
> live stuff from the tour that followed the
> album... Any info on rare tracks from that period?


The most obvious one would be
"It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City", which is available officially on for instance the "Best of Bowie 1974-1979" cd,
stunning version...better grab that one Helter

Young Americans is a very unique album... It definitely doesn't "rock" like so much of his others, but I do like it. The version of "Across The Universe" is one of my favorite Bowie recordings ever... He was hanging with Lennon a lot and he (JL) is on the album... I think it is him singing backing vocals at the end of ATU.

Yo Erik, you seem to be a big Bowie fan.. I have a question, do you remember a few years ago they put out a 10" I think Vinyl rarities disc that had that song I mentioned up top "Foot Stompin" on it? I believe it was official (non boot) cause I saw it at Tower Records... might have also had HOLY HOLY and yet another studio version of REBEL REBEL and JOHN, I'M ONLY DANCING.... sound familiar? (maybe it was as far back as 10 years ago) I could swear that I saw this thing (looked on AMAZON the other day with no luck)

HelterSkelter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yo Erik, you seem to be a big Bowie fan.. I have a
> question, do you remember a few years ago they put
> out a 10" I think Vinyl rarities disc that had
> that song I mentioned up top "Foot Stompin" on it?
> I believe it was official (non boot) cause I saw
> it at Tower Records... might have also had HOLY
> HOLY and yet another studio version of REBEL REBEL
> and JOHN, I'M ONLY DANCING.... sound familiar?
> (maybe it was as far back as 10 years ago) I could
> swear that I saw this thing (looked on AMAZON the
> other day with no luck)

Helter, I can't recall seeing that exact vinyl, but the songs you mentioned (apart from Foot Stompin') are all available on Bowie's double CD versions of TheManWhoSoldTheWorld, ZiggyStardust etc.
Foot Stompin' was only performed at the Dick Cavett show 1974. It's the first version of "Fame".
Please e-mail me, if you'd like a copy of the Cracked Actor DVD, featuring the Dick Cavett 1974 interview & songs.

rykodisk did re-issues/re-masters of much of his (hunky dory thru scary monsters) work back in 1990-91. i got 4 of them on cassette at the time, but young americans wasn't one of the ones i got (already had it on vinyl and cassette) so i don't know how they'd compare.

as an example, bonus tracks were:

hunky dory- bombers, the supermen, quicksand (demo), and bewley bros. (alt. mix)
station to station- 3/23/76 live versions of word on a wing and stay
low- some are, all saints, '91 remix of sound and vision
lodger-i pray ole, 1988 re-recording of look back in anger

although my personal pre-1985 bowie faves are hunky dory and station to station, surprisingly to some, i find myself reaching out for young americans more than the berlin work and even ziggy, diamond, alladin, etc. nowadays. interesting.

so thanks for the tip on the new cd/dvd version of it!

He's keeping busy with acting. He'll be in an upcoming episode of SpongeBob SquarePants and he also just finished shooting a movie with Josh Hartnett and some other actors, but I don't believe it will be out until 2009 for some reason.

He was supposed to play the final gig at the recent HighLine festival here in NY, but when they officially announced the lineup he wasn't on there. I hope that's not a bad sign in the sense of future shows, tours, etc.

He is supposedly working on a new album. I highly doubt Bowie is out of the game. He may be upset with the way albums are promoted, but I feel like the indie music has taken an upswing in recent years, even since Realty was released at the end of 2003 (by the way, Realty is a GREAT album, not crap. Give it a few listens. The man is a legend with amazing talent). I bet he'll come out with a new album, and he'll find different ways to promote it instead of relying on a major record label. Look at all the young, good bands that are finding an audience with no help from MTV. There's still chance.

Also, speaking of other ways of promotion, I think if Mick is coming out with a solo album soon, he should also find a different way to promote. It seemed like Mick was relying on radio play and Virgin to promote his CD. He needs to play shows, maybe land a decent commercial, and even attach himself to some festival gigs. The man has talent, he just needs to have his record hit the young and older crowd. Regular promotion just doens't work for established rock acts unless their doing a standards or covers album.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-06-04 05:21 by jumpinjackgreg.

>"It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City", which is available officially on for instance the "Best of Bowie 1974-1979" cd

It's on the SOUND + VISION box set as well.


>by the way, Realty is a GREAT album, not crap.

Absolutely agree.

might have also had HOLY
> HOLY and yet another studio version of REBEL REBEL
> and JOHN, I'M ONLY DANCING.... sound familiar?
> (maybe it was as far back as 10 years ago) I could
> swear that I saw this thing (looked on AMAZON the
> other day with no luck)

The other version of Rebel Rebel could be the US single edit, i don't like it, it's on 30th anniversary edition of Diamond Dogs.
There's three studio versions of John I'm only dancing. The original, an outtake of Ziggy Stardust the album, was recorded on 1972. Is on 30th anniversary edition of Ziggy Satrdust. The second is pretty similar, only with added sax, it's call in fact "sax version". Is an outtake of Aladdin Sane in fact is on 30th anniversary edition of AS, and on Best of Bowie 1969-1974 too. The last one is John I'm only dancing (again), wich is pretty different, a totally new arrangement. Is on Best of Bowie 1974-1979. I don't like this one, the others are far better.


IN Reality there's one of my fav Bowie songs, even if he wrote it a decade before, it's Bring me to the disco king. The album version has a delicate jazz atmosphere, with Mike Garson piano, a soft drum and Bowie vocals, that'a all. Then on Underworld movie soundtrack there's a different version, that is stunning. With Frusciante on guitars and an orchestra arrangements sounds absolutely great.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-06-04 12:21 by farawayeyes2.

Erik, thanks for the offer on CRACKED ACTOR - what's on there exactly? Is it an entire concert film from the DAVID LIVE period? Or is it a mix of live clips and interviews and backstage type footage? All I've ever seen is that footage of him singing to the skull - the song CRACKED ACTOR maybe? I was really, heavily into Bowie during that period, saw the DIAMOND DOGS tour (which I guess is DAVID LIVE) at the Universal Ampitheater in LA, great show.... Ampitheater shows have always been good, saw the DYLAN "Street Legal" show there - fantastic.... anyway, fill me in on CRACKED ACTOR when you have a moment... The thing I was kinda worried about was I have read that a large percentage of men get VERY depressed after Heart Surgery - what EXACTLY did Bowie have? Bypass surgery? - and kinda get a different view on life and stuff like that. They were writing a lot about this major side effect when Bill Clinton had his bypass surgery.... it's suppose to be super strong/serious where a lot of men make major changes in there life to the shock and surprise of family and friends. Sounded like something to not take lightly so I was thinking maybe BOWIE was hit by this. He also probably had to stop smoking which probably drove him nuts - that was one guy that liked his smokes from all the street/interview footage I've seen of him..... Let's hope he gets his Mojo back, Lennon did after 5 years of baking bread......

Helter, Cracked Actor is a tour movie, just like CS Blues - apart from the fact that's it a better movie than CS - it's not that "staged".
Interviews, live footage, driving-around-in-limo's and such, very good insight in Bowie's wierd world.
Concerning "Reality"....I think half of the album is just rubbish, but there are some good ones there. I was really disappointed with that one after the faboulas Heathen.

Hi everyone,

Only just finished reading through this so to pick up a few points:

There definitely was a CD with Footstompin as well as various versions of John I'm Only Dancing and stuff like Holy Holy and Velvet Goldmine. It was called RarestOneBowie or something like that. No idea if it was official or not but I too saw it in HMV or suchlike. Didn't buy it cos I had everything on it so can't be any more definite about it.

Very very few outakes from the Station to Station period have emerged but what there is seems generally available now. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City certainly is a gem. (Though Bowie said that Bruce didn't seem to like it.)

Bowie certainly had a Keith like ciggy habit for many a year but quit in 2002 so having to give up after the heart attack in 2004 wasn't an issue. His state of mind since can only be speculation but I think he is probably OK, just wishes to take it easy and be a decent father to his young daughter. I think it's all but certain he will never do another big tour so I'm very glad I caught 9 shows on the Reality tour when it was in Europe.

Cheers.

rebelrebel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There definitely was a CD with Footstompin as well
> as various versions of John I'm Only Dancing and
> stuff like Holy Holy and Velvet Goldmine. It was
> called RarestOneBowie or something like that. No
> idea if it was official or not but I too saw it in
> HMV or suchlike. Didn't buy it cos I had
> everything on it so can't be any more definite
> about it.

Oh yes, thanks for the reminder, I was wrong in my post above.
I actually have that LP. Contains some real strange songs...like Around And Around and a Spanish version of Space Oddity
Bowie did have such terrific coverwork for his albums in the 70s, just like Rolling Stones....maybe even better, I always try to find Bowie albums in mint condition. Still haven't ran accross Heroes...