• On this day, 45 years ago, DAVID BOWIE appeared on NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE US TV show with a legendary three-song live performance.

BW News Flashback - December 2006

Former employees of NBC's Saturday Night Live were asked to send in precious anecdotes to GAWKER - one particular piece that stood out was when DAVID BOWIE appeared on the programme in December 1979.

David performed three songs... 'The Man Who Sold The World' where he was carried to front stage by backing singers Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias, whilst inside a costume (which was a nod to Dadaist Tristan Tzara - or if you've done your homework Sami Rosenstock).

The second song was 'TVC15' with Bowie dressed more conventionally as a Chinese airline stewardesses dress and lastly 'Boys Keep Swinging' complete with a puppet body.

The photograph right shows a scene from 'The Gas Heart' by Tristan Tzara. Costumes designed by Sonia Delaunay, Theatre Michel, Paris, July 6-7, 1923.

Tzara introduced the first performance as follows: "It is the only and greatest three-act hoax of the century. It will satisfy only industrialized imbeciles who believe in the existence of men of genius.".

SNL Employee: David Bowie and I manhandle his life-size plastic punching doll into the elevator. The next night, NBC's costumers will bolt David into this rigid contraption so he can spin and wobble across the stage on live television, while lip-synching one of the songs that made him into the icon known as Ziggy Stardust.

For a second, I gaze into Bowie's left eye and notice his famous blown pupil. "Why drag this all the way back to your hotel? The Props department could lock it up for you."

He laughs. "Nothing personal, but if it goes missing, I can't just buy another one down at the corner shop."

I giggle. "Good point."

I still look back on this comment as my best shot at the Melonhead Hall of Fame.

Nobody gives us a second glance as we struggle outside to the Plaza. The Thin White Duke and an anonymous melonhead are trying to stuff a six-foot-tall, brightly-colored punching doll into the back seat of a stretch limo, but New Yorkers, true to form, don't even notice this singular tableau. David turns, to say thanks for the help. Polite guy. My brain is churning at light speed, searching for another bon mot.

So I bring out the big guns: "Break a leg!" When David looks puzzled, I rush to explain: "Not now. Tomorrow night." He smiles and thanks me again.

Then his limousine is gone, and I'm left alone to compose my Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

On this day, 41 years ago, DAVID BOWIE performed 'Imagine' at the Hong Kong Coliseum during his final gig of the Serious Moonlight Tour '83 in memory of JOHN LENNON.

Currently in the pipeline is FAR ABOVE THE WORLD: THE TIME AND SPACE OF DAVID BOWIE by PAUL MORLEY.

This 320-page hardcover and Kindle publication is scheduled for release on 4th September 2025.

In the ten years since the death of David Bowie in 2016 there has been no loss of interest in and fascination with his life, music and driven, complex personality. He is definitely one musician, one performer, destined not to be forgotten. The significant grief and sadness that greeted Bowie's death has evolved into a deeper, enduring love for his music, style, wit, artistic curiosity, sexual energy, flamboyant outsider spirit and insatiable, provocative appetite for life.

Far Above the World will document one of the UK's greatest creative artists, through the spectacularly colourful and vibrant journey of a man who constantly reinvented himself and his music. Bowie lived in the future, using the pop song to chronicle overwhelming and dangerous times, searching for the light, and creating a communication channel between post-war 20th century times and where(ever) we are now. This anniversary book will place him in the now and next, as much as is past, and argue that his songs, and his messages, reflections and warnings become ever more relevant and compelling as time passes.

Book Description: A landmark celebration of David Bowie's extraordinary life and career through key episodes in his creative journey.

About the Author: Writer, broadcaster and cultural critic Paul Morley has written about music, art and entertainment since the 1970s. A founding member of the electronic collective Art of Noise, he is the author of the bestselling biography The Age of Bowie and collaborated with music icon Grace Jones on her New York Times best-selling memoir, I'll Never Write My Memoirs. His other books include biographies of Bob Dylan, Joy Division and Factory Records Tony Wilson and a history of the north. He was an artistic advisor for the David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A.

You can pre-order Far Above the World NOW!

On this day, 9 years ago, DAVID BOWIE and IMAN attended the premiere of LAZARUS theatre production at The New York Theatre Workshop, NY, USA.

At the end of the show David took to the stage for a standing ovation. This was to be David's final public appearance.

Check out these precious photographs taken by LOPEY who managed to take a great image as a smiling David and Iman arrived at theatre, as well as Susan Sarandon, Tony Visconti and Kristeen Young.

     

     

Courtesy of Lopey [bowiefun.com].

David, Enda Walsh, Ivo van Hove and cast take a standing ovation. Photo by Jan Versweyveld.

For all you fashionistas out there... David is wearing a beautiful Alexander McQueen dark navy and silver skull polka dot evening scarf.

        

Photos by AKM-GSI Splash.

Below are the photographs taken by PAULA SCIUK, as David, Iman and actors Michael C. Hall and Cristin Milioti left the theatre. In the foyer are Jimmy King and Bill Zysblat.

     

     

Courtesy of Paula S.

The EARL SLICK x DAVID BOWIE 'Isn't It Evening', 7 inch limited editions, released on Schnitzel Records last month still maintain a position on one of the UK Charts.

For this fourth week it is placed in the UK Official Physical Singles Chart at #89 Full run is: [#3 / #11 / #30 / #89]

As ever, in the Official UK Album Charts, 'Legacy' is still there, this week touching in at #82, making a grand total of 420 weeks in the album chart. Amazing that it missed only one week [6/10/2017] since the date of release back in 2016. It is also placed in the Streaming Chart at #63.

In other various official UK Charts, TRAFOZSATSFM is #93 in the Sales Chart, and #87 in the Physical Albums Chart.

In the Official Scottish Albums Chart, TRAFOZSATSFM, after last week's #99, this week Ziggy climbs up to #70, with a grand total of 358 weeks on the chart.

Meanwhile over in Greece, their official album charts (IFPI) still continue to pull out seemingly random Bowie album entries.

This week 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars' album has achieved its highest ever position in Greece at #7, whilst 'Let's Dance' returns back into the chart placed at #45.

• On this day, 29 years ago, DAVID BOWIE performed at the Kings Hall, Belfast during his Outside Tour in 1995...

• On this day, 41 years ago, DAVID BOWIE performed at the Army Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand during 'The Bungle in the Jungle' leg of the Serious Moonlight Tour in 1983...

• On this day, 59 years ago, DAVID BOWIE with The Lower Third performed at the Marquee Club, Soho, London in 1965...

• On this day, 60 years ago, DAVID JONES & The Manish Boys performed twice at City Hall, Newcastle, unbilled and supporting on the Gerry & The Pacemakers/Gene Pitney/The Kinks tour in 1964...

• On this day, 25 years ago, DAVID BOWIE performed at The Astoria, London during his 'hours...' promotional tour in 1999. Earlier the same day, David did an in-store signing at The Virgin Megastore. After the gig he held an after-show party at Pop in Soho...

• On this day, 46 years ago, DAVID BOWIE performed at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, the final show of the Australasian leg of his 1978 world tour...

• On this day, 58 years ago, DAVID BOWIE and THE BUZZ performed at the Severn Club, in Shrewsbury in 1966. At this gig they performed 'Waiting For The Man' by The Velvet Underground as one of the encore songs. David played this song live before anyone one else in the world, he performed it before the album was actually released after receiving a testing pressing from his then manager Kenneth Pitt...

• On this day, 60 years ago, DAVIE JONES and THE MANISH BOYS gave two performances at the ABC Cinema, Hull in 1964...

Available any day now is PECULIAR TO MR. BOWIE: A DAY WITH DAVID BOWIE IN 1971 by JOHN MENDELSSOHN.

This limited edition A4 photobook, contains 48-pages featuring rare photographs of David Bowie and is available exclusively via nortonrecords.com website.

Written by veteran rock journalist and photographer John Mendelssohn and featuring photographs he snapped of Bowie after meeting him at a San Francisco press junket.

Bowie was in the U.S. to promote his then-latest album, The Man Who Sold The World, and the press event took place at a Holiday Inn. Mendelssohn shot a roll of film of the fledgling rocker, and spent time chatting with him. His interview was published in Rolling Stone magazine.

Peculiar to Mr. Bowie includes the Rolling Stone article, as well as Mendelssohn's reflections on Bowie. The pics captured Bowie wearing two "man-dresses" designed by London-based tailor Mr. Fish. One of the outfits was the same floral-print dress David is wearing on the cover of the U.K. version of The Man Who Sold The World.

The book also includes information about the origin and influence of the man-dress written by British-Irish pop-culture journalist Paul Gorman.

Fans who pre-order the book will also receive a free souvenir bottle of a perfume called 'Peculiar', while supplies last. According to a description of the perfume, it's "a refined scent, reminiscent of old London, with a hint of lavender, suitable for all persuasions." The fragrance was created with organic Canadian floral waters.

For more details, information and ordering details, please visit nortonrecords.com website.

For those of you who use FACEBOOK - check out the private DAVID BOWIE WONDERWORLD Group.

Feel free to join in with the other 98,000 plus members, add yourself and invite your Bowie fan friends. You never know what might get posted, or who you might meet...

Update: Extra gig added. There are now four three gigs for THE SOUND AND VISION OF DAVID BOWIE taking place on 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th January at The Cutting Room in New York City.

'The Sound and Vision of David Bowie - A Celebration' is a band of latter-day Bowie collaborators and co-conspirators who have been coming together annually to perform the music of David Bowie exclusively at The Cutting Room in New York City.

Members of the group have been a part of David's work from the mid 1990s - from the Outside/Nine Inch Nails tour in 1995 through to his theatrical creation Lazarus in 2015.

Musicians and producers from the ensemble have participated in every Bowie recording and tour from 1997 onward - including Earthling, 'hours...', Heathen, Reality, The Next Day, Blackstar, and the newly released Toy (the 'lost' album from 2000).

Vocalists who are bringing their time and talents this year include: Brian Delaney, Carmine Rojas, Catherine Russell, Donny McCaslin, Everett Bradley, Gail Ann Dorsey, Gerry Leonard, Henry Hey, Jim Boggia, JJ Appleton, Mark Plati, Sophia Anne Caruso.

Venue: The Cutting Room, 44 East 32nd St, New York City, NY 10016, USA.

For more information and tickets, please view 9th January / 10th January / 11th January and 12th January.

BURRETTI: THE MAN WHO SEWED THE WORLD is set in a 1970s TV television talk show format this theatre production portrays the fascinating tale of FREDDIE BURRETTI, DAVID BOWIE's close friend and key early 1970s Ziggy Stardust costume designer.

With a befitting musical score, the show reveals Burretti's toils with 1970s homophobia, events leading up to meeting David Bowie and the legendary 1972 BBC Top of the Pops broadcast.

It will leave you in no doubt; Burretti was the man who sewed the world.

Performances in Milton Keynes and Bedford in January 2025:

16th/15th January: The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford MK40 3DE, England - [More details].

11th/10th January: York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1JQ, England - [More details].

Produced by: Lee Scriven/Stony Stratford Theatre Society. Directed by Caz Tricks.

• The DAVID BOWIE CENTRE opens on 13th September 2025 at V&A East Storehouse, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London E20 - more details

• DAVID BOWIE IS by VICTORIA BROACKES and GEOFFREY MARSH, paperback, 320-pages - to be published on 11th September 2025 - more details

• FAR ABOVE THE WORLD: THE TIME AND SPACE OF DAVID BOWIE by PAUL MORLEY, hardcover, Kindle, 320-pages - to be published on 4th September 2025 - more details

• 13th ANNUAL BOWIE FAN CHARITY EVENT a night of live music plus auction and raffle at The Water Rats, 328 Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross, London WC1X 8BZ, England on 14th June 2025 - more details

• DAVID BOWIE BY DENIS O'REGAN: FROM THE MAN WHO PHOTOGRAPHED HIM MOST by DENIS O'REGAN, hardcover, 300-pages - to be published on 12th May 2025 - more details

• LAZARUS stage play written by DAVID BOWIE and ENDA WALSH, directed by Valter Malosti, starring Manuel Agnelli and Casadilego at Teatro della Pergola, Via della Pergola 5 - 50121 Firenze (FI), Italy on 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th April 2025 - more details

• BOWIE ODYSSEY 75 by SIMON GODDARD, paperback, 192-pages, to be published on 3rd April 2025 - more details

• BOWIELAND: WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DAVID by PETER CARPENTER, hardcover 320-pages - to be published on 27th March 2025 - more details

• STYLES CODES: DAVID BOWIE: A Guide to Dressing Like a Fashion Icon by NATALIE HAMMOND, hardcover, 192-pages, to be published on 25th March 2025 - more details

• WHERE ARE WE NOW DAVID BOWIE? by RICHARD PURDEN, paperback, 280-pages, to be published on 21st March 2025 - more details

• The 9th CONVENTION BOWIE FRANCE 2025 takes place on 16th March at La Java, 105 Rue du Faubourg du Temple, 75010 Paris, France - more details

• The DUBLIN BOWIE FESTIVAL 2025 takes place on 26th February until 2nd March 2025 celebrating 50 years of Young Americans, with live music, talks, screenings, exhibitions, theatre and lots more. To stay up to date with news and info subscribe to their newsletter where you will have first access to tickets and exclusives - more details

• I WAS THERE: IN CONVERSATION WITH ALAN EDWARDS at The Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, BN3 1AS England on 7th February 2025 at 19.30-21.30 GMT - more details

• I WAS THERE: IN CONVERSATION WITH ALAN EDWARDS at The Arches, 8 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 2ER, England on 6th February 2025 at 18.30 GMT - more details

• DAVID BOWIE 1983 TO 2016 ON TRACK: EVERY ALBUM, EVERY SONG by DON KLEES, paperback, 176-pages - to be published on 30th January 2025 - more details

• DAVID BOWIE - THE YEAR OF THE SCAVENGER luxury collector's book from MAYAK PUBLISHING covering the 1974 period - coming 2025 - mayakpublishing.co.uk

• BURRETTI: THE MAN WHO SEWED THE WORLD play at The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford MK40 3DE, England on 15th and 16th January 2025 at 19:30 - more details

• BURRETTI: THE MAN WHO SEWED THE WORLD play at York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1JQ, Buckinghamshire, England on 10th and 11th January 2025 at 8pm-10pm - more details

• EXHIBITION: DAVID BOWIE PHOTOGRAPHS by Geoff MacCormack at Artspace, Woodbridge, Apothecary House, 64 Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1AL, England from 12th-18th December - more details

Exclusive DAVID BOWIE lino-cut print available to PURCHASE - don't hang around, these are ALL the remaining original left-over stock from 40 years ago, once they've gone, they've gone!

DAVID BOWIE RAINBOW+ by JÉRÔME SOLIGNY, French language, paperback, 222-pages - published on 22nd November - more details

DAVID BOWIE: THE COLLECTOR by NICK SMART, paperback, 244-pages - published on 21st November - more details

THE GRAND ILLUSION OF DAVID BOWIE by DAVID CURRIE Collector's Edition, hardback comes in slipcase + four artist signed prints - more details

THE GRAND ILLUSION OF DAVID BOWIE by DAVID CURRIE Standard Edition, hardback book only - more details

2025 OFFICIAL CALENDAR DAVID BOWIE Collector's Edition - published on 1st September - more details

2025 OFFICIAL CALENDAR DAVID BOWIE - A3 size, published on 1st September - more details