MITCH SCHNEIDER/LATHUM NELSON - JULY 21 2003

DAVID BOWIE REVEALS HIS 'REALITY' NEW STUDIO ALBUM TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 16

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


DAVID BOWIE's 26th studio album REALITY will be released September 16 on ISO/Columbia Records to coincide with his first world tour in almost a decade. Launching October 7 in Copenhagen, "A REALITY TOUR" will play to more than one million people while visiting 17 countries over a seven-month period. The tour, already sold-out in Europe, will hit North America in late 2003 (dates TBA).

REALITY was co-produced by BOWIE and Tony Visconti, the duo responsible for last year's critically acclaimed, million-selling Heathen as well as such classics as Scary Monsters, Low and Heroes. The 11-track album features the highly acclaimed band that performed on last year's Heathen mini tour, including long-time BOWIE musicians such as vocalist Gail Ann Dorsey, pianist Mike Garson, drummer Sterling Campbell and guitarists Earl Slick and Gerry Leonard. Visconti added bass, while BOWIE played keyboards, guitar and sax.

BOWIE wrote and recorded REALITY in New York, explaining in his FILTER magazine cover feature (July/August 2004): "There's a certain kind of energy that you get here. I really felt the sidewalk. There's a twang when the foot hits the ground. I knew what it sounded like. And that's what I wanted to get onto the vinyl."

BOWIE describes the sound of REALITY as "built to play live" and, more intriguingly, as being "a bit thrusty." He notes the album is "nothing more complicated than a collection of songs, many written in downtown New York. It covers a small period of writing at the start of 2003. I write continually and, these days, it's great to be able to release things as I write them."

Nine BOWIE originals appear on REALITY, plus two covers: "Pablo Picasso" - a Jonathan Richman-penned song originally recorded by his band The Modern Lovers - and "Try Some, Buy Some," one of the lesser-known compositions by the late George Harrison. "Try Some, Buy Some" has been on BOWIE's 'to cover' list for years ever since he bought a copy of ex-Ronette Ronnie Spector's version in the 70's.

Of the two covers, BOWIE remarked, "At one time I was compiling a Pin Ups ll list and both of these songs were on it. I must have over fifty songs on that list now. As it's very unlikely that I'll do another Pin Ups, I just grab a couple of irresistible favorites from the list every time I go into the studio. I get a real kick from doing covers, I'm such a rock fan at heart."

The full track listing for REALITY is as follows:

     New Killer Star
     Pablo Picasso
     Never Get Old
     The Loneliest Guy
     Looking for Water
     She'll Drive the Big Car
     Days
     Fall Dog Bombs The Moon
     Try Some, Buy Some
     Reality
     Bring Me The Disco King

The very distinctive artwork for REALITY is the result of collaboration between BOWIE, Rex Ray and Jonathan Barnbrook. Both Ray and Barnbrook worked with DAVID in the past - Ray on Earthling and 'hours..', Barnbrook on Heathen - but REALITY marks the first time they all joined forces on one project.

The artwork for the record, according to BOWIE, was inspired by "an assumption that there is little reality left that corresponds to the old definition."

More details about REALITY, as well as the opportunity to hear parts of the album online at BowieNet (www.davidbowie.com), will be revealed soon.



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