Released this coming Friday is the 2CD set and digital formats of DAVID BOWIE's WELCOME TO THE BLACKOUT (LIVE LONDON '78) via Parlophone.

This live album features performances recorded at Earl's Court in London on 30th June and 1st July 1978 during Bowie's world tour. The music was released earlier this year on vinyl as a strictly limited-edition triple-LP set for Record Store Day 2018.

TONY VISCONTI, who co-produced a dozen studio albums for Bowie throughout his career, recorded the 1978 concert which was later mixed by Bowie and David Richards.

The 2CD tracklisting runs as follows:

CD1
     Warszawa.
     "Heroes".
     What In The World.
     Be My Wife.
     The Jean Genie.
     Blackout.
     Sense Of Doubt.
     Speed Of Life.
     Sound And Vision.
     Breaking Glass.
     Fame.
     Beauty And The Beast.

CD 2
     Five Years.
     Soul Love.
     Star.
     Hang On To Yourself.
     Ziggy Stardust.
     Suffragette City.
     Art Decade.
     Alabama Song.
     Station To Station.
     TVC 15.
     Stay.
     Rebel Rebel.

You can pre-order the 2CD set of Welcome To The Blackout (Live London '78) NOW!

Initial copies of the 2CD are packaged in a six-panel digipak with rare photographs from Masayoshi Sukita and Chris Walter, before reverting to a brilliant case.

Also out on Friday (29th) are these two re-releases...

Christiane F. - Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo the soundtrack to the 1981 film based on the 1978 autobiography by German actress Christiane Vera Felscherinow. The soundtrack incorporates songs from several Bowie albums, including 'Stay' (Station To Station, 1976), 'Warszawa' (Low, 1977) 'V-2 Schneider' ("Heroes", 1977), and 'Look Back In Anger' (Lodger, 1979). Released on vinyl for the first time in 30 years, this fan favourite will be pressed on limited edition red vinyl and available exclusively at "brick and mortar" retail stores. The set includes Mark Adams' original liner notes from the 2001 CD issue of the album.

David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht's Baal features Bowie performing five songs that were written for German playwright Bertolt Brecht's 1918 play 'Baal'. Bowie recorded this EP with Visconti at Hansa Studios in Berlin in November 1981. Recently, all five songs were re-released as part of the exclusive Re:Call 3 compilation that accompanied the box set, A New Career In A New Town (1977-1982). This new limited edition 10" vinyl reissue comes in a six-panel sleeve that replicates the original 1982 packaging and is available exclusively at "brick and mortar" retail stores.

The twenty-second episode of THE A TO Z OF DAVID BOWIE podcast created by MARC RILEY, ROB HUGHES and HOWARD NOCK is now available online for your listening pleasure.

This episode continues with the letter I and discusses the topics: David Bowie Is, I'm Waiting For The Man, Iman and Ian Hunter.

Available via your preferred podcast download or streaming. I personally prefer acast.com for streaming.

There will also be 'extra' episodes featuring new and archive interviews with db associated people too!

For more information, updates and questions you can follow @zofdavidbowie account on Twitter.

Check out the newly created YouTube channel A to Z of David Bowie and don't forget to subscribe for notifications.

For the podcast each letter is currently 2 episodes of 30 plus minutes and will be published at 3am on Tuesday's each week.

You can listen to ALL previous episodes HERE

There are twenty lots of DAVID BOWIE memorabilia up for grabs at BONHAMS upcoming Entertainment auction next month on 18th July in London.

Highlights include the following items:

Lot 152: Mott The Hoople: a telegram from David Bowie regarding the recording of All The Young Dudes, 1972.
Estimate: £600 - £800 GBP
Addressed Mott The Hoople Newcastle City Hall Northumberland Road Newcastle Upon Tyne and reading, Dear Boys How's It Going? Tony Is Announcing To The Music Press Sole Responsibility For Your Recording Agency And Management Stop Prepare For Showdown With Island Stop No Anxiety Please Stop Defries Guv'ner At This Kind Of Thing Stop Studio Booked At End Of Tour For Purposes Of Recording Smash Single Stop Arent Your Live Reviews Fabulous? Love David And Angela, the reverse datestamped 13 APR. 72, 7 1/2in x 8 1/2in (19cm x 21.5cm).

Lot 159: David Bowie: a rare uncensored album cover for Diamond Dogs, RCA, CPLI-0576, 1974.
Estimate: £3,000 - £5,000 GBP
Sleeve for David Bowie's 8th album, Diamond Dogs, featuring the uncensored version of the cover artwork by Guy Peellaert. Known as Bowie's "butcher cover", the album cover shows Bowie as a striking half-man, half-dog hybrid in full across the gatefold.

Lot 165 AR: David Bowie: a striking and original head of David Bowie pastel portrait, 1995.
Estimate: £6,000 - £8,000 GBP
The large self-portrait of Bowie in a head and shoulders pose with downcast gaze, pastel and charcoal on paper, signed and dated Bowie 95 lower right, framed and glazed, image 29 3/4in x 22in (75.5cm x 56cm), overall 39 3/8in x 31in (100cm x 78.5cm).
Provenance: Purchased by the vendor from the April 1995 exhibition David Bowie: New Afro/Pagan and Work 1975-1995, Kate Chertavian Fine Art, The Gallery in Cork Street, 28 Cork Street, London.

Lot 166: David Bowie: an annotated and autographed Virgin Atlantic notecard from David Bowie to Woody Woodmansey, 1993.
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000 GBP
The printed Virgin Atlantic promotional beauty notecard with various annotations and alterations in Bowie's hand reading Hello, 'Woody', I'm 'David' one of Jane's team qualified in-flight 'music' therapists. You'll find a short time spent with me helping you to relax will add considerably to the enjoyment of your 'drumming'. To make an appointment for your rejuvenating shoulder and scalp massage or manicure contact me in the Upper Class Lounge area. Have a great 'fight'! Signed in black ink, P.S. Phone you soon. David., 5in x 5in (12cm x 12cm).
Provenance: In 1993 the vendor was travelling on a flight to L.A. sitting across the aisle from David Bowie. The vendor initiated contact with Bowie as they shared a mutual friend, Woody Woodmansey, Bowie's drummer in the Ziggy Stardust period. The vendor wrote to Bowie on behalf of Woody on the back of this Virgin Atlantic beauty therapy promotional card. Bowie returned it with the various alternations showing his typical quirky humour. Given to the vendor by Woody Woodmansey.

Lot 167: David Bowie: a screen used black woollen coat worn by David Bowie in the film Everybody Loves Sunshine (also known as B.U.S.T.E.D.) 1999.
Estimate £2,000 - £2,500 GBP
The three-quarter length, single-breasted black woollen coat with three buttons, fully lined, two pockets, bearing two labels reading Dispensary, size L, worn by Bowie for his role as 'Bernie' in the production, accompanied by a letter of provenance.
Provenance: Acquired by the vendor who was the costume designer for the production.

Please visit bonhams.com website for more details and information.

Last Wednesday in Liverpool, here's the BRITISH MUSIC EXPERIENCE curator Kevin McManus with FRANK and GEORGE SIMMS, backing singers of the 1983 DAVID BOWIE Serious Moonlight tour, Let's Dance and Black Tie White Noise albums.

Heads up, if you're in or visiting Liverpool in the next 10 days or so, there maybe something happening at very short notice... Q&A, meet and greet event at the Cunard Building.

The British Music Experience is the UK's Museum of Popular Music. The BME tells the story of British Music through costumes, instruments, performance and memorabilia from the Beatles and Bowie to Adele, Oasis and X Factor.

Address: Cunard Building, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 1DS

Website: britishmusicexperience.com

DAVID BOWIE graces the front cover of MOJO magazine for their August issue (297).

The front cover blurb reads: "He was always the coolest" BOWIE the untold story of his biggest ever hit!

35 years on, the extraordinary story of David Bowie's Let's Dance - his rollercoaster ride to fame and riches, weirdness and regret - with new interviews with Nile Rodgers, Earl Slick, Carlos Alomar and more.

Inside, there are 13-pages of db, plus a 5/5 star review of Welcome To The Blackout written by Dr. David Buckley.

The free cover-mounted CD entitled: 'Dance The Blues' mines the classic R&B that inspired Bowie to dance the blues. The tracklisting runs as follows:

01. Little Richard and His Band - She's Got It.
02. Johnny Otis and His Orchestra - Shake It.
03. Alan Freed and His Rock 'n' Roll Band - Right Now, Right Now.
04. Bill Doggett - Hold It.
05. The Isley Brothers - Twist & Shout.
06. Hollywood Argyles - Sho' Know A Lot About Love.
07. Buddy Guy - Skippin'.
08. Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five - Saturday Night Fish Fry.
09. Earl Bostic - Flamingo.
10. Champion Jack Dupree - Junker Blues.
11. James Brown - Try Me!
12. Elmore James - The Sun Is Shining.
13. Albert King - I Walked All Night Long.
14. John Lee Hooker - Tupelo Blues.
15. Stan Kenton - You And I And George.

Visit mojo4music.com for more details and info.

The twenty-first episode of THE A TO Z OF DAVID BOWIE podcast created by MARC RILEY, ROB HUGHES and HOWARD NOCK is now available online for your listening pleasure.

This episode covers the letter I and discusses Iggy Pop.

Available via your preferred podcast download or streaming. I personally prefer acast.com for streaming.

There will also be 'extra' episodes featuring new and archive interviews with db associated people too!

For more information, updates and questions you can follow @zofdavidbowie account on Twitter.

Check out the newly created YouTube channel A to Z of David Bowie and don't forget to subscribe for notifications.

For the podcast each letter is currently 2 episodes of 30 plus minutes and will be published at 3am on Tuesday's each week.

You can listen to ALL previous episodes HERE

You simply have to watch this video of FRAN CAPO telling the story of how she managed to appear in DAVID BOWIE's 1980 promotional video for 'Fashion'.

At one point in time, Fran Capo the worlds fastest talking woman, knew nothing about show business, not even what a headshot was, but her funny answers landed her a role.

You can see Fran Capo at 2:08 minutes in.

The twentieth episode of THE A TO Z OF DAVID BOWIE podcast created by MARC RILEY, ROB HUGHES and HOWARD NOCK is now available online for your listening pleasure.

This episode continues with the letter H and discusses the topics: John 'Hutch' Hutchinson, Hermione Farthingale, Ralph Horton and 'hours...'.

Available via your preferred podcast download or streaming. I personally prefer acast.com for streaming.

There will also be 'extra' episodes featuring new and archive interviews with db associated people too!

For more information, updates and questions you can follow @zofdavidbowie account on Twitter.

Check out the newly created YouTube channel A to Z of David Bowie and don't forget to subscribe for notifications.

For the podcast each letter is currently 2 episodes of 30 plus minutes and will be published at 3am on Tuesday's each week.

You can listen to ALL previous episodes HERE

• Check out the UKIYO-E PROJECT who have produced iconic DAVID BOWIE images in the style of Japanese wood block prints - [View here]...

• Discovery of the oldest mammal in Brazil pays tribute to DAVID BOWIE - Brasilestes stardusti is the name given to the oldest known mammal found in Brazil. It lived in what is now the northwest of Sao Paulo State at the end of the Mesozoic Era between 87 million and 70 million years ago. It is the only Brazilian mammal known to have coexisted with the dinosaurs - [Read here]...

• Croatian paparazzi photographer JADRAN LAZIC is displaying some unseen DAVID BOWIE photographs at 'Unfiltered' exhibition in Hollywood, California on Saturday 9th June at Goodform Salon, 725 North Fairfax Avenue - [Read here]...

The new commercial for the CHANEL 'Bleu De Chanel' perfume features DAVID BOWIE's 'Starman'.

The minute long film created by Steve McQueen, stars French actor Gaspard Ulliel located in Bangkok looking to find his new muse.

Today marks the 26th anniversary of DAVID and IMAN's wedding ceremony at Saint James Episcopal Church, in Florence, Italy.

The best man was David's son Duncan, with chief usher Alan Edwards.

Iman's maid of honour was her best friend Bethann Hardison.

Besides their immediate families, among the sixty-eight invited guests were Yoko Ono, Brian Eno, Bono, Eric Idle, Geoff MacCormack, George Underwood, Corinne Schwab, Hervé Léger, Thierry Mugler and Teddy Antolin.

You can click here to read an article from Hello! magazine entitled 'The Wedding of David Bowie and Iman' by Brian Aris from the BW press archive.

The nineteenth episode of THE A TO Z OF DAVID BOWIE podcast created by MARC RILEY, ROB HUGHES and HOWARD NOCK is now available online for your listening pleasure.

This episode continues with the letter H and discusses the topics: topics: Heathen, Haddon Hall and Hype.

Available via your preferred podcast download or streaming. I personally prefer acast.com for streaming.

There will also be 'extra' episodes featuring new and archive interviews with db associated people too!

For more information, updates and questions you can follow @zofdavidbowie account on Twitter.

For the podcast each letter is currently 2 episodes of 30 plus minutes and will be published at 3am on Tuesday's each week.

You can listen to ALL previous episodes HERE

Today marks the anniversary of DAVID BOWIE's first ever lead vocal single release 'Liza Jane' credited to Davie Jones with The King Bees, which was released 54 years ago today, 5th June 1964 on the Vocalion Pop label (V 9221).

Featuring seventeen-year-old Davie Jones (vocals and saxophone), George Underwood (guitar), Roger Bluck (guitar), Francis Howard (bass) and Robert Allen (drums).

Although credited to Leslie Conn, David's then manager who negotiated a one-single deal with Decca Records, George Underwood said the song was originally an old Negro spiritual that the band played around with and came up with this R'n'B song.

Leslie Conn's recollection of the events in 1997:

"I can tell you that I have got a pretty retentive memory, but that is something I can't clearly recall. I used to write songs except that I don't write music and I don't play piano. When the boys were jamming to kind of come up with some ideas to make a record, they came up with some six bar blues, which everyone uses. As they were doing that, I came up with my own idea, which came from nowhere, and we improvised and the song came together. I mean, I would never take credit for something that I never did and I know David wouldn't have agreed for me to sign the contract as writer if he had wrote it himself. I would never have stolen someone else's song on principle. I know that I'm quite vague on that and I can't be absolutely sure how it all came about, but I know that I did come up with a lot of ideas. As for the production of the song that was most certainly me, I arranged and organised the whole thing and I always produced the material I was arranging with Decca at that time. George Underwood is definitely wrong on that point.

"There is a funny story while were still on the subject of 'Liza Jane'. When David and I parted company I went off to live and work in Majorca for a few years and one day I was on the phone to my mother and she said, 'what shall I do with those records I have in the garage' which were a few hundred copies of 'Liza Jane'. So I replied, 'Throw them out', and she did. The last time David came up here he said, 'Have you got any of those records we made, you know they're worth over a hundred pounds each!' I told him I got my mother to throw them all out! We had to laugh."

Backed with 'Louie Louie Go Home', written by Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay, which was incidentally pencilled in as the A-side, both songs were recorded in a seven-hour session at Decca Studios in Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead.

The single was re-released by Decca in September 1978 (catalogue number F 13807) and beware there are counterfeit Vocalion copies in circulation. Produced in the USA in 70s, the tell-tale difference between the original and the illegal pressings is the matrix number. On the original 1964 issue the matrix number is machine stamped on the vinyl and on the fake copies it is handwritten.

The official press release for the single from the press room of the Dick James Organisation in May 1964 read...

INTRODUCING DAVIE JONES WITH THE KING-BEES... AND THEIR FIRST DISC 'LIZA JANE'

Pop Music isn't all affluence. Just ask new seventeen year old recording star Davie Jones. Time was (two months ago, in fact) when he and his group were almost on their uppers. No money, bad equipment. Then Davie had a brainwave. "I had been reading a lot in the papers about John Bloom," says Davie. "So I put pen to paper and wrote him a letter." David told Bloom that he had the chance of backing one of the most talented and up-and-coming groups on the pop scene. All he had to do was advance the several hundred pounds it requires to outfit a pop group with the best equipment.

Davie didn't get the money, but he did get a telegram next day from John Bloom giving the phone number of Artist's Manager Leslie Conn. Davie got in touch, he was rewarded with a booking at Bloom's Wedding Anniversary Party. "We were a dismal failure", recalls Davie. "It was a dinner dress affair and we turned up in jeans and sweat shirts and played our usual brand of rhythm and blues. It didn't go down too well. Still we'll know better next time."

However, all's well that ends well. Leslie Conn liked the earthy type of music the group played, arranged an audition with Decca Records which resulted in a contract and the first release by David Jones with the King-Bees. "Liza Jane", released by Decca (Vocalion 9221) on June 5th.

DAVIE JONES WITH THE KING-BEES MET AT BARBERS

Davie Jones met up with his four member backing group the King-Bees when he visited his local barber shop in Bromley. In between clips he got chatting to the four lads, also there to be sheared, about their musical interests, and before you could say "Short back and sides", they decided to join forces.

The group specialise in hard-driving, uncompromising R & B, a brand of music that has won for them a dedicated following in the London area, a following which should soon be spreading throughout the length and breadth of England on the strength of their first disc.

"LIZA JANE", is a beaty, action packed disc which features the direct no-holds-barred Davie Jones vocal delivery. The King-Bees supply a hard core, R & B backing and the whole thing is crowned by a catchy chorus featuring the line "Little Liza Jane".

DAVIE JONES - Seventeen years old, fair haired Davie first got interested in pop music when he was ten. His father's secretary (Davie's father in P.R.O. for Dr. Barnardo's homes) who had previously worked for a disc company, sent Davie a 'Demo' copy of a new Little Richard disc. As the phrase goes, Davie was "knocked out", and when he had scraped together a few pounds of his pocket money, bought a plastic saxophone. Eventually he progressed on to the real thing. Lessons were the next step. "My idol on saxophone has always been Ronnie Ross", says Davie, "So I looked up his name up in the phone book and asked him if he would give me lessons." Ross agreed, but after Davie played him a few bars Ross's comment was: "Right now we can start working on you, that was bloody awful!" Davie gave up his music to take his G.C.E. at 15, then left school and joined an advertising agency as a commercial artist, where he still works.

When he left school Davie was able to concentrated on his music again, this time mainly as a vocalist, playing dance halls and clubs in and around the Bromley area. Then came the hair-cut and the letter to John Bloom...

Davie's favourite vocalists are Little Richard, Bob Dylan and John Lee Hooker. Apart from the saxophone he also plays the guitar. He dislikes Adams apples, and lists as his interests Baseball, American Football and collecting Boots. A handsome six footer with a warm and engaging personality, Davie Jones has all it takes to get to the show business heights, including... talent.

The DAVID BOWIE compilation album LEGACY has just been certified with a PLATINUM status this month by the BPI / BRIT Awards.

Released via Parlophone on 11th November 2016, the album has constantly been in the official UK album charts for a grand total of 80 weeks.

This album collects together a selection of his most popular tracks and singles, from 1969's 'Space Oddity', through to the final singles 'Lazarus' and 'I Can't Give Everything Away'.

First charting on 24th November 2016 at #13, then 8 weeks later it hit its peak position of #5.

Throughout the rest of 2016, 2017 and 2018 it has remained in the charts, only dropping out of the Top 100 for 1 week before re-entering the chart.

It currently resides at #35.

The 'Legacy' album now joins his other platinum selling albums and videos:

Best Of Bowie (Platinum 4x)
Best Of Bowie (Video) (Platinum 3x)
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars (Platinum 2x)
The Next Day
Blackstar
A Reality Tour (Video)
The Best Of 1969/1974
The Singles Collection
Ultimate Singles Collection
Changes Bowie (Sound And Vision)
Let's Dance
Hunky Dory
Very Best Of David Bowie
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

Information courtesy of the BPI / BRIT Certified Awards.

Graphic designer JONATHAN BARNBROOK will be giving a talk/small workshop at the APPLE STORE located at 235 Regent Street, London W1B 2EL this Wednesday 6th June at 6.30pm about his design work with DAVID BOWIE.

It is FREE admission, but you need to book your place beforehand.

Full details and information are available at APPLE.COM website.

The 2CD set and digital formats of DAVID BOWIE's WELCOME TO THE BLACKOUT (LIVE LONDON '78) are to be released at the end of this month on Friday 29th June via Parlophone.

This live album features performances recorded at Earl's Court in London on 30th June and 1st July 1978 during Bowie's world tour. The music was released earlier this year on vinyl as a strictly limited-edition triple-LP set for Record Store Day 2018.

TONY VISCONTI, who co-produced a dozen studio albums for Bowie throughout his career, recorded the 1978 concert which was later mixed by Bowie and David Richards.

The 2CD tracklisting runs as follows:

CD1
     Warszawa.
     "Heroes".
     What In The World.
     Be My Wife.
     The Jean Genie.
     Blackout.
     Sense Of Doubt.
     Speed Of Life.
     Sound And Vision.
     Breaking Glass.
     Fame.
     Beauty And The Beast.

CD 2
     Five Years.
     Soul Love.
     Star.
     Hang On To Yourself.
     Ziggy Stardust.
     Suffragette City.
     Art Decade.
     Alabama Song.
     Station To Station.
     TVC 15.
     Stay.
     Rebel Rebel.

You can pre-order the 2CD set of Welcome To The Blackout (Live London '78) NOW!

(Ed. I'm told that initial copies of the 2CD are packaged in a six-panel digipak with rare photographs from Masayoshi Sukita and Chris Walter, before reverting to a brilliant case).

Tickets are on sale now for the 2018 BOWIE'S BECKENHAM ODDITY annual fundraising event.

Taking place at Croydon Road Recreation Ground, Beckenham BR3 3PR on Saturday 11th August at 12 noon till 8.30pm.

All money raised goes toward to the Bandstand Restoration and Plaque Fund.

You can book your advance tickets HERE or on the gate on the day of the event.

All set for publication on 1st November is the hardback edition of RICOCHET: DAVID BOWIE 1983 by photographer DENIS O'REGAN.

If like me, you can't afford the £3,000 special collectors' limited edition, you can now pre-order the alternative hardcover edition.

Synopsis: In 1990, on their third world tour together, photographer Denis O'Regan told David Bowie what inspired him to take up rock photography. 'It's because of you,' said Denis. He was inspired by Bowie's 1973 Ziggy Stardust concert at the Hammersmith Odeon. Bowie's response: 'Nah, you'll probably tell Bono the same thing tomorrow night.'

In Ricochet: Bowie 1983, the official photographer of one of the most celebrated musicians of all time reveals intimate stories and pictures that offer an exclusive insight into David Bowie the man and musician. Taken on the 'Serious Moonlight Tour' - Bowie's largest ever tour that took in 98 concerts in over 60 cities - Denis's photos provide a thrilling, intimate view of life on the road with a unique pop icon. From capturing the theatre and mime of Bowie on stage to unguarded snapshots of the artist at his most human, every single image in Ricochet was personally approved by Bowie himself, and the result is a music photography book like no other.

Witty, poignant, and beautifully produced, Ricochet is a rare and spirited look into the life of an inimitable artist, whose music and performances have inspired - and continue to inspire - generations of listeners around the world.

This hardcover edition of Ricochet: David Bowie 1983: An Intimate Portrait containing 328-pages and published via Particular Books is available to pre-order NOW!

Update: Published on 7th November is the limited deluxe edition RICOCHET: David Bowie 1983 Deluxe Edition (Hardcover) RRP £150.00 - you can pre-order now and save a massive 35%!

(Update: Ed. Note: The price is listed at £21 £30 GBP for this particular edition on pre-orders).