• There is a completely FREE mp3 download of a live version of the IGGY POP / DAVID BOWIE song 'Turn Blue' currently on Amazon. The 4-CD album entitled Roadkill Rising: The Bootleg Collection 1977-2009 [Explicit] features several tracks with David performing and I am fairly sure this one does too. (Lyrics: Iggy Pop and Walter Lacey. Music: David Bowie and Warren Peace) - from Norrie...

• The PAUL McCARTNEY 9/11 documentary 'The Love We Make' will air this September in the US. The documentary which marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, follows McCartney for six weeks in the aftermath and includes backstage footage from the benefit charity concert featuring DAVID BOWIE, Mick Jagger and former US President Bill Clinton. The doc airs on 10th September on US cable network Showtime...

• Irish band THE SCRIPT performed their version of DAVID BOWIE's "Heroes" on the The Rob Brydon Show last week on BBC2 TV. Matt Lucas stole the end of the song. You can watch the show via the BBC iPlayer - from Steve G...

• There's some heavy DAVID BOWIE "Heroes" inspiration on the new single from Danish singer FREJA LOEB entitled 'Never Stop Coming Back'. (Rough translation of the following excerpt from the release:) 'The first single, Never Stop Coming Back, is inspired by the movie 'Never Ending Story' and offers the grandeur of the adventure, the longing and the feeling of being connected with something or someone in a way which goes beyond time and place. Some of the lyrics are taken from and dedicated to David Bowie and his song 'Heroes', one of Freja Loeb's absolute favourite songs. Although she thinks that he should come and sing it with her.' You can listen to the track here - from Tomas K....

One of DAVID BOWIE's 'D Head' series of paintings is available over on eBay from a private collector in Lausanne, Switzerland.

D HEAD XVIII is an acrylic and computer collage on canvas, created in 1995 and sized at 24cm x 19cm.

The piece is priced at £2,810 GBP (3,200 Euros) on the 'Buy It Now' option.

There are 7 days remaining on the auction.

• Over at Rolling Stone you can take a sneak peek of six photographs taken from the upcoming book 'Speed Of Life' by photographer MASAYOSHI SUKITA and DAVID BOWIE. The book is scheduled for publication later this year by Genesis Publications - [View here]...

• BowieNet have confirmed that DAVID BOWIE ISN'T singing on the new album by JAY ELECTRONICA. His tweet has now been removed - [read more below]...

Check out a very nice exclusive interview with MIKE GARSON by Hans Morgenstern over on Independent Ethos.

Mike talks in detail about The DAVID BOWIE Variations for Piano release ... how the idea for the album came about... working with David... why he chose certain songs... and he mentions the possibility of a Volume 2 of The Bowie Variations...

Check it out now at indieethos.wordpress.com

The album is released today - The Bowie Variations for Piano - or if you prefer Mike will sign a copy of the CD for anyone that orders directly from him.

Contact Mike via email: avantgaaarson@aol.com - you can now get the signed version via mikegarson.com and also use PayPal.

Update: BowieNet confirm that David ISN'T singing on the new album by Jay Electronica.

The next solo album from JAY ELECTRONICA entitled 'Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)' may have something of interest for us db fans.

According to a celebrity tweet he posted a short time ago, he states he has DAVID BOWIE singing background vocals on his forthcoming album.

It's not known at present whether it's some sampling of David's previous work or something brand new.

The American rapper (real name Timothy Thedford) is an official member of Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

As for The Bullitts... they are a UK band specialising in what singer/songwriter and producer Jeymes Samuel calls 'Action Adventure'. Their debut album 'They Die By Dawn and Other Short Stories' features appearances from Jay Electronica, Tori Amos, Mos Def and is narrated by Lucy Liu. The Bullitts blend stunning music with compelling visuals and a Groundbreaking Interactive online presence.

Hopefully more forthcoming details and information should be posted up at tumblr.com and jay-electronica.com in the not too distant future.

JOHN 'HUTCH' HUTCHINSON is to host a jam night at The Falling Stone in Thwing, East Yorkshire.

'Thwing Jam' will be an informal session every Tuesday from 8pm until 10.30pm, over the summer.

John, who was one of DAVID BOWIE's guitarists on and off between 1966 and 1973, hopes to be joined by his son Jesse, John Watton and anybody who would like to join in. They will play acoustic roots, jazz and blues, covers and originals.

Venue: The Falling Stone, Main Street, Thwing, East Yorkshire YO25 3DS. Tel: 0871 962 0305.

Hutch has an interesting musical history. His early bands, the Tennesseans and the Dave Kirby Five, supported Little Richard, Gene Vincent and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates in Bridlington and Scarborough.

Hutch first found success in 1960s Gothenburg, where he joined Swedish band the Apaches and became known as Sweden's Donovan, because he sang Dylan songs.

On his return to England in 1966, Hutch was invited to join David Bowie and The Buzz in a residency at the legendary Marquee Club, and played with them at gigs around the UK.

Following a spell in Canada in 1968, Hutch returned to join Bowie and his then girlfriend Hermione in an acoustic group called Feathers.

In 1973, after losing touch for a year or two, David called upon Hutch to join his Spiders From Mars as 12-string and second guitarist on his Aladdin Sane tours in the USA, Japan and the UK.

Hutch has just concluded a deal for his BOWIE & HUTCH book, which Apex Publishing will release next year.

You can read the whole article at the Driffield Times website.

'Ziggy Played Surf Guitar'... The surf instrumental bands of the world perform the music of DAVID BOWIE.

David has just received the surf-instrumental treatment with twenty-one artists from around the world releasing their unique surf-guitar takes on classic David Bowie tunes, on the album entitled: 'Ziggy Played Surf Guitar'.

The album was released last week on 27th June on the UK record label Cordelia Records.

The tracklisting runs as follows:

       01. 'The Gospel According To Tony Day' by The Green Windows
       02. 'Five Years' by Surfadelica
       03. 'Starman' by The Vara-tones
       04. 'Moonage Daydream' by The TomorrowMen
       05. 'Ziggy Stardust' by The Thurston Lava Tube
       06. 'Surfer Jet City' by The Pterodactyls
       07. 'Did You Ever Have A Dream' by The Muffinmates
       08. 'All The Young Dudes' by The Razorblades
       09. 'Life On Mars?' by The Weasletones
       10. "Heroes" by The Incredible Mr. Smith
       11. 'Speed Of Life' by The Insect Surfers
       12. 'All The Young Dudes' by The Glasgow Tiki Shakers
       13. 'Rebel Rebel' by The Red Planets
       14. 'Modern Love' by The Swamp Coolers
       15. 'China Girl' by The Mighty Surf Lords
       16. 'Let's Dance' by The Bowbridge Band
       17. 'Cat People' (Putting Out Fire) by The Breakaways
       18. 'The Man Who Sold The World' by The Lost Boys of Penzance
       19. 'The Jean Genie' by Monkey Versus Robot
       20. 'Panic In Detroit' by Pollo Del Mar
       21. 'Lady Grinning Soul' by Los Fantasticos

Two FREE downloads [right click and 'save target as']

       22. 'Starman' by The Pterodactyls [free download]
       23. 'Ashes To Ashes' by The Weasletones [free download]

More details can be found over at cordeliarecords.co.uk - where you can also purchase the CD via their online shop.

• You will recall the DAVID BOWIE AKG Ziggy microphone up for grabs at Bonhams in London last week. The price realised was £1,400. The seller ROBIN MAYHEW (Ziggy and Aladdin Sane Sound Engineer) was a little disappointed with the final price, but nevertheless it gives him a bit to put towards the official video for his Refuse to Lose project. This music project is aimed at getting people to think about success and winning and how they can achieve both. The pilot video is up on YouTube now...

• Check out a FREE mp3 download of Let's Dance by MIKE GARSON. This particular track which will appear on his forthcoming album 'The Bowie Variations' also appears on the Allegro Summer Sampler 2011 - [thanks to AdamD for the pointer]....

• Sorry guys I missed this one over the weekend... IMAN featured in THE TIMES magazine on Saturday (2nd July) where there was D&I front cover, a five-page feature and interview where she talks about her life and being married to a rock god. You can visit The Times website but you have to pay a quid for the privilege of reading it online. You could always try newspaper outlets who haven't returned their SOR stock yet (SOR stands for sale or return), failing that there are a few over on eBay - also The Express also ran a small piece nicked from The Times interview where they mention about David wanting a full English breakfast, returning to England and only believing news he hears via the BBC...

DAVID BRIGHTON and the Space Oddity Band will be performing three shows in Southern California, USA this month.

From pre-Ziggy to the 90s - all three shows will be the full scale DAVID BOWIE tribute concert stage productions with many many costume changes and surprises...

       July 9th
       Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Drive, Indio, CA 92203, USA
       (760) 342-5000. Show time: 7:00pm. [More Info]

       July 23rd
       OC Fair and Event Center, The Hangar, Orange County, CA, USA
       [More Info and Tickets] and [Directions]

       July 27th
       Candlelight Pavilion, 455 West Foothill Boulevard, Claremont, California 91711, USA
       (909) 626-1254. Doors open at 6:45 for a 7:30 performance. Tickets: $20
       Dinner is not served, however, beverages and desserts will be available for purchase.
       [More info and tickets]

For more details and information check out davidbowietribute.com website.

Scheduled for release this month is a new album from MIKE GARSON entitled 'The Bowie Variations for Piano'.

All are original interpretations and impressions of DAVID BOWIE's best music written and performed by the legendary pianist.

For over three decades, Mike Garson was associated with rock legend David Bowie as his keyboardist and creative collaborator. The computer graphics used on the cover and in the booklet are more examples of Garson's creativity.

This 'Prof.' Johnson HDCD recording was made in a fine concert hall, and has Reference Recording's signature Grammy-winning sonics.

The complete tracklisting with bonus track runs as follows:

       01. Space Oddity
       02. John, I'm Only Dancing
       03. Life On Mars?
       04. "Heroes"
       05. Ashes To Ashes
       06. Variations On "Changes"
       07. Let's Dance
       08. Medley: Battle For Britain (The Letter) / The Loneliest Guy / Bring Me The Disco King
       09. Tribute To D.B.
       10. Wild Is The Wind
       11. Space Oddity (Alternate Take) (Bonus track)

The HD CD is released this month on Tuesday 12th July on the Reference Recordings label.

You can pre-order Bowie Variations now.

Update: Here is a FREE mp3 download of Let's Dance by Mike Garson. This particular track also appeared on the Allegro Summer Sampler 2011 - thanks to AdamD for the pointer.

• Featured in the current August issue of MOJO magazine is a DAVID BOWIE article Hunky Dory - the true story of his 1971 classic. The blurb on their website states: It may be the Dame's most important transformation, from bubble-haired pop also-ran to pre-Raphaelite songwriter of Changes, Kooks, Oh! You Pretty Things and Life On Mars? Bowie biographer Paul Trynka loses himself in Hunky Dory - [more details]

• Film director NICOLAS ROEG talks about The Man Who Fell to Earth and describes DAVID BOWIE's performance as '"...unique. It was a marvelously imaginative performance, outside the obvious. It pleased me because I found it hard to accept. I like the probability of the impossible." Check out the full piece in The Los Angeles Times - [read here]...

• For those of you who had a N64 and remember STAR FOX check out this video of Brentalfloss and Underbelly singing DAVID BOWIE's 'Space Oddity' in 3D with a complete lyric change - [view here]...

• RIALTO PICTURES are showing the new 35mm print of The Man Who Fell to Earth which stars DAVID BOWIE as Thomas Jerome Newton all over the USA. Starting in New York, then Los Angeles, the movie visits theatres all over the USA throughout July, August, September and October. [Check listings here] - Also you can purchase the newly designed movie poster by Keiko Kimura for only $25 over on the Film Forum website...

Dutch DAVID BOWIE tribute band ECHO BOWIE have three Summer Festival Shows lined up.

Echo Bowie's singer Hans: "We're really looking forward to the festival season. We can't wait to play our mix of Bowie classics like 'The Jean Genie' and 'China Girl' with more obscure stuff like 'Breaking Glass' and 'Hallo Spaceboy'.

"We've played the legendary Parade Theatre Festival in Amsterdam before a great audience for the last two years and look forward to bring the audience something new again this year. The Reuring and Blommenkinder Festivals are debuts for us, which makes these gigs very exciting too."

       Reuring Festival - Purmerend on July 2nd at 20.30 hrs. CET

       Blommenkinders - Roosendaal on July 24th at 14.30 hrs. CET

       De Parade - Amsterdam on August 9th at 22.30 hrs. CET

From Echo Bowie (Hans).

DAVID BOWIE WONDERWORLD REMINDERS THE BOWIE VARIATIONS for Piano HD CD by Mike Garson released 12th July via the Reference Recordings label - purchase NOW New publication DAVID BOWIE: THE ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY by Gareth Thomas, published by Transatlantic Press on 30th June - purchase NOW and receive 15% discount. GOLDEN YEARS REMIX EP David Bowie vs. KCRW released by EMI on 6th June - purchase NOW THE OFFICIAL 2012 DAVID BOWIE WALL CALENDAR set for publication by Day Dream Calendars in July (more likely to be September) - pre-order NOW and save 7%. New publication THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD: David Bowie and The 1970s by Peter Doggett, hardcover published by Bodley Head on 6th October - pre-order NOW and receive 25% discount! New updated edition of THE COMPLETE DAVID BOWIE by Nicholas Pegg to be published by Titan Books on 9th September - pre-order NOW and receive 10% discount. THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH Blu-ray DVD Region 2 released by Optimum Home Entertainment released 4th April - purchase NOW and receive a massive 35% discount! New publication STARMAN: DAVID BOWIE The Definitive Biography by Paul Trynka, published by Sphere on 3rd March - purchase NOW and receive a massive 36% discount! The USA version is published 18th July.             [Close]