DECEMBER 1997 - DAVID BOWIE NEWS
WAR CHILD PHONE CARDS
31st December 1997
David is one the contributors towards the latest WAR CHILD Charity Fundraising concept. He has donated original artwork for the special edition £10 PHONE CARDS that are packaged in CD-type sleeves.
Other artists included are Graham Coxon of Blur (pinching Aladdin Sane's lightning bolt!), Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Karl Hyde of Underworld.
The phone card sets are available at only £10, with War Child receiving £1 for every card sold.
25th December 1997
A very Merry Christmas to everyone!...
Per-Rup-A-Pum-Pum.
QUEEN/BOWIE RARITIES - Bajo Presión
24th December 1997
Latest QUEEN Top 100 rarities list includes these versions of UNDER PRESSURE.
Under Pressure (Bajo Presión) - Colombian 12" EMI 446 1097 - Translucent lime green vinyl. - £500.
Under Pressure (Bajo Presión) - Colombian 12" EMI 446 1097 - Yellow vinyl. - £400.
Under Pressure - Japanese Double Pack 7" Picture Sleeve EMI Toshiba 1014/1015 Promo Only - £200.
BOWIE MOVES INTO STELLA STREET
19th December 1997
A new comedy spoof series entitled 'STELLA STREET' will be aired on BBC2 over the Christmas holidays.
PHIL CORNWELL and JOHN SESSIONS are the imitators of the stars, including DAVID BOWIE, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Michael Caine and Al Pacino.
Superstars in suburbia is the premise for the new 10 part comedy series. Starting on Monday 22nd December on BBC2. It continues on Tuesday, then Boxing Day, 28th, 29th (twice), 30, 31, January 1 and 2 - for 10 minutes each time.
Phil: "The original thing we started with was just this idea of Roger Moore and David Bowie alone together at Christmas. That tickled us, and it kind of grew from there. We thought, 'Why don't we have all these famous people living in this suburban street?' And that's the joke, really. You don't question the fact that they live there." Television lawyers were brought in - just in case of legal action by any of the stars impersonated on screen. They seemed to think it was alright. We'll see!
Stella Street, BBC2 dates and times:
December 22nd - 11.15pm, 23rd - 11.15pm, 26th - 10.55pm, 28th - 11.25pm, 29th - 10.40pm and 11.35pm, 30th - 10.15pm, 31st - 10.20pm, January 1st - 12.20pm, 2nd - 10.15pm
BOWIE ON VH1
19th December 1997
Greatest Hits Of David Bowie - 11.00pm-12.00 - 22nd December.
Greatest Hits Of David Bowie - 11.00pm-12.00 - 21st December.
ARCHIVE BBC CDs
17th December
The BBC are to delve into their archives of live performances from Radio 1 programmes and release the material on CD. January 1997 will see the BBC release up to 20 albums a month through different major record labels. Full details are not yet available.
BOWIEART WEB SITE
13th December 1997
A new BOWIEART web site goes on-line today residing at www.bowieart.com - Available at the site are two exclusive limited edition lithograph prints, both signed and unsigned.
HEAD OF J.O. 76/97. Portrait of Jimmy Osterberg (Iggy Pop).
D HEAD V 95/97. Self Portrait from the D Head Series.
For purchase on David's birthday 8th January 1998, another two more art pieces will be available:
ZENZI 95/98.
STAR 75/98. One of five from The Arcane Series (a depiction from the tarots). This was originally produced by David to give to friends as Christmas gifts.
DB: "I want to reach a wider spectrum of people with certain multiples that I make. The gallery shows have been extremely good but the Internet is the way to get the attention of people who may not have access to many gallery shows. If we get a good response to this idea I will be showing work by other artists who may not be getting a fair crack of the whip."
'69-'74 ALBUM PROMO SET
11th December
For the U.K. release of BEST OF '69-'74, a promotional set of four postcards in a customised fold-out box. Very nice it is too, selling for around £12 to £15.
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS!
8th December
New haircut!
LIVE 105's Green Xmas, Kezar Pavilion, San Francisco, USA.
7.12.97 - Set List: The Jean Genie / Panic In Detroit / Fashion / Scary Monsters / I'm Afraid Of Americans / Fame / Little Wonder / The Man Who Sold The World
THE FIRST OF THE MOHICANS!
7th December
New haircut! David gets a mohican - just for one day!
Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, USA.
6.12.97 - Set List: Battle For Britain / Look Back In Anger / Little Wonder / I'm Afraid Of Americans / Scary Monsters / Hallo Spaceboy
I CAN'T READ
7th December 1997
I CAN'T READ released on CD single from the ICE STORM soundtrack in Germany and Scandinavia.
1. I Can't Read (4:40) short version.Velvel/ZYX - Cat. No. ZYX 8757-8 in Germany.
2. I Can't Read (5:30) long version.
3. This Is Not America (3:48).
MNW ILR/Velvel - Cat. No. VEL CD4504 in Scandinavia.
NEVILLE NEVILLE
3rd December 1997
Red Issue - Manchester United F.C. Fanzine No. 5
Here's two people whose universes you would never expect to cross each other in a million years: PETER BOYLE and DAVID BOWIE. (One is among the world's greatest singers and composers, the other's a Swiss-based millionaire, boom boom). Yet Pete's projected appearance on 'They Think It's All Over' came a cropper when the filmed rendition of 'Neville Neville' by our own Portly Pasty Prole somehow came to the Thin White Duke's attention. The word came down on high and filtered back to Burnage: Mr. Bowie had taken a dim view of Pete's reworking of his own REBEL REBEL and had withheld broadcast permission! Fackin' Chelsea fans, hey?
Pete may well resubmit the song with improved Bowie-friendly lyrics in the hope of swaying the Starman's opinion, possibly by introducing an alien transvestite/abandoned spaceman subtext into the Phil and Gary Neville ditty.....
1998 BOWIE ART EXHIBITION
3rd December 1997
The Marconi Gallery, Milan, ITALY is the planned venue for a large exhibition of David's artwork in 1998.
BRETT ANDERSON ON BOWIE
1st December
Hot Press Magazine: Brett Anderson interview extracts:
"At one point, so many people were accusing us of ripping off Bowie that I thought, 'maybe they're right', but then I listened to the songs again and realised that it was in their heads, not ours," he continues. "What we were guilty of was admitting our influences. If I was to go back in time now, I'd deny all knowledge of them. 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust'? What's that then?"
It's indicative of how transitory cult status is that within a couple of years, the hero worship had turned full circle - Bowie used a stage-managed meeting with Anderson to re-establish his street cred.
"I think you're letting your cynicism get the better of you there," he laughs good-naturedly. "Bowie's always struck me as being incredibly enthusiastic and well-informed. When I talked to him about music, he knew EVERYTHING. Modern, classical, dance, rock 'n' roll - the guy's light years ahead of anyone else I've met. I find it increasingly difficult to take on board new stuff because, y'know, there's only so much room in your brain, but he keeps hoovering things up".
"What do I think of him going drum 'n' bass? Seeing as he invented most of them himself, I reckon he can jump on any bandwagon he wants. Low, Station To Station, Heroes... they're all f**ing great dance records". Hear - and if we may be so bold to proffer - hear!"
BO '98 CALENDAR
1st December
DB's new calendar can be ordered at: Oliver Books, Unit 16-18 Wimbledon Stadium Business Centre, Riverside Road, London SW17 OBA, England. Tel. 0181-879 3949.