Official Press Release - August 20th 2003

DAVID BOWIE GIVES FANS A STRONG DOSE OF 'REALITY' AT SPECIAL POUGHKEEPSIE WARM-UP SHOW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


DAVID BOWIE has described the songs on REALITY - his new album due September 16 on ISO/Columbia Records - as "built to play live." He wasn't kidding.

Last night (August 19) in Poughkeepsie (upstate New York), BOWIE gave the 600 fans who crowded into The Chance club a strong dose of REALITY in a warm-up show for his upcoming world tour, which launches overseas in October and touches down in North America in December.

BOWIE and his band - Sterling Campbell (drums), Gail Ann Dorsey (bass/backing vocals), Mike Garson (keyboards), Gerry Leonard (guitar), Earl Slick (guitar) and Catherine Russell (backing keyboards/backing vocals) - blasted through the potent, eclectic songs from REALITY, re-underlining his vitality as a cutting-edge artist. Songs such as "New Killer Star," "Never Get Old" and "Reality" mingled with other material from the album: "Fall Dog Bombs The Moon," "Pablo Picasso" and "She'll Drive The Big Car."

With the crowd roaring its approval, BOWIE also performed songs from his illustrious body of work: "Modern Love," "Cactus," "Battle For Britain," "Afraid," "Sister Midnight," "I'm Afraid Of Americans," "The Man Who Sold The World," "Fantastic Voyage," "Rebel Rebel," "Hang On To Yourself" and "Heathen."

BOWIE's 26th studio album REALITY will 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 is already sold-out in Europe. Stay tuned for an announcement revealing the North American dates.

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.

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. The early buzz on the album is strong, with Vanity Fair's Lisa Robinson citing its "great new songs" (September) and Jane's Stephanie Trong describing it as a "beautiful, rocking and rich new album."

For more details about REALITY, as well as the opportunity to hear parts of the album online, visit BowieNet (www.davidbowie.com).



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