The Looking At Music exhibition at MoMA will examine the influence of technology on experimentation in music. Music videos from the early days of The Beatles, David Bowie, Captain Beefheart, The Residents, and Devo will be featured to demonstrate changes in tehcnology and music since 1965. Starting on December 1. 2008 Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth will host Early Music Videos by David Bowie. All of the videos that will be featured are part of the gift from the David Bowie Archive to MoMa earlier this year. The show runs through January 5, 2009.
Musician David J, the sometime bassist and vocalist for Bauhaus and Love & Rockets, posted an interview from Popular 1 Magazine on his site today in which he recounts an amusing anecdote about the time he spent on the set of “The Hunger”. After spending a day and night filming the disco scene, he had the opportunity to hang out a bit with Bowie right outside of Bowie’s dressing room. Near his dressing room there was a classic style jukebox and the two of them spent a little time choosing some music to listen to. Bowie put on the song “Groovin’ with Mr. Bloe” by Mr. Bloe and started dancing along. David (J, not Bowie) noticed that the song sounded a lot like A New Career In A New Town and mentioned his observation to Bowie. Bowie’s response? He put his finger to his lips, as if to swear the younger David to secrecy, and just kept on dancing.
Follow the interview link above for David J’s exact anecdote and, for the curious, the rest of the interview.
Posted in Contemporaries, News | Comments Off on Anecdote From The Set of “The Hunger”According to NME, the soundtrack to the movie ‘Control’ about the life of former Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis will feature an all-star line up of glam rock’s finest. Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Roxy Music are all set to provide tracks, with New Order writing the film score. The album will also include original songs by Joy Division and Warsaw, as they were first known. Control began filming in July with Anton Corbijn directing and Sam Riley, lead singer of indie band 10,000 Things, playing the role of Curtis.
Posted in Contemporaries, More To Own, Movies, News | Comments Off on Bowie Gets In ‘Control’In a recent interview with Fashion Rocks Magazine, Elton John stated that he thinks the raggedy, tattooed style of young rockers is “ugly and unpleasant.” He feels that stage style, meant to entertain the audience, is being disregarded by young rockers in favor of “that tattoos and the T-shirts and the rings through the noses.” Elton goes on to say that the threatrical styles worn by Bowie, Queen, and himself were something that he feels the British were particularly good at. The third Fashion Rocks concert will air on September 8, 2006. Information can be found at Buzzle, Starpulse, and SFGate.
Posted in Circle Of Friends, Contemporaries, Opinions | Comments Off on Rocketman Blasts Bands With No Fashion Sense
The legendary Syd Barrett passed away on Friday July 7 due to complications from diabetes. Since early in his career, Bowie has cited Syd and his work with Pink Floyd as one of his main influences. Bowie released a statement regarding Syd’s passing saying, “The few times I saw him perform in London at UFO and the Marquee clubs during the 60s will forever be etched in my mind. He was so charismatic and such a startlingly original songwriter. Also, along with Anthony Newley he was the first guy I’d heard to sing pop or rock with a British accent. His impact on my thinking was enormous. A major regret is that I never got to know him. A diamond indeed.” Syd’s biographer Tim Willis concurs with Bowie and states, “I don’t think we would have the David Bowie we have today if it wasn’t for Syd. Bowie was very much a kind of clone of Syd in the early years. His influence is still going.”
For more information on diabetes, please visit the American Diabetes Association, the CDC Diabetes Public Health Resource, or the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kdney Diseases.
Those London Pink Floyd fans are a bunch of lucky bastards. Bowie made a suprise appearance with Pink Floyd at Royal Albert Hall on Monday, May 29. Apparently the secret was so well kept that even his own webmaster did not know until Bowie personally called him and told him to hustle over. Pink Floyd played their entire set and waited until nearly the end to bring out Bowie and slay the audience. Bowie sang two songs with Glimour and Co. – Arnold Layne and Comfortably Numb. Here’s hoping that someone recorded that gig.
Posted in Circle Of Friends, Contemporaries, News | Comments Off on Dancing With The Pink BoysAnyone whose town was too uncool to show the “New York Doll” movie in any of its philistine theater houses can grab it on DVD come April 4th. Directed by Greg Whiteley, the film chronicles the New York Dolls’ 2004 reunion as seen through the eyes of bassist and now-Mormon Arthur “Killer” Kane. Also featured are interviews with Doll proponents like Iggy Pop, Sir Bob Geldof, Chrissy Hynde, Mick Jones of the Clash. Read more about it on Blabbermouth.net.
Posted in Circle Of Friends, Contemporaries, More To Own | Comments Off on New York Doll on DVD, April 4thIggy made the news today because his speakers apparently go to eleven. When he played the Blue Balls Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland, back in July the volume reached 102.5 decibels, a mere 2.5 over the festival limit. Check out the article on Launch UK.
Andrea and I saw Iggy in South Florida some years ago, and it’s true, he does give the audience a little something extra. When he climbed a pile of speakers up to a second level overlooking the stage, Andrea helped float him. She said he felt slimy. I snapped a picture but my rotten digicam flash went supernova.
All in all the festival producers got a $1,155 fine and Mr. Osterberg got a bit of free publicity that only serves to promote his image as the Godfather of Punk. Rock on, Iggy! Just a smidge quieter, if you would.
Posted in Circle Of Friends, Contemporaries | Comments Off on Iggy Pops a Few Eardrums