Ten Years Gone

 

Doesn't seem like ten years as his music remains a constant part of my life, comforting, inspiring and just great to listen (and dance) too. Been lots of lovely tributes around which I've dipped in and out off but the music is the one I return to again and again. 

I'm pleased that I bought and played Blackstar before he died and had a chance to absorb it a little before the sad news emerged a couple of days later.

Something happened on the day he died and the stars look very different today. 

Birthday Bowie

Happy Birthday Starman, gone but not forgotten - almost 9 years now! Playing my favourite album of his, not only a great listen but the first I bought on release, happy memories.

Still Shining......

 

Tom Verlaine R.I.P

It's been a few days since the sad news that Tom Verlaine, renowned Television frontman and guitarist  has died, hearing his music again on the radio, reminding me of his great talent.

I'd been introduced to his music through, of course, David Bowie, by seeking out the original writer of  Bowie's splendid Kingdom Come cover on his now classic, Scary Monsters (and Supercreeps) album. At the time I was only 15 or so and entering 'peak Bowie disciple' mode, desperately hunting down anything the great man touched or recommended. This approach had already paid dividends through an introduction to Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground and Iggy Pop which marked me out from my fellow school pals who were generally more attentive to the Top 40, rather than what had come before and had perhaps influenced those artists.

Diligently I bought Television's seminal Marquee Moon album and later on its 1982 release his third solo album, Words From The Front. My memory is that I enjoyed them both but preferred his solo work with it's echoes of loss, history and war, themes which still resonate with me.

Both these purchases were on vinyl but when I eventually followed the herd in replacing my turntable with a CD system in the early 90's, these albums didn't make the transition - looking back, very few of my old standby LP's actually did, with the afore-mentioned Scary Monsters amongst the handful to be 'upgraded' to the newer format. In fairness, money would've been tight back then and the attraction of the numerous new shiny CD releases too much to resist for an old favourite.

Although checking now, I see that Words From the Front was denied a CD release until 2008, so maybe I'm somewhat forgiven and I've also stumbled on a (previously unseen by me!) video of the hypnotic title track.

Hearing many of these songs these last few days and others which had previously escaped me is a timely but ultimately sad reminder of the inspirational talent we have lost, still there is a legacy and his music is left behind for us to find and re-discover.

Bowie

Bowie at his 50th Madison Square Garden Gig

Catching up with this blog, playing David Bowie's music as I so often do, reminds me of his loss back in 2016, just a couple of days after his birthday which is today, the 8th January. Glad to see he's not been forgotten and that his legend is, if anything, growing in the passing years.

I cherish any new material, so was delighted to receive at Christmas both the recent Moonage Daydream documentary and the solo CD edition of 'TOY', a legendary 'lost' album. I'll play and watch these in small doses as you never really know if they will be the final releases. 

I've had almost all his albums in my collection at one time or other but a couple are in formats I can no longer play. I will replace these at some point but am comforted by the thought that there is still something out there for me to find so my appreciation of him can continue :)

Celebrating Bowie!

Welcome to 2018 which has already delivered a couple of positives and a memorable highlight in yesterday evening's wonderful celebration of David Bowie's music. Coming only a few days after the respective anniversaries of Bowie's birthday and loss, this was both a timely reminder of his musically legacy and a damn great night out in the January chill air!

The Manchester gig was the third date of a 2018 world tour Celebrating Bowie's music produced by guitarist and performer Angelo Bundini and featuring former Bowie band stalwarts including Adrian Belew, Gerry Leonard, Carmine Rojos and the legendary Mike Garson! In addition to Adrian Belew, lead vocals were provided by 3 - new to me - names, Joe Sumner (of Flight Plan band & son of Sting!), Paul Dempsey (of Australian band Something for Kate) and Angelo Moore (of Fishbone band).

The vocalists took turns singing the classic songs as the incredible band kept the powerful rhythms going, changing key and moods to fit the tracks. Surprisingly this musical merry-go-round worked incredibly well with each amazing track surpassed by the next, as musicians and singers swapped places, waited in the side wings and ably supporting each other.

From opening track, The Next Day's The Stars (Are Out Tonight) to of course the final strains of Heroes, the energy never relented and Karen and I, like so many others in the capacity audience danced the night away. The almost odd thing perhaps was that our enjoyment of the music and the moment was matched by the joy shared amongst the band as they smiled, encouraged and congratulated each other, it was a very special experience.

There were many highlights but the fairly early in the set performances of Joe Sumner singing Life On Mars, Angelo Moore's Ziggy Stardust and a very, very emotional Rock 'n' Roll Suicide by Paul Dempsey set the scene for a glorious evening. The set was interspersed with short chats and anecdote's of Bowie's long time cherished pianist Mike Garson which added to the credibility of the evening. Everything that followed was a highlight from perhaps lesser known tracks such as Stay, D.J, Little Wonder to sing a-along anthems as Ashes To Ashes,  Rebel Rebel, Let's Dance and a mesmerising Space Oddity.

 

A stand out performance of Hunky Dory's Quicksand by Angelo Moore included a crowd walk thru and stage dive which only cemented the occasion as memorable and respectful tribute to the great man himself. You could feel the emotion of the crowd as with the band we celebrated the music of a legend still dancing to Bowie's music even as the house lights came on. This was no tribute act but a genuine celebration of a legend's music by musicians and fans who were there the first time, embracing the occasion of shared memories and enjoyment.
 

Photos by Karen with the gig's face book page having even more to offer including further personal comments and if you're still not convinced check out the tour's official trailers here;   

And the previous evening's London gig highlights here!

The Next Day

Happy New Year to all, various family commitments and fun have kept me away from here for a little while but hope is well out there?

I would normally do a wee round up of last year but time has perhaps marched on a bit for that, but on a personal level I'll just say that 2016 was pretty good, family achievements, good health and bits n bobs. Creatively, finally releasing a comic of mine which seemed to be well received and Accent UK releasing several titles and attending more events than ever before, not always successfully but always with fun and purpose :)

There were of course some things unfinished and aims to do better this year so we'll see.

There were disappointments and sadness within our circles but that's the same for everyone and of course 2016 had its own upheavals and sadness, its how we remember and what we do next that counts.

Good Luck and Goodnight Blackstar 

* Title photo an outatke from Masayoshi Sukita's Heroes Photoshoot

Bye, Bye Bowie

What words can convey what it means to lose a Hero? It's a cliche to say that someones music was the "soundtrack to my life" but in David Bowie's case it's as true for me as it is for so many others around the world who, like me are shocked by today's news.

It seems that I was always aware of his music but most likely it was Space Oddity and, truth be told, The Laughing Gnome that I first heard and made an impression on my very young mind. I do remember seeing the colourful Diamond Dogs gatefold LP sleeve on display in our small town's only record (and combined toyshop!) window, so that was in 1974, although I didn't 'get' that music particularly at the time, at only 9 years old I was too young.

For me it was 1980's wonderful Ashes to Ashes which finally allowed me to embrace Bowie, rushing out - as you did back then - to buy the album, Scary Monsters and Supercreeps on cassette which I played to death. This remains my favourite Bowie album, subsequently buying vinyl and CD versions which I still play, and famously also having a 'bubblegum' version which was a very brief craze in the early 1980's of popular records - sadly I no longer have this!

Once Scary Monsters had been absorbed, I was hungry and bought virtually his whole back catalogue including early Deram material with obscure but enjoyable tunes, such as Love You Till Tuesday, Come Buy My Toys, Little Boy Blue and the wonderful creepy Please Mr Gravedigger!

I followed his influences into Iggy, the Velvets and Lou Reed and championed his corner when most of my contemporaries didn't, moving on to the likes of Phil Collins, Rod Stewart etc when I proudly remained (and still do) on the edges of popular culture.

I was lucky enough to see Bowie live three times, following my own life moving through the UK, Serious Moonlight, Scotland 1983, Glass Spider, Wales 1987 and Heathen Tour, England 2002. I kept on with his music throughout with a slight lapse after Tin Machine and was delighted that recent releases, although more sporadic, were still quality and worthy of his talent. We even went to London for the excellent V&A retrospective a couple of years ago, which didn't disappoint.

I bought 'Blackstar' on Saturday so had only played it a couple of times before today's sad news, but it's lyrics, atmosphere and of course those preceding videos were obviously prophetic and it seems his parting gift to us all. I don't mind admitting that I cried when I heard the news but take comfort from the fact that I'm not alone and never will be as I still have his music to accompany my life, bye, bye Mr Bowie and thank you x