Sound and Vision
Christine Fortier
David Bowie's tour coincides with his 25th album and a renewed interest in the experimental
The last time David Bowie was around the great north, he didn't make it into town but kicked off A Reality Tour in Montreal in December. Flight schedules have brought him back to play the Corel Centre on Friday. To open his show, Bowie picked The Polyphonic Spree, joyful rock 'n' rollers who infuse their live show with plenty of theatrics (remind you of anyone?). His set list reportedly changes nightly as Bowie and band have some 50 songs to choose from during rehearsals. The band is part of recent history, playing on the mini-tour for the album Heathen and on September's Reality album. Before that, Bowie's last major tour was Outside World in 1995.
Bowie's also listening to TV on the Radio and Supercar these days. He starts his day checking out the Internet every morning and models his fashion on motorcycle gang wear. He spoke to X Press one morning from New York, in high spirits. He says he's hitting another experimental phase, something he'll explore once the tour wraps up.
XP: I read that you didn't like to be on stage, what's changed?
Bowie: "Well, I think, over the years, I've just gotten a lot more comfortable with it. I never used to like being on stage, that was probably many years ago. I guess my mind was still settled on writing and recording things; the performance side of things always seemed secondary to me.
"I'm really enjoying the performance [on this tour]. We're not trying to make it theatrical in any way, it's just the straight performers
themselves, which makes it fairly easy to do because you don't have the responsibility of huge sets."ALL THE YOUNG DUDES
XP: You seem to attract both younger and older fans. How do you explain the fact that younger people really like your music and enjoy what you did way back before?
Bowie: "That's been the phenomenon throughout the whole tour. It's been incredible everywhere we've gone. I've enjoyed that tremendously. It's very fulfilling to see so many young people enjoying the music as much as the older people."
XP: Can you explain it?
Bowie: "The only thing that I can think of that's probably kept my name in front of the younger crowd is that maybe some of the younger bands have been influenced by what I've done in the past and have often talked about me in their interviews, with who their favourite musicians are, something like that. And I think it encourages their own fans to go out and buy the albums. I know that's happened with a number of artists and I think that has something to do with it."
XP: It shows that your music has aged well also.
Bowie: "It sounds OK, doesn't it?"
XP: Do you like to play songs from the '70s?
Bowie: "I really do. On this tour, we particularly made sure we enjoyed all the songs that we were playing, which is why we left out some that people were really surprised about. We don't do Space Oddity, Golden Years, Young Americans ... there are so many songs we haven't done for this tour. We gravitated firstly toward the ones we needed and liked. Fame ... personally I like China Girl very much. We still manage to get four or five songs in from Reality and Heathen."
XP: You're coming to Ottawa. Can the fans expect the same concert as previous stops?
Bowie: "I'm looking forward to it very much. Because it's the same tour, there will be some strong similarities, but I will definitely change a few numbers in there for sure. It's pretty much a different show, there will be standards though that people want I think. I really collect all my set lists so I can be pretty sure of what we did last time and change it accordingly. We've done such a lot. We just got back from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Japan, so we've worked really hard since we last came to Canada."
XP: Reality is your 25th album...
Bowie: "Apparently so, yes."
XP: How do you keep reinventing yourself musically?
Bowie: "Well, it's my job, it's what I do. I have no other real reason other than I chose to be a writer because I enjoy it so much. It's not a problem writing songs, it's what I want to do more than anything else. It really for me will always be a full-time activity until the day comes when I just can't write anymore. I think most writers write until the day they die."
XP: After all those years, would you say that the inspiration comes from the same place?
Bowie: "Yes, I think it probably does overall. There's in a sense an isolation feel about my songs. I don't think they've changed much since the beginning and I think they probably come from the same place all the time, yes."
XP: When you say that you're going through another experimental phase, what does that mean?
Bowie: "It means that I won't be looking so much for compact songs in the traditional framework. Maybe it'll be based a little on improvisation in the studio rather than kind of a traditional, straightforward writing style. It usually comes from putting strange ideas together and seeing how they move. I'm really hoping to get straight to work on it after this tour."
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD
XP: You've done an ad campaign for Tommy Hilfiger, his new line, called
H. Why did you accept to do that?
Bowie: "They asked my wife [Iman] and my wife talked me into doing it. I'm pretty happy with it. It's an interesting thing because every time you do like a magazine article, when they ask you do the photo shoot they bring all these clothes along by all these designers and you have to kind of wear them for their photographs for their magazine article, yeah?
"You know the kind of thing I mean. If you look in Rolling Stone this week, it's all full of rock artists wearing designer clothes. It's like a big ad though. And I've done this for so many years now that every time I do a magazine article, I have to wear somebody's clothes and I thought this time, you know what, I think I'll do this and get paid for it. And I got paid big time for it. It's the same thing as if I'd done a magazine article. It's what, two hours in front of a camera?"
XP: Do you wear designer clothes every day now?
Bowie: The clothes I wear a lot are by a place called Deth Killers of
Bushwick, they're kind of a New York-based outfit and they're great. It's based on motorcycle gang clothing and that's what I've been wearing on stage a lot. They also make straighter things like just more T-shirts and jeans, stuff like that. I've got a pair of Hilfiger jeans somewhere....
XP: What's the most precious thing money gave you?
Bowie: "Not an awful lot actually. Nothing would matter if I couldn't write or record. Any amount of money in the world wouldn't take the place of that. If I had to swap one thing for the other, if I was pushed into a position where I had to give up one thing, I would give up the money, because I would want to retain the ability to write and record. I would never throw that away. My choice would always be to be able to sing and write and record - to have the ability, that's the biggest gift."
XP: What are you listening to now?
Bowie: "Right now, actually this morning, a really great band from New
York I think called TV on the Radio. I've really been into them for about the last year, and they've just put out their new album. It's called Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes. And they're really quite extraordinary. I suggest everybody listen to them, they're one of the best New York bands at the moment.
"What else? There's a really good Japanese band once when I was out there that I started listening to called Supercar; they're good, today anyway. I tell you what I love at the moment is the soundtrack to Lost in Translation [featuring Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine among others], I think that's a great album and a lovely movie, absolutely superb."
XP: What do you think about today's music industry?
Bowie: "Uh, pretty messed up, huh? Pretty messed up because I think it can't help the pure, huge amount of albums that are released weekly. There's such an abundance of music and I think the industry was created to handle far fewer projects, there's just too many projects out there. Not all of them are very good, a lot of them are absolute rubbish, but a greater percentage is not good. I don't know, I just don't care. I just get on with my life."
DAVID BOWIE: A REALITY TOUR
GUESTS: THE POLYPHONIC SPREE
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 AT 7:30 P.M., $50.50, $70.50, $90.50
THE COREL CENTRE
What can I possibly say about David Bowie that hasn't been said a thousand times over by people far better than I? We're talking about one of the single most influential artists of the modern era. The use of the word 'icon' would not be out of order here.
I still remember his Glass Spider tour from the 80's and his most recent A Reality Tour in Montreal...this man does not stop and this man does not disappoint. Even at his weirdest he's always innovative and entertaining. I can think of any number of bands and artists out there who are fresh out of the gate that couldn't put forth a fraction of the creativity that Bowie does.
I have an extensive collection of his rarer stuff so I can judge and appreciate the man's craft through the ages. He is one of the most well-rounded entertainers out there. Even his most recent release is full of the creative juices that mede him who he is.
A solid article for a man who deserves it...and more!
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Pedro Eggers
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{1 vote}
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Bowie has a superstar career for longer than my years on this world, and he still manages to come up with cool stuff, in addition to his old songs that keep on rocking.
His music is actually getting better and better with listening, if you haven't already, get one of his albums , trust me, you can't go wrong.
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Esra Sahin
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{3 votes}
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| David Bowie "Sound Vision" |
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This is a great to see him back in Ottawa it has been awhile, nice twist the opening of the Polyphonic Spree Joyful Rock and Rollers, blends really nice with the show, interestin to hear what David Bowie said to one Express Reporter, that he hitting another experimental phase in his life, something he will explore in depth after the show wraps up, wearing his fashion statement of motorcyle gang wear. It seems his whole mentality has changed from previous years, like he states, he feels better on stage now than ever, more comfortabel, and he is glad he still attracts people from all ages, and also his album Reality is actualy his 25th album, and after all thses years he is still reinventing himself, he gives credits to how much he enjoys being a writter, composing songs teogether it really finds this the ultimate, and also writting his is forte. Also I find he really gets a kick out of wearing and purchasing designer cloths from a particular shop in New york called Deth Killers of Bushwick, and in one instance, doing an add campaign for Tommy Hilfiger, parading his cloth for 2 hrs, and getting apid for it for a change. He seems to have fondness for this kind of thing. I find David Bowie a totally amazing individual. I was amazed of his comment, about most precious thing money can give him, his no 1 is to be able sing and write and record, the ability to him is the greatest gift. He also gibes a good jumpstart to new talent ex: Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes and also the Japanese Band Supercar, after hearing his comment, people witll flock to purchase this musci. I really think he an awsome singer. Thanks again for this outstanding review on the impressive and talented performer.
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Marianne Guint
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{8 votes}
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I have been a David Bowie fan since 1975 and this man is truly one of the greatest performers of all time and his music is timeless. David Bowie has influenced so many great musicians today such as Kurt Cobain and Scott Weiland. What can you say about David Bowie that has not already been said? David changed the way an artist has to perform for his audience. I will listen to anything new that David puts out because it's always good t. My dream one day is to meet Ziggy Stardust.
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Carmela Sicurella
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| "..and these children that you spit on as thy try to change thier worlds are immune to your consultations....they're quite aware of what they're going |
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That has always been my favorite quote..."Changes" spoke very clearly to me about how I was feeling at age 17
I am so elated that the X Press got an interview with Bowie! Too cool, I am impressed!
I will be going to see Bowie tonight, and I am absolutely sick about it! (not literally people).
Speaking for my generation, I think our parents, brothers and sisters may have influenced younger generations to listen to David Bowie's music. He is one of those iconic rock stars that has spanned the decades, and his product always delivers! I think most mucians that have such a following will continue to produce a diverse fan base like Bowie's.
There was a time when it would offend me to see younger audiences at shows...somehow it ruined it for me. However, now that I am closer to thirty I can appreciate that the music I have loved for years has found a place amung all the skater/pop/Green Day fall out bands! Just kidding!
I am actually going to Japan at the end of the moth! Will I buy the Super car CD? Absolutely! I would always take a recommendation from Bowie, wouldn't you?
Seeing Bowie will cross yet another decade-spanning musician off my list of people to see before I or they die! I am fortunate to have seen Pink Floyd in the mid-nineties, Billy Bragg this past year and Blue Rodeo more than twice.....
Sometimes it is a curse to be young and love groups that originated in a time before your own!
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Mel Vermeersch
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{6 votes}
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I always enjoy an interview with David Bowie. I'm not a huge fan of his but I do respect him a great deal for remaining true to his music and himself. He has never been one to just re-hash old material, he actually puts an effort into anything new that he does. He keeps his ear out for new sounds and is able to successfully sound contemporary even at 57 years old. Through my wife, who is a fan, I've come to enjoy his music to a greater degree over the years. Bowie has many more years of creating meaningful music left in him.
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Tim Mitchell
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{2 votes}
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| Bowie...Bowie...Bowie...chants |
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What an extraordinary man. This article tells me that Bowie is a caring, considerate and an intelligent man. Not only is he one of the best writers in the world...but a terrific singer to entertain us with all of his multi talents. Bowie has written so many great songs, performed so many great times, and entertained us all for many many years. I guess you would say I am one of his older fans...but yeah the younger generation likes him just as much. As the article says, the bands that look up to him and encourage his music on the younger crowd is one of the reasons...or the older generation plays his music and the kids hear and love it...setting record after record. Who wouldn't like the sights and sounds of David Bowie...sings Fame as I write this comment.
Bowie in designer clothes...would you have it any other way? T-Shirts and jeans, designer of course...oh la la...thank you to his wife.
As David says he would give up the money first before losing his writing talent....he has nothing to worry about. The talent wont go away and he will always be rich.
And lastly concerning his comment on the music industry today...I agree, there is too much music...most of it not very good at all. The industry could do with a weeding.
David Bowie will always be a huge talent and a class star...he is what music is all about. Applause. Bowie will rawk the Corel..no doubt about it!
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Jennifer Berardini
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{3 votes}
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OK..when i heard david bowie was coming to montreal and toronto, i was extatic. But obviously i kept on putting it off, and never bought a ticket, so i didn't get a chance to go. Then i heard he was coming back, to ottawa, i was EXUBERANT, but of course i am broke as a joke and don't get to go. On the spectrum of rock stars, David is definitely in my top 5, he is so unique and amazing, and this is coming from a 14 yr old. From the first melodic strums of Space Oddity to the mature jaded Reality, I've been hooked. The crazy thing is that, he has fans of all ages, i know 5 yr olds and 50 yr olsd who love him just the same. And i don't see a sign of him slowing down.
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gillian prouse
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{2 votes}
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David Bowie is the best, I just love everything he does, his music, his acting, etc.. Everytime I hear one of his songs, it puts me in a good mood, he's just that great a singer for me. If you don't have one of his album yet, just run out and get one, and if you have the chance to go see him perform, don't miss it, it will give you energy for the following month....
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Lise Auger
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I have Heard some of David Bowies Music and it is truly rocking!!!
You have got to check him out tomorrow night Friday Arpril 2nd at the Corel Centre at 7:30 pm, His music is truly Amazing.
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Stephanie Woodward
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{1 vote}
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