Listen To David Bowie Impersonate Springsteen, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Neil Young, And More
Producer Mark Saunders has shared audio from a 1985 session where David Bowie sings an outtake in voices imitating Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Neil Young, Tom Waits, and more.
Mark writes:
I was lucky enough to work with Bowie in 1985 at Westside Studios in London. My bosses, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (Madness, Dexys Midnight Runners, Elvis Costello, Bush) were producing the soundtrack for the movie Absolute Beginners, for which Bowie was acting and writing songs (it was a better soundtrack than it was a movie!) and I was graduating from assistant engineer to engineer at that time.
The day Bowie was first due to show up at Westside, we were all a bit nervous — Bowie was the biggest star client for Clive and Alan at that point in time. We kept looking out the windows, waiting for a stretch limo to show up and an entire entourage to walk in, but then a black cab showed up and out popped the unaccompanied Bowie. He walked in, announced in what seemed a more cockney voice than I remembered, “Hi, I’m David Bowie,” and shook our hands. He seemed smaller than I imagined he would be in person. A bit later I noticed that the cockney had dissipated somewhat and he also seemed to have grown more upright and taller, too. I thought, “Wow, he really is a chameleon,” and wondered if the earlier exaggerated cockney was his way of reducing his superstar status temporarily to put people at ease on first meeting him.
The impersonations on this YouTube posting were recorded in August ’85, when Bowie came in to do the lead vocal. At the end of the session, he broke into the impersonations and I realized that these might get erased at some point, so I quickly put a cassette in and hit “record.” I wish we could hear the other side of the dialogue between Bowie and Clive and Alan, but unfortunately that wasn’t being recorded.
Adele, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town Announced As Performers For Grammy Awards
The first round of performers for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast has been announced and includes two-time GRAMMY winner and current 11-time nominee Kendrick Lamar, GRAMMY winners and current two-time nominees Little Big Town, current seven-time nominee The Weeknd, and 10-time GRAMMY winner Adele. A special tribute to 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year Lionel Richie will highlight the GRAMMY winner’s wide-ranging career. Entertainment icon and two-time GRAMMY winner LL COOL J is set to host Music’s Biggest Night for the fifth consecutive year. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Additional performers will be announced shortly.
This year’s top GRAMMY nominee, Lamar is up for Album Of The Year (To Pimp A Butterfly), Song Of The Year (“Alright”), Best Rap Performance (“Alright”), Best Rap Song (“All Day” and “Alright”), Best Rap Album (To Pimp A Butterfly), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (with Taylor Swift for “Bad Blood”), Best Music Video (“Alright” and “Bad Blood”), Best Dance Recording (with Flying Lotus for “Never Catch Me”), and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“These Walls”).
Nominated for two awards, Little Big Town will take the GRAMMY stage for the first time. The band is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Girl Crush”) and Best Country Album (Pain Killer).
This year’s GRAMMY telecast will also mark The Weeknd’s debut GRAMMY performance. One of this year’s most nominated artists, The Weeknd received seven nominations: Record Of The Year (“Can’t Feel My Face”), Album Of The Year (Beauty Behind The Madness), Best Pop Solo Performance (“Can’t Feel My Face”), Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Song Written For Visual Media (“Earned It [Fifty Shades of Grey]”), and Best Urban Contemporary Album (Beauty Behind The Madness).
Returning to the GRAMMY stage after four years, GRAMMY winner Adele will perform a track from her current blockbuster album, 25.
Infographic: The Top 100 David Bowie Tweet
Another great graphic from the fine folks at Completely Ignored.
The Vogue Interview: 73 Questions With Derek Zoolander
It comes as no surprise that Derek Zoolander’s apartment is much larger than a center for ants. The international male supermodel gives us a tour of his luxe pad, all while revealing his favorite fashion trend of all time, the truth about his relationship with Hansel, the superpower he wishes he had, and the secret to becoming a model.
David Bowie’s Isolated Vocal, Guitar And Bass for “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”
From David Bowie’s 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mar, here’s the isolated Vocal, Acoustic Guitar and Bass for Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide. It’s the closing track on the album, detailing Ziggy’s final collapse as an old, washed-up rock star and, as such, was also the closing number of the Ziggy Stardust live show. In April 1974, RCA issued it as a single.
Every person in the music industry need to watch Jessica Hopper’s speech from BIGSOUND
“Why doesn’t music culture take fangirls seriously? Why do women feel like they don’t belong here?” Senior editor of Pitchfork, Jessica Hopper, asked during her keynote speech at the BIGSOUND music conference back in September. Every single person in the music industry should be watching this, in light of a US music publicist accused of sexual misconduct. We’re still not treating these topics seriously.
Thanks, Jessica.
An intriguing document that apparently represents Quentin Tarantino’s “wish list” for Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino cast John Travolta in Pulp Fiction because Michael Madsen, who had played Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs, chose to appear in Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp instead. Tarantino had written the part with Samuel L. Jackson in mind, but the actor nearly lost it after his first audition was overshadowed by Paul Calderón. Jackson assumed the audition was merely a reading. Harvey Weinstein convinced Jackson to audition a second time, and his performance of the final diner scene won over Tarantino. Miramax favored Holly Hunter or Meg Ryan for the role. Alfre Woodard and Meg Tilly were also considered, but Tarantino wanted Uma Thurman after their first meeting. Bruce Willis’ appearance and physical presence were crucial to Tarantino’s interest in casting him: “Bruce has the look of a 50s actor. I can’t think of any other star that has that look.”
(Via Reddit)
Entertainment One Acquires Dualtone Music Group
Entertainment One (eOne) is pleased to announce its acquisition of leading Americana, singer-songwriter and Indie Rock brand Dualtone Music Group.
The transaction unites two independent music leaders. Dualtone brings a roster of some of the most popular artists to eOne, including Denver-based The Lumineers whose 2012 debut album became a worldwide multi-formatic hit, selling more than 2.5 million albums and 10 million singles worldwide. In its fifteen year history, the label has released 16 GRAMMY Award-nominated albums, garnering 4 wins. Along with The Lumineers, the current roster includes Langhorne Slim & The Law, Noah Gundersen, Wild Child, Robert Earl Keen, recent Americana Music Association Emerging Artist winners Shakey Graves (2015) and Shovels & Rope (2014), along with the legendary GRAMMY Award-winning songsmith Guy Clark. Nashville-based Dualtone was founded in 2001 by Scott Robinson who continues to lead the business along with Paul Roper.
“We are delighted to welcome Scott, Paul, their team and the talented Dualtone family of artists to eOne,” said Darren Throop, President & Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment One. “We have long recognized the potential in Americana and Indie Rock and we were keen to find the right opportunity to add the popular music format to our portfolio. Dualtone’s expertise and track-record of success make them stand out, both strategically and culturally, and we are confident that this new relationship will be very complementary.”
Dualtone will continue to operate with the identity and brand that has seen it emerge as a home for artists of creatively and culturally important music. The company’s recorded music catalog contains more than 292 albums totaling more than 3500 tracks, including albums by the iconic June Carter Cash and three critically acclaimed releases by songwriter Brett Dennen.
“I am very excited to join Darren, Michael Olsen, Michael Healy and the whole eOne team,” said Robinson. “As we continue to grow, eOne will be a strong strategic partner; they share our passion for music, they have the financial resources, infrastructure and vision to see our business into the future and they can offer our artists new and expansive opportunities.”
As the leading independent music brand in North America, the deal will see eOne further extend its strength in the music market where it has long been successful in genres including Urban, Metal, Rock, Gospel and Urban Inspirational. eOne, which also owns Nashville-headquartered music brand Light Records, produces music as an independent label and has an established catalogue business in both the US and Canada. Additionally, as a global independent studio, eOne has successfully secured television series opportunities for its recording artists including SWV, Erica Campbell, The Sheards and The Game.