M.A. Cassata

Since David Bowie's passing in 2016, there have been numerous tributes in the form of books, radio, TV and performances. He has created musical works since the mid-1960s and written some of classic rock's most memorable hits. He was a trendsetter, a rule breaker, and a true artist. David Bowie will always remain a great influence to many artists of all ages and his works will be forever timeless.

The purpose of this book is that it is as informative as it is entertaining. What follows is a collection of random facts and trivia, the artist in his own words, celebrity tributes, fan-favorite picks and more, which will give you a unique insight into one of the most revered and influential artists of all time.

As a longtime music journalist, I covered several his concerts and album reviews starting with Scary Monsters. I was fortunate to meet him briefly at a couple of music industry events. At one New York City function, I was even allowed to ask two questions for an Iggy Pop feature piece I was working on at the time and he graciously anwered the questions. Then a few years later I attended the Glass Spider press conference in New York City and a few more events followed including the Earthling, Heathen and Reality tours. I always enjoyed covering the latest on his life and career, for various entertainment print and online publication.

 During his lifetime, David Bowie's record sales were estimated at over 140 million worldwide, which made him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He's been  dubbed by the media and often himself with nicknames like "The Thin White Duke" and "Starman". Elvis Presley was "The King of Rock 'n' Roll," Janis Joplin the Queen of Rock," and Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop," but there is no word of expression for David Bowie. He is just "David Bowie" —and that's more than enough for his loyal legion of fans.
 
On January 10, 2016, David Bowie passed away at the age of 69 just a few days after releasing a new album. Millions of fans around the world were shocked and saddened by the news to lose such an extraordinary artist that had inspired us in many ways.
 
This book is an appreciation of David Bowie's talent and his influence on more musical genres than any other artist.

(Official Press Release):

Rebel Rebel: The Many Lives Of David Bowie - The Concert is the ultimate journey through the many lives and sounds of David Bowie. Created and directed by Paul Horton, President of Century Artists Management Agency, LLC and Quinn Lemley (Ultimate Queen Celebration starring Marc Martel, Burlesque To Broadway and Rita Hayworth —The Heat Is On!). This theatrical concert transports audiences to the world of Bowie with the greatest songs of rock and roll ever written; "Changes," "Heroes," "Space Oddity," "Starman," and "Fame".
 
Direct from New York City, this chameleon performance with three brilliant performers captures the otherworldly energy of Bowie's greatest characters Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke and Iconic Bowie backed by a full rock band.
 
Rebel Rebel: The Many Lives Of David Bowie - The Concert transports audiences to the various worlds of David Bowie. After Rebel Rebel The Many Lives of David Bowie, audiences of all ages feel as though they actually experienced David Bowie live in concert.

The designer of the Blackstar vinyl album cover claimed it contained secrets Bowie didn't even know about. For example, some fans discovered a picture showing how exposure to sunlight revealed an image of a galaxy on the main star.
 
Placing the album cover under a UV blacklight shows the stars glow blue. Inside the album cover, one fan even claimed to see a rough outline of a person in the star field image. 

iSelect
In 2008 David Bowie created iSelect: a compilation which he collected 12 of his most favored songs from his extensive back catalogue. Each track is accompanied by Bowie detailing why he chose the song through personal reflection and insight. 
 
1. 'Life On Mars?' (from the album Hunky Dory)
2. 'Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing' (from the album Diamond Dogs)
3. 'The Bewlay Brothers'(from the album Hunky Dory)
4. 'Lady Grinning Soul' (from the album Aladdin Sane)
5. 'Win' (from the album Young Americans)
6. 'Some Are' (currently exclusive to this compilation)
7. 'Teenage Wildlife' (from the album Scary Monsters)
8. 'Repetition' (from the album Lodger)
9. 'Fantastic Voyage'(from the album Lodger)
10. 'Loving The Alien' (from the album Tonight)
11. 'Time Will Crawl (MM Remix)' (new remix by David Bowie)
12. 'Hang On To Yourself [live]' (from the album Live Santa Monica '72)
 

Back in 1983, this author was a young music journalist on assignment to cover Bowie's "Serious Moonlight" concert at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden.

In The Presence of David Bowie: The Glass Spider Tour NYC Press Conference

Song Hits Magazine

April 1987

By Mary Anne Cassata

A few years later I had the privilege to cover David Bowie again. The Glass Spider Tour in 1987 was a worldwide concert tour which launched in support of his 'Never Let Me Down' album. It was preceded by a two-week press tour where he visited nine countries throughout North America and Europe to raise public interest in the tour. This author attended a sneak peek preview at the New York famed Cat Club on March 18, 1987. This report was featured in a New York-based music magazine called Rock with a variation that ran in Song Hits magazine.
 
   It may have been just another press conference, but after all it was for David Bowie. There was talk that he'd be announcing a world-wide tour soon—his first since 1983's "Serious Moonlight Tour". Together with  hot rockstar guitarist, Peter Frampton on March 18th at the famed NYC hotspot, the Cat Club, Bowie announced his plans for his six-month "Glass Spider Tour".
 
   Emerging from black curtain to the surprise of the international music press, Bowie launched into his new hit song, "Day In And Day Out" from the Never Let Me Down album.
 
   As expected, donned in black jeans adorned with metal studs, a white shirt, black boots and a black leather jacket to tie in the look, Bowie of course looked remarkably sharp as he discussed his tour plans. "The Glass Spider Tour will be a lot more like the early '70s in that it is more theatrical than anything else I've done in a long time," he said. "It will have lots of flipping glass spiders all over the stage. It's a lot more about theater and the songs will fit the show rather than the show trying to broadcast the songs. It will be my most theatrically ambitious set since the Diamond Dogs tour. I've been working on it for last six months. It's quite exciting and I am ecstatic."
 
   With a barrage of questions about the tour, new music, and his past achievements, Bowie began to set the score straight. For one he admitted that he wasn't about "to retire after finishing the tour." Competition doesn't faze him either. Then why should it?
 
   "I'm not worried about the road competition. I do my best and they do theirs." The North American leg of the tour is being sponsored by Pepsi and includes 30 performances. There's also a possibility that he might be doing a movie with Mick Jagger and a Pepsi commercial with Tina Turner sometime next year.
 
   As anticipated, the clever as ever rock legend answered all questions, but kept a shroud of secrecy on his private life. "I always get confused when people ask who is the real David Bowie?," he mused. "When I am not working, I lead a very normal life. I am very self-contained."
 
   Bringing the conference to a close, Bowie performed "Bang Bang." The new crop of songs are seemingly more commercial than his previous album, Tonight.  "A lot of material is based on 10 years of writing," he concluded. "It's pretty diversified, but it also probably one of the most energetic albums I've done in a long time."
 
Whether or not, this is the 42-year-old chameleon of rock's last concert tour has yet to be seen. Let's all just hope there's more to follow.

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