Please Welcome Once Again David Bowie
The night the stars came out: Backside the scenes at David Bowie's 50th birthday political party
Throughout the 90s, David Bowie embarked on an era of form correction. He had come dangerously shut to comfort zone territory in the previous decade, and the idea of playing out the classics as a nostalgia act for the residue of his days sprang him into action.
Over five albums from 1993 to 1999, Bowie got dorsum to his forrad-thinking, progressive all-time, experimenting with drum 'n' bass, jungle, industrial soundscapes, jazz, electrorock and more than. He was the king of reinvention again.
Amongst the audacious march forward, though, there was i nighttime when he allowed himself to revel in his triumphant legacy. It was January 9, 1997 when Bowie, his band and some stellar guests assembled for a huge show at New York'south Madison Foursquare Garden for his fiftieth birthday celebration (his birthday was actually the day before).
The testify had the Starman sharing the stage with Foo Fighters, The Cure'due south Robert Smith, Billy Corgan, Frank Blackness, Sonic Youth and Lou Reed for a fix that took in some oldies and some newies, some classics and some soon-to-be classics.
"I wouldn't have expected to take such an appetite for life at this betoken," Bowie remarked to the New York Daily News. "I had assumed, like romantic poetic heroes, that I would burn down it all out. But nothing has been quenched. I'm however feeling peppery."
Billed as 'David Bowie And Friends: A Very Special Concert', the sold-out show was broadcast on Pay-Per-View television in the Usa, with proceeds from both ticket sales and Pay-Per-View going to the charity Save The Children.
Looking dorsum at it at present, 25 years later, it seems also good to be true: a bill of multi-generational, era-defining stars all coming together to laurels the biggest multi-generational era-defining star of them all. But, as those who were there on the dark recollect, it happened. All of it.
Reeves Gabrels (guitarist/musical managing director): David said he wanted to have a bunch of guests that were newer artists who were – he didn't say this, but I'll say it – like his spawn. That was pretty much it.
Tim Pope (film director): David had asked me to film a diversity of alive shows beyond the years, and he seemed to similar what I brought to them. It was the natural progression that he asked me to film his special birthday political party. Information technology was all put together past him, I have to say. He was very detail-oriented, but he wanted me to be his eyes and ears in the development of the prove.
Reeves Gabrels: From the tardily spring of 1996, I had become a musical managing director for the touring band, which I always hated. But I took the title and took the money and did the task. David is the guy at the top of the pyramid, he's got other things he's gotta practise. There's only and so many hours in a mean solar day, so someone has to organise audio-check.
Tim Pope: I went to New York pre-Christmas and spent some time with him. David had this model theatre fabricated of cardboard, and he had this petty version of himself. He said: "This is me, right," and he had this little graphic symbol. And I was lighting it with a hand-held projector on this scrim, along with images of him from Infinite Oddity. He played the CD of Space Oddity and I sang forth in harmony with him, which was hilarious because I can't sing. After Christmas, more and more bands came into town to rehearse with him.
Kim Gordon (bassist/guitarist/vocalist, Sonic Youth): We felt very flattered and honoured to be asked. I ever feel a little bit out of place in those situations. It was kind of a boost psychologically, considering we didn't consider ourselves part of the mainstream. We admired him, so it was very flattering that he liked us enough to inquire to play his birthday celebration.
Brian Moloko (vocalist, Placebo): I call back David being mannerly and affable. A fleck similar when yous meet a president – they brand you feel like the most important person in the room. That was another of David's talents. It didn't really matter if you were Bono or a mason.
Nate Mendel (bassist, Foo Fighters): It was kind of a milestone for us, because it ended upwards being the terminal time William Goldsmith, our get-go drummer, played with the band. It was our first time in Madison Square Garden, first time we met Bowie, kickoff time that nosotros probably played a stage anywhere near that big. We were nigh halfway through the recording of The Color And The Shape, and so it was pulling u.s.a. out of the studio, going to New York, meeting a fable and just having all these firsts. Information technology was pretty awe-inspiring. We were excited to be there.
Reeves Gabrels: My chore was to teach all of the guests the songs, or make sure that they knew the songs, or at least make sure they knew what songs they were expected to know when they showed up. Then I had been in impact with everybody. Robert Smith and I were faxing back and along and calling, and he was sending me chord diagrams for The Last Thing You Should Do and Quicksand because he wanted to make sure he had the chord voicings correct.
Nate Mendel: I don't retrieve exactly how the songs we ended up playing came downwards. I assume, based on where nosotros were at the time, that it was probably more than of an assignment; they weren't gonna ask the Foo Fighters what they wanted to play!
Reeves Gabrels: We had two days of runthrough rehearsals. Robert Smith was the last one that I actually got together with. It was pretty obvious he had done his homework.
Mike Garson (pianist): The invitee artists all grew up listening to David, right? And then he's the king. And these guys are time to come kings and princes, but they were all a little nervous, all very flattered to exist there. Information technology was all very respectful and very uncompetitive, almost like: "We're a team, allow'southward make this a great show."
Reeves Gabrels: The simply matter that was odd to me was that Baton Corgan couldn't make it for the run-throughs. He did show up for sound-check on the day of prove, just the nighttime before, his guy called me and he wanted to know if we could alter the key on All The Young Dudes. And I was like: "Yeah – if we'd talked about information technology a week earlier."
Mike Garson: Frank Black was great. He epitomised absurd. But did his affair and walked off.
Reeves Gabrels: The twenty-four hours that Frank Blackness showed upwardly to rehearsals, David had said to me: "I'1000 not going to sing every verse or every song." He wanted to save his voice for the testify. And then we beginning playing Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), and Frank Blackness takes the first poetry and just destroys it in the best possible way. Earlier the first chorus is washed, David is out at his mic to sing the side by side poetry. I think it was a little bit of wanting to join the pre-party party, but as well a niggling competitive in the best possible sense.
Mike Garson: Everybody had washed their homework. Any of those singers could have sung the song without him. They knew the words and they were ready to go.
Nate Mendel: In comparison to what we would practise at present, which is listen to a song on an iPhone in a car on the way to whatever nosotros're going to do, we'd rehearsed a bit. We were doing Hallo Spaceboy, and we came in having prepped a little.
Tim Pope: I remember watching David and Robert Smith performing together for the first fourth dimension, and Bowie said: "Oh, Smith and Jones back together again!" David too said to me: "Madonna is probably coming. But nosotros won't know until the night."
Reeves Gabrels: We didn't know if Madonna was going to bear witness. Or Courtney Dear. The thought of Madonna singing The Jean Genie didn't really connect for me. That'south just my opinion, of form. But Madonna didn't make it, and Courtney didn't show up.
Tim Pope: I day Bowie said to me: "Oh, Lou'southward coming in today."
Reeves Gabrels: Anybody was kind of intimidated by Lou Reed. Non David. But all of united states youngsters were similar: "Don't piss off dad!" Lou was kind of surly. Non ridiculous, just a piffling New York grumpy. I had to sit with Lou and teach him Queen Bitch. So we're playing it, and he keeps doing this 1 chord that's not right. I'd written the chord changes down, and I said to him: "There'south 1 chord at that place that you lot're having problem with?"
And he goes: "Yes, this i," and points to information technology. And I said: "Well, that's a D chord." He goes: "That'southward not a D chord – that's an awfully weak spine for a D. It looks like an O chord." So I took my Sharpie out, fabricated the spine straight, and said: "That should do it, right Lou?" And he goes: "Yeah." I don't know if he was doing it just to exist funny.
Mike Garson: We used a metronome to keep it totally steady, but the simply one we didn't use the click with was Lou, because David said: "He can't play in time. Just follow him and it'll be dandy." And it was.
Nate Mendel: The solar day of the testify, I remember seeing everybody backstage and being kind of intimidated only feeling the positive vibe in the room. Everybody was very supportive. I was apace able to kind of get over those fretfulness of having been asked to practice this matter. Bowie was so gracious and kind and approachable, so I simply remember good vibes. And seeing my starting time rock legend snorting cocaine in the bathroom also. Like: "Oh, I've heard about this, I've read about this in books, and there you are doing it." Who was information technology? Yep correct!
Reeves Gabrels: There was a backstage electricity. It was palpable. Information technology was the first time everybody was together. It really felt like a altogether party – nearly like a surprise party, when you're trying to keep it a underground merely everybody's bubbly and excited. Merely in this instance the surprise was really for the audience, because David knew what was going on.
Brian Moloko: It was celebrity cardinal backstage. Prince in high heels, Christopher Walken looking scary. I gave Moby a beer from our cool box, and accidentally headbutted Naomi Campbell's chest while enthusiastically turning a corner. I too snogged Dave Grohl. Every bit you do.
Nate Mendel: And then we took that photo where everyone's in black and looking like they're in a rock band. And I get seated straight behind Bowie for the photo, which is unfortunate because I'thousand in a white push button-upwards short-sleeve shirt that's like x times as well large for me. Information technology's a bad await, and it'due south a very prominent look due to the scope and the sizing and the colour. Every once in a while my wife will pull upwards the photo and just have a skilful express joy.
Brian Moloko: We [Placebo] were basically the band that played every bit the audition took their seats. We played to a mixture of indifference and confusion.
Tim Pope: Bowie asked me to introduce the show, and then I went on and said something like: "I'm from Enfield, he's from Bromley." I don't think they knew who I was.
Reeves Gabrels: When the show started, it was like strapping yourself into a rocket. Occasionally I'd look across the stage, and [bassist] Gail Ann Dorsey would await at me and widen her eyes like, "Oh, fuck!"
Mike Garson: Nosotros were an astonishing band at that point in time – Reeves, myself, Gail and [drummer] Zack Alford. I'd played in thirteen bands with David since 1972, and that was my favourite band. I was having a brawl. That dark was just like whatsoever other night, except that information technology had the magic of his birthday. We brought out a birthday block and I played Happy Altogether. He was relaxed. He's David Bowie. He'southward like King Midas, whatever he touches it just turns into magic.
Nate Mendel: I was a little nervous, but I think it going well, actually existence fun in the moment. I was able to focus on the fact that: "I'chiliad xx feet away from Bowie and we're playing a song together, and it'south really fun and information technology's working." As opposed to: "What am I doing here?" and "Let's not fuck up!"
Reeves Gabrels: Hallo Spaceboy was a surprise, with 3 drummers. I didn't realise just how thunderous that was gonna be.
Mike Garson: You want to hear something interesting that David wanted for Hallo Spaceboy? So it was Dave Grohl and his other drummer from Foo Fighters at the time [William Goldsmith], and David wanted me on drums instead of the other drummer that played with Foo Fighters, together with Zack, our regular drummer. I thought to myself: "This is ridiculous. I can play a fiddling drums, but these guys need to have a real drummer." So I said: "Let me get back to the keyboards", and it was those 3 drummers.
Tim Pope: I had some roving cameras, including David'southward son Joe [aka film managing director Duncan Jones]. I said to him: "Become film your dad at the office," which I idea was groovy. I said: "You'll get stuff that no 1 else volition become." So Joe was doing stuff besides.
Reeves Gabrels: To finish, David went out and played Infinite Oddity by himself. The afterparty was immediately after the prove. I recollect running effectually backstage and seeing all these people crowded in the hallway waiting to get into the VIP surface area. I saw this sea of faces, like Vanessa Williams, the singer and sometime Miss America, and Beck.
Tim Pope: There was a wrap party at [artist] Julian Schnabel's house. It was the best queue for a loo I've e'er been in – something like Christopher Walken, Lou Reed, Iman, me and so on.
Brian Moloko: I don't recall what happened after the show… I call back I peaked early on.
Nate Mendel: It was just similar you'd imagine a Bowie political party to be – super-fashionable, in a loft, everybody famous in the globe is at that place.
Kim Gordon: Matt Dillon was there. At that time Matt Dillon could be seen in many places, so I kind of knew him. He was going to get food at the buffet, and was standing adjacent to Julian Schnabel. Matt said hi to me and he goes: "Hey, Julian, do you know Kim?" And so Julian Schnabel said: "Oh, yeah, you lot're a real creative person." And and then he said: "Can I give you my CD?" That was funny."
Nate Mendel: David said to united states: "Nice job, kids. Keep at it and maybe you'll figure this shit out in a few years." I'm kind of paraphrasing, I'm sure he said it more artfully than that.
Tim Pope: I think he knew he'd pulled it off. He'd telephone me in my cut room and go: "It's rock'northward'gyre Dave for cinema Tim." He pretty much let me have free rein. I think once he saw that I got information technology how he wanted he was happy. He said: "I was really clever to go you to do this, wasn't I?" Which I idea was quite a compliment.
Mike Garson: The day afterwards the gig, he said: "Maybe we'll practice this every twelvemonth, Mike, and maybe nosotros'll have Beck next year." I said: "I'm in!" But David had a 1000000 ideas, and one out of every g would come through. His mind was always in 'create' style.
The storytellers
Reeves Gabrels
The guitarist worked with Bowie from 1987-1999, forming the group Can Machine with him, and condign his musical director in 1996. Since 2012, Gabrels has been a member of The Cure.
Mike Garson
One of Bowie's longest-standing collaborators, pianist Garson was a member of his iconic Spiders From Mars backing band, in the 70s, and brought his avant-garde jazz style to a serial of classic Bowie records. He reunited with Bowie in 1993 and played with him throughout the 90s.
Brian Moloko
The frontman with Placebo. Despite them having simply just released their debut album, Bowie had requested that Placebo open the show. It ignited a friendship between the two artists, and in 1999 they would collaborate on a version of Placebo'south Without You I'm Nothing.
Kim Gordon
Bassist, guitarist and singer Gordon was a founding member of Sonic Youth, who Bowie requested join him at the show fora version of his vocal I'm Agape Of Americans.
Nate Mendel
Foo Fighters bassist. The group were in the center of recording their second album, The Colour And The Shape, when the call came from Bowie to take part in the bear witness.
Tim Pope
Famed for his work with Bowie, The Cure, The The and more, British film director Pope was enlisted to capture the alive outcome and be, as Bowie told him, his "eyes and ears".
Source: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-night-the-stars-came-out-behind-the-scenes-at-david-bowies-50th-birthday-party
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