Bowie fans are marking next year’s calendar already. Spiders From Mars drummer Woody Woodmansey and legendary Bowie producer Tony Visconti have a treat in store for Feb 2019.
They join forces and hit the road across the UK, with Heaven 17’s Glen Gregory on vocals, to pay homage to a spectacular and versatile songbook penned by ‘The Thin White Duke’ before he departed this earth on 10th January 2016 in New York, at the age of 69.
The “Holy Holy” tour will focus on Bowie’s songs from 1969 to 1973, with an all-star band performing “The Man Who Sold The World”, “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust”, “Spiders from Mars” and many more hits from Mr Bowie’s extensive back catalogue.
But hey, do not whatever you do, call it a tribute band! Truly, this will probably be the closest experience to an actual Bowie gig you can get today. “Holy Holy” are Bowie’s drummer and Spider Man from Mars, Woody Woodmansey and producer Tony Visconti, who worked on many of Bowie’s albums and played bass on the “Man Who Sold The World”.
Accompanied by an all-star band that includes “Bowie-esque” vocals from Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory, a Bowie fan and a friend of the late superstar – who performed alongside Bowie on the original Band Aid single in 1984.
The band are: James Stevenson on guitar, who has played with The Alarm, Chelsea, Scott Walker, Gen X and The Cult. Paul Cudderford on guitars and backing vocals, who has worked with Ian Hunter, Bob Geldof and others. Berenice Scott on keyboards from Heaven 17, and daughter of Robin Scott aka ‘M’ who had a smash hit with “Pop Music”.
Terry Edwards on sax, guitar, percussion and backing vocals, who has worked with PJ Harvey, The Blockheads and Department S. Jessica Lee Morgan is the backing vocalist. Tony Visconti has played bass for T-Rex and Morrissey as well as David Bowie, on top of his amazing producer credits.
The group perform Bowie’s material from the early years of ’69 – 73, upon which both Woody and Tony contributed at that time, making these exceptionally accomplished musicians and writers a heck of a long way from a tribute band.
“We’re not a tribute band: we are the real deal”, so says Mr Visconti. Of course, these guys ARE original Bowie band members, bringing the former David Jones’ chameleon-like songs back to life with class, love and credibility – joined by a synth’ pop front man star of the 80s.
Bowie sold more than 150 million records in his lifetime, and his records still sell in volume today. His 25th and final album “Black Star”, was released on his 69th birthday, just two days before he died. It zoomed to number one on the UK and US album chart – his only album to top the chart in America.
It was recorded mostly in secret with Tony Visconti and a group of jazz musicians in New York. It was the best selling album worldwide for two consecutive weeks. It won three Grammy Awards and two for the title-track single. The 2017 Brit Awards voted it “Best Album”.
In the UK, he was awarded nine platinum album certifications, eleven gold and eight silver, releasing eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Tickets for the 2019 UK tour dates on sale from Friday 25th May 2018, for the 13 shows; which include London’s iconic Palladium.
