davidbowie.de

Journal for Monday, July 21, 2003

Ever since Think Tank came out, I've been putting it on my 'go buy it' list to friends. Along with Grandaddy's Sumday and the Dandys and Radiohead newies. So it was a treat when Gail told us at rehearsal the other day that she had met a couple of Blurs in the lobby of her hotel and they told her that they were playing in town at the Hammerstein Ballroom. I would never have known. For some reason I hadn't seen any posters around downtown but there again when I'm in rehearsal and work mode I tend to be so preoccupied that lots of things go past me without my knowing. I get so into the work.

The Blur people gave us a very cool box on the upper right of the ballroom so 'twas quite clubby in there. Great view and terrific sound as we were parallel to the speakers. I got there a little early and had a chat with Damon, who I haven't seen in a couple of years or so. Dave Rowntree (drummer) wandered in at one point, book in hand (something on the collapse of the dotcom world, heh heh) and we swapped titles. I gave him the name of an equivalent situation set in the 18th cent. called 'A Conspiracy Of Paper'. Alex, bass, has got himself a Discovery Channel show apparently, subject of space exploration called, erm, 'Life On Mars'.

The gig itself was great. Very straight ahead performance with no frills. Just great playing and lots of energy. Song 2 ('Woo-Hoo') brought the house down of course, as did all their earlier songs but the newer material also made it's mark. A good two hours, I'd say. In our box were Gail and Sterling and Sterling's mate, me, designer Hedi Slimane (he made all the tight fitting suits that I wore last year) and a couple of our crew who are Blur fans. Opposite us, we think we spotted a few Strokes, Drew Barrymore and someone thought they saw someone else famous whose name I don't remember.

Back at the studio the next day we tried to fit Song 2 onto everything we played. Hilarious. Got most of the Reality album down now. Boy, it sounds good, even if I (and I will) say it myself. We're going to have a great time with this stuff on stage this year. (and next, it seems).

I'll try to set up some kind of camera in the studio next week and post some mini-vid of us rehearsing and being silly asses.

I'll try to set up some kind of camera in the studio next week and post some mini-vid of us rehearsing and being silly asses.