All aboard for funtime! ‘Pop Bowie’ play the songs of Iggy and Ziggy

❉ A musical celebration of the creative partnership between David Bowie and Iggy Pop, featuring Bowie sidemen Richard Cottle and Kevin Armstrong.

‘Pop Bowie’ are to perform two sets to celebrate the collaboration between David Bowie and Iggy Pop in London on Sunday 4 December 2016, with two very special guests.

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Presenting the best Pop/Bowie songs, ‘Pop Bowie’ boasts two musicians who worked alongside Bowie: Starring on keyboards and saxophone, Richard Cottle (Glass Spider Tour), and special guest guitarist Kevin Armstrong (Live Aid, Absolute Beginners, Tin Machine, 1. Outside, Blah Blah Blah). Richard Cottle has played with many other top artists including Mick Jagger and The Manic Street Preachers.

Above: “Modern Love” from David Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour, featuring Richard Cottle playing saxophone.

Simon Westbrook (vocals) stepped into Bowie’s platforms for a recreation of 1987’s Glass Spider Tour in 2013, accompanied by 1987-era Bowie sidemen Richard Cottle and Erdal Kizilcay; and in the wake of Bowie’s passing in January 2016, Simon was part of the very special Union Chapel tribute concert, appearing alongside David McAlmont, Clifford Slapper, Malcolm Doherty and many more.

Above: Simon Westbrook performs “Time” from the Aladdin Sane album, accompanied on piano by Clifford Slapper.

A significant addition to the bill, Kevin Armstrong was not only part of David Bowie’s crack team of musicians for his legendary ‘Live Aid’ set but also worked with Bowie on the Number 2 hit single single Absolute Beginners and the albums ‘Tin Machine’, ‘1.Outside’ and Iggy Pop’s ‘Blah Blah Blah’, the bulk of which was co-written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop and gave Iggy his first hit single, Real Wild Child (Wild One).

Above: Iggy Pop performs Top 40 hit “Real Wild Child” in 1986, featuring Kevin Armstrong on guitar.

Other musicians recreating the Bowie/Pop collaborations include Paul Cuddeford, bass (Holy Holy, Bob Geldof, Lisa Ronson), Luis Correia (Earl Slick & Bernard Fowler), Michael Connolly, drums (Glass Spider Band) and Daisy Smith, backing vocals (Glass Spider Band).

Above: David Bowie performs “Heroes” from his legendary Live Aid set, with Kevin Armstrong on lead guitar.

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The on-off creative partnership between David Bowie and Iggy Pop from 1972 to 1986 saw the creation of some of the most innovative and artistically important work of both of men’s careers. David Bowie produced or co-produced three Iggy Pop albums: ‘The Idiot’ and ‘Lust for Life’ albums in 1977 and ‘Blah Blah Blah’ in 1986. These records contain a remarkable canon of cult classic songs co-written by Bowie and Iggy including China Girl, Lust For Life, Nightclubbing, Neighbourhood Threat and Shades.

Above: The official promo for “Shades”, one of Bowie/Pop’s finest co-writes. Kevin Armstrong contributed lead guitar to his track, produced by David Bowie and David Richards.

David Bowie and Iggy Pop also collaborated on other occasions including on Bowie’s ‘Tonight’ album in 1984 as well on Iggy’s ‘Soldier’ album of 1980, with the song Play It Safe. Bowie covered several Iggy Pop songs in the 1980s including Bang Bang which featured on the ‘Never Let Me Down’ album. Iggy Pop appeared on the song What In The World on Bowie’s ‘Low’ album.

‘Pop Bowie’ promises to be a unique experience, celebrating and commemorating the musical collaborations of two of rock’s maverick figures and blood brothers.


❉ ‘Pop Bowie’ will comprise of two gigs on the same day at The Lexington on Pentonville Road in London on Sunday 4 December. You can buy tickets here!

❉ Pop Bowie is curated by Tom Wilcox for Maniac Squat Records.

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