FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/LATHUM NELSON
DAVID BOWIE
Critical Quotes from
Bowie at the Beeb:
The Best of the BBC Sessions '68-'72*
*Limited Edition Release Features Bonus Third CD of BBC 2000 Performance
"Packed with some of the most inspired music of that decade, Disc Two includes the best of both the glammy Ziggy Stardust and the emotionally complex Hunky Dory. Disc Three...shows Bowie's star still shining on." --Liza Ghorbani, US WEEKLY, October 2, 2000
"...these discs offer a fascinating glimpse into the years when he transformed his words into a persona: Ziggy Stardust, the first anti-rock star." --(****) Greg Kot, ROLLING STONE, October 12, 2000
"This 3-CD limited edition package is, in my view, the only option. It traces the career of an intelligent young man, unaware of his importance in the future scheme of things, through to the proud strut of a still alive and well 53-year-old who is comfortable enough at last to rest, briefly, on his considerable laurels." --Mark Riley, MOJO (U.K.), October 2000
"...these long-lost Bowie treasures have finally fallen to earth...the second disc contains mind-blowing material from the 'Ziggy Stardust' era that has been circulating on bootlegs for decades. Indeed, several of these tracks outstrip their album versions and are the best document yet of what a stunning rock band the Spiders from Mars were...many archival Bowie releases have hit the market in the years since 'Ziggy Stardust' came out, but none capture the excitement of the time and the artist like this one." --(Grade: A) Jem Aswad, TIME OUT (New York), October 5, 2000
"The first two discs, distinguished by such signatures as 'Space Oddity' and 'Ziggy Stardust,' were recorded by the BBC from 1968 to 1972. One track came from Bowie's vault because the BBC had lost the original masters. The heavily bootlegged 'Sunday Show' tracks capture Bowie's first public performance with Mick Ronson. The third CD, taped at the BBC in June, celebrates the present-day Bowie in a career sweep that includes 'Ashes to Ashes,' 'Cracked Actor' and 'Little Wonder.'" --Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY, November 27, 2000
"...if you act now you get a bonus disc, a solid radio concert from June in which Bowie revisited some unexpected choices. (Wonderful to hear 'Always Crashing in the Same Car' and 'Stay' and 'This is Not America' again. And a glumly retooled 'Let's Dance' surprises.)" --(Grade: B) Ben Wener, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Southern California), September 29, 2000
"CD2...Here we have the best of both the Ziggy Stardust the title track) and Hunky Dory, plus a brilliant, Lou Reed namechecking 'White album (two crunching versions of Light/White Heat.' The songs here are rougher, louder and more exciting than their 'official' versions, not least 'Moonage Daydream' where Ronson's guitar sounds like it's ripping transatlantic cable out of the seabed...Disc three...features a Bowie show from the BBC Radio Theatre earlier this year...songs as old as 'Fame' and new as the superb 'Seven' are featured and Bowie's current punter-wowing tour is thus captured for ever." --David Quantick, Q (U.K.), November 2000
"The set's chief selling point...is the limited edition third CD, a BBC performance of hit's (a revamped 'Let's Dance,' 'Fame') and oddities (the nasty 'Cracked Actor,' 'Always Crashing in the Same Car') recorded June 27, 2000. Later in the year Virgin will pull this disc from subsequent copies. Snap up this set now if you want it...Bowie's voice has deepened and grown richer, making comparisons between discs interesting. And judging by the energy he lavishes on the recently cut material like 'Wild is the Wind,' 'Ashes to Ashes' and 'The Man Who Sold the World' (snagging the song back from Nirvana), Bowie proves he's still viable no matter what trend prevails at the cash register." --(***) Howard Cohen, MIAMI HERALD, September 29, 2000
"On the first two discs of this three-CD set, the focus is on Bowie's BBC appearances between '68 and '72. For any Bowie fan, those early years will be interesting because it was then that the Thin White Duke morphed from a gimmicky theatrical rocker to one of the most cutting-edge performers of his generation." --Dan Aquilante, NEW YORK POST, November 26, 2000
"As a bonus, initial copies of Bowie at the Beeb will include a CD featuring songs performed at a BBC Radio Theatre show earlier this year. High points from the set include incendiary versions of 'Stay' and 'Cracked Actor'...Bowie at the Beeb isn't just a historic document; it's a fascinating portrait of a man ascending to the height of his musical powers." --(Rating: 90) Russell Hall, WALL OF SOUND, October 9, 2000
"Bowie at the Beeb...highlights a crucial period in the career of the rock 'n' roll chameleon, when he reconciled his folk, pop and cabaret influences into something original, found a great backing band and became an international superstar. For fans looking for classic songs, there are plenty of vintage cuts with the Mick Ronson-led Spiders from Mars, culminating in Bowie's ch-ch-ch-ch-change into his famous Ziggy Stardust persona (highlights include a bouncy version of 'Starman' and a bludgeoning cover of the Velvet Underground's 'White Light/White Heat')." -- Stan Hall, PORTLAND OREGONIAN, October 22, 2000
"The peerless BBC archive continues to yield heaven-sent live performances, and none is more enjoyable than this two-disc set surveying David Bowie's early appearances on the British network...The rich-to-bursting program includes a hot cover of the Velvet Underground's 'Waiting For The Man' (with Ronson and the Spiders From Mars ripping it up) and renditions of 'Moonage Daydream' and 'Andy Warhol' that rival the album versions for glam panache. Initial pressings of 'Bowie At The Beeb' come as a three-disc boxed set, with a bonus disc of a recent BBC studio concert...it's a great show. The set mixes rarities and excellent recent material with classical tracks, and Bowie is in strong voice throughout. 'Fame' and 'Let's Dance' are there, but connoisseurs will appreciate widescreen takes on soundtrack gems 'Absolute Beginners' and 'This Is Not America,' as well as the artful dusting-off of key album tracks like 'Always Crashing In The Same Car.'" --Michael Paoletta, BILLBOARD, November 11, 2000
"Whenever the BBC vaults are raided, the result is often a treasure trove for true music aficionados and a sad day for bootleggers. The 37 unreleased, rare and raw radio sessions from 1968-1972 on Bowie at the Beeb are no exception...When the 'Spiders from Mars' kick start Disc Two, the result is a sheer adrenaline rush, especially on "Queen Bitch,' Velvet Underground's 'White Light/White Heat' and 'Hang On To Yourself.' The limited edition Disc Three finds the singer in top vocal form, backed by stellar players (Mike Garson, Earl Slick, Gail Ann Dorsey). From seldom-performed songs like 'Wild is the Wind,' the dramatic 'This is Not America' and breathtaking, jazzy 'Absolute Beginners' to a crushing 'Hallo Spaceboy,' creepy 'Ashes to Ashes' and revamped 'Let's Dance,' this special show confirmed that Bowie's still got the goods. Beeb is a must for all fans." --(Grade: A+) George A. Paul, MEAN STREET (S. California), November 2000
"A chance to explore some of the early, lesser-known music by one of rock's most striking figures." --(***) Robert Hilburn, LOS ANGELES TIMES, November 30, 2000# # #