‘DAVID BOWIE STOLE MY NAME'
What happens when you’ve lived a life in the long, dark shadow of a ‘l-lere, Paisley-born DAVID BOWIE tells his own, troubled story.
I I've had a lifetime of people calling me 'Ziggy'. ‘Zowie' and people at work saying things like: 'Can you make these ch ch ch ch changes . . . arf arf.‘ But there is one wind-up that sticks in my mind for its undeniable class and audacity. Not long after I moved to Edinburgh, I had to call my old GP surgery to get my NHS number sent through to my new one. When I called the old Surgery l was asked my name and date of birth by a cheery female receptionist. Upon imparting these personal details (with the usual. slight cringe) l was greeted by a poorly disguised guffaw and the words: 'Can you please hold the lrne?’
When she eventually returned and took me off hold. I c0uld hear the dull rumble of background noise (people's stifled mumbles. whispers and giggles). a commanding ‘sssssshhhh‘ noise from the receptionist. which was followed by a brief (but deadly silent) pause. W'iat followed was a rescunding chorus of ‘gr0und control to Major Tom' repeated several times before everyone collapsed into a fit of hilarity. Apparently the rascal had corralled every member of staff in the surgery to gather around the phone in order to complete the jolly jape..
Also. I used to work at Glasgow's Park Lane studio as a tape operator when l was about 17. It was my first job straight from school and great fun getting to be involved in proper albums being made and all that. Kevin McDermott came in to do his debut album Mother Nature '3 Kitchen and when it was released I was credited on the sleeve notes with the assistant engineer role. Much to our amusement we later found out that the American marketing folk had been implying SOme sort of production-related involvement by the great man himself in order to get more airplay and promotional space at record stores. I'm not Sure what the outcome was in terms of sales but we thought it was quite sneaky.
David Bowie headlines the Main Stage, Sat 70 Jul.
Justin Timberlake — along with Sean Paul and Black Eyed Peas — joined them onstage at the Corn Exchangein Edinburgh for their post-MTV Awards show last November.
2002’s ‘Caught Out There’.
Here comes your Clan
They changed hip hop forever with their styles and, as Henry Northmore finds out, WU-TANG CLAN are completely at home on a rock festival bill.
y 1993 hip hop was crying out for a new revolution. We'd already had the lyrically conscious rhymes of‘ Public Enemy and the gangsta vitriol of~ NWA. Then enter stage left the Wu-Tang Clan. a New York
hip hop collective formed around the core of
founders GZA/Genius (pictured) and 01' Dirty Bastard and taking in key members such as RZA. (ihostface Killah. Raekwon. Method Man. lnspectah Deck. Masta Killa and U-God. Appropriately named after a mythical samurai
sword wielded by an invincible congregation of
warriors. slicing their way onto the scene and releasing their masterpiece. the lyrically heavy. kung fit classic that is [inter the Wu-Yiing (36 Chambers ).
They brought a new philosophy to rap. mixing their love of Bruce Lee and Eastern mysticism with urban grime and tense beats. They were a freef‘orm corporation whose components ebhed and flowed. much like their lyrical dexterity. with all members (except the mighty ODB. who can‘t leave the US due to his dubious criminal record) pencilled in for T in the Park. Balado may not seem the natural habitat for true hip hop heroes but with
They also appeared with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake as part of the Super Bowl XXXVIlI half-time celebrations.
A r y 0 "UP Grammy last year for
N’fhifRii‘D. Michael Franti and Black Eyed Peas joining the bill. perhaps a rock festival is the right place to catch them. ‘lt‘s not the first time we‘ve appeared at rock events: we've even toured with Rage Against the Machine.’ says GZA down a temperamental phone line. ‘A lot of our fans are rock-based. heavy metal-based. so we fit in well. Authentic hip hop defiantly shares a philosophy with rock.’
Hip hop and rock have always existed on the periphery of polite society. ‘I think the police and (‘IA are scared. hip hop has infiltrated all of lil’e.‘ says GZA. ‘It‘s brought the idea of~ crime into many people’s homes across the country. Personally. I don‘t need to write about that way of life. You bring it to the record and you‘re going to bring heat to yourself‘.‘ Wise words from the man who goes by the pseudonym Genius.
‘Wu-Tang are doing one more album then we’re going to go out with a bang.‘ confirms GZA ol' the split rumours. So this could well be your last chance to catch the Wu in full flow.
Wu-Tang Clan play the NME Stage, Sat 10 Jul.
Why of course. it‘s N*E*R‘D!
1e}. Best Producers. They are the star attraction on Sunday night at the NME Stage at T in the Park.
24 Jun-8 Jul 2004 THE LIST 19