David Bowie 1958-1969 – Early career to debut album

In 1962 Bowie formed his first band at the age of 15. Playing guitar-based rock and roll at local youth gatherings and weddings, the Konrads had a varying line-up of between four and eight members, Underwood among them.When Bowie left the technical school the following year, he informed his parents of his intention to become a pop star. His mother promptly arranged his employment as an electrician’s mate. Frustrated by his band-mates’ limited aspirations, Bowie left the Konrads and joined another band, the King Bees. He wrote to the newly successful washing-machine entrepreneur John Bloom inviting him to “do for us what Brian Epstein has done for the Beatles—and make another million.” Bloom did not respond to the offer, but his referral to Dick James‘s partner Leslie Conn led to Bowie’s first personal management contract. Conn quickly began to promote Bowie. The singer’s debut single, “Liza Jane“, credited to Davie Jones and the King Bees, had no commercial success. Dissatisfied with the King Bees and their repertoire of Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Dixon blues numbers, Bowie quit the band less than a month later to join the Manish Boys, another blues outfit, who incorporated folk and soul—”I used to dream of being their Mick Jagger“, Bowie was to recall. “I Pity the Fool” was no more successful than “Liza Jane”, and Bowie soon moved on again to join the Lower Third, a blues trio strongly influenced by the Who. “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving” fared no better, signalling the end of Conn’s contract. Declaring that he would exit the pop world “to study mime at Sadler’s Wells“, Bowie nevertheless remained with the Lower Third. His new manager, Ralph Horton, later instrumental in his transition to solo artist, soon witnessed Bowie’s move to yet another group, the Buzz, yielding the singer’s fifth unsuccessful single release, “Do Anything You Say“. While with the Buzz, Bowie also joined the Riot Squad; their recordings, which included a Bowie number and The Velvet Underground material, went unreleased. Ken Pitt, introduced by Horton, took over as Bowie’s manager. Dissatisfied with his stage name as Davy (and Davie) Jones, which in the mid-1960s invited confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees, Bowie renamed himself after the 19th-century American frontiersman Jim Bowie and the knife he had popularised. His April 1967 solo single, “The Laughing Gnome“, using speeded-up thus high-pitched vocals, failed to chart. Released six weeks later, his album debut, David Bowie, an amalgam of pop, psychedelia, and music hall, met the same fate. It was his last release for two years.

 

 

 

12 November 1964
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: The Beat Room – Long Hair interview by Cliff Michelmore:
In his first TV appearance, at the age of 17, David Bowie is interviewed by Cliff Michelmore, for the BBC’s Tonight programme, about his newly-founded Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men >>
> Just in case you have not seen it…..

23 June 1966
David Bowie and the Buzz
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Royal Hotel on South Pier Lowestoft
Someone attending (South Pier) said the sound suddenly stopped and he was mimicking at the performance
More info

Nov 12 1969
David Bowie at Discs-a-Go-Go, Bristol, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Discs-a-Go-Go, Bristol, England
Space Oddity

Oc t 1 1969
David Bowie at Bal Tabarin, London Borough of Bromley, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Bal Tabarin, London Borough of Bromley, England
Jun 20 1969
David Bowie at Trident Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Trident Studios, London, England
Space Oddity

Mar 1 1969
David Bowie at Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England

Feb 23 1969
David Bowie at Colston Hall, Bristol, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Colston Hall, Bristol, England

Feb 22 1969
David Bowie at Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England

Feb 21 1969
David Bowie at Magic Village, Manchester, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Magic Village, Manchester, England

Feb 16 1969
David Bowie at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Fairfield Halls, Croydon, England

Feb 15 1969
David Bowie at Town Hall, Birmingham, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Town Hall, Birmingham, England

Feb 1 1969
David Bowie at David Bowie’s Bedroom, Chelsea, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: David Bowie’s Bedroom, Chelsea, England
Space Oddity
Janine
An Occasional Dream
Conversation Piece
Ching-a-Ling
Letter to Hermione
Love Song
When I’m Five
Life Is a Circus

Dec 26 1968
David Bowie at Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, England
Space Oddity
Janine
An Occasional Dream
Conversation Piece
Ching-a-Ling
I’m Not Quite
Love Song
When I’m Five
Life Is a Circus

Dec 24 1968
David Bowie at Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, England

Jun 3 1968
David Bowie at Royal Festival Hall, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Royal Festival Hall, London, England

David Bowie at Middle Earth, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Middle Earth, London, England

May 13 1968
David Bowie at BBC Radio 1 Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: BBC Radio 1 Studios, London, England
London Bye Ta Ta
In the Heat of the Morning
Karma Man
When I’m Five
Silly Boy Blue

Dec 18 1967
David Bowie at BBC Radio 1 Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: BBC Radio 1 Studios, London, England
Love You Till Tuesday
When I Live My Dream
Little Bombardier
Silly Boy Blue
In the Heat of the Morning

Nov 19 1967
David Bowie at Dorchester Hotel Park Lane, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Dorchester Hotel Park Lane, London, England

Jun 3 1967
David Bowie at Decca Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Decca Studios, London, England
Love You Till Tuesday

Apr 14 1967
David Bowie at Marquee Club, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Marquee Club, London, England

Jan 26 1967
David Bowie at Decca Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Decca Studios, London, England
The Laughing Gnome

Oct 18 1966
David Bowie at Decca Studios, London, England
Artist: David Bowie, Venue: Decca Studios, London, England
Rubber Band

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