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Home , Aladdin Sane, All the Young Dudes, Carlos Alomar, Cherokee Studios, Diamond Dogs, Station to Station

DAVID BOWIE. ROCK’N’ROLL 27.10 —16.12 PAVILION AT NEW HOLLAND ISLAND

WITH ME The exhibition of photographs by a British musician and producer Geoff MacCormack documenting friendship and travels with .

Geoff MacCormack, AKA , was one of David Bowie’s oldest and closest friends. MacCormack toured with Bowie for three years (1973 – 1976) as a backing vocalist, dancer and percussionist. During this time he recorded with Bowie on six — from to , also co-writing the track Rock’n’Roll With Me on , and Turn Blue with Bowie on Iggy Pops Lust for Life.

The exhibition also includes the film The Long Way Home by David Bowie, which doc- uments various stages of their trip, from the docks in Japan through Siberia and Russia on the Trans-Siberian Express, and their time in Moscow for the May Day Parade.

GEOFF MACCORMACK’S COMMENTS TO THE EXHIBITION STATION TO STATION

“…During the early part of 1973, I had two huge strokes of luck and good fortune. 3 13 1 11 Firstly, while working in a office I got a call from a childhood friend called David Jones. David Jones was now David Bowie and he invited me to join his band, The Spiders, as a backing vocalist and percussionist, for a tour of the USA, Japan and the UK. The second piece of luck was that David wouldn’t fly. Thus, we would have to travel the thousands of miles around the world by ship, train and road. At the end of the tour David, surprisingly, announced his retirement. Nevertheless, I stayed with him for another two years, travelling and working on other tours – Diamond Dogs and – and six albums, from Aladdin Sane to Station 21 2 5 to Station. This exhibition is the photo recollection of those three amazing years, together with my previously unseen works and photographs...”

(1) David and I hanging out on the I already had on the Nikon so as you hear on, say, Golden Years, (24) tries some ideas set of the film The Man Who Fell not to disturb the quiet moment. are just Bowie’s and mine. out at the recording of Station to To Earth. This shot was taken by To this day, I find it remarkable how Station in 1975. my, then, French girlfriend (Lo Lo) serene he is only moments before (17) , Ronnie seemed to always be on the set of The man who fell to show time. , USA, 1975 around us in the mid 70’s, he was earth. David took a picture of me This is Dennis Davies, Bobby always a cool Dude with a great and her, I took one of David and her, (9) This is another shot from the Womack, Ronnie Wood, Bowie and sense of humour. and she took this and one other. 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. We had Roy Bitten from Bruce Sprinsteens’ to pretend to beat David up and band at the Cherokee studios Los (2) I believe this was taken by Leee then carry him high above our Angeles in 1975. They are listening Childers towards the end of our heads off the stage. to playback from the Station to 9 10 6 journey on the Trans-Siberian Rail- Station album. way. We look ready to disembark, (10) David and I hanging out on the clothes we are wearing are the the set of The Man Who Fell To (18) David writing lyrics for same as we wore when we arrived Earth. We have an air gun and are Station to Station at Cherokee in Moscow. shooting at plastic cups. I appear Studio in 1975. to be doing better than him in this I often wonder which track he was (3) This was taken in Madeira en shot! writing lyrics for when this shot route to New York in 1974. We was taken. disembarked from the ship The SS (11) David Bowie taking time to France for a quick tour. It was high talk with fans and sign autographs (19) Station to Station producer up and very windy and I took this This was taken on the 1973 British Harry Maslin with Bowie at the shot of David with my cheap Instant tour. We recently held a competi- mixing desk. Cherokee Studios Los camera hence the poor quality. He tion to find the fans in this shot, Angeles in 1975. returned the favour and took one and we did! of me. (20) David in the studio listening (12) David Bowie snaps me on to playback of Station to Station. (4) Davids shot of me in Madeira Amtrak this was taken by me with Cherokee Studios Los Angeles in 14 8 7 1974. my cheap plastic camera in 1973 on 1975. our way to Chicago David is taking (5) David and I playing around a picture of me with his Polaroid (21) David on the set pretending to be Gumby’s from the camera. of The Man Who Fell To Earth. 1970’s cult television show Monty This location was used to shoot Pythons Flying Circus. Gumby’s (13) This shot is a still from the the cover of the Station to Station were fictional dangerously stupid Dick Cavett Show on American album 1975. people! television in 1974. The other 15 backing vocalist with David and I (22) Bowie likes something in (6) David and I travelling on the is Anthony Hinton. and the playback at the recording SS Felix Dzerhinksy from Japan are the guitarists of Station to Station album 1975 to Nahodka. you can see behind us. The golden moments in recording This photo was taken by a Japa- music are when the magic happens, nese tourist. We seem to like (14) I borrowed a camera and took sometimes it’s designed, some- the beer on offer by the look some shots of David in Make up on times it’s accidental! The main 18 16 19 23 of the table. The Man Who Fell To Earth film in thing is – the ingredients have to 1975. As you can clearly see, he is be there! (7) This shot was taken by Dagmar playing to the camera. on the 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. (23) Cherokee Studios We were just about to start the (15) This photo was taken leaving Los Angeles 1975 12 acappella for . Yokohama in Japan for Siberia, David is forming ideas from the I’m in the middle. by ship. The banner that the fans input from the many great artists were holding was provided by RCA that visited Cherokee Studios (8) David Bowie: Backstage records. during the writing and recording at the Hammersmith Odeon, of Station to Station ultimately London, 1973 (16) Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, he simplified the idea. I was very David in Ziggy makeup in 1973. USA, 1975 happy to be a part of the project This shot was taken at the This shot was taken while recording and the only other vocalist (back- Hammersmith Odeon before the the Station To Station album; David ing) on the album, he also let me last shows of the tour. David was is seen here working out guitar help and sing with the complicated reading a review, and I sneaked this parts. I was the only backing vocal- vocal in Golden shot with a zoom lens which ist on these sessions, so the voices Years 4 22 24 20 17 THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH

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MacCormack recalls the area around the film set as, “…two hundred and seventy five square miles of desert near the Mexican border, close to Alamogordo and El Paso. Wildlife – plant or animal – is at a minimum due to the fine white gypsum sand that moves and shifts with the wind creating lovely patterns but burying all vegetation. But it is a great for blowing things up. That’s why NASA and the US military use it as a missile-testing site. Its spooky landscape also made it a great double for an alien planet. It was here that Nic filmed the scenes 15 3 4 of Bowie and his alien family before he falls to earth...”

(1) David Bowie: him onto the Gitane cigarette he’s I particularly like it for its raw The Man Fell To Earth, 1975 lighting. In my defence (and his), we honesty. I love this completely unguarded did smoke this brand for aesthetic shot of David. This shot was taken reasons; both of us being enam- (13) David Bowie: Fenton Lake, at the end of a particularly long and oured of Max Ponty’s delightful New Mexico, 1975 gruelling day of interior shooting artwork, which depicts a gypsy This photo was taken when David under hot lights. I took this in-be- dancing girl shrouded in a plume had just finished shooting a gruel- tween the camera’s rolling, with of smoke. ling scene in The Man Who Fell To only one light source and no flash. Earth where his character Thomas I like the combination of Bowie’s (7) David Bowie: The Man Who Jerome Newton is vivisected by hair tone and the orange glow given Fell To Earth. White Sands, 1975 government scientists in order to off by the lamp. I’m so glad I took this (once in a life- find out who or what he is. There is 9 10 13 time) of The Man, en famille, before something of a Charlotte Rampling (2) David Bowie: he fell to earth. The temperature look about this shot. The Man Fell To Earth, 1975 was unbearably hot at White Sands David listening to direction from in New Mexico. This was the site (14) David Bowie: Nicolas Roeg. I remember going to of the detonation of the first atomic Filming In Los Angeles, 1975 take the shot with the director in it bomb in 1945, an eerie and deso- David was filming in a Japanese but, thankfully, changing my mind late place. restaurant somewhere in L.A. at the last moment. He’s playing up to my camera to (8) David and I fooling around on keep himself amused in-between (3) David Bowie: the set of The Man Who Fell To takes. It’s as if he is saying: The Man Fell To Earth, 1975 Earth 1975. “And you are?” I’m in make up with David Bowie, and we’re larking around taking (9) David Bowie: Fenton Lake, (15) New Mexico 1975 shots in the mirror. I wish I could New Mexico, 1975 Bowie having make up applied claim design over this little gem, One of the few profile shots of in his delicate features on set, lit but in truth it was a happy accident. mine, I love the stark contrast of beautifully by the evening sunlight. Obviously, I took the shot (it isn’t the skin tone and hair against the 12 17 8 14 cropped), but I don’t recall engi- dark background. (16) David having his false eyes neering the image. All I can say inserted on the set of The Man is it is my fortuitous fluke. (10) David Bowie: Who Fell To Earth the process was Los Angeles, 1975 extremely painful as I am sure you (4) David Bowie: This was taken in a Japanese can imagine! The Man Fell To Earth, 1975 restaurant in L.A. As I remember, This is another image chosen by David and myself were fairly wired, (17) David with the false eyes set David for publicity use. One of my yet this shot belies this. Although in place. favourite shots: taken with a zoom originally taken in black and white, lens, he was completely unaware this image has the feel of an early (18) Camera operator Gordon Hay- (as with most of my images) the 1940s movie star, hence the sepia man lines up a shot at White Sands moment was being captured. finish I settled upon. In New Mexico. He fell in love with my girlfriend LoLo. (5) David Bowie: (11) New Mexico, 1975 The Man Who Fell To Earth, 1975 I really love the colours in this shot (19) These shots remind me of an 6 Shot towards the end of the The and the fact that there’s so much old American Cowboy film from the Man Who Fell To Earth. David’s to view in one image. This is one 50’s minus the cattle. 7 character Thomas Jerome Newton of the most popular images in my has finally been abandoned by collection. everyone — not least his laundry service! (12) David Bowie: Fenton Lake, New Mexico, 1975 (6) David Bowie: When I was (quite rightly) dropped The Man Who Fell To Earth, 1975 from from my role as Bowie body David chose this image from The double (in The Man Who Fell To Man Who Fell To Earth (1975) Earth) for, well, looking complete- for publicity posters in the late ly and utterly different to him, it seventies. I love the lines of turned out to be a veiled blessing. this image - there seems to be a I took advantage of the free time seamless energy drawn in by the and the sublime New Mexico light shielded source of fire. I feel some and picked up my Nikon. This image guilt for being the one who turned of David is one of my favourites. 18 11 16 19 USSR

3 8 12 “On our departure from Japan a fan had given David a giant teddy bear. Not wishing to offend either bear or fan he had brought it along with us. The soft class carriages all had female attendants; ours was a rather dour, plump lady who could have been anything between 20 and 40 years of age. 15 Whenever she placed glasses with tea in their metal holders and brought them to use we would smile and say ‘Thank you’, in Russian, but we never got a reaction. Then Bowie had the idea of giving her the teddy bear. It was a wonderful pleasure to see how such a simple gift transformed the woman. She beamed with joy and from that 1 4 2 moment on she was our mate, as good as gold and always with a nice smile for us.”

(1) David Bowie: (5) David Bowie: (15) One of the many isolated In Front of the Trans-Siberian May Day Parade, Moscow, 1973 stations we saw on the long journey Express, 1973 We were given a list of dos and through Mother Russia. Heading back to London from don’ts when we arrived in Siberia Japan the long way. I’d only just to board the Trans-Siberian (16) Another tourist photograph acquired a Nikkormat camera Express — what we could and from the guy from London. which Japanese photographer couldn’t photograph — so David Masayoshi Sukita got me (trade was breaking a whole stack of (17) Davids photograph of me in the price); the attraction being its ease rules by filming the May Day event, same position, almost, as the one I of use for a novice. It was my first considering the amount of military took of him except he managed to decent camera. Not knowing the hardware on show. That’s why get the man in the corner blowing camera, I at least pride myself on he is looking a little furtive. his nose — thanks David! 16 14 20 getting the composition right. The other thing I love about this shot is (6) David Bowie singing (18) The band at the hotel that, although David clearly strikes on the Felix Dzerzhinsky Intourist Moscow a pose, the image is still unguarded The crew of the ship put on a cab- Hotel music, what can I say? and natural. David reciprocated eret for the passengers so Bowie by taking one of me in exactly the thought he’d do his bit to entertain (19) David, in the yellow jacket, same spot. Believe me, mine’s them with a few with me on disappears into the crowd at GUM better. backing vocals and bongos! Departmental Store in Moscow. Some of the people there look (2) David Bowie: (7) David Bowie & Bob Musel intrigued. Trans-Siberian Express, 1973 at the Hotel Intourist Moscow David sleeping off a long night of This is a photograph of David (20) David and I on the first boozing somewhere in Siberia in and Bob Musel having dinner part of our journey on the Tans- 1973. We drank cheap Riesling at our hotel. Siberian Express. It was an old and beer (Peeva) with a bunch of French designed Czarist type train soldiers we’d met the night before. (8) BOYS very luxurious. we They were friendly and inquisitive I was on a train station and saw were to change to a more modern 19 5 11 as to what life was like in the West. these kids, perhaps on thier way to train which was most disappointing. We asked them what they did in training, they let me take that pic- the army: they said they were in ture at the same time David filmed the construction unit. You can just the occasion. One wonders where make out the bleak Siberian land- they they all are now? scape through the window. (9) TRAIN (3) David Bowie: I love the Power of this image Siberia, USSR, 1973 and the colours of the train with it’s This shot was taken at the start golden zig zag design! of our travels, inside the Trans Siberian-Express. Our dress code (10) FLAG rapidly fell away after about two This reminds me of the train shot days into the long journey. The in its powerful simplicity. jacket David is wearing is a Freddie 13 6 7 Buretti original (David’s personal (11) Mosсow 73 tailor). With his bright red hair and A holiday photo from an English unconventional clothing, Bowie tourist! didn’t exactly blend in with austere surroundings of Siberia. (12) There are some Great faces in the shot I wish I knew exactly (4) David Bowie: where I took it? on The Trans-Siberian, 1973 Looking out of the window of (13) These girls were wonderful, the Trans-Siberian Express on a doing a menial job with such hu- station stop somewhere on route. mour, typical of the Russian spirit We travelled soft class: believe me, we encountered throughout our you wouldn’t have wanted to go journey. hard class! Whenever we stopped, people would appear with trays (14) This could be a Rush hour of crude merchandise; David’s anywhere in the world today. favourite purchase was yogurt. 9 17 18 10 (2) The Silver Gelatin print of David Bowie, 2018 Robin Bell (UK) is one of the few professionals who continues to specialise in hand-processing black and white film and producing silver gelatin prints to the highest possible standards. For 40 years he has been printing for some of the world’s great photographers, in- cluding Ernst Haas, Don McCullin, Norman Parkinson, David Bailey, Eve Arnold, Terence , Richard Avedon, Lee Miller, Tom Stoddart, and Terry O’Neill to name but a few. 2

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(1) Triptych by Geoff MacCormack in collaboration with Antony ’H’ Haylock, 2018. British Tour, 1973. It’s around five o’clock in the morning in some cheap hotel and we are still awake and bored. David and I stumble upon the tour bus drivers who have fallen into bed and left their door open. Bowie says “quick get your camera” and then plays out this scene!

An atmospheric sound score by Geoff MacCormack and Matt Berry specially produced for the exhibition, 8 min, 2018. Matt Berry: BAFTA award winning writer, actor, musician.

Curated by Olga Borissova and Aleksey Rousanov Designed by ludi architects

www.geoffmaccormack.com www.newhollandsp.ru