Everything’s coming up David Bowie these days. Brett Morgen’s immersive film Moonage Daydream left patrons awestruck during its run in theaters, and will be available on DVD on November 18. The second annual David Bowie World Fan Convention is coming next June in New York City, with Chicago’s own Bowie tribute band Sons Of The Silent Age taking part. Other performers involved include Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas.
Here in Chicago, a group calling themselves Dead Freddies will be performing as David Bowie at Montrose Saloon’s Halloweekend festivities on October 28 and 29. Also, be sure to check out the official David Bowie website for upcoming events, as well as for its terrific gift shop. Plus, Bowie recorded one of the best Halloween party songs ever.
Few songs have a more chilling intro than his “Cat People (Putting Out The Fire).” Amidst a tribal drum beat and swirl of synthesizers, Bowie sings, “See these eyes so green/I can stare for a thousand years” in a voice is so dark it’s impossible not to believe him. The theme from director Paul Schrader’s 1982 horror film Cat People is set to a guitar-driven arrangement crafted by veteran film composer Giorgio Moroder of Flashdance and Midnight Express fame.
Bowie’s lyrics are from the point of view of Irena and her brother Paul, played in the film by Natassia Kinski and Malcolm McDowell. They’re descendants of humans who mated with leopards centuries earlier. This causes them to turn into panthers during sex and they can’t get back to human form without killing someone.
Bowie’s music often featured fascinating characters, so he was the perfect choice to convey Irena and Paul’s tortured emotions. “Still this pulsing night/A plague I call a heartbeat/Just be still with me/Ya wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through.” Cat People tapped into long-held superstitions regarding felines and their mysterious nature. Even today, it’s a good idea to make sure black cats are kept indoors on Halloween to prevent deranged people from hurting them.
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