Wasn't DeFries the one who came up with "Cougar" and Mellencamp had to go through a series of legal action to get away from him? Behind the Music was so long ago...
Ether way, its cool that Bowie will willing to help people like he did. Elton John has given a few people he likes some shine. I remember him saying a lot of nice things about Ryan Adams when he was coming up.
Yes...Defries' lawyers were busy! But, Cougar's image and direction at that time is SO different than how he ended up being....his own, far more "serious" artist, far less grounded in image, makeup, hairspray, and careful lighting! Elton....yeah, I think he gave a boost to Kiki Dee with their duet, and his label happily gave Neil Sedaka a renewed 1975 springboard!
Bowie was, IMO, one of the most selfless superstars ever! Willing to help, willing to lift up another artist, and when you won his friendship, it was gold. Artists like Dana Gillespie, Carmen, early-career Iggy.....if he got inspired by you and/or your music, he did what he could to affirm their talent!
Did you know that before he was Mellencamp, he was Johnny Cougar, and signed to Bowie's MainMan management (Tony Defries, mgr), with his debut MCA 1976 album, "Chestnut Street Incident"? I don't know how much that had to do with Bowie, in all honesty....that may have simply been Defries finding Cougar and signing him: https://www.discogs.com/artist/237890-John-Cougar-Mellencamp
Wasn’t that the tour the Sales Brothers played in the group? I remember Hunt played drums with Bowie’s Tin Machine project. I did a “Personal Invitation Only” show that was in a large lot out by LAX in a warehouse district. A strange performance setting attended by so called royalty of LA music and movie scene. I had to get David Ellefson in because he wasn’t on the list but had received an invitation. Sean Penn was drunk and kicked one of my security guys. I picked him up, hauled him to the side of the stage and had a discussion on possible outcomes of further bad behavior. He ended up apologizing to my guy. Strange scene overall.
Sean Penn, drunk?!? Well, you coulda knocked me over with a feather!😂Glad to hear he made nice after your admonishment....I love your stories, Daniel! From a perspective we rarely see!
I'm very hip to the Sales bros, and I can't recall if they were on the Bowie/Ig tour or not. I bet that can be solved by searching. I think, for the show I saw, I was so taken with Bowie's positioning virtually half-off the stage playing his electric piano, I can't remember much else!
You're right about the Tin Machine album, and Hunt....got it, and did not like it! But, now, in the rear-view of decades past, I can more appreciate DB's experimentation and thumbing his nose at his "but, you're a hit/star artist" malarkey I'm sure folks hurled his way at the time!
Wasn't DeFries the one who came up with "Cougar" and Mellencamp had to go through a series of legal action to get away from him? Behind the Music was so long ago...
Ether way, its cool that Bowie will willing to help people like he did. Elton John has given a few people he likes some shine. I remember him saying a lot of nice things about Ryan Adams when he was coming up.
Yes...Defries' lawyers were busy! But, Cougar's image and direction at that time is SO different than how he ended up being....his own, far more "serious" artist, far less grounded in image, makeup, hairspray, and careful lighting! Elton....yeah, I think he gave a boost to Kiki Dee with their duet, and his label happily gave Neil Sedaka a renewed 1975 springboard!
Cougar ended up being a flat out asshole.
What a great story. I love that Iggy and Bowie were close like that that Bowie came on tour with him to play some keys
Bowie was, IMO, one of the most selfless superstars ever! Willing to help, willing to lift up another artist, and when you won his friendship, it was gold. Artists like Dana Gillespie, Carmen, early-career Iggy.....if he got inspired by you and/or your music, he did what he could to affirm their talent!
Did you know that before he was Mellencamp, he was Johnny Cougar, and signed to Bowie's MainMan management (Tony Defries, mgr), with his debut MCA 1976 album, "Chestnut Street Incident"? I don't know how much that had to do with Bowie, in all honesty....that may have simply been Defries finding Cougar and signing him: https://www.discogs.com/artist/237890-John-Cougar-Mellencamp
Thanks, Adam!
Wasn’t that the tour the Sales Brothers played in the group? I remember Hunt played drums with Bowie’s Tin Machine project. I did a “Personal Invitation Only” show that was in a large lot out by LAX in a warehouse district. A strange performance setting attended by so called royalty of LA music and movie scene. I had to get David Ellefson in because he wasn’t on the list but had received an invitation. Sean Penn was drunk and kicked one of my security guys. I picked him up, hauled him to the side of the stage and had a discussion on possible outcomes of further bad behavior. He ended up apologizing to my guy. Strange scene overall.
Sean Penn, drunk?!? Well, you coulda knocked me over with a feather!😂Glad to hear he made nice after your admonishment....I love your stories, Daniel! From a perspective we rarely see!
I'm very hip to the Sales bros, and I can't recall if they were on the Bowie/Ig tour or not. I bet that can be solved by searching. I think, for the show I saw, I was so taken with Bowie's positioning virtually half-off the stage playing his electric piano, I can't remember much else!
You're right about the Tin Machine album, and Hunt....got it, and did not like it! But, now, in the rear-view of decades past, I can more appreciate DB's experimentation and thumbing his nose at his "but, you're a hit/star artist" malarkey I'm sure folks hurled his way at the time!