Earthling is the 21st studio album by English musician David Bowie. It was released on 3 February 1997 through RCA Records in the United Kingdom, Virgin Records in the United States, and Arista Records/BMG in other territories. Mostly self-produced by Bowie, it was primarily recorded from August to October 1996 at New York City's Looking Glass Studios following the conclusion of the Outside Tour. Bowie composed the tracks with Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati, who are credited as co-producers, with Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey and Zack Alford providing overdubs later. Outtakes from the sessions were later issued on the Is It Any Wonder? EP in 2020.
Reeves Gabrels is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. A member and guitarist of British band the Cure since 2012, Gabrels worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 1999, and was a member of the band Tin Machine. He has lived in New York, Boston, London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York's Hudson Valley. His Nashville-based band since 2007, Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Friends, features Gabrels on guitar and vocals.
Black Tie White Noise is the 18th studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 5 April 1993 through Savage Records in the United States and Arista Records in the United Kingdom. The album was conceived following the disbandment of Bowie's rock band Tin Machine and his marriage to Somalian model Iman. It was recorded throughout 1992 between studios in Montreux, Los Angeles and New York City, with production handled by Bowie and Nile Rodgers, who previously co-produced 1983's Let's Dance. The two expressed enjoyment in the project initially, although Rodgers voiced dissatisfaction in later decades. The record features numerous guest appearances, including pianist Mike Garson and guitarist Mick Ronson, who had not worked with Bowie since the mid-1970s.
Tin Machine were a British–American hard rock supergroup formed in 1988, notable for being fronted by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. The band consisted of Bowie on lead vocals, sax, and guitar; Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals; Tony Fox Sales on bass and vocals; and Hunt Sales on drums and vocals. Tony and Hunt had previously performed alongside Bowie as part of Iggy Pop's backing band during his 1977 tour for The Idiot. Kevin Armstrong played additional guitar and keyboards on the band's first studio album and first tour, and American guitarist Eric Schermerhorn played on the second tour and live album Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby (1992).
Tin Machine is the debut studio album by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, released on 22 May 1989 by EMI America Records. The band consisted of English singer-songwriter David Bowie, American guitarist Reeves Gabrels and brothers Tony Fox and Hunt Sales on bass and drums, respectively, while Englishman Kevin Armstrong acted as an additional guitarist. The project was spearheaded by Bowie, who felt disconnected in his career by 1987 and looked to reinvent himself. After meeting Gabrels through his Glass Spider Tour, the two agreed to work together and would collaborate frequently for the next decade. Bowie hired the Sales brothers, neither of whom he had worked with since the 1970s, after a meeting in Los Angeles, while English producer Tim Palmer was hired to co-produce.
Tin Machine II is the second and final studio album by Anglo-American rock group Tin Machine, released on 2 September 1991 by Victory Music in association with London Records. The band, composed of English singer-songwriter David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels on guitar and brothers Tony Fox and Hunt Sales on bass and drums, respectively, recorded it in Sydney, Australia in late 1989 at the conclusion of the Tin Machine Tour. After Bowie completed his solo Sound+Vision Tour in late 1990, recording resumed in Los Angeles, California until March 1991. The production was handled by Tin Machine and Tim Palmer, who produced their eponymous debut studio album (1989), with additional production by Hugh Padgham on "One Shot". While the album musically retains a hard rock sound, the songs are more melodic compared to its predecessor, with lyrics focusing on love.
Hours is the 22nd studio album by English musician David Bowie. It was originally released on 21 September 1999 through the Internet on Bowie's website BowieNet, followed by a physical CD release on 4 October through Virgin Records. It was the first album by a major artist available to download over the Internet. Originating as a soundtrack to the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul (1999), Hours was the final collaboration between Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels, whom he had worked with since 1988. The album was recorded in mid-1999 between studios in Bermuda and New York City. Compared to the experimental nature of Bowie's other works throughout the decade, the songs on Hours were written more conventionally. A song contest conducted on BowieNet in late 1998 resulted in a fan contributing lyrics and backing vocals to one of the tracks.
"Under the God" is the first official single released by Tin Machine, taken from their eponymous debut album in June 1989.
"Tin Machine" is the song from which the band Tin Machine took their name, a track from their debut album, also of the same name. It was released as a single in September 1989, as a double A-side with a live cover of Bob Dylan’s “Maggie's Farm”.
"Prisoner of Love" is a song by Tin Machine taken from their eponymous debut album. It was issued as their third single in October 1989.
"You Belong in Rock n' Roll" is a song by Tin Machine, released ahead of their second album in August 1991. The song was the band’s first release on Victory Records, which was distributed by London Records in the UK.
"Baby Universal" is a song by Tin Machine, released as the second single from their Tin Machine II album in October 1991.
Tony Fox Sales is an American rock musician and composer. Normally on bass guitar, Sales and his brother, Hunt Sales, have worked with Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, and in Tin Machine with David Bowie.
"Look Back in Anger" is a song written by English artists David Bowie and Brian Eno for the album Lodger (1979). It concerns "a tatty 'Angel of Death'", and features a guitar solo by Carlos Alomar.
"I Can't Read" is a song written by David Bowie and Reeves Gabrels for Tin Machine on their debut album in 1989. The song was subsequently re-recorded by Bowie and Gabrels together in 1997, and performed live during Bowie's concerts in the late 1990s.
"I've Been Waiting for You" is a song written by Neil Young, which he recorded for his 1968 debut solo album. In a song review for AllMusic, critic Matthew Greenwald described it as "One of the most powerful and well-crafted songs from Neil Young's self-titled solo debut ... A very strong and engaging melody is set against a striking, descending guitar riff, which serves as the song's hook."
The Tin Machine Tour was a concert tour headlined by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. The tour commenced on 14 June 1989, following a performance of "Heaven's in Here" at the International Music Awards in New York City on 31 May 1989. It comprised 12 performances in six countries in venues with a capacity of 2,000 or less. Joined onstage by Kevin Armstrong, Tin Machine performed the entirety of their eponymous debut album with the exception of "Video Crime," augmented with cover version of songs from Bob Dylan and Johnny Kidd & The Pirates.
The It's My Life Tour was a concert tour headlined by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. The tour commenced on 5 October 1991 after two warm-up shows, one press show and three trade-industry shows, visiting twelve countries and concluding after sixty-nine performances, a larger outing than their first tour in 1989. The band purposefully booked intimate venues of a few thousand seats or less so that they could focus on the music without any theatrical trappings, a stark change from Bowie's previous Glass Spider and Sound+Vision tours. Bowie also wanted to avoid playing larger venues and arenas lest his fans show up "hoping I'd be doing old songs or something. We don't want that feeling at all."
"Heaven's in Here" is the lead track from the eponymous debut album by the Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. Written by David Bowie, it was released as a promotional lead single from the album in 1989.
"One Shot" is the second track from the album Tin Machine II by Tin Machine. It was released as the third single from the album, making it their sixth single overall, and the last single released by the band.
