The Brit Awards Tribute to David Bowie has been hailed globally as being the perfect, fitting tribute to the late, great singer. It featured several of Bowie’s long-time band members and New Zealand singer Lorde. Right there in the heart of it was the Irishman who stood by Bowies side for over a decade as a key member of his band: Gerry Leonard.
Anton spoke to Gerry the morning after the night before. “It was quite something” he recalls.
The Bowie tribute at the Brits was the complete opposite of Lady Ga Ga’s Grammys tribute. Powerful and affecting, it featured Gerry on guitar, Lorde on vocals, Mike Garson on piano, Gail Anne Dorsey on bass, Earl Slick on guitar, Mike Garson on piano, Sterling Campbell on drums and Catherine Russell on keyboards.
Bowies band with Lorde, and (below) with Bowie himself.
The band was “a distillation of many things” and Gerry said it was great to be back together but “it’ll never be the same without David”. Members, who all had a musical and emotional connection to David went to extraordinary lengths to do the tribute as they wanted “to do it right.”
Many of David’s family and friends were watching in London, and Gerry was delighted that they liked it. The band “really wanted it to be authentic, not something that was hysterical and somewhat cross-marketed.” He hinted that Lady Ga Ga’s tribute at the Grammy’s did not go down too well with those close to Bowie.
Gerry Leonard was stage right for the tribute which he says was "quite something"
The band kicked in with a short musical medley: Space Oddity/Rebel Rebel/Let’s Dance/Ashes to Ashes/Ziggy Stardust/Fame/Under Pressure/Heroes before breaking into Life on Mars, sang by Lorde. Life On Mars was written 35 years before she was born but she delivered a dark, moody and moving rendering of a big song.
Garry told Anton the song choice came around quite easily, as did the choice of vocalist. He was happy the the focus was all on the song and on Bowie himself and he was happy that Bowie’s son Duncan Jones approved, when he tweeted “Just beautiful... thank you”.
The Brits tribute introduced with moving speeches by Annie Lennox and Bowie's close friend, the actor Gary Oldman.
Gerry (right) performing with Bowie and Gail Anne Dorsey in the Point Theatre back in 2003.
Gerry Leonard was Bowie’s guitarist, musical director and co-writer for over a decade. A solo artist in his own right, called Spooky Ghost, Gerry became Bowie’s musical director for the “Reality” world tour in 2003/2004, bringing about a live renaissance of the great man. Gerry played and helped create three of Bowies’ last four records - “Heathen”, “Reality” and “The Next Day”.
Gerry was born and bred in Dublin but it was in New York where he and Bowie first hooked up, back in 2001. Bowie was so impressed with Gerry’s 2nd solo LP “The Light Machine” that he started going to his gigs, even heckling Gerry from a small NYC club gig!
They started working together, and Bowie’s recent work with Gerry was hailed as being part of Bowie’s artistic renaissance.
Gerry was on the show before, when Neil sat in for Anton, speaking about the Dublin Bowie Festival
For loads more on Gerry Leonard, aka Spookyghost, check out his official site here
