Bowie: A Biography - JFK247

shot a video clip with Gus Van Sant (then fresh off
his breakthrough film Drugstore Cowboy) for a
remixed version of “Fame” as a promotional
endeavor as well. Produced by Arthur Baker (of New
Order fame), the best thing you can cay about “Fame
’90” is that it’s much better than the Police’s “Don’t
Stand So Close to Me ’86” but far inferior to George
Michael’s “Freedom ’90.”
A four-disc box set, named Sound and Vision
after the 1977 single off Low, was also planned,
containing even more rarities, including a pair of
Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Berry songs (“It’s
Hard to Be a Saint in the City” and “Round and
Round”). In yet another example of his renewed
commitment to innovation, even while filling the
coffers, Bowie decided to make the set list selection
for the promotional Sound and Vision tour an
interactive event. A phone line was set up and fans
could call in and vote. The songs with the most votes
would be performed on the tour. But there was one
glitch. Egged on by a prankish NME editorial staff,
many of the callers were voting for Bowie’s ’67
novelty single “The Laughing Gnome” to be played
alongside serious fare like “Station to Station” and
smashes like “China Girl” and “Modern Love.” Bowie
took this with appropriate good humor but
disqualified the votes, noting that it was not a sincere
request.
Adrian Belew, from the ’78 touring lineup, was
recruited, as were Erdal Kizilcay, drummer Michael
Hodges, keyboardist Rick Fox and yet another