AS HIS RIGHT-HAND MAN, CREATIVE COLLABORATOR, MUSICAL DIRECTOR, CO-WRITER AND FRIEND THROUGHOUT THE 1990s, GUITARIST REEVES GABRELS HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE CAREER OF DAVID BOWIE.

He was a key member of toughed-up quartet Tin Machine, a band which revitalised Bowie’s artistic verve following his half-decade wilting in the mainstream. Perhaps wilfully misunderstood on its original release in 1989, time has revealed that Tin Machine’s swamp-grunge (and eponymous) debut album was a touch ahead of the curve. It remains one of Bowie’s most pivotal releases and it led to a 15-year burst of intense creativity. Gabrels continued as lead guitarist and chief creative collaborator after Tin Machine broke up, co-writing on the solo albums BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE (1993), OUTSIDE (1995), EARTHLING (1997) and ‘HOURS…’ (1999), and co-producing the latter pair. He toured extensively with David Bowie, and hit singles during his tenure included BABY UNIVERSAL, HALLO SPACEBOY, STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET, THE HEART’S FILTHY LESSON, LITTLE WONDER, DEAD MAN WALKING, SURVIVE, HEAVEN’S IN HERE, SEVEN, UNDER THE GOD and YOU BELONG IN ROCK ‘N’ ROLL. The pair also created computer game soundtrack OMIKRON: THE NOMAD SOUL. In part one of this specially extended double edition of The Mouthcast Reeves Gabrels talks in depth about the development of Tin Machine, discusses his other work with Bowie and reflects on how the global icon plucked him from obscurity – but only after a friendship had been struck over re-runs of TV show FANTASY ISLAND… In the second part he discusses his solo material (including his forthcoming UK tour) and having worked with Lou Reed, Public Enemy, Bill Nelson and The Cure – plus, of course, there’s more on Bowie…

REEVES GABRELS & HIS IMAGINARY FRIENDS tour dates and ticket links here

{  Photo by Kan Lailey Photography  }