As the Lust For Life band (Clem Burke, Glen Matlock, Katie Puckrik, Kevin Armstrong, Luis Correia and Florence Sabeva) hit the road in February/March this year there will be one song in the set-list that will be particularly special for guitarist, Kevin Armstrong.
As Kevin explains in this video, getting the call to work with Bowie on ‘Absolute Beginners’ was a life-changing day for him, not to mention a pretty unique experience for his sister, too!
But how did Kevin’s sister come to be performing backing vocals for David Bowie?
Kevin takes up the story in his recently-published autobiography, Absolute Beginner:
“After twenty minutes of trying various things, we had a structure and shape that seemed to please him. He took a pen and paper and started jotting down lyrics. We recorded the whole thing in one or two takes, and it sounded fucking amazing right off the bat. David seemed really impressed and asked me, Neil, and Matthew to be ready to do the real session in a week’s time at Westside Studios near Ladbroke Grove.
‘Oh, and I need to find a girl singer who sounds like a shopgirl,’ he said.
‘My sister Janet sings a bit, and she works in Dorothy Perkins,’ I ventured.
‘Great,’ he laughed. ‘Get her in.’
This was no idle comment. He really meant it. That really is my sister Jan harmonising sweetly above Bowie on ‘Absolute Beginners’.”
Janet Armstrong recalls the session as follows:
“It was all a bit surreal. The atmosphere that he created in the studio – even before he turned up – was electric and upbeat. I remember Mathew Seligman was making everyone laugh.
When David came in he lit up the room just a bit! He was lovely, chatty and engaged. He listened to people and their ideas and joined all these elements with his to get the track done. When we did the vocals I was really nervous but David was so sweet and encouraging. Mathew suggested some breathing exercises, which he directed. So there I was standing a foot away from the great man himself doing these breathing exercises together!
Then he sang and I joined in, he corrected me on phrasing and I think we only did a couple of takes and that was it. David left shouting ‘see ya’ and went off for a Sunday roast. Like I said, a bit surreal, it was a whirlwind!”
You can catch Kevin and the rest of the Lust For Life band at the O2 Academy, Islington on 9th March where Janet will be joining the band on stage to relive that “surreal” experience.
Tickets for all available dates via: https://www.lustforlifetour.com/
Related posts:
Notes from the Lust For Life Tour – Feb/Mar 2023
Absolute Beginner: Interview with Bowie/Iggy guitarist Kevin Armstrong
Lust for Life 2024: Clem Burke, Glen Matlock and Katie Puckrik reunite for second UK tour
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