David Bowie (April 21, 1979) ‘Lodger’ Rhythms – Melody Maker

Brief Melody Maker news item announcing David Bowie’s upcoming  album Lodger and its leadsingle “Boys Keep Swinging,”  with details of the release date and musicians involved.

Writer: Uncredited

(Melody Maker News Desk)

Artist: David Bowie

Date: April 21, 1979

Length: Short news column

The article reveals that David Bowie’s new  album is titled Lodger and was produced by  Bowie and Tony Visconti, set for release on  May 25 with the single “Boys Keep Swinging”  arriving the following week. It lists the musicians featured on the record and names the  album’s tracks, including “Fantastic Voyage, ” “Yassassin,” and “D.J.”  The piece also mentions Bowie’s appearance on Kenny Everett’s Video Show and a Capital  Radio contest inviting fans to submit a  200‑word story about  David Bowie — The Traveller.”

PUBLICATION

Publication: Melody Maker

Date: April 21, 1979

Country: United Kingdom

Section / Pages: News Column

Title: ‘Lodger’ Rhythms

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Announcement of David Bowie’s album Lodger and single “Boys Keep Swinging”

Era: Late 1970s Berlin trilogy period

Tone: Informative and anticipatory

Photography: None in this column – text‑only news item

Audience: Melody Maker readers and Bowie

 fans

“David Bowie’s new album, which is due out  next month … is called ‘Lodger,’ and a single,  ‘Boys Keep Swinging,’ is released on Friday  next week.”

THE STORY BEHIND IT

This brief news item marks the first official confirmation of Lodger’s release details in the UK  press. By April 1979, anticipation was high for Bowie’s follow‑up to “Heroes,” and Melody  Maker’s coverage helped build momentum  for the album’s launch. The piece captures the  transition from Bowie’s Berlin period to his  more global and experimental sound, while  highlighting his continued collaboration with  Tony Visconti and Brian Eno. It also reflects  the era’s cross‑media promotion strategy,  linking television and radio appearances to  record sales.

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

Event: Announcement of David Bowie’s Lodger album and promotional plans

Era: 1979

Tone: Upbeat and informative

Photography: Text‑only column layout

Audience: Music press readers and Bowie  collectors

“David Bowie — The Traveller.”

CONTEXT AND NOTES

This Melody Maker item is one of the earliest  published references to Lodger’s track list and  release date. It illustrates how music journals  of the time served as primary sources for fans  awaiting new records. The mention of the  Capital Radio contest and Kenny Everett  appearance shows Bowie’s integration into  British pop media culture at the end of the  1970s.“David Bowie — The Traveller.”

RELATED MATERIAL

• David Bowie (April 1979) New Bowie LP Due – NME (New Musical Express)

• David Bowie (April 28, 1979) Boys Keep  Swinging – Scrapbook Compilation (Contemporary UK  Music Press)

• David Bowie (May 1979) Lodger Album  Advert – NME (New Musical Express)

Additional related entries can be found via the tag index at the foot of the page.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts remain the property of their  respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival  summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the  original  material is claimed or implied.

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