David Bowie (May 9 1976) Joepie Cover Feature

Publication: Joepie Magazine

Date: May 9 1976

Country: Belgium Section / Page: Cover Feature + Two‑Page  Article

Format: Interview / Film and Tour Profile

Overview

A striking Joepie cover and multi‑page feature capturing David Bowie during his Station to Station era, coinciding with his role in The Man Who Fell to Earth. The headline — “Bowie neemt pers bij de neus” (“Bowie takes  the press by the nose”) — reflects the magazine’s fascination with Bowie’s enigmatic public persona and his ability to confound journalists with wit and contradiction.

The Story Behind It

By May 1976, Bowie was redefining himself both musically and visually. This Joepie feature presents him as a restless artist between worlds — the Thin White Duke on stage and Thomas Jerome Newton on screen. The article blends interview excerpts with commentary on his new stage production, his film work, and his complex relationship with fame.

Bowie discusses the Station to Station tour’s theatrical design, describing it as a “new kind of show” that merges cabaret, cinema, and rock performance. He also reflects on his alienated persona, admitting that he feels detached from the image the press constructs around him. The tone of the piece alternates between admiration and bewilderment, capturing Bowie’s ability to manipulate perception while maintaining emotional distance.

The accompanying photographs — taken during the Man Who Fell to Earth period — reinforce this duality: Bowie as both human and otherworldly, poised between glamour and introspection

What the Clipping Shows

• Cover: 

Full‑color portrait of Bowie holding a microphone, dressed in black with a white shirt, set against Joepie’s vivid red‑and‑yellow masthead.   Sub‑features list other artists — Billy Swan, Sparks, Luc Appermont,  and Joe Harris — situating Bowie within the broader pop landscape of 1976.

• Interior Pages: Two‑page spread with Dutch text and multiple photographs:   – Close‑ups of Bowie’s face, one contemplative and one reclining with red hair.   – Film stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth, including Bowie in a suit aiming a pistol.   – A dual portrait of Bowie and co‑star Candy Clark. • Typography and layout reflect Joepie’s mid‑’70s aesthetic — bold color contrasts, stylized quotes, and cinematic imagery.

Related Material

• David Bowie (May 8 1976)

  The Exile Returns-Article

  
  

• David Bowie (May 8 1976)

  Heil & Farewell - Article

  
  

• David Bowie (May 8 1976)

  Cover Insert

Source Details

Publication: Joepie Magazine Date: May 9 1976 Format: Cover Feature / Interview and Film  Profile Provenance Notes: Original Belgian magazine coverage of David Bowie’s 1976 tour and film  promotion, documenting his Thin White Duke  persona and press relations.

All original magazine artwork, photographs, and text remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This scrapbook entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.

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