ava cherry and the astronettes
random notes

     From: Charles Pater (charpa@flevonet.nl)
Did you know that David Bowie is audible as part of the Astronettes singing a 1973 cover of How Could I Be Such I Fool? It's on People from bad homes by Ava Cherry and the Astronettes.

     From: Marc De Bruyn (emdebe@village.uunet.be)
On October 6, 1998, I wrote the following mail to David Priest ("The Bowie Archivist" - musicmaster@lineone.net): "Hi there, In search of cover versions of Frank Zappa songs, I came across your page http://website.lineone.net/~musicmaster/pages/db04.htm
which gives a review of Ava Cherry's 'People From Bad Homes' album (1995). Track number 10, 'How Could I Be Such A Fool', is a Zappa composition, and I was wondering if you could give me some details about who's singing, playing, dancing... - whatever - on that track. Thanks!". The same day I got the following reply: "Hi Marc, Thank you for the e-mail. The song you mention, 'How Could I Be Such A Fool', is as you state a Zappa composition. It was recorded at Trident studios in London by David Bowie, who was producing an album by The Astronettes. The vocals are by The Astronettes with guide vocal originally recorded by David. Another interesting item is that David also recorded a Zappa song in 1966/67 'It Can't Happen Here' with his band at the time, The Buzz. This track has never surfaced among collectors. Hope this is of some help. - David Priest - http://website.lineone.net/~musicmaster/Bowie.html".

     From: Patrick Neve (splat@darkwing.uoregon.edu)
Flo & Eddie sing on the eponymous Ava Cherry album from 1983.

     From: Marc De Bruyn (emdebe@village.uunet.be)
More on AVA CHERRY: http://www.gtslade.com/myscare.html

AMG - Ava Cherry a.k.a. Black Barbarella, was raised in Chicago. The singer/model grew up loving Motown, Aretha, and Gladys Knight but a four-year stint with rock star David Bowie would forever change her musical direction. From 1974 to 1978 she performed on stage and in the studio with Bowie, appearing on some his most acclaimed albums. She was one third of a backing trio comprising Robin Clark, and Luther Vandross. Lovers as well, Ava and Bowie have remained friends throughout the years. The experience spoiled Ava, she traveled all over the world, sung before crowds of 50,000 people, and mingled with superstars like John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, and others. After the Bowie split she returned home (Chicago) where a friend introduced her to Curtis Mayfield. Curtom/RSO Records released Spend The Night, by Ava; she had some rock songs ready to go, but Curtom placed her in a snug disco/soul bag, and didn't use her hard rock compositions. The same year (1979) she backed Gavin Christopher on his self-titled RSO LP. The Curtom album didn't do as well as anticipated and Cherry returned to Bowie's camp. Her second album felled in 1983 on Capitol Records, but Streetcar Named Desire went unnoticed despite the Bowie association. She remained until another Bowie alumnus, Luther Vandross, started blowing up; Cherry joined Vandross around 1986 and is heard from the Any Love album onwards. In 1987 a second Capital LP Picture Me, dropped with little celebrity or sells. However, along with Lisa Fischer & Kevin Owens, Ava contributed to making Luther Vandross a top draw in Urban Music, the trio backed Luther in concert and in the studio. They don't just sing behind Luther, Cherry, Fischer, and Owens execute some classy stepping & dance routines that always wow the patrons. Thanks to Griffin Music, People From Bad Homes saw daylight in 1995 after over 20 years of neglect. J-Bird Records made the RSO/Curtom album Spend The Night, available on CD in 1997. - Andrew Hamilton