Earl Slick: “There’s no conspiracy about David Bowie live shows”

Earl Slick says there are no secret plans in place for David Bowie to tour before the end of the year.

The guitarist, who has played with Bowie since 1974, says there’s no conspiracy about live dates, there is just nothing scheduled.

Speaking to NME, he said: “I get asked all the time. And I say ‘Do you know something I don’t know?’ Really though, there’s no big secret we’re keeping from everyone. There’ll definitely be no shows this year, I can tell you that. There’s no conspiracy about a tour, there just is no tour, and that’s all I got for you.

“As for whether I want him to tour, well, I always want to go out, I love to tour, but I’ve got my own thing going at the moment too. If he goes out on the road and I get the call, then all well and good. At the moment, and let’s be clear on this, there is no conspiracy about a tour, there are no surprises, there is just no tour.”

Slick was in the UK to perform with Yoko Ono at this year’s Meltdown Festival, where he joined her to perform John Lennon and Ono’s Double Fantasy album live for the first time ever. Slick, real name Frank Madeloni, played on the original album.

Slick is recording a solo album this summer, and has another project called Earl Slick & Friends on the horizon. He said: “It’s going to be a live show where I’m getting some of my favourite people together and we’re taking that on the road for a short tour.

“I want to start in the States and go elsewhere. It’s more an interactive thing, like a living room on stage and I’ll get my favourite singers to come and join us. It’ll be a different show in each city, we’re just going to invite whoever can get to each show in whatever city. We’re going to play the music I love to do, it’s all about fun.”