Bowie's About-face

The four faces of David Bowie have been replaced by three new ones in his band, Tin Machine. No need to fret: the Machine—designed by Bowie to include Reeves Gabrels and Tony and Hunt Sales, the Sons of Soupy—has no tin ears. Its second album is being released this month to coincide with a world tour in October. Bowie met the Sales-men when they provided the rhythm section for an Iggy Pop record he co-produced; his musical friendship with Gabrels began when the two performed during a benefit for London's Institute of Contemporary Arts. Tin Machine II contains songs about the dark side of marriage as well as child prostitution, but, seriousness aside, it's also about the joy of making music. "In Hunt's drumming I hear a lot of big-band references to people like Gene Krupa,'' says Bowie. But his little band has a beat all its own.