Geoff MacCormack

Geoff MacCormack, AKA Warren Peace, was one of David Bowie’s oldest and closest friends, their relationship dating back to their childhoods’ in Bromley.

MacCormack toured with Bowie for three years as a backing vocalist, dancer and percussionist. During this time he recorded with Bowie on five albums — from Aladdin Sane to Station to Station, also co-writing the track Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me on Diamond Dogs, and Turn Blue with Bowie on Iggy Pops album Lust for Life.

As Bowie preferred not to fly, he and MacCormack travelled together by boat, train and road. The photographs explore this period, and give a rare insight into their friendship.

MacCormack said: “Just suppose your Brilliant Pal said: “Will you join my band [The Spiders from Mars] and come on a tour? And would you mind awfully if we travelled [first class] by sea to New York, and then sailed from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Canada, Hawaii and on to Japan? And then, from Japan to Siberia, through Russia [Trans-Siberian Express] to Moscow [for May Day Parade], Poland,East and West Germany, just in time for tea at the George V Hotel in Paris? Followed by a relaxing holiday in Rome, just to chill out?

“And then, just suppose, when you thought all the fun had finished, your Brilliant Pal said: “Would you mind being a dog [Diamond], and coming back to New York on an even better ship, eating caviar every day and joining another band, then another band, helping out on a few albums [six], and generally hanging out and having the time of your life for a couple more years?”

Supposing all that happened… Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have kept a photo or two?”

Geoff MacCormack’s Bowie Collection have been exhibited world wide, and are currently on exhibition at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery ‍ ‍