yet again (or once more, look you see) one of them posts which simply does what it says on the box. or in the title. more or less ("fewer"), give or take. but yes this is just all saying (or showing off) that i have a new bag, and it is one which, once again, celebrates David Bowie. as in the fact that it has Bowie written on it outweighs any "issues" or practical concerns with it.
provenance of the new bag? a father's day gift from my two (known) sons. speculative conversations were held as to what i might like as a gift with, oddly, some new (obviously dapper) Star Wars themed socks being my first choice. but then i considered just how battered my much beloved Bowie bag has gotten, what with some zip handles (or clips) falling off and it now tearing a bit around the top handle part, presumably due to weight stored in it.
so, mindful to stress that only if it was within budget (i am hardly father of the year material, so expect no real extravagance), a new Bowie bag (or bag of Bowie) would be lovely. when asked if i wished for a "like for like" replacement, as in the same design, i said they could do that if they wished, but ideally i would like them to select one which they believed looked quite class.
my "original" bag, the one with the quasi "Japan" design, is to the left, whereas the new one which was the gift is there on the right. yes, indeed i (truly) do like the new one, considerably. not quite sure why, exactly, i was drawn to the original one originally (as it were), i suspect purely because how striking it was as being "very Bowie" yet not a go to (or obvious) design idea.
the initial (or first) bag, which i am certainly not discarding or disposing of, has been a magnificent servant, indeed companion, for the last three (3) or so years. it has, of course, been all the way to New Zealand and back with me, with it on the return trip (so to speak) being stuffed to capacity with as many Marlboro Red off of Dubai as i could fit in. other than that it has been here, there and everywhere with me, my overnight bag for any and all of the gigs documented here. well, ones i went away for.
also it has been, intriguingly, a conversation piece. people wandering the world with things that have Bowie written on them is not quite common yet still not rare, and it's beautiful, man. however this bag has inspired random strangers to come up and speak to me about Bowie. too many conversations for me to recall with any immediacy. a few will always remain in mind, of course, like the bloke who saw my bag and had a happy memory of having a cup of tea with Bowie in 1971. perhaps that is down to the rather distinct, eye catching design of it.
but, it must be said, both of the bags do have a decidedly noticeable flaw. which is the complete lack of a side pouch, illustrated above. there is no extra "pocket" there, for a drink bottle or similar, or another zip section thing. does make it rather slim, mind, and forces one to be mindful of what they are packing to take with them wherever. yet a pouch (or pocket) thing would have been most welcome.
provenance of the bags? each was procured (ordered) from the official Bowie store, which i am sure you can work out how to get to. for concerns of cost, well, the new one would be a private matter as it was a gift. since i bought the original myself, it is fine to say that it was (just) south of £20 on a sale, a price i considered reasonable when i was weighing up bag options ahead of going to New Zealand. can't think the regular price is all that much more.
uses for the new bag? well, in the face of my medical exploits over the last year (or so), i have more or less elected not to undertake all that much in the way of ambitious travels. mostly, then, i remain quite content at my lodgings in this era of exile, bar the odd trip to (why aye man) Newcastle for gigs at their most excellent City Hall. for the most part, then, it shall get used on weekends, be it for my usual strolls around the shops and market, as well as for (when trains work) my weekly trip to see my (known) children.
does any of this give any sense of a practical run down of the bag, or in any way serve as a review? maybe not. i would say that anyone looking at one of these needs to consider very carefully what is going to be more important - being quite stylish and having Bowie written on it or wishing for a bag with at least one (1) side pouch / pocket thing. evidently one cannot have both.
give me your hands, 'cause you're wonderful, just give your hands, 'cause you're wonderful, oh give me your hands, 'cause you're wonderful
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