David Bowie Hails Johansson's Waits Covers....

Veteran rocker David Bowie has heaped praise on actress Scarlett Johansson for her album of Tom Waits covers, branding her vocal talents "mystical".The legendary pop star provided backing vocals for two tracks on the disc, Fannin' Street and Falling Down, and insists Johansson's skills behind the mic were almost perfect.In a posting on his official website, he says, "The songs are great, really good Tom Waits stuff, and Scarlett's performances are mystical and twice cool (sic)."She creates a mood that could have been summoned by someone like (novelists) Margery Latimer or Jeanette Winterson".But Bowie has dismissed the importance of his own contributions to the release, claiming it is Johansson who deserves all the credit.He adds: "I've seen the press on this and I suppose the record company wanted to spin my involvement a little more than it actually warrants."All I contribute are these oo's and ah's on a couple of tracks."David Sitek, the producer, originally asked me to do three songs, but for one of them, I Don't Wanna Grow Up, I didn't feel I could contribute much to it, so I left it alone".

Meanwhile in other news the pop legend David Bowie has warned kids to stay away from drugs, because experimenting with illegal substances in the 1970s has ruined his memory.

The glam rocker indulged heavily in the narcotics on offer during his heyday and was addicted to cocaine for several years.

Although he successfully kicked his habit, Bowie claims he has been left with life-long side effects.

He says, "It left me with emotional damage. My mind is like Swiss cheese.

Unbelievable holes in my memory".

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