KillerStar

It is no surprise that David Bowie’s alumni signed up to make a second album with KillerStar. Having worked with guitarist and singer Rob Fleming and drummer James Sedge on the British band’s 2025 debut, Bowie’s most trusted musicians — Mike Garson on piano, Earl Slick on guitar, Mike Plati on bass — have returned for The Afterglow, an eight-song slice of powerful, insistent art rock, in which the spirit of adventurousness combines with a sense of classicism and purpose throughout. The Bowie alumni bring shades of their old boss with them — you might notice the odd reference, particularly from Garson — to an album that nonetheless belongs entirely to its own world.

Joined this time round by Leonard Cohen’s favourite harmonising siblings the Webb Sisters on backing vocals, The Afterglow picks up where the first album left off while going further into the stratosphere. From the killer riff smashing open The Afterglow to the delicate piano balladry of Invincible, this is glam, art rock, hook-laden pop, even a touch of jazz, all held together by killer melodies and lyrical themes on life, love and remembering. And it is happening because KillerStar got together and, without any expectations at all on the part of its creators, took off.

“We put the first album out, got great reviews, and built a fanbase from there,” says Rob Fleming. “We did shows in New York, and a sold-out residence at the 100 Club in London, and discovered that our demographic was made up of musos who like to buy physical records, which is great. And everyone has bonded, with means the playing on this album is a lot more telepathic. We all know each other’s strengths and weaknesses as a live band and that has carried over into the studio.”

Despite the name, which Bowie nuts will recognise as a reference from the 2003 album Reality, KillerStar did not set out to widen the Bowie circle. “No, it was more organic than that,” says Fleming. “Emm Gryner is a friend of mine who worked as a vocalist for Bowie. She contributed to the first album, and suggested that Gail Ann Dorsey might be available to add bass. Then it was a case of: ‘We need some piano. Why don’t we ask Mike Garson?’ They were all talking about the project behind the scenes, so Earl Slick came on board because the Bowie alumni are still friends. None of it was planned.”

This time round, the Webb Sisters had just come off on a world tour with David Gilmour and were ready to join the gang. “We saw them singing with Gilmour and thought about how great they would be. They were going to be guests on a couple of songs but ended up singing on the whole album, because they fitted in so well.”

With further guest spots from guitarist Gerry Leonard, also a Bowie alumni, Alfio Anibali on keyboards, Carey Frank, Dom Belen and old friend Emm Gryner, a crack team was assembled for an album of pure musicianship. And there’s a greater pop sensibility this time round, with So Easy and Proud in particular being the kind of catchy tunes that go straight into the ear and don’t come out again.

“I’ve always enjoyed hooky songs,” says Fleming. “I gravitate to big choruses, but at the same I like things to be mixed up, with influences from across the genres, which I think gives KillerStar its sound. And we didn’t want to make a repeat of the first album, but at the same time we weren’t going to do something so different that it didn’t sound like us.”

Proud sets out the KillerStar philosophy. “It’s about not being afraid to be proud of what you’re accomplishing,” says Fleming, who, true to the song’s message, is singing out much more than he did the first time round. “Brits can be rather shy and returning, not wanting to be boastful, but being proud of a book or an album is good. And it’s a rocking tune.”

There Has To Be A Reason, with its swampy slide guitar from Earl Slick, is about fate. “Not to be too deep, but it’s about how you don’t know what’s going to hit you next,” says Fleming. “When life throws things at you, you have to wonder if it is for a reason. Does it make you stronger for your next challenge? We’re left trying to figure out what’s going to happen. There’s a lyric in there about trying to look round corners, but the truth is that you don’t know what’s going to floor you in the years to come.”

On a connected theme is Invincible, which reflects on the fact that we tend to feel invincible in youth, but as we get older the inevitable realities of mortality make themselves felt. And it comes with a sprawling, psychedelic instrumental in the second half. There are fictional tales too, like You Do Me No Favours, which is about someone who is difficult — but undeniably appealing. And it comes in a charming folk pop style inspired by Toy, Bowie’s posthumously released album, recorded in 2000, on which he reworked his earliest material: Anthony Newley-like story songs straight out of 60s suburbia such as The London Boys and I Can’t Help Thinking About Me.

“Earl Slick and Mark Plati played on Toy, which I had been listening to a lot,” says Fleming. “That swinging 60s, jangling vibe must have crept in without me realising because you can definitely hear it in You Do Me No Favours.”

Bowie isn’t the only legendary figure from rock’s past who served as an influence on The Afterglow. “The Rolling Stones record all their songs on acoustic guitars and then add electric on top, and in my muso head it adds a little bit of thickness to the track,” says Fleming. “That’s how we recorded Straight Down The Line, which has a tough, Stonesy vibe. And Slick put on some weird guitar stuff in the middle, which we’re really happy with.”

How do the Bowie gang feel about it all? “They respect the fact that we’re not a tribute act,” says Fleming. “We don’t even do any Bowie songs in the set.

But he’s a major influence, not least because he always enjoyed the band experience and I do too. I remember asking Mike Garson, who is 80, what was his secret to remaining so young and vibrant. He said, ‘It’s the music, Rob. Just keep playing the music and you’ll feel young.”

It’s good advice, as the youthful vitality of The Afterglow demonstrates. “I like the way the album has evolved and I like the idea of keeping KillerStar evolving,” Fleming concludes. David Bowie, always one to welcome in the changes, would surely approve.