No David Bowie Thread?

[Shane Hird]

I listened to Cracked Actor not 10 mins ago and I could have sworn it's "Forget that I'm 50 'cause you just got laid".

Pure brilliance of a song either way. Aladdin Sane is just such a balls-to-the-ball, kickass rock album. Even the cover of Let's Spend the Night Together is rocked up.

Untill you just pointed it out, I too thought it was 'laid'..but those lyric sites always get words to songs wrong..

Yeah, one of his best covers. Every song on the Ziggy concert is great, but the live version of LSTNT is just awesome. Ronson again playing a blinder..

 

[Footscrazy]

I can't believe there's only been 26 posts in this thread.

I'm not so keen on the pre '70s Bowie. Exceptions being Letter to Hermione and Space Oddity. A little known compilation of his early stuff is definitely a great insight to his beginnings.
The Deram Anthology 1966–1968

There's some very odd songs on there's a very stong folk/pop vibe.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Diamond Dogs
Rocknroll Suicide
Station to Station
Young Americans
Moonage Daydream
Time
Life on Mars
Jean Genie
Five Years
Ashes to Ashes
All the Madmen
The Width of a Circle

The live version of that on the Ziggy Stardust concert DVD is beyond epic. His DnB album wasn't bad in 1997, shouldn't be bagged out for trying different things but I guess he did get it horribly wrong sometimes (Black Tie White Noise).

 

[Barkly St End]

I can't believe there's only been 26 posts in this thread.

I'm not so keen on the pre '70s Bowie. Exceptions being Letter to Hermione and Space Oddity. A little known compilation of his early stuff is definitely a great insight to his beginnings.
The Deram Anthology 1966–1968

There's some very odd songs on there's a very stong folk/pop vibe.

Back in the mid to late 70s, Brash's used to have an end of year sale at Highpoint, and you'd be able to scrounge some obscure LPs for a dollar a pop.

There'd be a few gems - I actually bought the Who's Quadrophenia and Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous (both double albums) for $1.99 each.

Anyway, one of the oddities I foiund, was a compiliation of Bowie's early stuff from the mid to late 60s. A bit folksy, a bit of whimsy, a tiny bit of strangeness/psychedelia thrown in. Most of the songs are nothing flash, a few are all right, but in following Bowie's development, fascinating all the same.

A bit like reading Joyce's book of short stories, "Dubliners" as a primer for what was to follow.

Anyway, from the word go, Bowie was all about combining the Theatre and Rock. He was the first, the original, and has remained the best - everyone else that has followed still walks in his shadow.

The incredible thing about Bowie is that he made the Glam Rock movement his own, became the undisputed king, and within a year moved seamlessly into a mature, progressive funk sound, and then into his electronic sound (at a time when synths were fairly novel), with the epic: Heroes.

Not too many can boast a couple of decades of achievement as he can.

You're talking about Bowie sitting comfortably alongside Elvis, The Beatles, Dylan, the Stones and Zepplin.

 

[Footscrazy]

The Man Who Sold The World - 1970

This was Bowie's first real "rock" album. Compared to Hunky Dory - Diamond Dogs the direct influence of Velvet Underground on Bowie is much easier to hear. Apart from the title track there are some other lesser known rippers.

Width of a Circle - Sprawling rock song, brilliant guitar riff, couple of great solos and Bowie's voice is at it's versatile best.

All the Madmen - Some great lyrics in this song:
Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall
I'm not quite right at all
Don't set me free, I'm as helpless as can be
My libido's split on me
Gimme some good 'ole lobotomy

Black Country Rock - This is my favourite track off this album. Just some real rock-ya-socks-off Bowie.

The Supermen - The whole song is just so ridulously original. Almost a punk song.

Bowie on the title track -
In the wake of this cover, Bowie bemoaned the fact that when he performed the number himself he would encounter "kids that come up afterwards and say, 'It's cool you're doing a Nirvana song.' And I think, '**** you, you little tosser!'"
HAHA - **** you I wrote this song 25 years ago.

 

[Footscrazy]

Back in the mid to late 70s, Brash's used to have an end of year sale at Highpoint, and you'd be able to scrounge some obscure LPs for a dollar a pop.

There'd be a few gems - I actually bought the Who's Quadrophenia and Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous (both double albums) for $1.99 each.

Anyway, one of the oddities I foiund, was a compiliation of Bowie's early stuff from the mid to late 60s. A bit folksy, a bit of whimsy, a tiny bit of strangeness/psychedelia thrown in. Most of the songs are nothing flash, a few are all right, but in following Bowie's development, fascinating all the same.

A bit like reading Joyce's book of short stories, "Dubliners" as a primer for what was to follow.

Anyway, from the word go, Bowie was all about combining the Theatre and Rock. He was the first, the original, and has remained the best - everyone else that has followed still walks in his shadow.

The incredible thing about Bowie is that he made the Glam Rock movement his own, became the undisputed king, and within a year moved seamlessly into a mature, progressive funk sound, and then into his electronic sound (at a time when synths were fairly novel), with the epic: Heroes.

Not too many can boast a couple of decades of achievement as he can.

You're talking about Bowie sitting comfortably alongside Elvis, The Beatles, Dylan, the Stones and Zepplin.

I couldn't have put it better. Everyone else that has followed still walks in his shadow. There's no other artist that had such an indelible influence on so many genres over such a long period.

Even compared to Elvis, Beatles, Dylan, Stones, Zeppelin, he's been successful in a way none of them have.

Elvis was the birth of rock undoubtedly, however never really strayed far from his rockabilly/blues/country beginnings.

Beatles had their psychedelic periods, Lennon was taken too early and George Harrison's solo stuff is brilliant but again never strayed too far from "normal" pop music.

Dylan is an amazing songwriter, however again his major transition was from acoustic to electric.

Stones are an absolutely brilliant band, had their psychedelic period like the Beatles and Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile are all classics. Still think that they don't come close to Bowie's creativity and originality.

Don't know that much about Zeppelin except the classics. Starway to Heaven and D'yer Maker are pretty different and are great songs but 95% percent of their stuff is pretty similar to eachother in terms of genre.

On top of his musical jean-genius he is a really funny bloke. His behind the scenes interview from the Extras DVD is hilarious.

"Oh yeah, you and who's army" Haha

 

[Footscrazy]

Also BSE I'm really interested to hear what your favourite albums are and if you know of any obscure bootlegs etc.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Also BSE I'm really interested to hear what your favourite albums are and if you know of any obscure bootlegs etc.

So many great albums. Top Ten off the top of my head in no order.

1. Aladdin Sane
2. Diamond Dogs
3. Ziggy
4. Man Who Sold the World
5. Hunky Dory
6. Lodger - most hate it, I reckon it's brilliant
7. Heroes
8. Scary Monsters
9. Heathen - a return to form

Lets Dance is utterly putrid, and wouldn't listen to Squelch Machine with a gun at my head.

Best bootleg - The Bowie Wonder. Does a couple of Velvets (Waiting for the Man, White Light/White Heat, and a brilliant version of My Death. Sound is remarkably good for a bootleg.

 

[Footscrazy]

So many great albums. Top Ten off the top of my head in no order.

1. Aladdin Sane
2. Diamond Dogs
3. Ziggy
4. Man Who Sold the World
5. Hunky Dory
6. Lodger - most hate it, I reckon it's brilliant
7. Heroes
8. Scary Monsters
9. Heathen - a return to form

Lets Dance is utterly putrid, and wouldn't listen to Squelch Machine with a gun at my head.

Best bootleg - The Bowie Wonder. Does a couple of Velvets (Waiting for the Man, White Light/White Heat, and a brilliant version of My Death. Sound is remarkably good for a bootleg.

No Pin-Ups? Under-rated album IMO. Love his version of I Wish You Would. Sorrow is a brillant version also.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Agree that the 1969 self-titled album (Space Oddity) doesn't really hold up. I can handle Janine and God Knows I'm Good, but the rest...sheesh...

Only recently bothered to pick up Heathen. I hope it's a grower. Hunky Dory, Station to Station, and Aladdin Sane is where it's at

Low > Lodger

 

[Barkly St End]

Also BSE I'm really interested to hear what your favourite albums are and if you know of any obscure bootlegs etc.

I don't want to make out I'm some sort of expert with collections of rare material or anything like that.

I was a kid at the height of the Glam rock period, liked Bowie the most, and followed his music well into the 80s (but I really haven't been following music of any description too much since). Read books on him, might even have one of them still somewhere stashed away.

Aladdin Sane was actually one of my very first albums as a kid (and thus my fascination with your avatar), and in the very, very early days of Countdown, they showed a video clip of Bowie doing Jean Genie (a great clip, at a time when there weren't many video clips at all).

Remains one of my favourite songs to this day.

I liked most of his stuff all the way through, and as it happens, got interested in synths at the time he started experimenting with electronic music.

I don't really have a favourite album, as you've said, he covered so many generes of rock/pop music - I find it much to hard to pick one album.

There are some songs I never tire of hearing - you can throw Heroes and Jean Genie into that.

Speaking of Jean Genie:




ps that's not the clip I remember from Countdown, it was an actual video clip, not a live performance

 

[Footscrazy]

Thanks for your insights mate. Much appreciated. For me I'd say Ziggy as #1. If I could choose only 1 album to listen to for the rest of my life it'd be a very close call between Ziggy and Bitches Brew. Listen to it every week at least.

 

[Shane Hird]

The live version of that on the Ziggy Stardust concert DVD is beyond epic. His DnB album wasn't bad in 1997, shouldn't be bagged out for trying different things but I guess he did get it horribly wrong sometimes (Black Tie White Noise).

Lost in time now is Ronson. Only Bowie fans and guitar nuts would listen to this now.

He's a master....

 

[Shane Hird]

The Man Who Sold The World - 1970

Bowie on the title track -
In the wake of this cover, Bowie bemoaned the fact that when he performed the number himself he would encounter "kids that come up afterwards and say, 'It's cool you're doing a Nirvana song.' And I think, '**** you, you little tosser!'"
HAHA - **** you I wrote this song 25 years ago.

I'll never forget the first time I heard Cobain's cover.


Incredible...haunting...brilliant

 

[Shane Hird]

 

[mockingbeat]

One of my favourite artists, musically wise the diversity over 40 years or so is incredible. Also his last few albums are really underrated. Reality/Heathen/Hours are some of my favourites. Particularly Reality, great swan song (presumably his last?).

 

[mansize rooster]

Love Heathen. Have not got around to Reality yet.
I especially dig I Took a trip on a gemini spacecraft.
Done by this geezer first..



Thats the great thing about bowie. He will introduce you to all kinds of stuff..
He is real modest to, never one to say he is all that. He gives plenty of credit to artists that inspired him.
Just a dude with an amazing taste in sound and one the greatest to take it all in and put his own stamp on it..

the will never be another like him

 

[mansize rooster]

any of you guys heard Toy?
It was ment to be released in 2001.. but it turned into Heathen.. Interesting

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Loved this.

 

[Footscrazy]

any of you guys heard Toy?
It was ment to be released in 2001.. but it turned into Heathen.. Interesting

Yeah I've heard it, some good songs. In particular Converstion Piece (b-side of The Prettiest Star), In The Heat Of The Morning and my favourite is Toy (Your Turn to Drive).

 

[mansize rooster]

The Man Who Sold The World - 1970

Black Country Rock - This is my favourite track off this album. Just some real rock-ya-socks-off Bowie.

Love this one
Bowie doing Bolan very well

 

[Footscrazy]

Bowie having a go at Reggae

 

[Zuma]

 

[mansize rooster]

Yes!
Brilliant stuff.

Such a perfect tune that to

 

[Footscrazy]

Anyone looking at this thread probably knows already but these 3 tracks are co-produced by Bowie. All 3 are brilliant.