Showing posts with label David Bowie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Bowie. Show all posts
Friday, 7 June 2013
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
In my (very short?) life time, the one beautiful narrative in my life is the one called Ziggy Stardust. In what seemed like weeks the very first David Bowie album I bought "Hunky Dory" somehow turned into Ziggy. The moment it happened I felt the world was not exactly all right, but at least someone was fighting for our side. That little pipe bomb of vinyl was called "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars."
Simon Goddard's odd form of biography on the Bowie character is a must-read for the glam damaged fan. And that is something that i am. Like all great characters, the Ziggy motif has a lot of fingerprints on it, including those belonging to the great Vince Taylor and The Legendary Stardust Cowboy - both perhaps insane, but nevertheless the spark that started Bowie into another world of his making. That, plus Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and "2001" laid out a future that Bowie felt was a perfect fit for his creation.
And what is Ziggy but the ultimate outsider re-sold as a rock n' roll star. Even Elvis seemed to come from another planet. Maybe Memphis is another part of the universe. Yeah Memphis, Tokyo and London. Outside our planet. Goddard traces the star steps from early Bowie to himself turning into Ziggy. I like this book a lot due that he lists all the Ziggy cultural influences that somewhat is even more interesting than Bowie himself. And I think the glam god would appreciate this.
The Influences: All The Young Dudes down below:
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| Vince Taylor |
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| Legendary Stardust Cowboy |
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| Alex from A Clockwork Orange |
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| Kabuki |
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| Iggy Pop (Stooge) |
Saturday, 30 March 2013
I think most of us by now has had heard David Bowie's "The Next Day." What strikes me, after the hype and firework like surprise of its existence, is that it's a classic Bowie album. It tends to look back, look at the present, and then into the future. There are no surprises, except the fact that Bowie is 66 years old and still has things to say. And he says it well.
Lyric-wise, this is Bowie's strongest work. It has the classic elements of the Bowie of old, but here he adds a certain weight to the songs. There's the obvious 'older' retrospective of one's past in "Where Are We Now." But the album speaks of a historical past as well. Here is one is reminded of Scott Walker's later work with respect in dealing with history in a song setting. I would think "The Next Day" wouldn't exist if not for Scott's current music. Not a copy mind you, but more of riffing on another artist's work. Some might say that this is Bowie the vampire sucking out the blood of another artist, but that's stupid. Bowie is like a jazz musician covering a standard. He adds to the mix and makes the work his own, even though one can clearly see the influences.
"The Next Day" is slightly over-produced in parts but repeated hearings, it adds a pop sheen that I think makes up a tension with repeated listening. And this is an album where one should hear over and over again. It reminds me of "Station to Station" with respect to the many layers of guitars. I hear traces of the 50s in its melodies which gives it that outer existence. And choruses come out of the stars all of sudden. You think one is following a pattern from A to B, but he goes to A minor or a different song altogether. The juxtaposition of images and melody are quite startling.
In the nutshell "The Next Day" plays up to Bowie's strength as a songwriter and his voice is still magnificent. The beauty of the record is that he very much sounds like he's 66, but still full of energy or using his current powers in a focused manner. There is no waste on this album, nor is it very long. "Dirty Boys" is Anthony Newley, right? Its very much of a classic double vinyl album, including the so-called three extra songs.
Which by the way, are excellent. "So She" is one to put in the box of Bowie greats. A beautiful melody with matching words. It starts off with an Eddie Cochran like riff (there goes the 50's thing) and turns into a Bowie West End musical. Its brilliant! "The Plan" is Bowie making noise. So b-side sounding that of course its totally fab. "And I Will Take You There" is the ultra-glam song that is so Bowie that it is almost iconically...wrong. But he makes it right.
The visual aspect of the album is another layer of its greatness. Ever since Bowie turned 50 he seemed to be obsessed with aging or the nature of physically turning older. Bowie has no problem with age issues, or does he? His album images and videos have focused on the subject matter of his younger identity with the older Bowie looking on. Thinking specifically of the video for "Thursdays Child" and his current videos for "The Next Day." And not forgetting the album cover of "Hours" where he's a cradling what looks like a dying Bowie of another identity. But then again this maybe the obsession of a dandy or Mod. The decaying of one's body is an obsessive dandy theme since Oscar Wilde. And with the current retrospective of Bowie's costumes/clothing at the V&A this is very much the case.
Long live the Dandy. Bowie is back, but of course he never really left us.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Sunday, 13 January 2013
A mere song perhaps, but nevertheless it was the shot that was heard all over the world. David Bowie made an surprise announcement on his birthday about not only a new song, but also a new video and the announcement of a new album called "The Next Day." The single "Where We Are Now"" strikes me as one of the great Bowie songs. One, because of Bowie's performance of that song, but also the remarkable version that was made within hours of its release by Momus. And as much as I love the Bowie original, the Momus version hits me quite hard. 
But back to the original, Bowie's concept of releasing this song is uber-special. Genius-like. I and the world pretty much accepted his retirement, and I truly thought that there was zero possibility of him doing another 'new' album. But then on his birthday (of all days) he announces not only a new single, but the album with the song list, and ...even the album cover
When I saw this, I thought 'oh god this is too good.' I think this album cover will be up there with Sgt Pepper, Elvis' first RCA album, Never Mind The Bullocks, etc. and etc. A classic. At the age of 66, Bowie is doing something genius like. He has his groove and moment back! And then there is his video
The perfect storm. A piece of work that has tons of Bowie's past as a reference. One can study this forever and perhaps what is there is something that leads to his past (besides the German/Low reference). But nevertheless, we have the single "Where Are We Now" which is superb and so subjective Bowie, and the beauty of the song is him announcing a certain amount of feelings that we 'know' his part of his history. Therefore we have an immediate reaction to this song, knowing that there was no new Bowie material for the past ten years, and accepting the fact that this was that. But no, the surprise of it all was 'wow,' and then hearing something that sounded so personal as the first piece of music from Bowie in ten (exactly) years - no, a statement in fact - was incredible. And to be honest the people who will be effected the most are from my generation - and we fell in love again with the Bowie myth, his taste, and just the great talent that he is.
The beauty of this song is in the melody, but the added textures (and pop is all about the extras) brings it to a specific time in one's life - and for those who are long-term Bowie fans (which is basically my social group, and those who are not, I have no interest in you). The song lists specific spaces that Bowie has a strong feeling for. Not people, but locations that is almost his Proust eating a cookie feeling. And I feel strongly for this song lyrically wise, because I too have a strong feeling of location or placement more then people. The 'dead' you feel the traces but you see the locations. And the locations survive or exist beyond the 'dead.' And that's the sad beauty of "Where We Are Now?"
Within hours of Bowie's surprise release, Momus put his version of the song up on YouTube:
i suspect Momus as being in my family of Bowie fanatics, but his cover goes beyond the song itself, and lands right in Bowie's lap. He takes it to a more personal level, and one can think that he was totally moved when he heard the original version, and therefore here's his love letter to not only Bowie, but acknowledging the greatness of the song and reacting to it. And that he does well. His version of
"Where We Are Now?'" is amazing.
And we should acknowledge the Associates also released a Bowie song the same day of the master's release.
The tradition goes on...
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Saturday, 8 September 2012
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Via my work as the book buyer at Book Soup, I received a galley of Peter Doggett's mega book on David Bowie - "The Man Who Sold The World." I know, another new book on Bowie, but gosh darn it he's a fascinating figure. And Doggett goes through all the songs by Bowie (including unreleased tunes) through out the 70's and also including the more obscure 1960's material. So the book is a biography on Bowie as well as a critical analysis of Bowie's work. Or a narrative via his songs
And yeah I guess this book is for the Bowie geek, but it is also a fascinating read on a man and his work - and his 'work' is extremely impressive. And one can say he said it all in the 1970's from Space Oddity to Scary Monsters - which is an incredible range for an artist within a ten year span. But you know I love all his work -even his so-called horrible albums (I won't tell!). And again what I find the most interesting time period of Bowie is his 1960's era. He was searching up and down to fit in or to make it into the music biz. Hustler (and that is a compliment) galore and a quick study on the world around him. Its pretty impressive that it took Bowie at least 8 or 9 years in the slogs of music business before he made it big -and yeah, Bowie is really the ultimate show-biz figure who to this day has the touch of pure gold - or genius. Bowie fans do buy!
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Ian Hunter is a very much underrated songwriter and made some great records solo as well as with the fab Mott The Hoople. And what we have here is his diary/journal in the very key year when they are breaking into a bigger audience via the help of David Bowie. The book is very much of Hunter expressing his joys, anger, and frustration of touring America circ. 1972. "All The Young Dudes" is in the air, and Mott is riding on the wave via that song. I think any person who picks up a guitar or snare drum as a profession will enjoy this memoir. Because Hunter is not offering something unique in that world, in fact its pretty much so-so hotel and its very so-so food, and the physical strain of keeping yourself in order to perform and deal with a lot of cancelled gigs. So there is nothing romantic here or even sexy, its basically a job. A nice job of sorts, but nevertheless a job. Reading this I wanted something more funny or crazy, but the truth is ....nothing happens on a tour of this scale (struggling of course) and it is really waiting between flights, dealing with the lack of a sound check, and weird and very foreign urban situations, that is a first for a British citizen. What's kind of cool is that the whole band checked out hock shops looking for music gear. I find that endearing. And yes, I think this book is a must for the man ( a very much a man's world then) and woman who picks up an instrument and play for whatever currency that's out there.
Mott the Hoople "All The Young Dudes"
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Friday, 16 December 2011
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Two words, David Bowie. And its two words that i say to myself for the past 40 years or so. I wouldn't say I was obsessive about the man and his work, but for sure a fan. And I don't think he's a genius. I think he is a highly motivated hard worker who had to study his craft to become what he had become. Which, of course, is a great pop star - and an incredible singer. But also a wow gee songwriter. In other words he has the whole package. The theater world, the black american music world, the gay world, and of course the pure showbiz of it all that is one thing that separates Bowie from other rock artists - his love and respect for showbiz. He may grown to hate it, but he will never deny its special power over himself and his audience.
My favorite part of the Bowie story is his young years trying to break into the pop music world. And he tried for at least 12 years before the Ziggy Stardust thing happened. No overnight success story here, but just a lot of hard work and hustling. And speaking of hustling, this bio really shines on the gay British pop music world of the early 60's. Bowie knew who was spreading the butter - and he played up to the expectations of that world.
There are a lot of good books on Bowie and there will be more. But this is an exceptionally good biography on the man, and one still after reading it, wants to know more. And that is why he's a star.
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