I've found myself wishing over the past several days that there was a Bowie analogue to the Beatles' Anthology. I'd love to see clips from his career in chronological order and watch his evolution.
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, 14 January 2016 14:11 (eight years ago) link
As I posted elsewhere, Bowie was downright elemental. There is a before, and there is an after. The only other living musical comparison I can think of is Dylan. Like Bowie, just the very idea of Dylan is radical/revolutionary/epochal.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 14 January 2016 14:28 (eight years ago) link
for a long time I thought someone was playing a Pac-Man machine in the background of "What in the World" - doesn't make sense chronologically but I wanted to believe
― frogbs, Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:07 (eight years ago) link
I'm sure this has been documented or explored elsewhere, but does anyone know what exactly happened to Bowie in the early '80s? Was it just the siren call of MTV pushing him to change his approach? Sobriety? I've never understood how this unstoppable train went off the rails so abruptly.
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:20 (eight years ago) link
Old age
― Narayan Superman (Tom D.), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:21 (eight years ago) link
Late 30s is old age?
― MarkoP, Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:24 (eight years ago) link
He wasn't even that old!
― Narayan Superman (Tom D.), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:25 (eight years ago) link
On that never to be forgotten day of September 1st, 1984, when "Tonight" was released, he'd been a recording artist for 20 years.
― Narayan Superman (Tom D.), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:29 (eight years ago) link
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, January 14, 2016
He'd experienced a similar pre-MTV success in America in 1975 but sabotaged it in 1977. Age had something to do with it. And dough. He'd been the world's biggest cult artist for years; he needed money. Plus, by all accounts the Let's Dance success genuinely flummoxed him.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:45 (eight years ago) link
Listening to the Berlin era instrumentals make me wish that a much better version of Heavy Metal had been made and that Bowie had done the score.
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:56 (eight years ago) link
Five Years is really very good. Carlos Alomar, Ava Cherry, Nic Roeg, Fripp, Nile, Wakeman - they're all in there, they're all good value.Wow, sounds great.
― Bewlay Brothers & Sister Ray (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 14 January 2016 15:56 (eight years ago) link
Bowie's half of the labyrinth OST might be his mid 80s high point. It's so much fucking fun. And half of Thomas Dolby's band on "chilly down"!
― banned on ixlor (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 14 January 2016 16:24 (eight years ago) link
It's very good tho you also have to listen to British music journalists Charles Shaar Murray and John Harris as well as Camille Lapglia which is a chore.
― Cuombas (jim in glasgow), Thursday, 14 January 2016 16:26 (eight years ago) link
CSM is forced to read his own negative NME review of Low on camera though. That's quite funny.
― Michael Jones, Thursday, 14 January 2016 16:33 (eight years ago) link
rock n roll, mate
― skateboards are the new combover (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 14 January 2016 16:35 (eight years ago) link
wow, I had no idea Bowie went back to snorting coke in the mid-80s, though it would certainly explain a lot. That Spin article was mentioned way upthread, does anyone have a link or a scan?
― flappy bird, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link
fwiw i kinda liked "Pretty Pink Rose"
― skateboards are the new combover (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:12 (eight years ago) link
after the brilliant live aid performance i have often wondered what a proper album length collaboration with thomas dolby would have ended up like.think they could have definitely made an interesting album together.
― mark e, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:17 (eight years ago) link
i tried to watch some of this the other day. didn't get far. fun to skip around through though. just so much 80's....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9fQTQ6z324
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:20 (eight years ago) link
so much guitar wank.
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:21 (eight years ago) link
Nina, calling out for David like the rest of us:
https://www.facebook.com/a2theRon/videos/10209026686089968/
― polyphonic, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:22 (eight years ago) link
and then you're all oh right charlie sexton...
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:23 (eight years ago) link
Glass Spider so shitty I need to post this. Mere three years later!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtU4-dil84g
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:31 (eight years ago) link
Nice of him to bring Frampton in, though. Always dug his playing.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:33 (eight years ago) link
Writers have estimated that by the conclusion of the tour between two[45] and six[6] million people had attended, with another source suggesting that three million fans saw the tour worldwide.[2]Four of the tour's shows were among the Top 20 grossing concert shows of the year 1987 in the US, and at the end of 1987 it was estimated that the entire tour grossed more than $50 million.[45] In 1991, it was estimated that each show of the tour grossed US$1 million,[46] for roughly $86 million over the course of the tour (or approximately $179 million today, adjusted for inflation).[21]
Four of the tour's shows were among the Top 20 grossing concert shows of the year 1987 in the US, and at the end of 1987 it was estimated that the entire tour grossed more than $50 million.[45] In 1991, it was estimated that each show of the tour grossed US$1 million,[46] for roughly $86 million over the course of the tour (or approximately $179 million today, adjusted for inflation).[21]
And after all that, Never Let Me Down never rose higher than #34 (in the US).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:35 (eight years ago) link
from my promo days i have a dvd/2cd set of the glass spider tour.i have yet to watch or listen to it all the way through.
― mark e, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:42 (eight years ago) link
Forgot all about this. I'd like to think he saw it and had a laugh:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FODvjYoVEi8
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:54 (eight years ago) link
"Glass Spider so shitty I need to post this. Mere three years later!"
three years in bowie world is like three decades for normal people.
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:56 (eight years ago) link
listened to Heathen today, some really great songs on there. 'Afraid'!
― sam jax sax jam (Jordan), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:58 (eight years ago) link
Still working through the discography. A thing I'm realizing is that, for me, the blinding brilliance of some of his work has occluded songs that are still brilliant if not quite as blinding. I just heard 'Move On' as if it were the first time I've ever heard it. Such a lovely song that I've tended to overlook while still reeling from 'African Night Flight'.
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:58 (eight years ago) link
Sound + Vision suffered from having Belew handle all the guitar (although Bowie played more rhythm than he ever had or would again) and lots of keyboard presets but Bowie's in good voice and the songs are consistently well performed.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 January 2016 19:59 (eight years ago) link
Thus far, from Hunky Dory through Lodger, there have been maybe 3 or 4 songs I could take or leave. Most albums that I like have roughly the same number of meh tracks.
― Professor Bworlph (Old Lunch), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:02 (eight years ago) link
oh my god, "Move On" is incredible, it's in my top 10
― flappy bird, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:12 (eight years ago) link
belew is a dominator. i don't need a lot of him in my life. sorry belew fans!
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:13 (eight years ago) link
(like i love that talking heads 1980 live stuff except for him...and there is a lot of him...)
― scott seward, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:14 (eight years ago) link
Heard "Pretty Pink Rose" the other day...very Robert Palmer-esque, couldn't help imagining rows of supermodels gyrating behind Belew'n'Bowie as they performed it.
― "Damn the Taquitos" (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:17 (eight years ago) link
THAT was the first Bowie-involved single I ever owned!
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:19 (eight years ago) link
and if I'm not mistaken MTV did play it for a while in early summer '90, perhaps as Sound + Vision tie-in.
Yep, saw it that summer on MTV. Thought it was an OK song, but I only ever heard it the one time.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:20 (eight years ago) link
Now you can hear it again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDWPyVCT0X4
― "Damn the Taquitos" (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:28 (eight years ago) link
In other news, Britt Daniel has covered "Never Let Me Down": https://soundcloud.com/spoontheband/never-let-me-down
― "Damn the Taquitos" (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:31 (eight years ago) link
― scott seward, Thursday, January 14, 2016 2:13 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
there's an old showbiz axiom:
"no Belew, career is through/Belew onstage, you've got it made"
― Amira, Queen of Creativity (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:33 (eight years ago) link
Wow...it's a lot worse than I remember. Belew should never sing.
I actually love some of his playing -- with Talking Heads, on the Bowie 1978 live stuff, on Lodger -- but then he'll do some shit that's like, "Don't forget, I used to play with Zappa!" (and Zappa only ever encouraged musicians' worst tendencies)
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:40 (eight years ago) link
you mean you don't like "Oh Daddy"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY7kXn-VssM
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:44 (eight years ago) link
Ned, I just read your trilogy of posts. Thank you. It made me cry.
― banned on ixlor (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:46 (eight years ago) link
sdjakfl;jiworngioa;jdsk09gwr;oijkdagalksnjlkgsadf
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:48 (eight years ago) link
wow there's something I haven't seen since it was originally released
xp
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:48 (eight years ago) link
I own Mr Music Head and Young Lions, which, like Lenny Kravitz and Peter Murphy records from the same period, served as excellent intros to their influences.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:50 (eight years ago) link
You're most welcome.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:53 (eight years ago) link
Very good new interview with Carlos Alomar here
http://m.pitchfork.com/thepitch/998-what-its-like-to-play-guitar-with-david-bowie/
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 14 January 2016 20:54 (eight years ago) link