DAVID BOWIE

DAVID BOWIE

These big, classic artists are really hard to write about...

My first glimpse of Bowie, I think, was the clip to Ashes to Ashes - an iconic clip, but it scared the hell out of me! Firstly, HE was a clown, I do not like clowns; then there was that black sky; and finally they were all walking in front of that tractor...totally weird...to me! Yet, I really liked the song...I also love the lyrics...no idea why I did not include this...so many great songs, way too many to choose from!

I know I listened to lots of Bowie growing up, but he did not really register for me until Let's Dance - which as a fan now, I can see is so wrong, I was just too young to appreciate him prior to that. I loved the rock and pop sensibilities of that album - in fact the very first piece of vinyl I bought with my own money!

I was twelve...

Whilst that album seems so mainstream these days, back then not so much, although certainly a departure from previous material. I so desperately wanted to see him on the Serious Moonlight Tour...I had to wait 20 years to see him live, but it was worth it!!!

It was difficult to choose only 4 tracks, but that was all the room I had left on the disc i was compiling for this project.

TRACK SIXTEEN: Man who sold the world
This is an early tune, a classic, a cult tune to some. I knew it well enough, but really loved the Nirvana version from their unplugged session and listened to it over and over; and then returned to the original, and loved it more than anything else.

It is the perfect indie tune, you can see the appeal to Cobain. The guitar riff goes down as a classic, and the percussion is light but adds another dimension.

TRACK SEVENTEEN: Ziggy Stardust
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was a concept album from 1972 featuring "Ziggy Stardut". I recall my Dad getting into this at some point, I cannot recall when, I know it was not 1972...my recollection is not that good! I know I got my own 'copy' on a cassette and played it until the tape split...I loved, loved, loved that album!!! Ziggy and Starman were standout favourites, but the whole album is great.

Here is a fabulous clip from the movie with Bowie/Ziggy at his best! I am pretty sure Abba based some of their outfits on this spectacular number, and what a fabulous shade of red in his hair!

TRACK EIGHTEEN: Starman
Same album, more melody and Mick Ronson's cracker, funky guitar...don't get much better than this. Oh, and then there are the lyrics:

Some cat was layin' down some rock n roll lotta soul

That weren't no DJ that was hazy cosmic jive

...are my favourites!

Love the blue guitar in this clip.

TRACK NINETEEN: Golden Years
Golden years has grown on me over the years, I'd put it up there as a favourite. It has that funky sort of backbeat, the timbre of his voice, deep and smooth (just how I like it) and high almost falsetto. Great to dance to.

This is the legendary clip from Soul Train. Bowie was one of the very few white artists to be featured and he was stinking drunk!!!