Star Man
I was first aware of David Bowie when watching an episode of Top of the Pops and seeing him, arm in arm with Mick Ronson, as they mimed to Starman. This being early 1972, an androgynous, orange-haired creature flouting sexual conformity was unusual to put it mildly. This was a time dominated by Benny Hill and Love thy Neighbour, neither paragons of acceptance of the rights of others to be, or express, who they were. My first purchase of his music was Aladdin Sane (on its release), but I cannot admit to having been an early adopter of all things Bowie. It was several years later that I quickly purchased his back catalogue and wondered how on earth I had existed without knowing the delights to be found there.
He wan't just a musical genius, he was also a whirlwind of productivity. Compared to artists of recent times, his album output in the early 1970s was staggering: Hunky Dory (released 17 December 1971), Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (released 16 June 1972), Aladdin Sane (released 13 April 1973), Pin Ups (released 19 October 1973) and Diamond Dogs (released 24 May 1974). Remember, apart from Pin Ups (a covers album), he wrote almost all of the songs, played and sang on every track and either produced, or joint produced them. During this spell he also co-produced Lou Reed's Transformer (another seminal album) and wrote and produced All the Young Dudes for Mott the Hoople. If all that wasn't enough, he toured from Jan 1972 until July 1973 playing a staggering 170 shows, taking in the UK, the USA and Japan. On some of these dates he played two shows. This doesn't take into account all of the TV and press commitments that he needed to do. Phenomenal. Just this select body of work, a mere three years in a 50+ year career, can stand alone as a towering monument to his ability. He had another burst of sublime creativity when he took himself off to Berlin and crafted three critically acclaimed albums. The terrific Low, Heroes and Lodger. The first two were released within nine months of each other.
Images released on his 69th birthday - just two days before his death - show a happy and vibrant man. And, considering all that was going on with him, looking undeniably cool. Maybe only Mr. David Jones of Brixton could pull off that particular feat. He certainly raged against the dying of the light...
He wan't just a musical genius, he was also a whirlwind of productivity. Compared to artists of recent times, his album output in the early 1970s was staggering: Hunky Dory (released 17 December 1971), Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (released 16 June 1972), Aladdin Sane (released 13 April 1973), Pin Ups (released 19 October 1973) and Diamond Dogs (released 24 May 1974). Remember, apart from Pin Ups (a covers album), he wrote almost all of the songs, played and sang on every track and either produced, or joint produced them. During this spell he also co-produced Lou Reed's Transformer (another seminal album) and wrote and produced All the Young Dudes for Mott the Hoople. If all that wasn't enough, he toured from Jan 1972 until July 1973 playing a staggering 170 shows, taking in the UK, the USA and Japan. On some of these dates he played two shows. This doesn't take into account all of the TV and press commitments that he needed to do. Phenomenal. Just this select body of work, a mere three years in a 50+ year career, can stand alone as a towering monument to his ability. He had another burst of sublime creativity when he took himself off to Berlin and crafted three critically acclaimed albums. The terrific Low, Heroes and Lodger. The first two were released within nine months of each other.
Images released on his 69th birthday - just two days before his death - show a happy and vibrant man. And, considering all that was going on with him, looking undeniably cool. Maybe only Mr. David Jones of Brixton could pull off that particular feat. He certainly raged against the dying of the light...
Comments
Other than that, I "found" Bob Dylan in 1964 and despite other musical fads over the years, he still remains far above anybody else in my eyes and has been on his "Never Ending Tour" since the 1980's which is what can be called a real tour.
Steve we've been very fortunate to have been present during such wondrous musical, birding and angling periods of ground breaking discovery - Let's Dance!