Saturday 28 February 2009

ch..ch..ch..ch..'eroes.










Old David Bowie's gone a bit quiet these days?  Anyone seen him?
I imagine having a heart attack will slow you down and make you re-evaluate your priorities.  That and being the cause of The Credit Crunch TM © All Rights Reserved etc.

Like many people of my generation, I love Mr Bowie almost unequivocally and can (and have) forgive him for any of his sins against music.

OK he might have pinched the odd idea here and there in the early days.  But Mr Newley was never going to get a credible career out of this, so why not let Bowie borrow it?



Syd Barratt lost the inclination to do anything at all not long after this.  And under Waters, Pink Floyd changed direction completely.


So why not let Bowie pick up the pieces and move it along.

Anyway, I love all the Bowie albums of the seventies.  Hunky Dory is still my favourite.  
So a question for you.  Has he done anything that meant anything for you in the last 25 years?
 
For me it stopped with this piece of magnificence.


I have friends* who think it stopped earlier.   Some who think later.  I can't abide 'Let's Dance'  the opening bars of 'Modern Love' will make me switch the radio off.
So, to repeat myself.    Has David Bowie recorded anything decent since 1980?



*VS does not actually have any real friends.

11 comments:

Clair said...

You amaze me. I was only wondering about Mr Jones' exisistence yesterday, and wondering if he's enjoying his life as an ex-rock star and elderly dad.

Hawkfall said...

I think "Heathen" is a decent enough album, and played it a lot when it came out. I'd be making a stronger case for it if it weren't for the fact that I the three best songs on it are all cover versions...

I agree that "Hunky Dory" is probably his best one. I reckon "The Man Who Sold The World" is his most underrated album. That digital rejiggering it had for the CD reissue makes it sound very fresh.

Kolley Kibber said...

Does 'Ashes to Ashes' sneak in under the wire there, being released as it was in 1980? For the young New Romantic about town, it was our theme tune. HE came to Billy's to watch US, for the love of Jayzus, and WE inspired HIM! It gave us a reason to pile on the slap and tie those cummerbunds real tight. And get beaten up by Soul Boys.

But after that, he turned to mush. Jazzin' for Blue Jean killed it stone dead for me.

Hunky Dory remains my favourite. Practically perfect in every way.

Valentine Suicide said...

'Ashes' and the whole of 'Scary Monsters' is allowed. It just struck me that this was the last time he was any good?

'Hunky Dory' seems to get everyone's vote.

Bright Ambassador said...

What was wrong with Tin Machine? Very misunderstood.
I'll get me coat...

Bright Ambassador said...

Oh, and I quite liked that one where you saw his bum in the video. China Girl? "Oh, baby, just you shut your mouth", that one.

BPP said...

Which one's David Bowie again? Is he the one with poodle's hair that kept pretending to be either gay or straight (or both)? Or is he the one that went bonkers off of LSD and ended up at his mum's house going fat, then bald, then dead?

Whoever it is, the man can't sing a note to save his life.

Valentine Suicide said...

You're thinking of Val Doonican and Perry Como, Perry?

BPP said...

Am I? Was this Perry Como character in that Muppet film in the '80s? The one with the puppets?

Jon said...

The 'Outside' album.

It's about a serial killer.

And 'I'm Afraid Of Americans'.

Which isn't.

Mondo said...

He's never been the same since he had his teeth done - Bowie's mod period is worth revisiting - and he's always been a terror for some light-fingered pop lifting - have a peep here and here for a couple of examples...also check out The Yardbirds I'm A Man to see where the Jean Genie riff comes from..

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