David Bowie RIP

[Radio64]

Heathen’s very good. I only discovered it fairly recently when I took out my Apple Music streaming subscription a couple of years ago, maybe. I’m guilty of pretty much turning a blind eye to his 90s and 2000 work, although to be fair, some of it is not that strong. I’m in the Ziggy-Berlin-Monsters brigade, for whom Let’s Dance was the end of the journey, more or less.

As are many others, including the 'mass media'. Part of the reason for that is that his post Let's Dance work in the 80s was pretty sub-standard, even by Bowie's own confession. The Tin Machine project worked, but then failed again, but then from Black Tie White Noise it's definitely a return to form with a healthy amount of self re-invention.

However, having said all that there's nothing that beats Low/Heroes IMHO.

Happy 40th birthday to the former, by the way.

[Beef Oven!]

As are many others, including the 'mass media'. Part of the reason for that is that his post Let's Dance work in the 80s was pretty sub-standard, even by Bowie's own confession. The Tin Machine project worked, but then failed again, but then from Black Tie White Noise it's definitely a return to form with a healthy amount of self re-invention.

However, having said all that there's nothing that beats Low/Heroes IMHO.

Happy 40th birthday to the former, by the way.

I’d go with BTWN & Tin Machine. But as Richard says, I think I think what I think from the time - perhaps I should re-listen at some point.
Low 40 years old? I feel old!

[Beef Oven!]

Apart from Heathen I have a lot of time for Earthling, Outside, Buddha of Suburbia, Black Tie White Noise, quite a lot of the Tin Machine stuff and of course Blackstar. I don't think any of the 80s/90s albums consists completely of duds, although I did think so at the time.

Personal note for those who might be interested: my new piece for orchestra everything has changed/nothing has changed (title from the lyrics of the aforementioned "Sunday"), to be premiered early next month, is a memorial homage to Bowie. Originally I was intending that it should contain material from his work but ultimately that idea fell by the wayside, mainly because it felt too easy a way to do things.

Sunday is such a great number - I don’t know why, but it really unnerves me when I listen to it.

I’m glad that you chose not to include material from Sunday in your new piece. If you change your mind, I have a couple of Glass CDs that I use as beer mats, if it helps.

Please make sure that any performance/recording details of your new piece do not remain obscure.

[Richard Barrett]

Please make sure that any performance/recording details of your new piece do not remain obscure.

I will. The premiere is in Stuttgart on 5 February (I already posted a link to the programme of the Eclat Festival on the Hear & Now board) and I will flag up the broadcast date as soon as I know it.

[Beef Oven!]

I will. The premiere is in Stuttgart on 5 February (I already posted a link to the programme of the Eclat Festival on the Hear & Now board) and I will flag up the broadcast date as soon as I know it.

[Radio64]

As a Bowie/Bargain thread tie-in, some may be interested in this bit of news just launched on the Superdeluxe site.


Does it possibly mean that last year's expensive boxset didn't sell as well as expected??

[Beef Oven!]

Had a late night Bowie session until 3.00am last night.

Heathen - Outside - Black Star

Heathen gets more into my head every time I listen to it, which is not often - missed it when it was released, only caught up with it a couple of years ago.

Same with Outside, but first heard it only a year/18 months ago.

Blackstar totally absorbed me. I played it through twice, back to back (haven’t done that with a rock album for years). Been playing it all morning. I suppose my enthusiasm will die down; but at the moment it is with Low and "Heroes" as my absolute favourite Bowie LPs.

Having listened to it via streaming and CD (my friend’s) since its release, I decided to get a Hi-Res download from Qobuz, last night. So pleased I did. I can even hear the difference between it and the AppleMusic 256Kbps stream, just! (but I’m not hearing £13.39 worth of difference )

[Richard Barrett]

Had a late night Bowie session until 3.00am last night.

May those continue for many years... (not every night of course, that would be quite unhealthy) IMO Heathen has a few songs which are really up there with Bowie's best. I haven't for emotional reasons been able to face Blackstar for a few months.

[Lat-Literal]

While I am in the vicinity, I have never done Blackstar, initially because I couldn't face it and then as a consequence of being uneasy about its own potential for wallowing. Nor have I done Outside due to a lack of interest. But I did do Heathen in a big way at the time and it sits in my collection as his swansong. It was clear it was his best in well over a decade:

David Bowie - Heathen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMtyq84mv_U

[Beef Oven!]

May those continue for many years... (not every night of course, that would be quite unhealthy) IMO Heathen has a few songs which are really up there with Bowie's best. I haven't for emotional reasons been able to face Blackstar for a few months.

Yes, Heathen has some very special music on it, but I’m not familiarised yet. Funny how such music by such an artist totally passed me by.

Blackstar is, in all the circumstances, an extreme emotional experience - an experience all of which I’m not consciously taking in. But I’m left feeling a little strange. I also watched the videos that accompany some of the songs last night, and that’s another aspect altogether. Additionally, I can’t properly grasp that David Bowie is dead.

[Lat-Literal]

Yes, Heathen has some very special music on it, but I’m not familiarised yet. Funny how such music by such an artist totally passed me by.

Blackstar is, in all the circumstances, an extreme emotional experience - an experience all of which I’m not consciously taking in. But I’m left feeling a little strange. I also watched the videos that accompany some of the songs last night, and that’s another aspect altogether. Additionally, I can’t properly grasp that David Bowie is dead.

[Radio64]

I too was a latecomer to Heathen which I now consider one of his best. Mind you, I never was a fan of anything before Low.

Speaking of Blackstar, I believe the No Plan 'left-over' tracks have just been released on vinyl.

[Beef Oven!]

I too was a latecomer to Heathen which I now consider one of his best. Mind you, I never was a fan of anything before Low.

Speaking of Blackstar, I believe the No Plan 'left-over' tracks have just been released on vinyl.

Didn’t know about 'No Plan'. Cheers

Will check it out in due course (CD). Blackstar at 42 mins (shortish in this day and age) might’ve included this material.

[Radio64]

Didn’t know about 'No Plan'. Cheers

Will check it out in due course (CD). Blackstar at 42 mins (shortish in this day and age) might’ve included this material.

It was released digitally at the beginning of the year (can't remember if it was on birth or death date. There's some debate as to why they weren't included on BS although they were tracks which were part of the Lazarus musical thing, which may explain it.

[alywin]

I see some enterprising people in Beckenham have set up a David Bowie local "landmarks" tour - taking in The Three Tuns, aka Zizzi's, and the Bowie Bandstand, I presume :)