(Contributions from Cervante Pope and Matt Matasci)
Inspired by the earliest legends of the genre like Little Richie and Elvis Presley, David Bowie’s own impact on rock ‘n roll is undeniable. He was a man capable of constant reinvention, taking bold stylistic leaps of aesthetic and sound and nearly every time coming out the other end looking like a genius. Despite being 69 when he left this world, his career was actually cut short – just two days earlier he had released the darkly artistic, critically-acclaimed ★ (pronounced Blackstar). His 25th studio LP, ★ is the swansong for the incredibly varied and always-intriguing David Bowie. Here is a look back at the most important points of his six-decades-long musical career.
David Bowie’s “Lazarus” music video
It took some time for Bowie, born David Jones, to come into his own. After several singles and a self-titled debut full-length failed to make much of an impact at all, he did not release music for two years. He met dancer Lindsey Kemp in 1967 and began his transformation into the man the world would come to know over the coming decades. “Space Oddity” was recorded in 1969, becoming his earliest success. The first of many reinventions would come at this point, with Bowie abandoning the folksy sound of “Space Oddity,” bringing on the core of what would go on to be his famous Spiders from Mars backing band, and released his third full-length The Man Who Sold the World in 1970. Hunky Dory followed, mixing in some of the older folk sound from his earliest work with a new found glam-rock edge, at times directly referencing his disparate influences: Bob Dylan on “Song for Bob Dylan” and Lou Reed on “Queen Bitch.”
David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” music video
When one of your heroes passes away, it’s like a part of you passes along with them. There have been very few of them throughout musical history, and certainly none as incredibly influential across the board than the late, the great, David Bowie. Transcendence expressed through his fashion, social adeptness and personal reinventions (which of course include his music), Bowie altered realities for lost souls, weirdos, and “normies” alike, as still evident today. His passing all too fresh in our minds and hearts, let’s focus on some of the pinnacle and inspiring points from Bowie’s “art stage,” from Ziggy Stardust to his formation of Tin Machine.
David Bowie performing “Ziggy Stardust”
The first of Bowie’s major transformations, Ziggy Stardust was a persona launched out of a spaceman’s dream. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is one of his most cherished pieces, furthering his inevitable stardom from opening track “Five Years” all the way to closing track “Rock and Roll Suicide.” It’s Cool Class 101, musically, stylistically and artistically.
Following Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was Aladdin Sane, which born the infamous “red lightening” look we’ve all attributed as one of his most popular looks. The “Ziggy goes to America” theme of the album gave us his collaboration with Mick and Keith on “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” as well as the laid back “The Jean Genie.”
David Bowie performing “Sorrow”
With his cover album Pinups, Bowie touched hits from a handful of musicians, like The Merseys’ “Sorrow (featured above) to “Rosalyn” by The Pretty Things to “Where Have All the Good Times Gone” by the Kinks. Being able to truly make other artists’ singles your own isn’t an easy feat, but for Bowie, it made for another success in career.
David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel”
The alternate conceptual reality of Diamond Dogs as an album and as a single shown us the real cool cat named Halloween Jack and just how only Bowie can make just standing in front of a weird kaleidoscope background compelling, as witnessed above in “Rebel Rebel.”
Bowie performing “Golden Years” on Soul Train
Fully forming his funkdafied, soul heavy sound, Station to Station defines the 70’s, especially with the development of Bowie’s drug formed character, the Thin White Duke. Cocaine abundant, this stage of his career was transitional both personally and musically.
Bowie performing “Warszawa” in Tokyo, Japan, 1978
Thank goodness we didn’t lose Bowie back during his Thin White Duke stage, where overdoses led him to adjusting his scenery and lifestyle. With this came the beginnings of the Berlin Trilogy, his collaborations with Brian Eno that dealt with his heavy attempt to kick his addiction after moving to Berlin, Germany. Though some of the songs were intended for The Man Who Fell to Earth, Low was Bowie’s avant-garde expression of his sobering sorrows at the time.
David Bowie’s “Heroes”
Continuing on the Berlin Trilogy are “Heroes” and Lodger, with “Heroes” holding one of his most recognized songs of the same name. It’s also the only album that was solely recorded in Berlin, soundtracking the rift between both sides of the Berlin Wall.
David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes”
Bowie transitioned out of his Trilogy days and into the 80’s perfectly with Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). It’s track, “Ashes to Ashes,” shows Bowie’s full take on new wave, both audibly and visually. It’s the last truly originally artistic representation of Bowie, before Let’s Dance launches him even further into commercial success.
David Bowie’s “Modern Love”
Probably the most popular era of Bowie, his new wave affect was expressed greatly on Let’s Dance and the rest of his 80s albums. His popular cover of Iggy Pop’s “China Girl” to one of the most played 80’s hits “Let’s Dance,” to the title song for the movie Cat People, this was one of the highest and most accessible points for all ages of Bowie’s career, as his role as the Goblin King in the Labyrinth is one of the most memorable characters of all time.
Tin Machine’s “Under the God” video
Like nearly every decade in Bowie’s life, the 90s were a time of transition. He put his solo career on hold in order to play in the rock group Tin Machine with band members Reeves Gabriel, Tony Sales and Hunt Sales. Although it was formally considered a group effort, the band slowly became dominated by Bowie’s decisions and ultimately only released two albums, 1989’s Tin Machine and 1991’s Tin Machine II. While considered one of the less-productive periods of Bowie’s life, he did meet model Iman during this time and eventually married her in 1992.
David Bowie’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” video
Black Tie White Noise saw David Bowie returning to his usual place as a critic’s favorite. The album began what could be considered his electronic period, in which he was finally able to distance himself from the poorly-received string of solo albums he released following the success of Let’s Dance. Outside was released in 1995 and is noted as the album in which the Eno/Bowie collaboration was renewed. The next year, Bowie was induced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rounding out his proper full length releases in the decade was his 1997 album Earthling, notable for “I’m Afraid of Americans,” a song that includes an appearance by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and his 1999 album ‘…hours’, notable as his final release for EMI.
David Bowie’s Where Are We Now” video
In the last two decades, Bowie has cemented his status as a legend, producing four albums of (arguably) increasing quality. Heathen was released in 2002 and Reality was released shortly after in 2003. It took 10 years for his penultimate album, the universally critically-lauded The Next Day, to grace record store shelves, surprising many music fans who thought he had retired from music years before. Just a few days ago, the world was blessed with ★. Truly an amazing, unpredictable and always spellbinding career for a man who is an irreplaceable part of music history.
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