Last night, as I couldn’t sleep, I stayed up late and watched a bunch of Ziggy Startdust-era Bowie stuff. Here are three of my better finds. Enjoy.
Oh, and here’s a piece of bonus footage, taken of a young Bowie in 1964, talking about his newly formed organization, The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Longhaired Men. I love it, as it kind of reminds me of Buck Henry’s early exposure to the media by way of his role as President of the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals. I’m not suggesting that Bowie’s organization was a prank, as Henry’s was, but I love how people who eventually become famous always find creative ways to get themselves in front of cameras early on in their careers. Speaking of which, remind me one of these days to tell you about the time that I was on Romper Room.
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And I know that Cracked Actor was released after Ziggy Stardust, on the record Aladdin Sane. I consider it part of the same era, though, as it was the same band lineup, and as he was still doing a variation of the same Ziggy character.
I have tons of classic rock baggage but I just don’t understand the lasting popularity of Bowie. The vast majority of his catalog is mediocre or near shite. A handful of good songs but he’s easily the weakest act of his whole scene. Gimmie Mott The Hoople, Slade, T-Rex….even the Sweet over Bowie. He’s fucking to blame for the whole Madonna/Lady Gaga/whoever brand of fashion over substance thing too.
Plus, you can’t trust any artist who says they hate and fail to understand country music.
Bowie can’t be blamed for Lady Gadonna, any more than the Supremes can be blamed for the Spice Girls. While it’s true that his catalog isn’t without its bombs, he’s responsible for some really wonderful stuff. He’s not afraid to take big chances, and shake things up. I cannot think of anyone at his level of celebrity who is as brave as he is.
How can you watch this and not LOVE David Bowie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWuBgWNMUM8
And he has the best plastic surgery of anyone in rock.