Bowie recommendation please

1. Aladin Sane
2. Hunky Dory
3. Low
4. Ziggy Stardust
5. Station To Station

Ziggy Stardust

Man who sold the world.

Hunky Dory.

Ziggy Stardust.

....with Hunky Dory as a close second. Both of these are miles better than Low/Station to Station/etc etc especially for a new starter.

Low etc are more of an aquired taste (IMO).

Ziggy is a rock classic that should be in everybodys collection.

Bowie's long been known as a musical chameleon, so which one you want depends on what you like and how that correlates to his various phases.

So, "it depends". I have Hunky Dory, Ziggy, Aladdin Sane, Young Americans, Heroes, Scary Monsters and like them all, though if I really can only have one it's probably Aladdin Sane. Also have Man Who Sold the World and Let's Dance and like those too, though IMHO they're 2nd division stuff by Bowie's standards. Haven't heard the new one. Probably best avoid Tin Machine...

Pete.

Hi Gavin

My advice would be to go for a Bowie collection (but it's probably not on special offer), see what era you like, because our Dave's been through a few phases, and pick the albums from that time period. On a personal level, I've got fond memories of Hunky Dory (with Rick Wakeman tinkering away on the piano)(even the corny song 'Kooks' contains the great lines 'Don't pick fights with the bullies and the cads, coz I'm not much good at punching other people's dads) and Ziggy Stardust.

Totally recommend Bowie live at the Beed from 2000, one Cd is the live bit (modern) the other cd is studio stuff (old)

The live one is an exceptional recording and got me into bowie, if you have none of his albums this one is a great start.

BTW if you are tempted by his latest, its good, but will probably scare you off, recording quality if nothing else ;-)

1. Heroes
2. Low

3. Not Tin Machine, under any circumstances



ITTD - My Way - Akufen

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BTW if you are tempted by his latest, its good, but will probably scare you off, recording quality if nothing else ;-)

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I reckon his latest sounds pretty good. And is also good.

If you have to have just one it has to be Ziggy.

Paul

Ziggy on vinyl, Hunky Dory on CD.

Even the remastered CD (24-bit?) of Ziggy is screechy and nasty. On vinyl it is a whole different (and much nicer) experience, especially the old thick 70's vinyl.

-John

Plenty to go at there!!

Current front runners would appear to be (in no particular order) - Hunky, Ziggy, Aladin.
I think, if I was pushed, I'd have gone for one of these before I'd had your recommendations, so thanks for the confirmation.

Which one of these has just gone through an anniversary? I heard a bit about it on 6 Music a few weeks back. Did it get a special re-issue?

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Originally posted by JohnS:
Hunky Dory on CD.

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I find Hunky Dory really hard to listen to on CD.. There are some acoustic guitar parts that have the same effect of nails down a blackboard to me. I think the original recording is over saturated and the treble way too high and metallic. It is a great album though spoilt only by its dubious re-mastering..

But.. I cannot believe that there has not been one recommendation for Diamond Dogs ? What kind of Bowie fans are you ?

-A-

I find that most of the EMI re-issues of Bowie's albums are awful quality.

I have all of them on original RCA issues, quite a few of the EMI re-issues on vinyl from the early 90's (bought for the extra tracks) and a few EMI CD re-issues. Have also heard some of the original RCA CD issues (but don't own any). The only ones that are really listenable are the original RCA vinyl issues, a lot of the RCA re-issues are bad as well.

So to cut a long story short, Gavin, don't buy any re-releases hunt down the 70's vinyl versions.

Simon

Gavin

Ziggy Startdust has just had a 30th aniversary issue - its a double CD with the second CD containing demos and outtakes.

ingnore the usual posturing from the vinyl mafia about the CD versions being 'awful' and 'unlistenable'. The recent 24 bit remasters are great. (and I have the original 70s vinyl to compare them to)

Steve - waiting to be accused of being deaf

Steve,

I haven't heard the new 24bit re-masters of the Bowie stuff. My comments are based on the first set of issues that EMI did in the late 80's early 90's. These are truly dreadful.

Still, can't imagine any CD sounding better than the original vinyl version .

Simon

I don't even own a TT and think that some of the 24-bit remasters are awful. Which is a shame really because Bowie recorded a lot of good music.

-A-

The 24 bit reissue of 'Ziggy' is excellent. I'd agree with Alan's comments about 'Hunky Dory'.

Gavin if you've never really fancied any Bowie that you've heard over the years, I think it probably isn't for you. Perhaps go for a compilation if you're that keen to persist.

David

I wouldn't even call the 1st set of reamasters 'truly dreadfull'. They seemed quite listenable to me ... as does the 24bit Hunky Dory.

I do concede that I'd hoped some of them would be better than they turned out to be.

But in general I'd say the 24bit remasters sounded better on my system that the vinyl versions ... but then I haven't got a stella TT

Hi!
It´s impossible for me to choose one Bowie album
I would say: The entire catalogue from Space oddity onto scary monsters. After scary monsters there isn´t really anyting in the same league. Stay away from rhe 80´s albums , the 90´s are somewhat better but nothing against what he did in the seventies.
The Cd reissues of the 60 and 70´s are IMO almost unlistenable regardless if it´s Ryko reissues or any of the EMI pressing. That also goes with the Vinyl reissues.
I would strongly recommend LP pressings from the seventies. Preferable original pressings.

Start off with Hunky dory and ziggy, after that get alladin sane and then you just have to have the others too.

Gunnar

"Changes One" , a greatest hits compilation.

I honestly think this is the best point to start. There's hardly a duff track on it.

Paul

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The entire catalogue from Space oddity onto scary monsters. After scary monsters there isn´t really anyting in the same league.

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I was going to say exactly the same! I can’t really pick favourites, as they are all so different, I just go through phases of playing different ones. What can be said with some degree of certainty is that it all went a bit pear shaped after he left RCA records (Scary Monsters was the last one).

I was interested to see the new double pack CD of Ziggy, I wonder if they are going to do this with them all. I can never make my mind up with this kind of thing; is it purely a cynical marketing gesture to get those of us with perfect original vinyl copies to buy the beer mats as well, or do they genuinely add to the experience? The whole point about demos and alternate takes is they were originally rejected as being inferior to the released version! Often I don’t feel they add much value, though there are exceptions.

It really pisses me off when the record companies milk classic albums with such regularity – take The Who’s Live at Leeds, within about a year and a half of it being remastered with loads of great extra tracks not on the original vinyl it appears yet again as a double CD. How many times are we expected to buy something? I’m just going to pirate disk 2; I’ve bought the bloody thing enough times already!

Tony.

Tony is really spot on,as I see it!
Couldn´t agree more. This is as I see it just milking the old cow once more and getting the fans to buy the album once again.

I was at my favourite record dealer and we had a chat about the new ziggy double cd. He and I are BIG Bowie fans since we were teenagers in the early 70´s, but we came to the same conclusion.
"I don´t want yet another Ziggy stardust album".
Aside from this, it´s really just one new track that has not been available before.

Outtakes are just outtakes and not meant to be the final cut. They seldom add something more substancial to the final mix/cut.

My point is that if the fans are interested in outakes; then do a album containing outtakes and just that.

Bowie is infact behind most of the bootlegging that reaches the customer and most certainly behind the reissuses.

He has been working on a new cover album that doesn´t seem to released. Some tracks you can find on Heathen.

Live at leeds on the other hand is IMO best in the original version. Less is often more.

Gnnar

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Originally posted by GUNNAR JANSSON:
Live at leeds on the other hand is IMO best in the original version. Less is often more.

Gnnar

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I disagree - the first re-issue not only had great extra stuff on it, it was an excellent re-master. I didn't buy the latest version, as I didn't want Tommy (again) and was determined not to buy the bloody thing for the fourth time!

Yes, I got a couple of ém too. But I always go back to the first version. A total concentrate of maximum R&B in about 40 (?) min with WHO a their peak.

Gunnar