david bowie

Sell Me A Coat from his best album by a country mile IMHO



"Uncle Arthur" – 2:07
"Sell Me a Coat" – 2:58
"Rubber Band" – 2:17
"Love You Till Tuesday" – 3:09
"There Is a Happy Land" – 3:11
"We Are Hungry Men" – 2:58
"When I Live My Dream" – 3:22

"Little Bombardier" – 3:24
"Silly Boy Blue" – 4:36
"Come and Buy My Toys" – 2:07
"Join the Gang" – 2:17
"She's Got Medals" – 2:23
"Maid of Bond Street" – 1:43
"Please Mr. Gravedigger" – 2:35

I like Space Oddity too, but felt although his later albums, like Hunky Dory, had one or two good tracks, they lacked the consistency and appeal of his first two records. I guess this will be the common view of most forum members so not much original in my view I'm afraid.

Your predictably, Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:


I like Space Oddity too, but felt although his later albums, like Hunky Dory, had one or two good tracks, they lacked the consistency and appeal of his first two records. I guess this will be the common view of most forum members so not much original in my view I'm afraid.

Your predictably, Rotf

Couldn't disagree more and I'll be surprised if this is the common view. It's certainly not that of the many Bowie fans I've mixed with over the decades. I don't actually care all that much for his really early stuff but think that The Man Who Sold the World through Aladdin Sane, and perhaps just about including Diamond Dogs are consistently excellent, and match any run of consecutive albums by any artist.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Every album up to and including Station to Station.
Stu

Likewise except I'd go further chronologically up to 'Lodger'. 'Scary Monsters' was the first album that disappointed me.

Steeve

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:


I like Space Oddity too, but felt although his later albums, like Hunky Dory, had one or two good tracks, they lacked the consistency and appeal of his first two records. I guess this will be the common view of most forum members so not much original in my view I'm afraid.

Your predictably, Rotf

Couldn't disagree more and I'll be surprised if this is the common view. It's certainly not that of the many Bowie fans I've mixed with over the decades. I don't actually care all that much for his really early stuff but think that The Man Who Sold the World through Aladdin Sane, and perhaps just about including Diamond Dogs are consistently excellent, and match any run of consecutive albums by any artist.

I'm surprised really, but don't you like his work as a member of the Lower Third or his version of I Pity The Fool when he was in the Mannish Boys.

Have a listen to Sell Me A Coat and Love You Till Tuesday.

Was never too keen on glam rock (Sweet, Slade, Gary Glitter, Roxy Music) - yes I know Bowie was a lot better than that and wrote a good few gems: Life on Mars, Queen Bitch and 5 Years come to mind. However, it was his early work that really makes want to sit up and listen.

When he finally charted with Space Oddity - it did sound very different to other records around at the time and surely he never quite matched that song again. A bit like Elton John and Lady Samantha (another artist who never quite recaptured the magic of his first two outings).

Still Tom, it wouldn't do for all of us to think alike.

ATB Rotf

tough q tel could be jean genie but maybe space odity or heroes not sure sj ps dont ya just love you tube

no second thoughts might be rebel rebel all about memories for me

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:


Still Tom, it wouldn't do for all of us to think alike.

ATB Rotf

Dead right. Perhaps about time I listened to this early stuff for the first time in many years. I've just ordered Space Oddity 2cd version but couldn't find the other one so ordered a Deram anthology. Look forward to it.

Cheers for reminding me these actually existed.

Tom.

Young Americans

I'm not the biggest Bowie fan but went back to some of his albums a few months back and enjoyed them.

I probably like best the LP Hunky Dory. My favourite song (as against his best) is probably Life on Mars, although I do like Sorrow. I also have a soft spot for Heroes because it always reminds me of a time in my life which involved the film Christians F - my recollection is of a very intense song although predictably when I listen to it these days that intensity has subsided somewhat.

hey ho

Andy

Probably just my own view......but i think he was/is overrated bit like the beatles.

For me Bowie’s best period was when he had Mick Ronson with him, a much underrated contributor to Bowie and other artists such as Lou Reed (Transformer).

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Every album up to and including Station to Station.
Stu

Agreed Stu.

my favourite Bowie song: The Laughing Gnome

nearly said "V-2 Schneider" ...depends wot mode i'm in ; )

not sure which album is my fave, but in the days when i owned 6 of his vinyl albums it was always Lodger

I still haven't heard all of his albums yet, i'll try spotify later!

Debs

I like his early stuff, up to and including 'Ziggy'..love 'Moonage Daydream' - nice guitar Mick !

- to be played at maximum volume..

Saw him/them last in 1972, must have a long memory..can still enjoy the memory...and the music

Possibly my favourite Bowie song is 'Stay' especially the live version from the RKO release of 'Station to Station' release.

I must agree with Amenden 'Moonage Daydream' is pretty special too, the version by the mid 90's band was superb, and also 'All the Young Dudes' which he wrote (co-wrote?) and performed with Mott the Hoople.

As for albums, 'Hunky Dory', 'Aladdin Sane', 'Scary Monsters and Super Creeps'(Fripp at his best too), 'Station to Station', and his brief flowering in the mid 90's with '1. Outside' and 'Earthling'.

A pity his two live albums from the 70's were from '74 and '78, missing the '76 tour which had the New Jersey show broadcast in the US. There have been a few other live releases, but the 76 show has stayed in the can apart from two tracks on 'Station to Station'.

His other great live band was the mid 90's band with Reeves Gabrels, Gail Anne Dorsey, Zachary Alford and Mike Garson back on the keyboards. His two performances at the Phoenix festival in the 90's were among the best gigs I have ever heard (saw the second), and his 50th birthday acoustic (mostly) session for Radio1 is possibly my listened to recording of his (not the all star stage show he did in New York, that is often broadcast, which is very patchy).

There are also some great recordings of his 1995 tour with Nine Inch Nails opening, and Bowie joining them to duet on several NIN songs, and also a few of his. I wish that tour had made it to the UK, sadly we were offered Morissey, who pulled out, and then some of the shows were cancelled, including the one I had tickets to. NIN did a great cover of 'I'm Afraid of Americans' on their last European tour.

I saw his 'greatest hits' performance at Glastonbury in 2000, I know a lot of people enjoyed it, but I found it boring. Fine for the casual observer, but for a dedicated fan, it was sad to see someone who had been such an innovator going through the motions. I never want to hear 'China Girl' by him again, even if it did help out Iggy financially.

Despite all the fuss from people like Jonathan Ross, 'Heathen' sounded like a competent Bowie cover band, but had no originality, and 'Reality' was thinner, with only a fairly good jazzy ballad at the end. He was better live on those tours though, especially the version of 'The Motel' from '1.Outside', and 'I'm Afraid of Americans'.

Apparently he released some albums in the 80's, I did hear some dreadful singles, but as with many good artists that decade is best forgotten for Bowie fans.

He also provided a nice second job for Yes keyboard players, Rick Wakeman on 'Hunky Dory' and Tony Kaye on the '76 tour.

Favourite Bowie quote 'You'd think being a rock star married to a super model would be one of the best things in the world. It is!'

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Got to play this now.

Stu

quote:

Hello Stu,

I dunno if you noticed... but the digital re-mastering on this 1993 2 x CD box-set is imo a lot better than the 24 bit re-mastering on those 1999 albums.

I particularly like Wild is the Wind on this singles collection, so i'll go and put disc 2 on now! : )

Debs

dulicate quote from WAYLTAWMABI (vol 5) thread...
i posted it here also in case anyone else feels those 24 bit re-mastered album are 'too loud', and can advise which Bowie CD's sound best.

Debs

My favourite Bowie albums are David Bowie, Hunky Dory, Scary Monsters and Diamond Dogs. Favourite song I couldn’t say, there are too many. My Dad [who really is not into music] likes Space Oddity, the song, not the whole album. A friend of mine is a serious Bowie collector. He has nearly every single, with every cover variation from every pressing plant in the world. I think he is about 6 short on completing the set. Shame he has not got a record player……., so he has to come and use mine

Bowie provided one of the best gigs I've ever been to at Murrayfield in about 1983. Strutting his stuff in a powder blue suit looking sharp as hell he commanded the full stadium to his whim. Quiet or loud we did his bidding - fantastic. It was tipping it down the whole day-so much so I spent much of the gig with a carrier bag on ma heid to keep the rain out - (young is not always cool!).

On the album front I've always had a soft spot for 'The man who sold the world' since I got belted for listening to it in class in the '70s, Ziggy is a classic (sorry George) which will survive and Hunky Dory always cheers me up. D.B. is part of my musical past which cannot be disentangled from my growing up - like Zeppelin.

Ian