RIP David Bowie

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 11 Jan 2016 7:25 am

Died of cancer, aged 69.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35278872

Whether or not you liked his music, there's no mistaking his role as one of the most influential artists of his time.

Here's Megan Hickey of Last Town Chorus with a version of "Modern Love" performed on lap steel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAypnmdiCEk

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 11 Jan 2016 9:24 am

RIP David Bowie. I'm not too familiar with his work, but I bought his first single "Love You Till Tuesday" and than years later an album because it had a tribute to George Harrison. That's when I found how much I like him.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 11 Jan 2016 10:22 am

IMO Rebel Rebel is one of the all time great rock and roll songs with one of the greatest electric guitar riffs ever.

Rest in Peace, Thin White Duke.

Frank De Vincenzo · Post by **Frank De Vincenzo** » 11 Jan 2016 11:43 am

Goodbye Starman. You are already sorely missed.

Jeff Harbour · Post by **Jeff Harbour** » 11 Jan 2016 12:00 pm

To the best of my memory... Bowie's song "Young Americans" is one of only Two songs I've ever heard played prominently on Classic Rock radio that contains absolutely No Guitars (the other being Steve Winwood's "Valerie"). That's not an easy feat.

A true genius and original.

(Oh, and I am in full agreement about "Rebel Rebel". Excellent Good-Time Rock song.)

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 11 Jan 2016 12:37 pm

Little known fact on "Rebel Rebel" - David Bowie was the guitarist and came up with the riff himself.

He worked with so many great guitarists over the years - Stevie Ray Vaughn, Earl Slick, Adrian Belew, Carlos Alomar, Peter Frampton, Robert Fripp, and Mick Ronson among others.

Scott Baker · Post by **Scott Baker** » 11 Jan 2016 1:09 pm

Ziggy Played Guitar..........

Bob Ritter · Post by **Bob Ritter** » 11 Jan 2016 2:01 pm

How many times in your life have you shouted" wham bam thank you mam". David changed our lives with that lyric.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 11 Jan 2016 2:53 pm

Bob Ritter wrote:How many times in your life have you shouted" wham bam thank you mam". David changed our lives with that lyric.

I don't really know much about Bowie because his style of rock was never my bag, though his contribution to pop music is unchallenged.

However, "wham bam, thank you ma'am" is WAY older than David Bowie. Just sayin'...

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 11 Jan 2016 4:16 pm

My nephew just said "I don't think anybody hasn't heard."

'Tonight,' one of my favorite albums of all time.
"Loving the Alien," a masterpiece of lyric songwriting.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 11 Jan 2016 6:46 pm

The Man Who Sold the World

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 12 Jan 2016 3:27 am

... and The Man Who Fell To Earth.

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 12 Jan 2016 6:29 am

Bowie was a true original.. I'll never forget hearing him for the 1st time in 1972.. Ziggy played guitar... he was a revolutionary figure in music,film and theatre. He will never be forgotten...RIP David and thank you....

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 12 Jan 2016 7:25 am

I wasn't a huge fan, though I did like a lot of different stuff he did in different time frames. But talk about the true definition of an artist – the man was fearless.
There's a movie from the 80s call "Into the Night".. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer, but feature David Bowie and Carl Perkins in a fight to the death. If nothing else I had a great appreciation of his sense of humor from that moment on.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 12 Jan 2016 10:31 am

Bummer. He was a very creative & classy guy who influenced a lot of people.

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 12 Jan 2016 4:24 pm

A uniquely-talented man. Whenever you are tempted to despair of humanity, think of him, what he achieved, and be inspired to be the best you can be.
RIP David Bowie.

Richard Argus · Post by **Richard Argus** » 12 Jan 2016 8:56 pm

Always loved "Sorrow" and the sax solo....
An artist of the greatest talent.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 13 Jan 2016 7:29 am

A musical genius in his own way with artistic flair and imagination.
I have a friend who works for a sound rental company.
They did the sound for a Bowie show. He said Dave himself showed up when they were setting up and told them where every piece of equipment should be, and the proper settings.
He said the sound of the show was perfect, with little or no tweaking.
He was never boring, always looking for a new project.
Lefty

Jeff Harbour · Post by **Jeff Harbour** » 13 Jan 2016 12:35 pm

Most have heard his material from the Ziggy-era, the Let's Dance-era, and all in between... But I also really liked his short-lived band in the late 80's called Tin Machine. Very neat sound. A bit different from his other stuff.

Doug Clark · Post by **Doug Clark** » 13 Jan 2016 6:59 pm

Bing Crosby, after he and David recorded "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" for Bing's Merrie Olde Christmas special in 1977: "... clean-cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_on_ ... rummer_Boy

The Wiki article says David and a couple of other guys wrote "Peace on Earth" as a counterpoint to "Little Drummer Boy" because David didn't want to sing the latter song. The duo reportedly performed it after less than an hour of rehearsal. Bing passed away almost five weeks after recording the show in the UK, and it aired shortly after his death.
It's been one of my favorite Christmas songs since I first heard it.

RIP, David (and Bing).

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 14 Jan 2016 1:19 pm

If you didn't check out like Elvis, David, Godspeed on the other side.

I'm down hearing this news. One would think Ziggy Stardust had an alien life-span.

Sad he went this soon.

Bowie was really Major Tom exploring the edge of space.

His lyrics were so socially deep he went where no one would or could. He was Warhol with a guitar, Lennon with cobra fangs.

A small Jean Genie snuck off to the city
Strung out on lasers and slash back blazers
Ate all your razors while pulling the waiters
Talking bout Monroe and walking on Snow White
New York's a go-go and everything tastes right
Poor little Greenie

He's so simple minded he can't drive his module
He bites on the neon and sleeps in the capsule
Loves to be loved, loves to be loved

And although he was in the vein of Lou Reed and did walk on the wild side he was very human and socially conscious.

Yes as been mentioned, the rock world was never the same after "wham bam thank you mam" ala Suffragette City. Rebel Rebel "hot tramp I love you so" the music just swung like a demolition ball.

Let's Dance his music video an ode to nuclear danger.

His not so known song I'd rather Be High.

I'd rather be high, I'd rather be high
I'd rather be flying, I'd rather be flying
I'd rather be dead or out of my head
Than training these guns on those men in the sand

I'd rather be high
The Thames was black, the tower dark
I flew to Cairo, find my regiment
City's full of generals
And generals full of shit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5sf5s3PIyw

David was a multi instrumentalist. Guitar, keyboards, played piano and organ on Iggy Pop's album for one, and collaborated with John Lennon on the song Fame and Freddie Mercury with Under Pressure.

Fame, makes a man take things over
Fame, lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame, puts you there where things are hollow

It will be a long while before we figure out how pervasive this artist's work is.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 Jan 2016 1:48 pm

Godfrey Arthur wrote:It will be a long while before we figure out how pervasive this artist's work is.

That's possible. It may be that his influence had more of an undercurrent than what is seen on the surface.

I think it's not entirely shocking that his run ended early. "Too much is never enough." Still, I was looking forward to more.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 14 Jan 2016 2:20 pm

Charlie McDonald wrote:
Godfrey Arthur wrote:It will be a long while before we figure out how pervasive this artist's work is.
That's possible. It may be that his influence had more of an undercurrent than what is seen on the surface.

I think it's not entirely shocking that his run ended early. "Too much is never enough." Still, I was looking forward to more.

He was surely capable of much more and sadly it would mainly have to come from him as he had that vision.

I'm surprised he went this young as he was known to avail of royal life extension technology way before it became general knowledge. If anyone believes the Queen is only 89 I have a bridge on Mars to sell you.

These days we have to wonder. Guys like Ray Kurzweil, yes the MIT genius who figured out how to make great music synthesizers in the early 80's that everyone wanted among other helpful and well used devices, experimenting with life extension predicts man will be immortal by 2030-45 if he has not got there himself already.

Look up Kurzweils' Singularity and his belief that artificial intelligence will be smarter than humans. This is how these guys plan and think.

"Undercurrent?"

You may have hit the proverbial nail Charlie however serendipitous.

Ah you can call me Ray...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28LPwR8BdY

If you think Kurzweil may not be influencing our lives, he was hired by Google to do a few things namely making the internet a sentient intelligence.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 18 Jan 2016 10:13 am

TVC15.........

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 18 Jan 2016 10:35 am

Ray Minich wrote:TVC15.........

Good one Ray..

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