The Unusual Evolution of David Bowie's Music

[Natasha Bell]

I was having a discussion with a friend here on AK, and David Bowie came up. I have always been a bit puzzled by the radical shifts, followed by long stretches of tranquility, in his music. What do you think? Have you noticed similar?

First era (1966 to 1971):
Starting with his self-titled: David Bowie (recorded in late 1966 I believe), and hitting its stride with Space Oddity (1969). Then "the long tranquility" Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971)

Transitional CD/album:
Ziggy Stardust (1972). This combines elements of the "first era" and "second era", which is rather different in my view.

Second era (1973 to 1979):
Aladdin Sane (early 1973), Pin-ups (late 1973), Diamond Dogs (early 1974), Young Americans (1975), Station to Station (1976. This CD/Album strayed a bit into the style of the "first era"), Low (early 1977), Heroes (late 1977, this CD/Album is musically similar to Aladdin Sane of four years earlier and a good bit different than "Low" released earlier that year), and Lodger (mid 1979, and stylishly more consistent with Young Americans of 1976)

Transitional CD/album:
Scary Monsters (1980). This I find some aspects very similar in style to Station to Station (1976) and Heroes (1977), but also to the later "Lets Dance" of 1983

Third era (and my absolute favorite): 1983
Lets Dance (1983) is the only CD/album in this era. Which is a shame as I really love the sound. Perhaps it was a reflection of the times, events, and an evolution of the recording technology than had existed prior. China Girl, Lets Dance, and Putting out Fire, really speak to me (and have for a long time). Criminal World is also a great track.

---------
No transitional CD/album

I think this ended the 1st epoch on David Bowie's career (1966-1983). The CD's that were released later, sounded very much like the upcoming "Tin Machine" era, and not really that much like the "Bowie" sound.

 

[GChief]

How could he go wrong with SRV laying down the licks in your favorite era. Concerning the radical shifts IMHO they are artists and I like the change even if it’s not my thing.

 

[nj pheonix]

Props on your analysis. I think I preferred the first era.
Maybe because of the later radio saturation and MTV and VH1 play.
Very talented artist in any event. Cheers

 

[OfficeMax]

There was a decent documentary on Mick Ronson that really chronicled his impact on Bowies music. It is worth checking out.

 

[Natasha Bell]

There was a decent documentary on Mick Ronson that really chronicled his impact on Bowies music. It is worth checking out.

Thank you!! I did not know that. I will look for it.

 

[Lumpy Waters]

Every time I listen to Bowie, regardless of the era, I find myself marveling at his genius. Even his most crappy output is really quite good taken in context with the work of his contemporaneous peers. I have never thought of his music in terms of a first and second epoch. One of my most favorite Bowie albums is the industrial and electronica flavored Earthling from '97. I didn't like it at first, it didn't sound like "classic Bowie", so I put it away after first listen and then rediscovered it a few years later when it dovetailed more readily with the other music I was listening to at the time. Bowie was one of the the few artists whose work spanned decades, constantly evolved and never stagnated

 

[Natasha Bell]

Every time I listen to Bowie, regardless of the era, I find myself marveling at his genius. Even his most crappy output is really quite good taken in context with the work of his contemporaneous peers. I have never thought of his music in terms of a first and second epoch. One of my most favorite Bowie albums is the industrial and electronica flavored Earthling from '97. I didn't like it at first, it didn't sound like "classic Bowie", so I put it away after first listen and then rediscovered it a few years later when it dovetailed more readily with the other music I was listening to at the time. Bowie was one of the the few artists whose work spanned decades, constantly evolved and never stagnated

I so agree that he never stagnated and evolved. I think the term "re-invented" himself is actually more fitting. As a long time Bowie fan, I only came to the realization of the "epoch" about 2 years or so ago, right after his untimely passing. The further subdivision into "eras", came after a listening binge of like 8 hours earlier this summer.

 

[sKiZo]

Happens to a lot of artists though. The more accepted he becomes, the more experimental. Beatles is another example of the era ... compare their early work to where they ended up.

IMHO ... Bowie saved his best for his last. Interesting story behind Black Star. Short version, he had the material and asked a local jazz band he liked ... hey, you wanna make an album? ... rest is history.

 

[No Money]

Plus one on the Mick Robson documentary. The contribution he made to Bowie's sound was immense.

 

[elcoholic]

Bowie didn’t change styles or go through phases so much as he developed a new and unique persona capable of doing what he nor anyone else had done before. Much deeper than most.

 

[theophile]

I was having a discussion with a friend here on AK, and David Bowie came up. I have always been a bit puzzled by the radical shifts, followed by long stretches of tranquility, in his music. What do you think? Have you noticed similar?

First era (1966 to 1971):
Starting with his self-titled: David Bowie (recorded in late 1966 I believe), and hitting its stride with Space Oddity (1969). Then "the long tranquility" Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971)

Transitional CD/album:
Ziggy Stardust (1972). This combines elements of the "first era" and "second era", which is rather different in my view.

Second era (1973 to 1979):
Aladdin Sane (early 1973), Pin-ups (late 1973), Diamond Dogs (early 1974), Young Americans (1975), Station to Station (1976. This CD/Album strayed a bit into the style of the "first era"), Low (early 1977), Heroes (late 1977, this CD/Album is musically similar to Aladdin Sane of four years earlier and a good bit different than "Low" released earlier that year), and Lodger (mid 1979, and stylishly more consistent with Young Americans of 1976)

Transitional CD/album:
Scary Monsters (1980). This I find some aspects very similar in style to Station to Station (1976) and Heroes (1977), but also to the later "Lets Dance" of 1983

Third era (and my absolute favorite): 1983
Lets Dance (1983) is the only CD/album in this era. Which is a shame as I really love the sound. Perhaps it was a reflection of the times, events, and an evolution of the recording technology than had existed prior. China Girl, Lets Dance, and Putting out Fire, really speak to me (and have for a long time). Criminal World is also a great track.

---------
No transitional CD/album

I think this ended the 1st epoch on David Bowie's career (1966-1983). The CD's that were released later, sounded very much like the upcoming "Tin Machine" era, and not really that much like the "Bowie" sound.

I would put David Bowie's musical evolution down to the fact that he had a deep appreciation of other people's musical vision. He wasn't scared to collaborate with others and take their input and incorporate it within whatever project he was currently working on. This essentially was the evolution of 'Bowie's' music. It also shows that he was not a tyranical musical dictator. He was prefered Musical Democracy(not refering to politics here). I would put his collaboration with Brian Eno in a separate category.

There was a decent documentary on Mick Ronson that really chronicled his impact on Bowies music. It is worth checking out.

When I first started buying my own albums I bought three: Osibisa Woyaya, Carlos Santana/John Mc Laughlin Love, Devotion, Surrender and Lou Reed Transformer. Bowie and Ronson took Reed's raw material( which was basically Reed playing the songs on acoustic guitar with no arrangements) and 'transformed' it (pun intended) into the polished gem that it is.

 

[spicer]

I was having a discussion with a friend here on AK, and David Bowie came up. I have always been a bit puzzled by the radical shifts, followed by long stretches of tranquility, in his music. What do you think? Have you noticed similar?

First era (1966 to 1971):
Starting with his self-titled: David Bowie (recorded in late 1966 I believe), and hitting its stride with Space Oddity (1969). Then "the long tranquility" Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971)

Transitional CD/album:
Ziggy Stardust (1972). This combines elements of the "first era" and "second era", which is rather different in my view.

Second era (1973 to 1979):
Aladdin Sane (early 1973), Pin-ups (late 1973), Diamond Dogs (early 1974), Young Americans (1975), Station to Station (1976. This CD/Album strayed a bit into the style of the "first era"), Low (early 1977), Heroes (late 1977, this CD/Album is musically similar to Aladdin Sane of four years earlier and a good bit different than "Low" released earlier that year), and Lodger (mid 1979, and stylishly more consistent with Young Americans of 1976)

Transitional CD/album:
Scary Monsters (1980). This I find some aspects very similar in style to Station to Station (1976) and Heroes (1977), but also to the later "Lets Dance" of 1983

Third era (and my absolute favorite): 1983
Lets Dance (1983) is the only CD/album in this era. Which is a shame as I really love the sound. Perhaps it was a reflection of the times, events, and an evolution of the recording technology than had existed prior. China Girl, Lets Dance, and Putting out Fire, really speak to me (and have for a long time). Criminal World is also a great track.

---------
No transitional CD/album

I think this ended the 1st epoch on David Bowie's career (1966-1983). The CD's that were released later, sounded very much like the upcoming "Tin Machine" era, and not really that much like the "Bowie" sound.

I liked the Pin-ups album. My favorite song on it is Sorrow... thought he handled it masterfully.

 

[tubed]

Bowie was my favorite.
He went through changes like no other.
That said, I'll always prefer rocker David over pop star David.

 

[jazzmans]

Happens to a lot of artists though. The more accepted he becomes, the more experimental. Beatles is another example of the era ... compare their early work to where they ended up.

IMHO ... Bowie saved his best for his last. Interesting story behind Black Star. Short version, he had the material and asked a local jazz band he liked ... hey, you wanna make an album? ... rest is history.

Black Star is amazing. It's a stuning finale to an amazing body of Sound/Vision

I grew up on Bowie, when I first started listening to pop music at 13, Let's Dance was his latest album.

It's funny, Bowie's album Low was what got me into Brian Eno.

 

[theophile]

Black Star is amazing. It's a stuning finale to an amazing body of Sound/Vision

I grew up on Bowie, when I first started listening to pop music at 13, Let's Dance was his latest album.

It's funny, Bowie's album Low was what got me into Brian Eno.

Low probably introduced hundreds of millions to Eno's music. Such was Bowie's fame and Eno's relative obscurity. Actually it was Bowie's collaboration with Eno on Low which convinced me of Bowie's greatness. As I said, I already knew of Bowie's hits and loved his contribution to Reed's Transformer, but the fact that Bowie allowed Eno to take his music in another direction convinced me that Bowie had an ability to recognise greatness in even unconventional musical ideas.

 

[Alobar]

Kind of new to David Bowie, don't know why now and not 40 years ago like everyone else. A couple favorite LPs (yes my DB are on vinyl thus far) are Tonight, and Never Let Me Down. What else is good? Looking to expand my DB collection!

 

[tubed]

Cover Bowie

 

[tubed]

Kind of new to David Bowie, don't know why now and not 40 years ago like everyone else. A couple favorite LPs (yes my DB are on vinyl thus far) are Tonight, and Never Let Me Down. What else is good? Looking to expand my DB collection!

Ziggy

 

[theophile]

Given that Bowie's music went through so many Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes, what appeals to one person who likes one period of Bowie's music, may not appeal to that same person when they listen to a different Bowie period.

 

[tubed]

Black Star is amazing. It's a stuning finale to an amazing body of Sound/Vision

I grew up on Bowie, when I first started listening to pop music at 13, Let's Dance was his latest album.

It's funny, Bowie's album Low was what got me into Brian Eno.

Eno's work with Roxy Music turned me on to Eno.