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  1. 2023 Albums Thing #041 - Various Artists “Absolute Beginners”

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    I know it’s really a Various Artists OST but the only reason I own it is for Bowie’s contributions so it sits here among my Bowie albums.

    I have to admit that I’ve not seen the film since it was released in 1986 (I’d actually quite like to remedy that) but I don’t remember Bowie’s performance, as advertising executive Vendice Partners, convincing me that he was suddenly going to become a feted act-or anytime soon.

    He contributed 3 songs to the soundtrack, “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)” you’d know it if you heard it, it was Italy’s entry to the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest and Bowie delivers it in Italian, “That’s Motivation”, a set piece for Bowie’s character in the film based around the motivation to make money and including the intro motif from the title song, and of course, the title song itself.

    “Absolute Beginners” might well be the greatest song David Bowie wrote and recorded post “Scary Monsters” and pre “Earthling”. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios after an invite to record with “Mr X” went out to a group of musicians including Thomas Dolby, Prefab Sprout guitarist Kevin Armstrong and former Soft Boy Matthew Seligman, it is an enormous, 50’s/60’s doo-woppy styled power-ballad, embellished by “Rachmaninov style” piano from Rick Wakeman, which Bowie performs absolutely brilliantly. Of course it’s the highlight of a very patchy soundtrack.

    Absolute Beginners - https://youtu.be/iCJLOXqnT2I

     

  2. 2023 Albums Thing #040 - David Bowie “Tonight”

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    “Tonight” gets some really bad press, even at times from Bowie himself. 

    I was all ready to make a controversial statement (to some) and say that I could make a case that “Tonight” is a better album than “Let’s Dance”. It does have some stinkers (two more rotten covers in “God Only Knows” and “I Keep Forgetting” and the cod-reggae takes on the title song with Tina Turner and Iggy’s “Don’t Look Down” are best glossed over) but in “Loving The Alien” and “Blue Jean” we have two winners and the other Iggy cover on here, “Neighbourhood Threat”, is better to my ears than the “Let’s Dance” take on “China Girl”. And to round it up “Tumble And Twirl” and “Dancing With The Big Boys” are VERY 80’s but they’re better songs than most of what’s on “Let’s Dance”. But having listened to the album again as a whole Bowie was right to say it’s not very good.

    Much of “Tonight”'s problems stem from it sounding soooo 80’s (and did I mention the cod reggae ?) and from being somewhat lazy. If you count the previously released Iggy songs (3) and the 2 covers Bowie only wrote 4 new songs for this album, that’s less than “Station To Station” !

    The video’s for the singles “Blue Jean” and “Loving The Alien” were pleasant epics and hopefully our hero made a few more quid on the sales of this one.

    Loving The Alien - https://youtu.be/ns2hmyP0mGY

  3. 2023 Albums Thing #039 - David Bowie “Ziggy Stardust The Motion Picture”

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    A slightly amended recording of the Ziggy retirement show at Hammersmith Odeon on 3rd July 1973. It was released alongside a film of the gig and a VHS video version in October 1983.

    In order to fit the show onto 2 LP’s “Width Of A Circle” was edited down to under 10 minutes from it’s original 15 minutes and “Changes” position in the set was moved (both were restored to their original length and position on the 2003 re-issue). Also Jeff Beck refused to have his guest appearance on the “Jean Genie/Love Me Do” medley and cover of Chuck Berry’s “Round And Round” included, some say he wasn’t satisfied with his playing, some say he didn’t know it was being filmed and didn’t like what he was wearing ! The  “Jean Genie/Love Me Do” medley was finally included in the “Moonage Daydream” documentary in 2022. “Round And Round” remains un-issued.

    During the mixing of the 1983 release Bowie and Visconti were unsatisfied with some of the (backing ?) vocals and recorded new ones. Visconti has stated that the original vocals are still there but were “embellished” with the newly recorded takes. An organ track was also added to “My Death”.

    Apart from those changes the album is a fairly accurate representation of an historic night. A great chance to hear the Spiders From Mars in their pomp. A special mention for opening song “Hang On To Yourself”, those first few bars as The Spiders kick into gear, that’s Punk Rock happening right there in London in 1973.

    Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/All The Young Dudes/Oh! You Pretty Things - https://youtu.be/ZPxLbMXGGBY