Just wondering how many of you are fans of Bowie...I recently got into him more than casually and have started buying his back catalogue.

And a question...

What's your favourite album OR what are your top 5 fave albums of his?

Bowie is my single favorite artist. No one can compare.

My top 5 as of today:

1. Low
2. Lodger
3. "Heroes"
4. Ziggy Stardust
5. Heathen

I've been a fan since 1987, when I spent the last high school summer vacation of my life scouring Indianapolis for every single Bowie album up to his current one at the time. I'll never fully recapture the moments I heard Low, Lodger and "Heroes" for the first time, but damn they were some fine moments.

My 5 fave Bowie albums? Hard call. It's easier to list my five LEAST favorite, since there are really just a tiny handful I'm not crazy about:

1. Never Let Me Down
2. Tin Machine Live/ Oy Vey, Baby
3. Reality
4. Young Americans
5. Black Tie White Noise

...and even THOSE albums have gems (and folks will disagree passionately with me on at least a couple of those choices, I know).

My favorites at this very moment are:

1. Hunky Dory
2. Aladdin Sane
3. Low
4. 1. Outside
5. Heathen

This list will self-destruct and change completely in about .0005 seconds.

Cool. Keep 'em coming...I'm wondering what to buy next.

I have the following: (in order of purchase)

1. Reality
2. Heathen
3. Scary Monsters
4. Heroes

I also got the Best of Bowie DVD recently, which I really like, mostly (although I was pissed that the Golden Years video isn't on there!!!).

Oh and I have The Best of David Bowie 1969/1974, too which I've had for a few years. But I really want to get the full albums.

Bowie is one of the artist's I'm into that I'm most proud to call myself a fan of.


Top 5 albums:


1. Station To Station
2. Reality
3. Heathen
4. Aladdin Sane
5. Ziggy Stardust

mrdespues said:

you must get Station To Station next



oh, and Best of 69/74 is probably the single greatest Bowie compilation ever. 74/79 doesn't really live up to its promise, though, so i'd skip that one until after you've gotten the albums. even though it covers his most creative period, it's really sloppily done with odd choices for inclusion. of interest only for the rarities/obscurities.
[This message was edited Tue Dec 16 17:20:03 PST 2003 by AaronAlmighty]

Bowie is a genius.

I'd start with his early 70's albums and go from there...there have been few missteps along the way...but like Prince...you'll tend to overlook them and focus on the really great stuff.

1-Hunky Dory
2-Ziggy Stardust
3-Aladdin Sane
4-Low
5-Outside (The only 90's album I really liked...produced by Brian Eno..good stuff!!!)

Other things you should consider

1-Best of Bowie DVD-came out last year and has tons of videos (popular and rare) and live footage from ZIGGY STARDUST movie. A essential purchase!

2-'Ziggy Stardust'-the concert film. Amazing music and a great performance by Bowie!

Happy discovering!!!

AaronAlmighty said:

cheers aaron, i bought the bowie mojo special and they seemed to think station to station was one of his best. he can't remember recording any of it so it must be good, eh!

I can't find the Mojo Bowie special ANYWHERE, ARRRGHHH

...and hey...waitaminnit...

there's a video for "Golden Years"??

Anxiety said:

yeah, they show it on australian music tv all the time, a channel called "music max". it's their theme music in fact! but it ain't on the DVD ...it's funky...

p.s. try mojo's website....i bet you can buy it direct.

.
[This message was edited Tue Dec 16 18:20:54 PST 2003 by mrdespues]

What's the Golden Years video look like? Is it a live clip?

mrdespues said:

Station To Station is, I think, his definitive recorded statement and most throroughly consistent and good album. There are things like Low and Heroes that push more boundaries, but song for song, and taking into account that it's 6 cuts are fully formed songs, I think this is his most consistent and high quality album. only Word On A Wing and Stay don't blow me away, but I know that they blow many other people away, and to me they're damn great near-misses on a perfect album.

Bowie is beautiful.

'Scary Monsters'

i've been a big bowie fan for a long time. i first got into bowie in 1973/74, after seeing a tv special on him (marquis theater, london 1973. i first saw him in 1976 for the station to station tour. i hope to see this year's tour, although, it's looking grim.

top 5 fav records:
hunky dory
the rise and fall of ziggy stardust & the spiders from mars
aladdin sane
diamond dogs
station to station

i know i picked all 70's records, but hours, earthling, heathen, and reality are really good albums. "i'm afraid of americans" is one of THE great bowie songs.

I'm really into Bowie but only have his later albums ("Black Tie, White Noise" and everything after except for the "Buddha of Subribia" soundtrack.


If I were to list those in order it would be.

1. Heathen
2. Earthling
3. 1. Outside
4. Black Tie, White Noise
5. Hours
6. Reality (just can't get into this one as much as the others)

I really need more!
[This message was edited Tue Dec 16 20:39:21 PST 2003 by VinnyM27]

all are worth getting. some are stronger than others, of course, but even his worst album - Never Let me Down - is worth having. It has one track in particular that's strong, Time Will Crawl (even though the production is hideous).


My top 5:

1. Aladdin Sane
2. Lodger
3. Reality
4. Outside
5. Diamond Dogs


it changes depending on my mood... but Aladdin Sane is usually #1 in my book consistently

JonSnow said:

for my money, the title track is the best on the album. the song and production match up nicely in a rare instance for that album.

AaronAlmighty said:

i like the song never let me down too. actually the bonus tracks - i guess it was the EMI reissue?? - of When the Wind Blows and Girls - are better than most of the regular album tracks.

Just a quick question...this one just hit me today...

Alladin Sane = A Lad Insane?

I'm pretty sure I'm right but since I haven't heard the album, only the song, forgive me if I'm wrong.

Bowie is one of my musical passion.
I started to listen occasionally to his music in the 80's but I didn't find myself into it until "1.Outside" (that needless to say it's my favourite DB album).

My actual Top 5

1.Outside
Low
The Buddha Of Suburbia
Diamond Dogs
Hunky Dory

mrdespues said:

yes.

Anxiety said:

It's probably the one from the Serious Moonlight Tour.

Anxiety said:

I'm reading it right now and it's great!

I'm up to the Hunky Dory review and so far it's been very insightful and enjoyable to read.

I love magazines like this. Such mind candy.

Anxiety said:

Hopefull seeing it live will make the difference for you. It did for me.




I've never understood why this album isn't included amongst his greatest works in terms of critical praise and fan appreciation. I think it's absolutely gorgeous and probably Bowie's warmest record. Anyone who has doubts about his range as a vocalist needs to check this one out. The title track, Win, Fascination, Somebody Up There Likes Me and obviously Fame are total classics. And the bonus tracks Who Can I Be Now? and It's Gonna Be Me are 2 of his most beautiful recordings ever.




You like Tonight and the Tin Machine albums more than this?

AaronAlmighty said:

It is a fucking brilliant album no doubt. But certainly not his definitive statement. Definitely one of the most consistent though. I think Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Low are far more definitive to his career. Station To Station is a funky transitional record that doesn't quite stick out like the others I mentioned. And "Word On A Wing" is the best on the whole thing!

TRON said:

Or Soul Train

My favourite 5 at this moment:

Hunky Dory
Young Americans
Scary Monsters and Super Creeps
David Live
Diamond Dogs

i just bought TONIGHT for euro 6.99 (well the suckers at the shop made me pay 8.99 but i am going back).

i am going from now to the past you see.

i like BLUE JEAN.

AaronAlmighty said:

I concur. Bowie's vocal on "Wild is the Wind"* rivals any passionate vocal performance you can think of (Prince, Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, opera, ...you name it). Set a mood (dark room or nighttime drive, perhaps) and blast that sucker - you'll get shivers. Also, "Golden Years" rocks and I love the funky sound of "Stay". Overall, much stronger than Eno's fooling around on side 2 (vinyl, y'know) of Heroes

Lately, I'm listening to (in no particular order):

Station to Station
Aladdin Sane (Lady Grinning Soul, wow!
Ziggy
Scary Monsters
Heathen (I like this one better than Reality)


Hunky Dory is a must have also.

*Cool factoid - Wild is the Wind was originally recorded by Nina Simone
[This message was edited Wed Dec 17 6:38:40 PST 2003 by jackflash]

Prince - David Bowie - Stevie Wonder

...the holy trinity!