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<\/a><\/p>\nThis book is subtitled \u201cA tribute to Bowie by his artistic collaborators and contemporaries,\u201d which describes it exactly. It\u2019s been put together by Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt, who conducted the interviews, and I doff my cap to him: he\u2019s managed to ask the right people the right questions, and assemble the results into a tasteful and compelling portrait. <\/p>\n
The first contributor is George Underwood, a schoolfriend who became an a artist and contributed to some of Bowie\u2019s album covers.<\/p>\n
Amazingly, George Underwood left a message for Bowie on his answerphone in 1976 or thereabouts, saying \u201cI\u2019m happy, hope your happy too.\u201d The words later turned up on Ashes to Ashes. \u201cBut I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m the Action Man,\u201d writes Underwood.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Dana Gillespie, an early singer friend for whom Bowie wrote the song Andy Warhol, though it first appeared on Hunky Dory.<\/p>\n
And Mike Garson, who is fascinating about the tension of being a classical and jazz pianist and working with a rock musician. \u201cThere was a part of me for sure that recognized his genius \u2026 but let me tell you for sure, there was another part of me at the time that just thought, this is way below my gift and abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
He later remarks, \u201cI was the longest member in the band, when you put all the hours and tours together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earl Slick writes frankly about his work with Bowie. I was interested in his remarks about recording Station to Station. \u201cHe was not as out of control as he was made out to be, in terms of his functionality. When he got his mind into something he could hyper-focus like a _. I don\u2019t care if he was living on milk.\u201d <\/p>\n
He also reveals that there was nearly a tour after the Reality tour. \u201cThere were about three or four close calls where I did get phone calls, and I was put on hold to tour, but it didn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
And later Slick writes, \u201cthere were parts of David that you could never get through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlos Alomar: \u201cThe master puppeteer actually did know what he was doing, and not only can you understand that now, but you see it play out constantly on all those albums.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also recounts his goodbye. \u201cI saw David at Tony Visconti\u2019s birthday partly last year and he was very very fragile. In hindsight, I can see what was happening \u2026 we talked about old times and it was good to talk about things, heal old wounds \u2026 now I understand it was that goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n
Artist Derek Bosher tells a story about Bowie being photographed. \u201cAs we were chatting the PR person came over and said, David, there\u2019s a photographer here from Paris Match. David, in real life, used to always walk quite slowly and talk quietly, he never shouted, different from the almost narcissistic public persona. \u2026 they start shooting and he becomes David Bowie. And then straight after that, he said, \u201cLet\u2019s go sit down again. It was like watching Clark Kent going into the telephone booth and becoming Superman, then turning back.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Nile Rodgers, of Chic, says Bowie really did call him up and say, \u201cyou do hits, I\u2019d like you to do a record of hits\u201d \u2013 it became, of course, Let\u2019s Dance. His account of how it was recorded is incredible, gripping. I won\u2019t spoil it for you by quoting everything.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a picture book, but it is illustrated with around 40 photos and artworks most of which I had not seen before. The printing is high quality and this is just a lovely book, you will know Bowie better after reading it.<\/p>\n
The only thing I don\u2019t much like is the cover, which looks rather cheap to me, not hinting at the wonders within. And I suppose there are other contributors it would have been nice to see included, Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Tony Visconti and more; but you never get everyone in a project like this.<\/p>\n
The full list of contributors:<\/p>\n
George Underwood
Dana Gillespie
Mike Garson
Toni Basil
Earl Slick
Carlos Alomar
Debbie Harry and Chris Stein
Martyn Ware
Derek Boshier
Nile Rodgers
Stephen Finer
Gail Ann Dorsey
Zachary Alford
Cyndi Lauper
Robyn Hitchcock<\/p>\n
Somewhere I\u2019ve got a book, \u201cDavid Bowie in his own words.\u201d Sadly Bowie is no longer with us, and we have to make do with David Bowie in other people\u2019s words. Here are some good ones. This book is subtitled \u201cA tribute to Bowie by his artistic collaborators and contemporaries,\u201d which describes it exactly. It\u2019s … Continue reading A portrait of Bowie by Brian Hiatt<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"