KCRO Lite - David Bowie Tribute
"I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring."
-David Bowie
On this week's special episode of KCRO Lite, Jamie, Michael and Angelo pay tribute to one of the greatest artist in the history or rock and pop music, David Bowie. After hearing of David Bowie's passing earlier this week, Michael, Angelo, and Jamie dedicated this week's episode to his memory. Join them as they reflect on the life and career of one of rock and roll's true originals, while also discussing his legacy now that he is gone.
A very different KCRO Lite, and I believe given the subject and circumstances your best to date. A sobering and heartfelt conversation between close friends about life and death and Art. Ben Monder, when asked his thoughts on the gravity of ‘Blackstar’ being the epitaph from an icon, said; “As poetic a farewell as I’ve ever heard – poignant, but oblique and challenging enough that it really penetrates to our core. David is an example of an artist going to the limits of his imagination, and having the courage and genius to bring his discoveries to life. And he did this consistently for decades. How could that not be inspiring?” And, as you mentioned on the show, he did it in multiple disciplines. Be it music, fashion, dance, set design or film he always assembled a collaboration with equally creative visionaries.
Bowie’s initial impact on me was ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’. I had just turned nineteen when it hit in June 1972 and was hanging onto my heroes from the 60’s, at least those still alive, not wanting to admit that their glory days were over. Still, I was listening to the Prog-Rock of the time; Yes, King Crimson, ELP, but was always on the lookout for something fresh and exciting with a dash of flash and sex appeal, a major component of Rock n’ Roll. Sorry, but Ian Anderson is not sexy. Ziggy fit the bill, the 70’s started with that album. The title conjured up a concept album (although there didn’t seem to be anything particularly ‘spacey’ about a spider) which I was a sucker for, and the sonic production along with Mick Ronson’s searing lead guitar put it in league with the likes of Pink Floyd, giving it major crossover appeal to the U.S. market. The album is masterful and concise, from the minor masterpiece of ‘Moonage Daydream’ with its stellar arrangement and intense Ronson outro, to the Hendrix as Tommy title song. Listen to the frenetic 16th note bass runs at the end of ‘Hang On To Yourself’ and it’s not hard make a leap to The Ramones. The stand out track for me is ‘Suffragette City’. I don’t know how many times I blasted that thing going out the door on a Saturday night to jack me up!
You mentioned his voice maturing to the point of a duet with Bing Crosby, which I remember watching at the time and thinking not only how odd the pairing but also how comfortable Bing seemed to be with it. Which just proved that he considered Bowie a peer. I think the recording of ‘Wild Is the Wind’ was when the Great American Songbook generation sat up and took notice.
In a career that spanned fifty years there are so many more highlights. But for me the most transcendent song of all is the heartbreaking final statement of ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’. From the beginning of the song, even though the tempo and rhythm are different, a melancholy sets in reminiscent of the way I felt hearing the Midnight Cowboy theme for the first time in the theater, especially at the end after Ratso dies in his seat on the bus. Must be the harmonica. The following chord shapes and changes, with the accompanying improvisational sax, have a swirling upward feel. Then you read the lyrics and that’s what hits your gut; ‘I know something’s very wrong’, ‘…returns the Prodigal Son’. There’s a pause between the words ‘everything’ and ‘away’ which I take literally, meaning they’re two separate phrases. “I can’t give everything” (left unsaid is ‘anymore’) and then the word ‘away’, as an exaltation to leave, to fly (heigh-ho Silver…)
Bowie’s initial impact on me was ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’. I had just turned nineteen when it hit in June 1972 and was hanging onto my heroes from the 60’s, at least those still alive, not wanting to admit that their glory days were over. Still, I was listening to the Prog-Rock of the time; Yes, King Crimson, ELP, but was always on the lookout for something fresh and exciting with a dash of flash and sex appeal, a major component of Rock n’ Roll. Sorry, but Ian Anderson is not sexy. Ziggy fit the bill, the 70’s started with that album. The title conjured up a concept album (although there didn’t seem to be anything particularly ‘spacey’ about a spider) which I was a sucker for, and the sonic production along with Mick Ronson’s searing lead guitar put it in league with the likes of Pink Floyd, giving it major crossover appeal to the U.S. market. The album is masterful and concise, from the minor masterpiece of ‘Moonage Daydream’ with its stellar arrangement and intense Ronson outro, to the Hendrix as Tommy title song. Listen to the frenetic 16th note bass runs at the end of ‘Hang On To Yourself’ and it’s not hard make a leap to The Ramones.
You mentioned his voice maturing to the point of a duet with Bing Crosby, which I remember watching at the time and thinking not only how odd the pairing but also how comfortable Bing seemed to be with it. Which just proved that he considered Bowie a peer. I think the recording of ‘Wild Is the Wind’ was when the Great American Songbook generation sat up and took notice.
In a career that spanned fifty years there are so many more highlights. But for me the most transcendent song of all is the heartbreaking final statement of ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’. From the beginning of the song, even though the tempo and rhythm are different, a melancholy sets in reminiscent of the way I felt hearing the Midnight Cowboy theme for the first time in the theater, especially at the end after Ratso dies in his seat on the bus. Must be the harmonica. The following chord shapes and changes, with the accompanying improvisational sax, have a swirling upward feel. Then you read the lyrics and that’s what hits your gut; ‘I know something’s very wrong’, ‘…returns the Prodigal Son’. There’s a pause between the words ‘everything’ and ‘away’ which I take literally, meaning they’re two separate phrases. “I can’t give everything” (left unsaid is ‘anymore’) and then the word ‘away’, as an exaltation to leave, to fly (heigh-ho Silver…).