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For a First-Time David Bowie Listener...

ResonantPassageResonantPassage Posts: 8
edited 2012 18 in Other Music
What album is best for a proper introduction to Bowie? Not really interested in any greatest hits compilations or anything like that..
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  • EdsonNascimentoEdsonNascimento Posts: 5,524
    Space Oddity. Kind of obvious, but it's kind of obvious for a reason.
    Sorry. The world doesn't work the way you tell it to.
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    edited 2012 11
    ResonantPassage wrote:
    What album is best for a proper introduction to Bowie? Not really interested in any greatest hits compilations or anything like that..



    I would not suggest space oddity; it is good but really folky and not really representative of his best work. That is a really hard question because all of his 70's albums are excellent but very different in style. I would pick hunky dory or the rise and fall of ziggy stardust. They show what he's all about. Don't listen to diamond dogs until you are a definite fan. Just my 2 cents :)
    Post edited by curlygirly9 on
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,407
    The singles collection for starters, then you can dig deeper.
  • javis el errantejavis el errante Buenos Aires Posts: 6,140
    Bowie at the Beeb... Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars live performances on the BBC between 1968 and 1972. This is a double CD set, 18 and 19 songs respectively. There is a special edition with a third discs. This is a 2000 David Bowie show at the Paris Theater in London, 15 songs more, more recent songs...
    ... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...

  • LoulouLoulou Adelaide Posts: 6,247
    javis el errante wrote:
    Bowie at the Beeb... Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders from Mars live performances on the BBC between 1968 and 1972. This is a double CD set, 18 and 19 songs respectively. There is a special edition with a third discs. This is a 2000 David Bowie show at the Paris Theater in London, 15 songs more, more recent songs...
    Those live performances are crazy good! Don't know if it's a good 'starter' but I'm loving Aladdin Sane at the moment. It's probably best to start with his singles and go from there. He has a few 'best of' albums.
    “ "Thank you Palestrina. It’s a wonderful evening, it’s great to be here and I wanna dedicate you a super sexy song." " (last words of Mark Sandman of Morphine)


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  • LoulouLoulou Adelaide Posts: 6,247
    Don't know if you like Trent Reznors stuff but here's a great collaboration he did what David Bowie called 'Im Afraid of Americans'. I looooooooooooove this song.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKNd22G ... ata_player
    “ "Thank you Palestrina. It’s a wonderful evening, it’s great to be here and I wanna dedicate you a super sexy song." " (last words of Mark Sandman of Morphine)


    Adelaide 1998
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    Adelaide 2006 night 1
    Adelaide 2006 night 2
    Adelaide 2009
    Melbourne 2009
    Christchurch NZ 2009
    Eddie Vedder, Adelaide 2011
    PJ20 USA 2011 night 1
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    Adelaide BIG DAY OUT 2014
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    Loulou wrote:
    Don't know if you like Trent Reznors stuff but here's a great collaboration he did what David Bowie called 'Im Afraid of Americans'. I looooooooooooove this song.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKNd22G ... ata_player

    Yeah, the remixes are awesome too!
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • LoulouLoulou Adelaide Posts: 6,247
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    Loulou wrote:
    Don't know if you like Trent Reznors stuff but here's a great collaboration he did what David Bowie called 'Im Afraid of Americans'. I looooooooooooove this song.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKNd22G ... ata_player

    Yeah, the remixes are awesome too!
    :thumbup:
    “ "Thank you Palestrina. It’s a wonderful evening, it’s great to be here and I wanna dedicate you a super sexy song." " (last words of Mark Sandman of Morphine)


    Adelaide 1998
    Adelaide 2003
    Adelaide 2006 night 1
    Adelaide 2006 night 2
    Adelaide 2009
    Melbourne 2009
    Christchurch NZ 2009
    Eddie Vedder, Adelaide 2011
    PJ20 USA 2011 night 1
    PJ20 USA 2011 night 2
    Adelaide BIG DAY OUT 2014
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    Yeah, Loulou has a good point with Aladdin Sane. That is a really good starter actually, and there's only 9 or 10 songs on it. It's really easy to get into. :)
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • javis el errantejavis el errante Buenos Aires Posts: 6,140
    what if you start backwards? From Reality and back... Love heathen, but Hours not that good, pretty good singles, but the rest not that good, the same for Earthling, and Oustside is great, same as the budha of suburbia and both Tin Machine records... from the 80, only scary monsters, not a fan of black tie, white noise, don't like the berlin trilogy, prefer diamond dogs to ziggy stardust... the ones from the sixties are for hardcore fans, but Space oddity, Aladin Sane (A lad insane) and changes are pretty "far out"...
    ... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...

  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    javis el errante wrote:
    what if you start backwards? From Reality and back... Love heathen, but Hours not that good, pretty good singles, but the rest not that good, the same for Earthling, and Oustside is great, same as the budha of suburbia and both Tin Machine records... from the 80, only scary monsters, not a fan of black tie, white noise, don't like the berlin trilogy, prefer diamond dogs to ziggy stardust... the ones from the sixties are for hardcore fans, but Space oddity, Aladin Sane (A lad insane) and changes are pretty "far out"...

    Yeah, that might be good if you start with heathen. I love Heathen, but Reality and Hours... are pretty atrocious, imo, and that is hard for me to say because I love DB so much, but he really needs to hook up with a different producer and make something as good as Heathen.

    ps: You don't like the Berlin Trilogy?! :ugeek: :)
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • javis el errantejavis el errante Buenos Aires Posts: 6,140
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    javis el errante wrote:
    what if you start backwards? From Reality and back... Love heathen, but Hours not that good, pretty good singles, but the rest not that good, the same for Earthling, and Oustside is great, same as the budha of suburbia and both Tin Machine records... from the 80, only scary monsters, not a fan of black tie, white noise, don't like the berlin trilogy, prefer diamond dogs to ziggy stardust... the ones from the sixties are for hardcore fans, but Space oddity, Aladin Sane (A lad insane) and changes are pretty "far out"...

    Yeah, that might be good if you start with heathen. I love Heathen, but Reality and Hours... are pretty atrocious, imo, and that is hard for me to say because I love DB so much, but he really needs to hook up with a different producer and make something as good as Heathen.

    ps: You don't like the Berlin Trilogy?! :ugeek: :)

    not my type of music, and certainly not from the 70's, I like The Who as most of people here, but what I really dig is Led Zeppelin and Bon Scott's ACDC...
    ... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...

  • helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,281
    Loulou wrote:
    Don't know if you like Trent Reznors stuff but here's a great collaboration he did what David Bowie called 'Im Afraid of Americans'. I looooooooooooove this song.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKNd22G ... ata_player

    David Bowie - I´m afraid of Americans (live)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGwB_G0Vyz0

    wish bowie would get some more new stuff out
    thought his last tour for reality cd was killer

    David Bowie "Looking For Water" (Video)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25yxEpDi1E

    David Bowie - New Killer Star (A Reality Tour)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlH6UDnjFNE&ob=av2n

    David Bowie - Fall Dog Bombs The Moon
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-zRr3oJGr8
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    I'd go for "David Live".....some hits, but some non-hits as well.

    My all-time favorite song is "Look Back in Anger"

    "Absolute Beginners" is also a great song!
  • NYCPJNYCPJ nyc Posts: 764
    edited 2012 11
    I'd probably start with Ziggy Stardust or Alladin Sane. Or as others have suggested, one of the greatest hits collections (Best of Bowie, Singles collection or ChangesBowie; there are also versions of Best of Bowie that break it up by period - pre-1980 and after 1980).

    I'd then move to Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Scary Monsters, Lodger, Station to Station (get the recent special addition, which includes a show from the Station to Station tour at Nassau Coliseum).

    I like Low and Heroes, but they may not be for everyone. (moody, more keyboard heavy)

    THere are also a couple of great live albums Stage (78 tour); Live at Santa Monica 72; David Live (74), Soundtrack to Ziggy Stardust

    His most recent stuff is also very good -- Earthling (get the version with the aforementioned Trent Reznor mix of Im afraid of Americans); Hours


    I would probably stay away from most of the 80s stuff (lets dance, Tonight, Never Let me Down).
    Post edited by NYCPJ on
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  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    I've always liked 'Stage' way better than 'David Live,' he was pretty coked up on that one :lol: And the 'Stage' version of 'Station to Station' kills
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    I'd go for "David Live".....some hits, but some non-hits as well.

    My all-time favorite song is "Look Back in Anger"

    "Absolute Beginners" is also a great song!
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    I've always liked 'Stage' way better than 'David Live,' he was pretty coked up on that one :lol: And the 'Stage' version of 'Station to Station' kills
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    I'd go for "David Live".....some hits, but some non-hits as well.

    My all-time favorite song is "Look Back in Anger"

    "Absolute Beginners" is also a great song!

    Thats a good one as well...TVC15 and Breaking Glass are great songs.

    Have you ever seen his SNL performances from the 70s?...they may be on Youtube!

    When I first got all gaga over music, he had just released Scary Monsters (yes, I am old!), so that album will always have special meaning.
  • NYCPJNYCPJ nyc Posts: 764
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    I've always liked 'Stage' way better than 'David Live,' he was pretty coked up on that one :lol: And the 'Stage' version of 'Station to Station' kills
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    I'd go for "David Live".....some hits, but some non-hits as well.

    My all-time favorite song is "Look Back in Anger"

    "Absolute Beginners" is also a great song!

    Stage is great. He had a fantastic band with him, including Adrian Belew. I saw that tour and it was incredible.
    6/3/06 (East Rutherford 2)
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  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    I've always liked 'Stage' way better than 'David Live,' he was pretty coked up on that one :lol: And the 'Stage' version of 'Station to Station' kills
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    I'd go for "David Live".....some hits, but some non-hits as well.

    My all-time favorite song is "Look Back in Anger"

    "Absolute Beginners" is also a great song!

    Thats a good one as well...TVC15 and Breaking Glass are great songs.

    Have you ever seen his SNL performances from the 70s?...they may be on Youtube!

    When I first got all gaga over music, he had just released Scary Monsters (yes, I am old!), so that album will always have special meaning.

    Wait, was that SNL the weird ass one with the puppets or something? If so, I have :lol: Yeah, I love Scary Monsters, I kind of think that was his last real masterpiece, although I did really like Outside, Earthling, and Heathen as far as 'recent' albums go. All three of the songs you mentioned are amazing, I've always loved Absolute Beginners, and I don't understand how that wasn't a huge hit. The video is perplexing to say the least; Is that girl a zebra? huh? :lol:
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    edited 2012 11
    since I am not good with quoting, etc!

    in respone to curly girl

    Re: David Bowie on SNL, etc

    It was very weird...he wore a skirt for one song, and for another song, he was carried on and off stage by Klaus Nomi...David was standing in some sort of weird "bucket"

    I agree with you that Scary Monsters was his last masterpiece....Lets Dance/China Girl/Modern Love were beaten to death by too much airplay in the 80s. I think his last great singles were "Blue Jean", "Day-in/Day-out", "Bang Bang" and "Little Wonder".

    I am a huge Placebo fan, so I thing it's cool how Bowie sang on one of their albums!
    Post edited by JOEJOEJOE on
  • uninnocent-uninnocent- Posts: 5,959
    Personally I'd go with Hunky Dory, then Man Who Sold the World, then Ziggy Stardust. After that, cruelly do the Beeb and the Ziggy soundtrack since you'll need some live performances. Then I'd watch the Reality tour DVD. If you want something different, add in Earthling, as it's the one produced by Trent Reznor. Those are all amazing discs that should give you a feel for what he's all about.
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    My favorite song ever is Life on Mars? which is on the lovely Hunky Dory, but I think my favorite album of his would probably be Young Americans, but it's not for everyone. It's very over the top soul, and his voice is fantastic.

    Here's the Absolute Beginners video btw, never understood zebra girl :lol:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8NZa9wYZ_U&ob=av2e

    also, I kind of hijacked this thread, sorry. This is my guy! The one that started it all for me :) And there are lots of recommendations now!
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  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    My favorite song ever is Life on Mars? which is on the lovely Hunky Dory, but I think my favorite album of his would probably be Young Americans, but it's not for everyone. It's very over the top soul, and his voice is fantastic.

    Here's the Absolute Beginners video btw, never understood zebra girl :lol:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8NZa9wYZ_U&ob=av2e

    also, I kind of hijacked this thread, sorry. This is my guy! The one that started it all for me :) And there are lots of recommendations now!

    you hijacked a David Bowie thread by talking about David Bowie? :o
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    Feel free to stop me ;)
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    Feel free to stop me ;)

    Sure, that'll happen!

    Have you ever seen him perform live?
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    Feel free to stop me ;)

    Sure, that'll happen!

    Have you ever seen him perform live?

    5 times I think, and thank god because the retirement rumors have me worried. The first time I saw him was in 1995 with NIN in Portland. It was the first show ever at the Rose Garden, which is kinda cool. Have you?
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,667
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    Feel free to stop me ;)

    Sure, that'll happen!

    Have you ever seen him perform live?

    5 times I think, and thank god because the retirement rumors have me worried. The first time I saw him was in 1995 with NIN in Portland. It was the first show ever at the Rose Garden, which is kinda cool. Have you?

    I just looked at his gig history to count:

    1983 Serious Moonlight
    1987 Glass Spider tour
    1990 Sound and Vision tour
    1995 NIN tour
    1997 x2
    2002 Moby tour......moby had the nerve to headline over David!
    2004 Reality tour
  • stipe19stipe19 Posts: 237
    Just put on some Bowie. His weaker stuff is better than other artists classics. And what will happen, you may like what other people consider his weaker work.

    Its Bowie enjoy the ride
  • uninnocent-uninnocent- Posts: 5,959
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    curlygirly9 wrote:
    Feel free to stop me ;)

    Sure, that'll happen!

    Have you ever seen him perform live?

    5 times I think, and thank god because the retirement rumors have me worried. The first time I saw him was in 1995 with NIN in Portland. It was the first show ever at the Rose Garden, which is kinda cool. Have you?
    I'm so envious!
    Bowie is on my list of must-see artists. Hell, he's on my list of "I'd Pay Anything to See Live" artists. Life on Mars must be chilling live, eh?
  • curlygirly9curlygirly9 Vancouver, WA Posts: 1,872
    edited 2012 12
    Yes, I cried when I heard it. Front row @ moby's area 2 tour @ the gorge. And joe is right, moby should not have headlined but the rest of the bands on the tour kind of sucked which is probably why I managed front row during Bowie. Thanks moby!

    Side note: I also saw busta rhymes cradle a bottle of courvoisier like it was a baby at this show
    Post edited by curlygirly9 on
    Rose Garden Arena - Nov 02, 2000, Key Arena - Oct 22, 2001, Key Arena - Dec 08, 2002, Key Arena - Dec 09, 2002, Clark County Amphitheater - Sep 26, 2009
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