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Bowie General > Images Vol. 21

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homebrewPosted at 2025-04-26 14:37:29(4 days ago) (Bowie General / Images Vol. 21)


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These articles appear just as they were posted in the Usenet group alt.fan.david-bowie by group member Jamie Soule aka AladINSAnE. I have made no attempt to alter the formatting, spelling, grammar or edit in any way.

Images Part 21

Bowie felt that nobody understood and in my opinion he was correct. I
admit that I used to approach this subject with a great deal of
trepidation, however that was in the past.  There seems to be a definite
"rift" between many newer Bowie listeners and the older ones and I have
encountered it too many times for it to be just a co-incidence.  I have
some rather strong beliefs, and others I have spoken to do as well,
concerning this period of Bowie's career. My opinions are  pretty much
in tune with what Bowie felt, that his work was not understood by many.
I will get to the point. To understand Bowie it is necessary to
understand his work between 1976 and 1980.  To know Bowie this work will
give you a glimpse into the man's soul.  From a creative point of view
this work will forever be unequalled. From a point of being understood,
it will largely remain misunderstood by fans, the experts and the music
buying public. I have taken some heat over this topic before but I will
stand by my opinion and the way Heroes, Low, Station To Station, Lodger
and Scary Monsters were welcomed by the critics and the record buying
public strengthens my position. My position is further strengthened by
the way many fans regard this period. I actually mean disregard. I am
about to succeed now in getting a few  more personal critics for what I
am about to say, but the way I see it is what are a few added on to the
hundreds out there already. Besides, my insurance premiums are paid for
the policies I have covering long term disability or accidental death. I
have inquired as to whether I am am covered in case of  being murdered
by offended Bowie listeners, and they assured me that such a case would
be classified  as "accidental." What I don't understand though is since
I do it on purpose wouldn't that make it suicide? We are led to believe
two things that I believe are incorrect,  extremely incorrect if I may
say. We are told that there are individuals out there who are "experts"
in their assessment of the vast amount of entertainment available for
our ears. They are called the "critics," or the "reviewers"  and we are
told that these individuals are "experts" on every facet of every style
of music. I do not believe this. What they do have, sadly, is the power
to often control what the public buys, and this also gives them the
power at times to determine if a band succeeds or fails. The second
thing we are led to believe is the the average record buyer has
intellectual depth when it pertains to music.  I do not believe this
either, because if a person looks back into history the facts show a
somewhat different scenario.

What really transpired during this period? Well, the reviewers were
writing endless scathing drivel conceived from minds that would be empty
if the ignorance was removed.  Heroes and Low were being misunderstood
by the "experts" and the majority of the record buying public.  Why? One
reason is that everyone was listening to Disco.

First of all I wish to address the level of "understanding" which the so
called "experts" had of Low and Heroes. I advise you sit down after
getting a few sedatives before reading this, you will need them. The
reviewer for The Record Mirror said, and I quote, " Bowie is out of
touch with the man on the street." In Rolling Stone the review on Heroes
mentions Low and it says this, " But most of the purely instrumental
Side Two was simply too distant for pop audiences." My question, "How do
you gain employment as a music critic?" I know you have to be deaf and I
am sure that a low IQ goes a long way. Another point made was this,
"Heroes" reunites much of the "Low" cast (notably synthesizer whiz Brian
Eno) and setting (Berlin), but it is unlikely to restore Bowie's
commercial momentum." Rolling Stone said overall , Heroes is "without
depth or soul" made by a man of "little faith." "Bowie's rapid moves
from rock to soul/disco to, techno-rock have struck even some of his
loyalists as gimmicky and, therefore, not worth serious attention." " In
"Heroes," Bowie again reserves most of Side Two for instrumentals - the
tone of "Heroes" is mostly withdrawn and bleak. Yes they said that, and
this as well, "The problem with Bowie doesn't seem to be as much
gimmickry as fluctuating pop interests that cause him to shift from
style to style faster than his ability to master them. Heroes ends up as
one of his least arresting turns. On the whole, it is cold and
unattractive." Most reviews reflect the same sentiments and I have a
problem with this because these music critics overlooked one small item
in their reviews. These music critics overlooked the MUSIC! In these
"reviews," the statements, er stupidity I mean, scrawled  by these
ignorant deaf are an eternal testimonial that they did not concern
themselves with anything as complex as "music" when forming their "one
inch thoughts" about what to write. They were looking for the wrong
things first of all.  Secondly, they were a few pounds short of the
necessary brain matter to even begin to comprehend Bowie, or any other
artist for that matter.

I have read these reviews and many similar ones over the years
concerning Bowie's work in an honest attempt to understand how these
critics obtain their opinions. I have tried to understand how they
approach Bowie's work so I can see the criteria that is used by them in
judging the merits of what an artist writes. Take my word on this
please, it is really difficult. I can't seem to get too far beyond the
observation which was worded this way, "unlikely to restore Bowie's
commercial momentum." I may be mistaken, but the tone of this remark
seems to suggest that it is a criticism, and this is one of the
shortcomings of Heroes. I am quite serious, I do not understand this at
all, and what is further perplexing to me is the fact that I honestly do
not think that I am missing anything.  Bowie was not thinking of
commercial success when he wrote Heroes. Heroes was written from the
heart and soul of David Bowie. Robert Fripp and Brian Eno had their
hearts and souls in there as well. It would be a grave insult to even
suggest that the motivation behind Heroes was to make a "hit" record,
and this is readily apparent due to the fact that Heroes is not shallow
enough to be a hit. Since Heroes was never intended to be a commercial
album then Bowie SUCCEEDED because it was unlikely to restore any
commercial momentum. This is a reason to BUY the album, not ignore it.
I also do not see what "commercial success" has to do with the quality
of the music on Heroes, except for the fact that by not being
commercial it is a reason to BUY it.

"Bowie is out of touch with the man on the street." Again, I find myself
searching for some sort of an explanation. I fail to understand why it
is a requirement for Bowie to produce work that everyone can relate to.
Would this reviewer criticize Picasso, Mozart, Kubrick, Warhol or
Einstein for the same reason? Scary thought. This reviewer is telling me
that if the majority of the record buying public do not like an album
due to the fact that it isn't mainstream enough then the album is no
good. Since this is what he uses to measure the worth of an album then I
can safely assume that Peter Gabriel, Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Roxy
Music, Trey Gunn, Lou Reed, Dead Can Dance and Yes albums are also not
worth owning because the number of sales determines the quality of the
music. In retrospect, according to music review publications, it seems
that what are now considered Bowie's best works are the ones which were
not commercially inclined and  not in touch with the man on the street.
That however took twenty years for the critics to realize.

Another criticism, "The tone of "Heroes" is mostly withdrawn and bleak."
Hmmmm? A reason not to buy Heroes? I laughed really hard when I read
this.  I was just wondering how many Bowie listeners would agree that at
least some of the album is like this? Personally I have to agree that
parts of Heroes are dark, uninviting and cold. My description, and I
think it is a good one, is that parts of Heroes sound "desperate." I
have to give this reviewer a lot of credit for at least listening to the
music on Heroes closely enough to experience these emotions. However,
even though he picked this up he still didn't "get it"  and  I am
confused as to how a person, especially an author who specializes in
music, could be so "narrow thinking." Apparently the thought never
crossed his mind that maybe some tracks on Heroes were SUPPOSED TO MAKE
THE LISTENER EXPERIENCE THE SENSATIONS OF BLEAKNESS AND ISOLATION!!!!!
Bowie said this once when talking about Heroes, "Berlin is a city made
up of bars for sad, disillusioned people to get drunk in." Bowie's
intention WAS to convey to the listener feelings of bleakness and
disillusionment and he did a superb job of raising those emotions on
some of the instrumental tracks. This is not a DETRIMENT to the album,
it is a COMPLIMENT to Bowie's ability as an artist. Bowie was able to
express his emotions to the listener without the aid of the written
word. The music spoke. What I find inconceivable is that this person
finds fault with Heroes because it  does not express happiness. I  guess
according to him music should not convey a wide range of emotions, if
the music does not make you happy and whistle, tap your feet or sing
along, then it is worthless. Since this seems to be the case then all
classical music, film soundtracks and the so called "New Age" music all
belong in a landfill along with Low and Heroes. This guy really knows
his stuff.

"The problem with Bowie doesn't seem to be as much gimmickry as
fluctuating pop interests that cause him to shift from style to style
faster than his ability to master." Oh, I get it. Bowie's ability is
rather limited as a musician, therefore the quality of the music
suffers. Really? If this is the case I guess I should go and throw my
Bowie albums out and stop writing. Maybe tomorrow.


"Heroes is without depth or soul made by a man of little faith." This
statement is the result of the worst incident I have ever encountered of
"displayed ignorance." Regrettably I can't fathom this depth of
stupidity, and therefore I will not lose one second of my life or waste
one ounce of energy to respond to it. I feel sympathy for this man and I
hope one day he is able to get the professional help he so desperately
needs.

How sad, in all these reviews every note went unnoticed. Heroes was
judged by its commercial viability. If you look at Heroes potential as a
money generating top forty album, then all of these people are right,
Heroes is not worth much at all. As for me, I do not care if I am the
only one who bought it. I could never put a price on something so
meaningful. It wasn't just the critics who dismissed Heroes either and
this next part has some moments that are quite beyond the comprehension
of many Bowie listeners that I know.

I am a very vocal defender of this period of David Bowie's career, from
1975 through until 1980. Who do I defend it from? Well, not from who you
would think. I am not defending it from Pop music fans, Rap fans, Hip
Hop fans or from fans of alternative musical styles. I defend this
period from other Bowie fans. You read that right and it is not a prank,
far from it, it is the truth and I have witnesses to the fact. Not only
do I have witnesses, but I have seen other members of
alt.fan.david-bowie doing the exact same thing. Many times members of
this group, who consist of twenty year plus fans and others who prefer
pre 84 Bowie, come under attack for their position that Bowie's work has
lost a lot of it's quality. Many of these assaults originate from
Bowie's official pay to join web community, as he calls it. Many who
call themselves Bowie fans dismiss this period in favour of Bowie's
commercial albums. If  you are one I have something to say to you.

WARNING: I  AM ABOUT TO PRESENT MY POSITION REGARDING THOSE WHO PREFER
THE COMMERCIAL BOWIE AND ON THOSE WHO I FEEL ARE BOWIE FANS FOR THE
INAPPROPRIATE REASONS. IF YOU ARE A BOWIEZOID OR A CRITIC OF HIS WORK
FROM 1975 TO 1980, BELIEVING THAT HIS LATER ALBUMS ARE BETTER, I ADVISE
YOU TO SKIP THIS PART UNLESS YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE EMOTION OF
WANTING TO MURDER SOMEONE.


I will not mince words or sugar coat this as I used to. This is
straight. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who does not understand Low and
Heroes does not understand David Bowie. Period. You will never have a
clue about him as an artist by his later work. The commercial albums
from 83 until the present are NOT David Bowie, or at least not the one
which was at the cutting edge shaping the entire concept of music as we
know it. Now, I am not saying that his later works are not relevant, far
from it, there are some masterpieces there. What I am saying is that
overall this period was far superior, and without knowing it you will
miss the entire "essence" of David Bowie. Okay?

Yes, I know what some are calling me at this moment and I want to let
you know that I am totally unaffected. Oh, and while you are fuming you
may wish to choke on this little titbit as well. That is not my
"opinion," it happens to be a fact. Now, since this is a fact that makes
me right, and if you disagree with me you are wrong. How's that? Oh,
don't you worry, I will prove it. Not only that but I will prove it with
evidence so strong that it is beyond any contradiction by any of you.


"I mean, I look back on a lot of my earlier work and, although there's
much that I appreciate about it, there's not a great deal that I
actually like. I don't think they're very likeable albums at all.
There's a lot more heart and emotion in 'Low' and, especially, in the
new album."

"But I didn't promote 'Low' at all, and some people thought my heart
wasn't in it. This time I wanted to put everything into pushing the new
album. I believe in the last two albums more than anything I've done
before."


"The only reason I've decided to do these interviews is to prove my
belief in the album," Bowie said in one of a series of meetings with the
press in London. "Both 'Heroes' and 'Low' have met with confused
reactions.

"The subtext/backstory of Heroes is deeply personal."

Those are the words of David Bowie. In numerous interviews over the
years it is not the least bit difficult to find quotes of this nature
pertaining to Heroes and Low. Bowie has consistently maintained that
these albums are his most personal, and Low he considers his most
important work, and Heroes seems to be a close second. Until someone can
provide quotes from Bowie that state that there is other work he has
done which is more important, or more personal, then there is no other
option than to accept what Bowie says as the truth. Therefore, if you
are angry at me, you are angry at the wrong person and I suggest that
you take the matter up with Bowie himself. I am merely agreeing with
him. All you have to do to change things and make my statements
incorrect is to convince Bowie that these albums are not his most
personal and not his most important. Say hello  to him for me while you
are at it, if you don't mind.

It is obvious to me that some of you may wonder why I take such a
"Holier Than Thou," at least I am honest, stand on this.  It s because I
grow weary of seeing the artistic creativity of Bowie being ignored by
his so called fans in favour of his looks or some other attribute. In
addition the shear ignorance of some of his listeners is obscene to put
it mildly. It isn't the ignorance itself but the fact that many Bowie
listeners, including myself, come under verbal attack by these people
who claim that we are the ones who are ignorant. I have seen members of
alt.fan.david-bowie, who forgot more about Bowie in the past five
minutes than these people will ever know, being demeaned by those who
should be forcibly banned from owning any recordings other than Milli
Vanilli's Greatest Hits As Sung By Porky Pig And Osama Bin Laden. It is
my experience that many people do not look back. Yes, I am addressing
the fact that nobody seems to think that it is warranted to learn about
history to understand the present. It is impossible to  understand the
relevance of anything without learning about the conditions from where
it originated. This holds true for Bowie listeners as well, therefore it
is necessary to look back, at least as far back as the early seventies.

I get the strangest looks from my children when I tell them that I
remember when there were no such things as Cd's, pocket calculators,
computers, digital watches, Nintendo or remote controls for the TV.  The
looks are equivalent to the ones I get when I tell people that I
remember when David Bowie had no fans.

AladINsane

To be continued for probably the next 1,600 or so years...........


""I don't begrudge any artist for finding an audience"
- David Bowie abt. 1987
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dag97Posted at 2025-04-30 12:50:46(19 hrs ago) (Bowie General / Images Vol. 21)


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Many thanks!

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MoonyDonatedPosted at 2025-04-30 20:53:01(11 hrs ago) (Bowie General / Images Vol. 21)


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once again.. amazing to read this.. Thank you for finding and sharing them.

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