FTC: David Bowie
While perusing some of our old From the Closet features I realized that we have never given a shout out to David Bowie, until today! So how does one choose from such a vast discography when dealing with one of the legends of rock? Easy! Easy you say? Yes, easy! Just stick with his best album and the best representation of the glam rock genre: Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars. I wish I could drop the whole album on our site for those pitiful few who haven’t heard it, but that’s not allowed, so I’ll stick with title track “Ziggy Stardust”. Can you even imagine what it would’ve been like to be around in the early 70s and see Bowie during the height of his Ziggy alter-ego? Many have tried to imitate, many have carried on the torch, some have even mocked, but we’ll just never get another Bowie. Never. Be sure to pick this one up on vinyl so you can experience the true mind blowing power of putting this on the record player back in 1972. Enjoy.
I would hardly call Saul Williams an imitator.
But otherwise, excellent choice.
Have you seen Saul Williams live? He does the make-up, crazy hair, indian face paint, etc. etc. oh AND he calls himself “Niggy Tardust”. Should I have just said he rips him off?
Not living in the live music capital of the world I have only focused on the mans recorded performances, which are not even close to Bowie.
I will meet you halfway and say that Saul Williams is physical imitator of Bowie.
Deal?
This is what I’m talking about:
http://earz-mag.com/em/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/saul-williams-at-stereo-21-may-08-3.jpg
Deal.
I actually saw him a few years ago during SXSW and remember thinking “Look at this fucking guy! Who does he think he is?” Then he was actually really entertaining….
Ziggy Stardust was the first song I heard by Bowie that made me stop and rethink everything I thought of his music to that point, having been haunted for years by everything after “Ashes to Ashes.”
I personally prefer his Berlin period with Iggy Pop (The Idiot, Heroes, Low), which I consider the period of his greatest period of creativity. He took what so many Krautrock bands like Neu! and Kraftwerk and fused it with his pop rock sensibilities to make some really great music.
Recently, I’ve got back into his Hunky Dory album. You can hear the beginnings of Ziggy with songs like Queen Bitch and Life on Mars. He continues to be a huge influence on my own music.