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Transcript of Different Glances
NÚ
ME
RO
ES
PE
CIA
L N
º 1
UNA REVISTA IMAGINARIA
The13th
DAVID BOWIENÚMERO ESPECIAL
3[ By Diego Centurión. Translation: Rodrigo Debernardisl ]
DIFFERENT GLANCESWhile it would have been easier to survey the sayings of many
musicians in social networks, regarding the news of the depar-
ture of David Bowie, and then copy it would have sufficed to co-
ver these following pages. But I prefer a more rewarding work,
write to each artist and simply ask this question:
Aaron Bell (Vibrissae):
"The death of David Bowie has affected me more than that of
any other musician. It would be an extremely sad occurrence on
its own, but when coupled with the release of Blackstar, his fa-
rewell gift, it takes on an even greater sense of loss.
He has provided us with numerous powerful and lasting me-
mories - hearing Outside in its entirety for the first time, see-
ing 'Dead Man Walking' performed acoustically, and experien-
cing 'Sunday' segueing into 'Heathen (The Rays)' on the Reality
tour, to name a few. It is not only his immense body of work
that has served as an influence and an inspiration to us and
many other musicians who admire him, but it is his overall ar-
tistic nature and the creativity behind the decades of songs and
performances.
Several years ago, we saw an interview with Bowie in which
he discussed his writing process. He stated that during the com-
position of progressions, when determining the next notes, he
would experiment with both the most logical, most expected
chord, and the least logical, least expected chord. Whichever
one revealed itself to be the most interesting is the one he would
use. (I don't remember exactly how it was phrased, but that is
my clumsy approximation of what he said.) This always resona-
ted with us, and is something that we have tried to keep in mind
when working on new material.
This process could be extended to his albums, phases, and
his career as a whole. He challenged himself and his audience,
and never allowed himself to be bored by remaining static for
very long, shifting to something new and unexpected when he
felt it was necessary. Before The Next Day was released, we were
afraid we might not hear from him again. After living with the
brilliance of Blackstar for the last month, it's sad that we won't
be able to experience his next phase in its entirety. It would have
been phenomenal."
Could you tell me, what his death meant to you?
And the answers were appearing and surprising those we
were working on them, obviously there were other artists who
have not responded, but with what obtained in this writing, we
are more than satisfied.
So then we leave to read the responses received.
Andy Anderson (The Cure):
"David Bowie: A Major Inspiration.
Over the years I have always been asked by many journalists
during interviews TV and Press, who I would most like to work
Ben Holton (Epic 45, My Autumn Empyre):
I've never been what you would call a massive Bowie fan, I
only own a handful of his key albums and only saw him live
once, due to him playing the first ever music festival I went to in
1995. However, I was always happy to know he was around and
he did create one of my all time favourite albums (Low) and wro-
te some of my favourite songs (Life On Mars, Starman, Sound
And Vision, Little Wonder)
I'm not here to attempt to rewrite what others have written so
well and what we are all already aware of; he was massively im-
portant to music, art and culture in general. This we know. This
is my personal take on Bowie's death.
I was pretty upset when I heard the news. It seemed to sym-
bolise so much and hit me harder than other celebrity deaths
have in recent years. Since John Peel, basically. The significan-
ce, in this post-narrative musical/cultural landscape we now in-
habit, was inescapable and massively poignant. One of the most
influential figures from a time when a year, or even a few mon-
ths, in music contained a dizzying amount of progression and
evolution, was no longer with us. I guess in many ways it affec-
ted me because I feel like a product of those exciting, post war,
pre-internet times. The days when you'd have to save up to buy
the record you really wanted, have to tune in to radio at specific
times to catch new sounds, make and swap tapes, feel a giddy
excitement when your favourite band or artist appeared on Top
Of The Pops, looking out of place, striking a blow for the weir-
dos and the unpopular kids. This was the culture I was steeped
in and what drove me to want to make music, album sleeves and
play in a band in the first place. Whether I was a massive fan or
not, Bowie was a totemic figure of these times and I've always
known it. His death felt like yet another step away from that era,
an era I was born in and borne of.
Obviously time marches on, things 'progress', and this was
something Bowie was always aware of and excited by so it'd
be churlish of me to make this all about nostalgia. However,
I would be prepared to state in court that that post war period,
roughly the 50's – 90's, was 'better' than what we have now. De-
laying gratification is almost a lost art.
Anyway. Perhaps the saddest thing of all was that I was ac-
tually really excited about Blackstar and had watched the video
a few times with my partner, resulting in long discussions of
his importance and how he always seemed a little ahead of the
curve (80's aside – but then, what do I know). That he incor-
porated his death into one final piece of beautiful art is pretty
astounding and I wonder if we'll see anything as brave as that
again in 'pop music'.
with, if I ever had the opportunity, well my list is a very long one
indeed, mostly due to my early days as a session musician, and
playing many different styles of music from Country to Rock
from Reggae and to Funk and from Heavy Metal to Punk and
Jazz, plus loads more types of inspirational music that I had
encountered during my career. And one of the most inspiratio-
nal musicians I would really loved to have worked with is David
Bowie, an amazing lyricist and a musicians musician, with a fu-
turistic approach and visionary.
While I was working on the Iggy Pop, Blah, Blah, Blah tour in
1987, I was totally honoured to meet David Bowie backstage at
one of Iggy's gigs in Los Angeles that year, and I had the oppor-
tunity to chat with him, only briefly, but what he said to me has
inspired me ever since that meeting, he asked me how long I
had been playing with Iggy, and I replied, just only three wee-
ks, two weeks rehearsing in London, and this was our first week
out on tour, he looked at me and said, it sounds like you have
been playing with him for years, and I replied, no it's only been
three weeks, then He replied, impressive and that DB smile,
that made my day, a day that will live with me forever. Later, on
that Iggy tour we supported David on his Glass Spider Tour, in
Sweden, that was another great experience, and the only Bowie
live gig I'd ever been too of his, and enjoyed every minute of his
show. Deep down I was hoping to maybe one day getting a chan-
ce to play with him, but sadly it never came.
I was truly saddened to here of his passing, and still sadde-
ned by it, but on the other hand, I'm really pleased that I got the
chance to chat and be in his presents,
rest in peace my friend.”
5
Ben Benjamin (Introflirt):
"As known and accepted as Bowie is - and for as many artists
as he influenced - he was still an outsider. A singularity in that
he was most inspired by himself and certain specific aspects
of his personality, Bowie's strongest message was not a musi-
cal or aesthetic one. He demonstrated the vibrancy of following
the true self - an ever-changing frequency that is not bound by
patterns or constructs. Bowie's direct connection to his perso-
nality - and his desire to share what he saw in himself was the
loudest note that continues to send ripples through what we
consider possible."
Carlo Van Putten (Dead Guitars):
“When I heard that David Robert Jones died it felt like some-
On Sunday Jan 9th, my finger hovered over the 'add to basket'
button for Blackstar. The next day, it had become unavailable
body so familiar died. A part of my life went by and passed away
with him. A freaky person that I saw on Dutch tv when I was 15
years old who sung "Heroes" playback while smoking a cigare-
tte in during the recordings of Top Pop back in 1977, a blonde
guy when I saw him at the Glass spider tour back in 1983 in Ro-
tterdam and a true gentleman when I saw him again in Mexico
city live. Memories of a concert in 2002 when I stood in front
of the stage in a club of 1500 people in Cologne Germany....
Without David Bowie I would never even have started with wri-
ting songs. My English teacher did a translation of Space Od-
dity and I was so impressed by the lyrics that I wanted to write
songs and lyrics...I saw him 3 weeks on TV when he was at the
presentation of his new video clip...he looked ill. My wife men-
tioned that he could have cancer...I was angry and said to her...
don't say that! I am still sad but greatful for his lagacy. "Death
makes angels of us all and give us wings where we had shoul-
ders" like Jim Morrison said once. Bowie was an angel....how
often does an angel fall?
Rest in peace David...thanks for everything!”
Cindy Levinson (Levinhurst):
“I will always remember the exact moment in time when I
received the news of David Bowie’s death. I quickly went from
shock and disbelief, then slowly to a reluctant acceptance, and
finally a deep, deep, sadness. Bowie was IT for me my whole
life. I loved everything about him. From a young girl in the 70's
to the present day, his art and music have inspired me, brought
me thru many dark days, made me dance, sing, and feel alive.
His death has left an emptiness in my heart that will be there
forever, but his magic will also live on and I take much com-
Daniel Chavis (The Veldt):
"Is it any wonder?" was the question David Bowie asked form
his hit song "Fame" (co-written with Carlos Alomar and John
Lennon in 1974-75). It was also the question at hand when I - a
10 year old Black youth - poised the same question when wat-
ching him on "Soul Train" for the 1st time. I was astounded but
nevertheless curious why a white guy would be on "Soul Train".
I thought it was cool, plus my mum loved him. Much earlier,
I saw his face on the cover of the 'Diamond Dogs" LP cover at
my stepdad's house, which kinda scared me a little and, come
to think of it, it was always next to the Jimi Hendrix 'Axis Bold
as Love' album cover, which spooked me. I believe Davis Bowie
really made a dent in Black culture and when hearing George
Clinton mention him on 'Make my funk the P-Funk"m it was
obvious we had givin him a so called Honorary "Ghetto Pass"
one he would never have revoked.
His appreciation for soul music was so honest and sincere,
which was one of the things I admired about him. In my ado-
lescence, my love for his music would come back during the
"Blitz Kids" / New Romantic era, which totally influenced my
sense of style and since of lyrical writing as a young musician.
When I saw "Ashes to Ashes" on the late night TV show "Night
Flight", it changed everything for me. Thus the gates were open
for bands, most notably - Japan, Ultravox, Duran Duran and
Roxy Music. My fate was set. I literally became a new Romantic
overnight, buying every edition of Smash Hits, NME, Sounds,
and Blitz magazine (which I later appeared in) that I could find.
I was automatically an outcast in school based on my new-
found religion - one I have not given up until this day. It came
to a head when "Let's Dance" came out it, which would prove
he was unstoppable in the sheer fact that he was a musical cha-
meleon, able to change with the times and still be relevant. As a
singer, he has influenced me on his tone and maturity and also
his style of vocal delivery, which I use time and again in our
band The Veldt. David Bowie's music was one I thought would
be around just there and it would be alright. But it was not fate.
Just two months ago, I was telling my friends we should cover
"Be My Wife" and now he's gone. There is another void. Of cour-
se, it's one that will fade over time but this one will be different
and for that I am very very sad."
Dean García (Curve – SPC ECO):
“I was deeply saddened like everyone else but then I came
to the conclusion that David Bowie will always be with me and
everyone else, he's etched on our souls and immortal for all
time.”
Dominic 'Dom' James (Politburo):
"I was enchanted by Bowie at an early age. His presence was
fort in that. I am so grateful that I was able to grow up with his
songs as a soundtrack to my life and experience all his magnifi-
cent changes along the way. It has been a thrill that I find hard
to put into words. Rest in peace Star Man, and thank you for
making the world a brighter place!
7widespread. I remember on one occasion while I was at school
a whole classroom of kids suddenly singing the chorus of Chan-
ges. The first song I learnt to play on the guitar was Space Od-
dity. I got into his Berlin period and discovered Iggy and Krau-
trock. Later on I watched the interviews with him filmed in the
mid-70s, when he was high on drugs, and I suddenly realized I
previously didn’t have a clue about this man or his music. Bowie
was always changing and always utterly fascinating, right up to
his death with Blackstar."
Jawa Seth (Merciful Nuns – Near Earth Orbit):
“Bowie is and was an unique artist. His different innovative
styles and performances were spectacular. I don´t like every pe-
riod or album but his influence on the music scene all over the
world is evident over so much years. At least the exhibition in
Berlin 2015 has shown his work descriptive and really interes-
ting. 2 days before he died I watched his video "Black star" and
asked myself why do he writes sich dark lyrics? I was impressed
by the last album and his video stuff.
What an outstanding artist the world has lost!”
Jay Aston (Gene Loves Jezebel):
“I didn't personally know him, so it didn't effect me on an
emotional level. I knew he'd been ill for a long time, but it sti-
ll weird how these things still come as a massive shock. Really
enjoyed many of his albums & especially his collaborations with
Mick Ronson & Brian Eno). He introduced the great big world
to so many that new nothing, or very little about The Velvet Un-
derground, Roxy Music & a host of others that had had such a
big influence on him. A unique man, a generous artist & a truly
wonderful entertainer. It's such a tragedy when life is cut short.
The albums live on.
A giant.”
Lee Stevens (The Swagger):
"I grew up listening to Bowie as a kid as my parents always
played his records around the house. 'Space Oddity' was one
of the first Bowie songs on learnt on the guitar. I love his
very early album the deram anthology with tracks such as
'In The Heat of the Morning' 'Karma Man' When I Live My
Dream' and so on. I also love his later stuff songs like 'Chan-
ges', 'The Man Who Sold The World', 'Starman' and the list
goes on and on...
David Bowie was an inspiration to me and my music be-
cause of his songwriting skills & leadership, he was a leader
in his own right. He was also a fashion icon and a spokes-
man of a generation and ahead of his time. Bowie was a ge-
nius and will never be forgotton and his music will live on
forever. He will be sadly missed and will always be the 'Star-
man' R.I.P sir."
Mark 'Cappy' Caplice (a.k.a. Kolumbus):
"David Bowie did what he wanted to do as an artist. Maintai-
ning that sort of integrity as an artist can be difficult but he pa-
ved the way for others. David was one of the most unique artists
to walk the face of the earth. Everything from persona, produc-
tion, lyrics and melody - he always strive to be different. When I
was young I remember thinking, is this David Bowie fella really
from outer space??? I've yet to get a definitive answer."
Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission – Peter Murphy):
“My first experience of David Bowie was witnessing his Zig-
gy glam incarnation on Top of The Pops back in the early 70s. I
was probably around 8 years old… His eyes fascinated me and
the music was inspiring… He made his biggest impression on
me when he released Scary Monsters in 1979, I was 14 and just
starting to seriously get into rock music and pick up my first
guitar… Robert Fripp lead work on the title track and 'Fashion'
made an indelible mark on my psyche and I have tried to re-
create the manic vibe of those solos on many occasions, both
with The Mission ('Sway' guitar solo) and live with Peter Mur-
phy and even Tricky.,
Such an amazing body of work, of course I got to perform Zi-
Mark Ratcliff (Rude Audio):
"I loved David Bowie... The first single I bought as a 9 year
old was by David Bowie and I bought his last LP two days befo-
re he died, his music is threaded through mine and my family's
life like no other musician or pop star... He had a gift for hooks
and melodies, an ear for production and an eye for appropria-
te musical partners... At least once a month my brother and I
still wrestle with what our top 5 Bowie songs or albums are,
they fluctuate regularity but if someone put a gun at my head
and said I had to choose a couple of records then I would have
to go for the mix of pop hooks and glacial strangeness on Low
or the incredible tunes and scratchy, garage production feel of
Diamond Dogs."
Martin Nyrup (Perpacity):
"Been listening to David Bowie since I was a young lad and
he´s always been a great influence and inspiration to me.
ggy Stardust almost every night with Peter Murphy during the
last 10 years, Peter is such an afficianado and it's probably the
closest I have become to performing with the Thin white duke,
who I never met in real life.. Peter would regale us of how he
encountered Bowie on the set of 'The Hunger' and how charis-
matic David was…
We won't see his like again.”
9
Mike Bee (The Grand Illusion):
"It’s hard to say anything about Bowie that hasn’t been said
already, probably impossible! I was always drawn to his fasci-
nation with the occult and how he brought, or sneaked it, into
his music and art. This was obviously evident on his Blacks-
tar album (you’ll see a few of my old tracks with similar titles,
Black Sun, etc) which are about similar themes, Universal the-
mes whether people know it or not! I love the way he transcen-
ded genres, genders cultural divides. I was recently watching a
documentary talking about the punk movement and how they
fell in love with him. Not an immediate fit you might think,
then I remembered my 13 year old self and friends standing on
our local park, wearing a Berghaus jacket, with a skinhead, and
drinking strong [cheap] cider. What were we listening to? Zig-
gy Stardust! That must have looked pretty amusing to any pas-
ser-by at the time.
I don’t want to believe he’s gone. I’m not sure I do. I prefer
to think he’s just boarded the mother-ship ahead of everyone
else. Energy can’t die, so David Bowie definitely can’t. We’re all
the Spaceman now!"
When I was a teenager I remember getting annoyed with him
for not giving me the “Let´s Dance II” album I really wanted
since I´d so enjoyed the original Let´s Dance album. He never
stood still though, never repeated himself and was constantly
evolving up till the very end which is something I admire and
respect him for. The easiest thing in the world is to repeat your-
self. David Bowie never did that and that is (one) of the lessons
taught by him I try to live by in life and with the music I create."
Nick Alexander (Politburo):
"David Bowie! Well, his was the music that could happily
soundtrack the dark and curious dramas, of a young boy's in-
ner landscape , populated by the stuff of myth, magic, far flung
worlds and barely conceivable futures. It was the first music I
had heard, that could match my dreams (raw and with electric
clarity of childhood) , vision for vision. For this reason alone, I
regard him as arguably my most important musical influence...
The haze of youth."
Nino Sable (Aeon Sable):
“Bowie may be dead but his art will live forever.”
Olivier Rennesson & Estelle Flaujat (Helix Pulsar):
"David Bowie has always been a source of inspiration. Mainly
because of his creativity, his way to push the limits with his mu-
sic. He has been of great influence to the New Romantic move-
ment we like to associate some of our songs with. On a musical
level, he had a way of putting the different voices in front, wor-
king on different melodic voice lines, finding catchy hooks, and
cleverly using electronic music along with guitars… So many
things inspiring our work!"
Ralf Aussem (Dead Guitars):
"A lot. He was a big style and Zeitgeist refector. I love the 70s
Bowie and Outside With Eno. Bowie always had great guitarist
along his way... Ronson Belew Fripp they always inspired my
taste. ·
Rachel Mason:
"David Bowie sort of lives right under the skin of nearly
everything I do. The first time I heard his music, it was as thou-
gh I had already heard it before. I bought Hunky Dory as a re-
cord at a thrift store. And as soon as I heard it, the music just felt
like some part of me had written these songs and was singing
them, as though I already knew them all. About a week before
he died, I sent him a rock opera script that I had been working
on, which I thought he would love. He isn't dead to me because
I feel his spirit imbued in all of my work."
Roman Kalitkin (Sounds of Sputnik):
"There are few people who impacted on the music scene as
profoundly and in so many different ways as David Bowie. He
created music that spanned generations, yet it was always fresh,
always young and ahead of the rest of the world. Maybe he truly
did have a cosmic connection or, at mimimum, the guidance of
some very powerful muses. Sometimes dark, often optimistic,
frequently dreamy and full of hope. Through his music and his
role in the music community (to begin with) and larger society
(eventually he conquered hearts in multiple areas, he accentua-
ted many things that need to be addressed in our society and
was a role model for waves and waves of musicians and artists
to follow. You always were a star David.
Finally you may rest amongst them."
11
Ryan Policky (A Shoreline Dream):
“David Bowie was one of those faces you could never forget.
Even if you didn't know his music, you knew his face. He was
a pop star in so many ways, but unlike the pop of today, his
stardom was, and is, legitimate. Not fabricated by an obsession
to become famous, but a true curator of pop. One who defi-
ned what would happen in the future, and was very accurate
in doing so.
His influence to me was first as a movie star, then as a mu-
sician. That's what made him so special. There were multitu-
des of ways to get to know David. We all discovered him. We all
appreciated him. And most importantly...we all will miss him.
He had a powerful way of making us all feel like art should be
celebrated not for the money behind it, but for the love of the
creation of it. Very few have done this since, and it's a sad state
to know that the majority of art we see/hear/taste is only there
because someone had a ton of money. With David, the talent
came first. He will forever influence me...
”
Shauna McLarnon (Ummagma):
"David Bowie was such an earthquake in the minds of
millions and it was so gradual and persistent that I don't think
many people even realized just what he meant to them and what
an impact he actually had on their lives until he has already pas-
sed on. I refrain from saying gone, because he has among the
golden handful of artists who will always be with me for many
reasons - his songmanship, his MASSIVE charisma, his educa-
ted diplomatic and elegant effort to challenge the stagnant ways
of "the music industry" (including racism and sexism), the bri-
lliance he emitted as a leader in fashion and art, a massive phi-
lanthropist and supporter of many many other artists, and as a
great actor.
David is the dynamic beautiful chameleon who not only chan-
ged with the times, but lead that change. I appreciate his eter-
nal optimism, as well as his search and craving for that which
is both new and worthy. I love the man artist who celebrated
his feminine element and embodied the evolution of evolutions
among artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. May David multi-
ply even in the seeds of our minds now."
Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins – Snowbird):
“It was an awful shock. I had planned my first trip into the re-
cording studio in about a year to make some music of my own,
with drummer Richie Thomas and the news knocked all the
wind out of my sails. I was in a daze most of the morning. Con-
sidered cancelling the studio but after speaking to Richie, we de-
cided DB would have wanted us to make beautiful music and we
used his work and his life as our inspiration that whole week. I
definitely feel like his spirit ran through our compositions that
Tim The Mute (Kingfisher Bluez Records):
"As a teenager, when my friends asked me what film I wanted
to watch, it was always the same answer: "Velvet Goldmine". My
closest high school friends have had to sit through Todd Hay-
nes' 2+ hour David Bowie fan fiction musical more times than
they'd ever care to admit. Featuring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as
the messiah rock star "Brian Slade" and his Ziggy-like counter-
part "Maxwell Demon" and Ewan McGregor as the Iggy Pop-
style rocker Curt Wilde, the filmmaker clearly wasn't too bothe-
red about losing Bowie's endorsement when he found out it was
about him having a gay love affair with Iggy Pop.
Bowie's recent passing and farewell album '?' mirror the way
he "killed off" Ziggy and each of his personas as he adopted new
ones, just as Brian Slade killed Maxwell Demon in a staged pu-
blic assassination so that the artist could truly be free. Bowie's
final "death art" is only the latest goodbye in a long series of goo-
dbyes- more lifetimes than most artists could dream of. Over a
dozen careers and many more important albums that brought
counterculture to the masses.
However thinly veiled the inspiration for the characters is,
"Velvet Goldmine" was a flamboyant, exciting, thrill for a small
town kid just discovering T-Rex, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Pulp,
and Placebo- all these bands that featured on the soundtrack
was something that was just taken for granted by a lot of people.
Realizing he's gone just somehow doesn't make sense because
he's always just been a part of our culture, whether you were ac-
tively paying attention to him or not. Blackstar is such a brilliant
release too, so it's beautiful to know right up until his last mo-
ments on this planet he was every bit as creatively vibrant as he
had ever been. It's created a sort of standard to try to achieve...
always just doing what you do, being who you are, unapologe-
tically. I'm positive I've failed to convey what I mean properly,
but there you have it.”
Tara Vanflower (Lycia):
“I think what really struck me most about Bowie's dea-
th was that it was just so shocking. Even though he was older, he
has always just been a part of my life since I was born. I think it
Steve Kilbey (The Church):
“It meant the end of the best singer and writer this world has
known.”
week. I grew up with his music in the 70s and 80s and with my
best friend Stan, who was an even bigger Bowie freak than me,
we spent so many hours listening and absorbing. We met him
in the early 80s at a Human League concert and I will never for-
get his gracious conversation and shaking his hand. As an 18
year old, to meet a hero and have them be uber cool, was a real
thrill. In death and in life he was a true artist.
One of the greats.”
13
Trevor Tanner (The Bolshoi):
"David Bowie was everything to me, without him, my music
wouldn't exist. The guitar riff in Starman is what inspired me
to pick up a guitar, the world is a changed place because of him,
and without him it is a much duller place. With David gone, so-
mething intangible has changed, the world has forever chan-
ged. I admire and respect and am influenced by many musi-
cians and artists in my life. But if I had to pick one, it would be
David Bowie, he is, was and always will be a hero to me.”
became the soundtrack to my life for the next 5 years, as I su-
ffered through high school, patiently waiting for the glitter to
land on me.”
Adam Cresswell (Rodney Cromwell):
“I am not someone who is often overcome by the passing of
people I never knew. But Bowie’s death was different and I have
been surprisingly and profoundly saddened by it.
It may be because my mother had been always been a
big Bowie fan, right back to when he performed as David Jones.
She often spoke of hanging with his band The Manish Boys in
The Star Club in Maidstone in the mid 60’s and I was brou-
ght-up to a soundtrack of Ziggy, Hunky Dory and Aladdin Sane.
Early Bowie was always very much my parent’s music though
and it wasn’t until I left home that I went deeper into the back
catalogue. And when I discovered the Berlin period, I had my
own Bowie epiphany.
The three albums of the Berlin trilogy, alongside the
two career defining records he made with Iggy Pop, challenged
my whole outlook on music. Not only were they stunningly pro-
duced, epic, thrilling, atmospheric and experimental, they also
opened my ears to a whole movement I knew little about - the
German aesthetic – that sound propelled by motorik beats, deep
atmospherics and creaking analogue electronics. Bands like
like Cluster, Neu, Harmonia and Kraftwerk who are still major
influences on my work. Listen to ‘Red Sails’ from Lodger, and
imagine it without Bowie’s majestic vocal; it sounds like ‘The
Best of Can’ compressed into three and a half minutes.
Bowie’s legacy isn’t just the in the music he made
himself, but it’s the fact he opened our ears to so much more;
whether it was The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Kraf-
twerk, Chic or drum-and-bass. I certainly felt that I could con-
nect with what he did, in that he was as much a fan as an ar-
tist and wasn’t afraid of experimentation and failure. These are
some of the many things for which he is already very much mis-
sed.”
Del Chaney (Analogue Wave, Primal Music Radio & Blog)
Emanuele Chiarelli (Electric Floor)
"David Bowie came across to me as a man who's life was
constantly evolving. He never stood in the same musical spa-
ce for too long and he was never afraid to change his image to
suit any one particular musical style. He pushed boundaries &
expanded niches to introduce everyone, from every single walk
of life, to his music. He also surrounded himself with likemin-
ded musicians & pioneering young producers who in turn hel-
ped him fulfil his long term musical vision. David Bowie loved
to test the limits of the musical establishment and he always
showed unwavering support for new artists & bands. He will
continue to be a major influence on emerging artists from every
single musical genre and he will always be a major influence
on everything that we do within our electronically stabled Ana-
logue Wave. His music and his endearing charm will live with
us forever"
"Bowie is certainly the symbol of style, elegance and genius.
He's the only one who along his career has never once missed
a hit. Every album was better than the previously. He had an
incredible career, an incredible story with a incredible end. He
was the only one that could die in that way. He influenced the
music world bringing together different people with different
musical tastes. In fact, Bowie can connect the different musical
tastes of metal heads and shoegazers. Lazarus isn't just a beau-
tiful song with an amazing video, we all feel that was more than
this. We've all looked at the sky and chose a star that could be
fade away since millions years. Bowie's story will shine forever
exactly like that star. In our music there isn't a direct connection
with Bowie's sound, but we've certainly learnt the dimension
concept from him, which means taking the emotions combi-
ning them with music and bringing them in a physical place."
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UNA REVISTA IMAGINARIA
The13th