Akira

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Piss Me Off

Tracks:

1. Starman (Ziggy Stardust): I think this was the song that i first really fell in love with from him. One of the best songs from his glam era, this is a perfect example of the out of space, charm filled song writing he did so well.

2. Drive-In Saturday (Aladdin Sane): One of my favourite ballad sorts by him, almost like a waltz really the way it strides.

3. Subterraneans (Low): Possibly my favourite out of the more ambient stuff he did, the mood and textures in the music is gorgeous and it's influence can be seen in tons of artists that followed.

4. Station to Station (Station to Station): A track of epic proportions, it builds and builds with such stride and the end product results in a track that is very underated.

5. Let's Dance (Let's Dance): Because it does exactly what it implies, it makes you want to dance your feet off. Anyone who says it's dated can feck off.

Album:

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

It's the obvious choice but to be fair this album has such a stupid amount of tunes, confidence and charm that it's hard not to pick. It's the first album by him i got and it's made a lasting impression, to the extent i still see it as one of my favourite albums of all time.

Similar Artists:
T-Rex: Marc Bolan was just a less cool version of glam Bowie (in my eyes though, i'm sure others would disagree)
Brian Eno: Worked with Bowie on a few albums and his solo stuff is certainly similar.

Bowie means a crap load to me for... no real specific reason apart from he made incredible songs. Such is the sheer mass of stuff he did there is always something for whatever mood i'm in. I'm pretty sure that he has done a track that ANYONE can enjoy no matter what their taste is or what their background is, for that he is as close to being a genius as a musician can come.

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Bulldog

Tracks:

1. Sound and Vision (Low)
One of the best ensemble performances by a backing band I've ever heard. The Alomar-Davis-Murray rhythm section really strikes gold here. It's simply 3 minutes of musical perfection

2. Joe the Lion (Heroes)
Robert Fripp's lead guitar here is absolutely insane, and it drives the song superbly with the help of a terrific group of musicians working with him and a white-hot vocal performance from Bowie

3. Jump, They Say (Black Tie, White Noise)
The man's last top 10 hit, it's a very lively and buoyant tune (like a 90s version of Let's Dance), propelled by virtuoso trumpet performance from the chap's namesake, Mr. Lester Bowie

4. Kingdom Come (Scary Monsters)
Bowie's vocal performance here is one of his finest (the notes he hits here are inhuman!). This lively cover of Tom Verlaine's solo tune also features the wonderful Alomar-Davis-Murray rhythm section propelling it

5. Space Oddity *acoustic version (Scary Monsters, rykodisc reissue)
I actually think the more popular, orchestrated version of this tune is a little on the overcooked side. This simplistic guitar-drums-piano reworking serves the meaty lyrical subject matter a lot better

Album:

Heroes
I'm probably going out on a bit of a limb here, but this is probably my personal favourite. A mix-up of some razor-sharp, at times pretty crazy songs and some wonderfully moving instrumental pieces, it really does benefit so much from repeated listening

Similar Artists:

Gary Numan: This chap was influenced heavily by Bowie's collaborations with Brian Eno

Talking Heads: In collaborating with Eno themselves, these guys were always (certainly in my eyes) in a very similar musical ball-park to Bowie. They even started writing pop songs with prominent horn figures around the same time that Bowie did

I basically have David Bowie to thank for expanding my horizons musically. If it weren't for him I simply wouldn't be as hooked on music as I am these days. His back catalogue is also one of such diversity, which more often than not yielded truly remarkable results, something you simply can't say for a lot of singer/songwriters down the years

Minstrel

Tracks:

1. Life On Mars? : A virtually perfect song, on the candidate list for greatest song ever. It shows off his weird lyricism, epic flair and pop aesthetic.

2. Five Years : A wonderful ballad that has a compelling urgency and soaring melody.

3. An Occasional Dream : Another great, early ballad that has a dreamy (appropriate!) melody and a chiming sound.

4. Space Oddity : One of his most famous songs, it hinted at the dramatic nature that would become his trademark, while also capturing a contemplative mood about the space race.

5. Lady Grinning Soul : Exotic and gorgeous. This is the very definition of lush pop melody, yet it has a surreal, swirling element. Just very compelling.


Album:

Space Oddity

While one of the triumverate of Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane and Ziggy Stardust tends to be selected for best Bowie album, I think Space Oddity has become overlooked and under-appreciated. I've lately been listening to it more, and it's packed with brilliance.


Similar Artists:
Jobriath
T-Rex


Thoughts
I like Bowie a great deal because he combined a fusion of different rock and pop sounds with tremendous theatrics and showmanship. His albums are potpourri of epic productions, dirty blues and even McCartney-esque Vaudeville ditties. He's a lot of fun to listen to, he's rarely boring.

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"Blow your tuneless trumpet, the choice is yours / We don't want the glamour, the pomp and the drums / The Dublin messiah scattering crumbs"

sweet_nothing

Tracks:
1) Cracked Actor
2) Hang Onto Yourself
3) Rebel Rebel
4) Black Country Rock
5) Life On Mars?


Album:
Aladin Sane

Similar Artists:
Lou Reed
Iggy Pop

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Seltzer

Tracks (not in order):

1. Always Crashing in the Same Car (Low 1977)
Low is my favourite album and this is a choice cut. It always leaves me with a dulcet melancholic kind of feeling (especially the solo).

2. Life on Mars (Hunky Dory 1971)
This is an expected response, but it really can't be beaten. Wakeman's piano is mellifluous and the song overall is majestic, dramatic and theatrical.

3. Station to Station (Station to Station 1976)
Station to Station is quite a proggy song so naturally I'm inclined towards it. I love how it builds up with a slow plodding rhythm and suddenly transforms into a cheery foot-tapping extravaganza.

4. Pablo Picasso (Reality 2003)
I was a bit disappointed to find out that this is a cover, but I had to include it anyway, even if I haven't heard the original. Funny song and the outro is breathtaking.

5. Teenage Wildlife (Scary Monsters 1980)
Teenage Wildlife is happy sounding and anthemic with its backup vocals. Fripp's leads are very nice too.

6. Tonight (Iggy Pop, Lust for Life 1977)
Since #4 was a cover, I get to include another one.

Obviously this trumps that sappy reggae re-release. Tonight is a beautiful romantic pop song with some suave guitar riffs.

And I agree with Minstrel in saying that Lady Grinning Soul is great.

Album:
Low all the way.

Similar Artists:
Talking Heads and obviously Eno. And maybe some will hate me for saying that Peter Gabriel reminds me of Bowie sometimes.

Thoughts:
Experimentation is a good thing! Seriously though, Bowie is a wonderful musician with a great voice and he chooses his collaborators wisely. I can't be the only one who feels their sexual orientation being slightly challenged by Bowie. And that is all.

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Demonoid

Some of his experimental/world music stuff really does remind me of bowie as well. Cmon, his music ain't all that bad

Akira

Tracks:

1. Starman (Ziggy Stardust)
2. Life on Mars? (Hunky Dory)
3. Changes (Hunky Dory)
4. Rock 'N' Roll Suicide (Ziggy Stardust)
5. Heroes (Heroes)

Album:

Hunky Dory


Similar Artists:

Lou Reed
Brian Eno

David Bowie is one of the most important figures in my musical journey. He is a true genius, a fact that remains a constant throughout his career. He is never afraid to change his sound and his image and yet he reels off great song after great song, awesome album after awesome album. His entire discography is so diverse and has influence so many people. One of the most important solo artists in music history.

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Double X

Tracks:

1. Sound and Vision (Low)
2. Heroes (Heroes)
3. Slow Burn (Heathen)
4. Ziggy Stardust (Ziggy Stardust)
5. Starman (Ziggy Stardust)

Album:

Low

Similar Artists:

Lou Reed
Brian Eno

Piss Me Off

I was veeery close to putting Afraid from Heathen on there, great album.

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