It’ll Take a Miracle for David Bowie to Record Again
Peter Hodgson
| http://www.gibson.com/Files/aaFeaturesImages2011/david-bowie_starman.jpg
08.15.2011

David Bowie has probably retired from music, according to British author Paul Trynka, who recently wrote a biography on the now-reclusive singer.

Trynka, a former editor-in-chief at Mojo magazine, says it's unlikely Bowie will ever return to the studio. "My heart says he'll come back, but my head says he's not likely to," Trynka told Spinner magazine. “I think he would only come back if he thinks he could deliver something that will be seismic. If you pop back into the stage, it's got to be something that has a big explosion and lots of flashes. It would be a bit of a miracle if he comes back, but miracles do happen."

Trynka's book, David Bowie: Starman, reveals a little-known rock fact: that Bowie was temporarily a member of The Small Faces, a gig which the author feels may have had a life-changing effect on the singer and his future direction. "That in itself showed what a genius he had for meeting the right kind of people, making friends and influencing people," Trynker said. "This was one of the biggest '60s bands. But he wasn't good enough, he was too derivative, and they threw him out of the band. That alone shines a new light on how he became the person he was.”
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/david-bowie-0815-2011/

Bowie has cardiovascular problems now, no? And there's that incident where he was stuck in the eye by a flying object thrown by a "fan" at a show.

Can't blame the guy for retiring. I'm glad I got to see him on his last tour.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s209/leepullen/david-bowie-100.jpg

Cant be too many major acts in the rock era who just 'retire' and stick to it. Its been seven years now since he aborted that tour due to heart problems. Apart from a couple of guest appearances since with Arcade Fire and the like, he's been pretty much retired. I dont expect a comeback. And certainly never again as a touring act.


He owes us nothing, but I do miss him. The best and (easily) most important solo artist we've ever produced.

Have really started to appreciate his output from the final decade of his career more in the last year or so. Too me a heck of a long time to get into it.

I love Bowie, would love to see him again. My first Bowie show was in 1974.

:Youmakeagrownmancrylikejoey

Gazza wrote on Aug 17^th, 2011 at 6:54am:

Cant be too many major acts in the rock era who just 'retire' and stick to it. Its been seven years now since he aborted that tour due to heart problems. Apart from a couple of guest appearances since with Arcade Fire and the like, he's been pretty much retired. I dont expect a comeback. And certainly never again as a touring act. He owes us nothing, but I do miss him. The best and (easily) most important solo artist we've ever produced. Have really started to appreciate his output from the final decade of his career more in the last year or so. Too me a heck of a long time to get into it.

Bowie's one of those giants I've admired from afar. I have some of the big LPs -- Hunky Dory, Ziggy, Aladdin, etc. But I never really got down to the deep roots. There's only so much time in the day, I suppose.

Damn, I've never seen David Bowie live. One of my greatest regrets gig-wise.
I really hope for that miracle.

TomL wrote on Aug 17^th, 2011 at 7:50am:

I love Bowie, would love to see him again. My first Bowie show was in 1974.

i want to caress your kneecaps

I got to see Bowie five times live, three of those times were during his last tour. If that was indeed his last time out it was an incredible tour.

I was very fortunate to see him in the 70's, '76 & '78, he's influenced so many people, especially in the 80's, he's always taken chances with his music, that sounded so weird at the time (his Eno years) but it was the music of the future, I have the DVD of his last tour that was filmed in Dublin, he's still got it, like Gazza mentioned earlier, if he's retired, he's one of the few who has done this, but then again he does what nobody else does.

If he said it himself I would tend to believe him. Always his own man and not likley to pull a Who or Eagles by retiring...coming back...retiring...well you know. Very creative and his music will no doubt last for generations.

We need other music miracles. Bowie is not one of them.

In 1977 (I believe), Bowie released Low and Heroes PLUS co-wrote and was the driving force behind Iggy's The Idiot and Lust for Life.  That, my friends, is creative output.

Mel Belli wrote on Aug 17^th, 2011 at 8:11am:

Gazza wrote on Aug 17th, 2011 at 6:54am: Cant be too many major acts in the rock era who just 'retire' and stick to it. Its been seven years now since he aborted that tour due to heart problems. Apart from a couple of guest appearances since with Arcade Fire and the like, he's been pretty much retired. I dont expect a comeback. And certainly never again as a touring act. He owes us nothing, but I do miss him. The best and (easily) most important solo artist we've ever produced. Have really started to appreciate his output from the final decade of his career more in the last year or so. Too me a heck of a long time to get into it. Bowie's one of those giants I've admired from afar. I have some of the big LPs -- Hunky Dory, Ziggy, Aladdin, etc. But I never really got down to the deep roots. There's only so much time in the day, I suppose.

Its the six or seven years after those records that I really love the most - '74 through to 1980. Peaking and ending with 'Scary Monsters'. An incredible decade-long run of gear-shifting brilliance.

Gazza wrote on Aug 17^th, 2011 at 6:54am:

Cant be too many major acts in the rock era who just 'retire' and stick to it. Its been seven years now since he aborted that tour due to heart problems. Apart from a couple of guest appearances since with Arcade Fire and the like, he's been pretty much retired. I dont expect a comeback. And certainly never again as a touring act. He owes us nothing, but I do miss him. The best and (easily) most important solo artist we've ever produced. Have really started to appreciate his output from the final decade of his career more in the last year or so. Too me a heck of a long time to get into it.

Damn; I wrote a long post here; but it was somewhat ruined when I posted the "post"-button


Main point was......Please, Gazza - download the "BBC" recordings of 2002 from Hungercity
I am a big fan of the "Heathen" album, and in fact the "BBC" sessions is even stronger than the official release.......

Cheers, Erik! Will do!

The man's a true Icon. One of a kind original. He still looks good too!  

I LOVE the Outside/Earthling era

Seen him 14 times.

REALLY miss him, both recorded output and touring.

I'll guess he will record SOMETHING again. Be it in the studio with someone or something as a hobby or some darn thing. I can't see him never going back to record again. I CAN imagine that his days of touring are pretty much over.


Quite possibly, my favorite solo artist. If he's not, I don't know who is for my personal fav...can't really think of one better I like?? I guess I would have to give it to Bowie...Hmmmm?

Ian

I've always been a fan of Bowie, & I could say he is my favorite solo artist easily, I just saw the making of "Transformer" Lou Reed on Classic Albums series, & he produced it, he was even a great producer early on, along with every other art form he enters, very, very talented.

Never got into him. Only Bowie related thing i own is the 1st Tin Machine cd. I can appreciated his importance though. Everyone's getting old real quick, huh?

Erik_Snow wrote on Aug 24^th, 2011 at 12:42pm:

Main point was......Please, Gazza - download the "BBC" recordings of 2002 from Hungercity I am a big fan of the "Heathen" album, and in fact the "BBC" sessions is even stronger than the official release.......

On my way there, his last two albums back to back in 2002/2003 were really lovely, great music and production, unlike most of what he did between that and Let's Dance. The Tin Machine stuff was really beneath him...

gotdablouse wrote on Sep 6^th, 2011 at 12:22pm:

Erik_Snow wrote on Aug 24th, 2011 at 12:42pm: Main point was......Please, Gazza - download the "BBC" recordings of 2002 from Hungercity I am a big fan of the "Heathen" album, and in fact the "BBC" sessions is even stronger than the official release....... On my way there, his last two albums back to back in 2002/2003 were really lovely, great music and production, unlike most of what he did between that and Let's Dance. The Tin Machine stuff was really beneath him...

Why no love for Tin Machine? the first studio effort imo is his best since his last classic Scary Monsters. Oy Vey Baby is a smokin live set though the second studio falls a little short. The only other thing i have from between those two is the Glass Spider live set which looks comical you had to be there. The nineties were much better more introspective i really regret not seeing the Outside tour.

gotdablouse wrote on Sep 6^th, 2011 at 12:22pm:

Erik_Snow wrote on Aug 24th, 2011 at 12:42pm: Main point was......Please, Gazza - download the "BBC" recordings of 2002 from Hungercity I am a big fan of the "Heathen" album, and in fact the "BBC" sessions is even stronger than the official release....... On my way there, his last two albums back to back in 2002/2003 were really lovely, great music and production, unlike most of what he did between that and Let's Dance. The Tin Machine stuff was really beneath him...

Hi, well - I'm not a fan of Reality, I must say - there's 3-4 great ones there; I think - and rest is pretty shabby. Heathen is tremendous, though. But all live shows; also the ones that followed "Heathen" was excellent. He really got a new spark there

Tin Machine doesn't do it for me at all; either. But it seemed to be his "rescue", musicwise - from what I've read - as he got back with new power later in the 90s. Wasn't it Rod Stewart who said that "he wasn't too good at making records in the 80s, but he had some explendid vacations"? That line could have fitted to David Bowie as well.

Bowie did say in the 80's was his floppy period, in this interview here at 7:00 he mentions it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7XAKvAWhQ8&feature=related

mojoman wrote on Sep 6^th, 2011 at 3:32pm:

gotdablouse wrote on Sep 6th, 2011 at 12:22pm: Erik_Snow wrote on Aug 24th, 2011 at 12:42pm: Main point was......Please, Gazza - download the "BBC" recordings of 2002 from Hungercity I am a big fan of the "Heathen" album, and in fact the "BBC" sessions is even stronger than the official release....... On my way there, his last two albums back to back in 2002/2003 were really lovely, great music and production, unlike most of what he did between that and Let's Dance. The Tin Machine stuff was really beneath him... Why no love for Tin Machine? the first studio effort imo is his best since his last classic Scary Monsters. Oy Vey Baby is a smokin live set though the second studio falls a little short. The only other thing i have from between those two is the Glass Spider live set which looks comical you had to be there. The nineties were much better more introspective i really regret not seeing the Outside tour.

I liked the first Tin Machine record. 'Under The God' rocks like a bastard from hell!

My everlasting memory of the Glass Spider tour tour was the opening to the show I saw at Slane Castle. While it was a fine gig in many ways, when you saw Bowie descending on to the stage out of a spider's arse, it was, in hindsight, a classic 'jump the shark' moment.

I missed the Outside tour. He played Belfast (I think for the only time ever), I had a ticket and took a bad dose of 'flu and couldnt go. The only concert I've ever missed due to ill-health.