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Despite his vast influence and perennial popularity, David Bowie remains one of the most elusive figures in rock, and few books have taken a serious look at his remarkable career. The Bowie Companion provides an entertaining overview of nearly three decades of popular culture commentary, giving full weight to his stage, screen, and musical careers. From both American and English publications, the editors have come up with some astonishing selections, and have added to them a slew of new material. Included are: Leslie Thomas's hilarious local newspaper story on little Davy Jones (Bowie's original name) and his campaign to defend "those who wear their hair long"; Patti Smith's poem/review of Heroes; Gordon Burn's backstage look at The Elephant Man; Wilfrid Mellers's musical analysis of Hunky Dory; Anne Rice on Bowie's ambiguous gender; Jon Savage on Bowie's relationship to the mainstream; a strange conversation between Bowie and William Burroughs; three acerbic reviews by the immortal Lester Bangs; contributions from Marc Bolan, Simon Frith, Pauline Kael, John Rockwell, and Ellen Willis, among others; a lengthy introduction, a select discography, and an extensive bibliography. Taken together, they make up a book that is a must for Bowie fans, and a perfect companion for anyone interested in the phenomenon of pop stardom.
List of contents
* Introduction Boys Keep Swinging * Still Pops Faker? David Buckley * For Those Beyond the Fringe; A Message to London from Dave Leslie Thomas * Music-Hall Humorist Marc Bolan * Ken Pitt Johnny Rogan * Pierrot in Turquoise Lindsay Kemp * Miming Promise Don Chapman * Space Oddity Gus Chapman * Up-to-Date Minstrel Tony Palmer * Bowie for a Song Tim Hughes Starman * David Bowie? Pantomime Rock? John Mendelsohn * Oh You Pretty Thing Michael Watts * Still Hunky Dory, After All These Years Wilfred Mellers * Waiting for the Man Michael Watts * Main Man Tim Kindberg * Among the Fragments Iain Chambers * Gay Rock Peter Holmes * A Star is Born Ray Coleman Changes * Bowies Limitations Ellen Willis * David Bowie in America Timothy Ferris * Growing up Grim with Mott the Hoople Robert Christgau * Bowie Zowie: Two Views of the Glitter Prince of Rock Dave Lang and Simon Frith * Beat Godfather meets Glitter Mainman Craig Copetas * Swan Dive Into the Mung Lester Bangs Lets Dance * Johnny Rays Better Whirlpool: The New Living Bowie Lester Bangs * UFOs, Hitler and David Bowie Bruno Stein * Chicken Head Comes Home to Roost Lester Bangs * Waiting for Bowieand Finding a Genius Who Insists Hes Really a Clown Jean Rook * Bowie and Bassey Derek Jewell * Notes on Evolving Heroes, Morals Audiences Pauline Kael Hang On To Yourself * Soul Robots: Eno and Fripp with Bowie Eric Tamm * Hitting an All-Time Low Lorne Murdoch * Heroes: A Communiqu Patti Smith * Avant-AOR Jon Savage * Bowie Reborn Jean Rook * Bowie Holds Court Gordon Burn * A Revolution with Bowie John Rockwell * The Gender Bender Jon Savage * The Art of Posing Simon Frith Fame * David Bowie and the End of Glitter Anne Rice * As I Write This Letter... Laura Fissinger * Moon and Gloom: David Bowies Frustrated Messianism Deborah Elizabeth Finn * Put on Your Red Shoes and Dance the Blues Deborah H. Holdstein * Surface Noise: The Trouble with Bowie Mick Farren * Seriousand StunningMoonlight Patricia Mackay * Tonight Kurt Loder * Beginners Luck Philip Norman Rock n Roll Suicide? * Political Animal David Buckley * Bowie's Wedding Album David Wild * Dedicated Followers of Bowie Michael Bracewell
About the author
Elizabeth Thomson co-edited The Bowie Companion and The Lennon Companion. Thomson is also the editor of Conclusions on the Wall: New Essays on Bob Dylan. Thomson has also contributed to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(second edition). She lives in London. David Gutman co-edited The Bowie Companion and The Lennon Companion. Gutman is the author of an illustrated biography, Prokofiev, and is an editorial consultant for Gramophone Magazine. Gutman has also contributed to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(second edition). He lives in London. David Gutman co-edited The Bowie Companion and The Lennon Companion. Gutman is the author of an illustrated biography, Prokofiev, and is an editorial consultant for Gramophone Magazine. Gutman has also contributed to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(second edition). He lives in London.
Summary
"Despite his vast influence and perennial popularity, David Bowie remains one of the most elusive figures in rock, and few books have taken a serious look at his remarkable career. The Bowie Companion"
