In 1972, when he burst into America’s consciousness as that red-haired, androgynous, British space-age rocker, he was quite  polarizing- too far-out and “weird” to be taken seriously by many; and a quickly revered, almost prophet-like cult figure embraced by others. Time may have dimmed or distorted the way so many thought and felt about David Bowie, an almost cartoonish character, some half-century ago, but in retrospect it seems clear that the actual music he produced in the decade of the ’70s stacks up well against any other artist you care to name. A whole series of brilliant albums, beginning with 1971’s Hunky Dory (his fourth release and not really discovered by most ”til a year or two later), today considered an all-time classic by a number of publications, featuring the philosophic opener, “Changes”; the inimitable “Life on Mars?”, considered by many his greatest song; the humorous heartfelt ode to his son, “Kooks”; and more- not a bad song among the lot. This was followed by his breakout character and LP, Ziggy Stardust (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars), the alien rocker who warns of earthly disaster and calls on a messianic Starman. It’s still Bowie’s most famous and best loved character and album, featuring such cuts as “Five Years”, “Moonage Daydream”, the above mentioned “Starman”, and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”. He followed up Ziggy with his harder edged American cousin, Alladin Sane (gems include “Time”, “Panic in Detroit”, “Lady Grinning Soul”, and the title track); let’s not forget his ode to George Orwell’s 1984, Diamond Dogs (“Rebel Rebel” or the lesser known but brilliant “Sweet Thing” suite); his plastic soul Young Americans; the flinty 1976 transitional classic, Station to Station; or his experimental collaborations with Tony Visconti and Brian Eno, the so-called Berlin Trilogy of Low, “Heroes”, and Lodger to close out the decade. It’s an impressive collection of music, but, if you don’t know it, don’t take my word for it. It’s all worth a serious listen.

            Today, the late David Bowie is recognized as one of the most significant recording artists of all-time, and he would go on to release more arresting music- 1980’s Scary Monsters; his unforgettable duet with Queen’s Freddie Mercury, “Under Pressure”; his best-selling Let’s Dance; the under appreciated Heathen (check out “Slip Away” and “Slow Burn”). He was gone too soon. When the jazzy, experimental Blackstar was released on his 69th birthday, few realized it was Bowie’s public goodbye, for two days later he died of cancer. On the most celebrated track, “Lazarus”, we hear Bowie’s thin but oddly resonant voice bidding us to look up and see him, scars and all. He was a genuine, fearless original.

            -Steve Williams (8/21/23) Greatest Recording Artists Blog Post #38