ASHES TO ASHES: While I was contemplating what to write in my blog to start the year, I woke up this morning, unfortunately to have the answer in front of me. I read the news that David Bowie, an artist who transcended genres and always reinvented himself, passed away from liver cancer at the age of 69, just two days after his birthday.
Facebook today was filled with remembrances of the rock star who first burst on the scene in the early 1970's, riding the crest of the glam-rock movement, but who went through a myriad of changes during his long career which extended right up to his death, with a new album released just two days before his passing. Many of his songs were posted, and many friends of mine recollected about his concerts that they had gone to. While not overtly making political stances in his songs per se, he was indeed a voice of a generation, especially with my contemporaries. We watched him grow and change with the times, from his Ziggy Stardust persona, to the Thin White Duke and going from there.
While you may have read the articles today chronicling this career, I will, in the paragraphs below, try to give you my take on his contributions to the music scene.
Bowie had started out in several bands going back to 1962, jumping in and out of several of them, and his musical style had changed even then. He changed his name from David Jones to avoid any confusion with fellow Brit Davy Jones who found stardom with the Monkees. But none of his bands, or musical styles clicked. His 1969 single, "Space Oddity", from his second, self-titled album did make noise in his native UK, but was unheard of in the states.
The American rock scene in the early 1970's was in a stalemate of sorts: The genre saw many changes as it matured from carefree pop songs, to more hip and progressive compositions, and saw its coming of age during the Woodstock era. 1970 was a culmination of that maturity, with progressive and sophisticated approaches to the music far separated from the overt commercialism that marked the first half of the previous decade. The question was, "where do we go from there?'
Yes, there was the "singer/songwriter" era, marked by James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell and others, but somehow, from a hard rock standpoint, it was, in a sense a step backward. But there was one aspect of rock'n'roll that hadn't been fully explored yet. While visuals had been a part of the rock experience in the past (The Beatles' movies and The Monkees' TV series, for example), it was pretty much just an extension of the music. What Bowie came up with was something out of the ordinary, the ability to visibly shock the audiences, in the way that music once did back in the days of Elvis. We had shock rockers like Alice Cooper, and then there was Ziggy Stardust, the new persona of David Bowie. It wasn't a coincidence that both of these performers surfaced around 1972 or so. While Alice had more of a macabre image, Bowie's Ziggy was a blend of sexual androgyny and advance stage theatrics; he spearheaded the glam rock movement coming out of Great Britain in the first half of the 1970's, inspiring bands like Queen, Mott the Hoople, Slade, Sweet and many others. That would spread onto our shores, with acts such as Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, who had worked with Bowie at various time. This genre, perhaps unlike the others before it, placed more emphasis on the live performances as a result, and less on the actual music.
By 1973, Bowie was all over the map. All his albums jumped back on the charts, had a U.S. hit with the re-released "Space Oddity" and was the new dimension of rock. Aladdin Sane, Pin-ups, and Diamond Dogs, continued his assault, but by 1974 he was tiring of his Ziggy persona. Diamond Songs, which contained his chart hit "Rebel Rebel" (and the single release remix of that song was awesome, by the way; it was the first 45 of his that I owned), hinted a bit as to what was to come.
In late 1974, "Changes", probably a signature song of sorts, if you had to pin one on him, was released. It dented in the charts two years earlier, becoming his first Hot 100 entry. It peaked near the top 40 as I went back to college in my second semester at Montclair State. That semester, they added pinball machines as well as a jukebox to the game room at the student center, thus I hung out there frequently. That was one of the songs I had played the most and will take me back to early 1975. But right after that saw the first of his real changes. Hinted at on Diamond Dogs, but fully realized was his love for R&B and funk, Philadelphia style. He recorded Young Americans at the Sigma Sound studios, scene of many of the legendary Gamble-Huff records with groups like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and others. The title track became a top 30 hit that spring, but it was the second single, "Fame" that became his first bonafide hit, reaching #1 that fall, in a song co-written with John Lennon.
This was around the time I became a big fan. The follow-up, "Golden Years" was one of my all-time favorites of his, and I rooted for it up head up the charts; it eventually hit the top 10 in early 1976. Bowie got a lot of R&B airplay, particularly on "Fame", and performed both songs on the TV show "Soul Train". Bowie was reportedly nervous about performing on that show that he got drunk beforehand to ease the tension. Unfortunately, during that period he was heavenly into drugs as well.
"Golden Years' would be featured on his next album Station to Station which was the first Bowie album I would buy. That would be a transitional album, keeping some of the funk of Young Americans while exploring the avant-garde sounds that would dominate his next albums. I had taken summer courses in 1976, staying in Montclair's Bohn Hall, and I would blast both Station to Station, along with Aerosmith's Rocks out the window. "TVC15", the second single received much airplay on rock stations, as did "Sound and Vision". Also, some guys in the dorm would blast songs from the Ziggy era, and we partied to songs like "Suffragette City", which was also on the compilation "Changes One Bowie", which I also bought.
In 1977, Bowie went underground....to West Berlin, to be exact, working with electronic impresario Brian Eno on a series of albums. Low was a bit inaccessible as far as I was concerned, but it was David undergoing one of his changes, and perhaps a bit of cleansing with his drug problems. While rock was changing as well---punk and new wave were dominating the underground, if not the charts---this was a clear indication that Bowie was getting more respect for his artistry that perhaps what he had been getting previously. "Heroes"--of which the title track was oft-covered years later, and Lodger, continued that trilogy with Eno. That extended into 1980, with Scary Monsters, which combined that electronic mastery with some commerciality; his "Ashes to Ashes"-- a sequel of sorts to "Space Oddity', hinted at him resurfacing commercially; the video got a lot of airplay in the pre-MTV clip shows that were starting to dominate television. New Romance, an offshoot of the British new wave, was even incorporated into that effort.
Perhaps ironic around that period was that in September 1977, in the middle of his electronic period, he taped a guest appearance on Bing Crosby's annual Christmas show, and the highlight was banter between the legendary crooner and the now generation rock star, before duetting on "Little Drummer Boy". Bowie reportedly wasn't thrilled with singing that song, so the producers came up with "Peace on Earth" that he sang concurrently with Crosby's. Crosby died just a few weeks after that, the song becoming more sentimental because of it. "Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth" has been in my top five Christmas Songs frequently over the years.
Bowie did a one-off single with Queen, "Under Pressure", but in 1983, he was fully back in the public eye. Let's Dance was released, and the title track, produced by the red-hot Nile Rodgers (from the disco-era band Chic, but who produced songs by Diana Ross, Duran Duran and many others during this period), became his second and final #1 hit. It was a blatant attempt at commerciality, but it was perfect, because MTV became a hot commodity in 1983, and Bowie had always excelled at visuals. "China Girl" and "Modern Love" also became hits, and the "Serious Moonlight" tour was a success. That dance/synth-pop style carried over into the following year's Tonight, and the single "Blue Jean" would be his last top 10. But he wasn't finished yet.
Bowie was a major player at Live Aid in the summer of 1985, the day-long two-venue/trans-Atlantic concert to benefit Ethopia's famine crisis following "We Are the World". Bowie teamed up with longtime friend Mick Jagger for a unique rendition of the Motown classic "Dancing In the Streets".
He had top 40 hits like "Never Let Me Down" in 1987 (a big song heard on my Wildwood trip that summer), from the album of the same name, but which critics and fans noted its lack of creativity; even Bowie distanced himself from it. Perhaps because of that album Bowie in a way, went underground again. This time, he reemerged as a member of a band called Tin Machine, among the members of that band were Hunt and Tony Sales, the sons of comedian Soupy Sales who had plenty of musical experience, most notably with Todd Rundgren. Tin Machine released two albums, but really didn't pick up much critical acclaim at the time. Tin Machine II, however, hinted as to what was to come: Bowies foray into industrial rock.
The grunge explosion followed, and although Bowie sat that one out, 1993 also saw the emergence of industrial rock, popularized by bands such as Nine Inch Nails. And there was Bowie, front and center with Black Tie, White Noise. By this time, I was exclusively into Alternative Rock, thus in a way, I got back in touch with Bowie. "Jump They Say" was my favorite track of his since the "Let's Dance" days, and it won him a new audience.
Four years later, Bowie took that one step further: Electronica. With post-grunge and alternative rock becoming mainstream, then eventually replaced by a return to pop music with the Spice Girls in 1997, alternative rock began the search for a new trend. Electronic music, an extension of Industrial was popular, with acts like The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers the prime exponents. And Bowie released Earthling, jumping head first into the movement. The song "Little Wonder" probably cemented in my head that Bowie was an all-time artist to be reckoned with, and has definitely changed with the times; his only peer in that area would be Neil Young. Another track from that album, "I'm Afraid of Americans", was the last to make the Billboard Hot 100.
From that point on, I had lost track of Bowie as my musical tastes strayed off in unknown directions, but Bowie continued to make music. Heathen was a strong album, released in 2002; Reality the following year, but I wasn't really paying attention by then. His next album wouldn't come until 2013. That would be The Next Day, released on his birthday of January 8 of that year. I didn't know about that album until my friend Brian Sniatkowski mentioned it, and in some ways it was a throwback to his 1970's material.
That brings us to the present, and a new album that he released just last week, Blackstar. The album, from what I understand, drew critical acclaim. If you look below, I added the first single, "Lazarus" at #87. Reportedly, Bowie, who secretly was diagnosed with liver cancer, recorded this album and wanted to release it just before his death, and serves as a farewell to his fans. The video already has close to ten million views. The lead single does deal with mortality issues, and, as expected, is rather somber. Having not listened to a Bowie song in almost twenty years, it is interesting how he sounds. The song has a jazzy horn section that sounds interestingly grungy at the same time. But that's Bowie, always keeping it unique to the end.
David Bowie was a remarkable artist, and he will be sorely missed. But his songs will live forever in our hearts and minds.
David Bowie has made my year end top 100 with five songs since I initiated those lists in 1976:
1976: "Golden Years", #10
1983: "Let's Dance", #15; "Modern Love", #74
1993: "Jump They Say", #50
1997: "Little Wonder", #69
THIS WILL BE: I also want to make note of another passing of another noted singer: Natalie Cole. While you can argue that she was initially eclipsed by her legendary father, Nat "King" Cole, she quickly emerged from his shadow. Her hits included "This Will Be", "I've Got Love On My Mind", her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac" and "Miss You Like Crazy". Ms. Cole passed away on December 31 at the age of 65. A classic R&B artist who will also be missed.
BACK TO THE HERE AND NOW: The first SNS 100 of the year shows little change from the last one of 2015: "Queen of Peace" by Florence + the Machine holds for a third week at #1, with Adele and Omnia Hegazy in the next two positions. Mutemath's "Monument" and Cage the Elephant's "Mess Around" are the new entries in the top 20.
As far as the first debuts of the year, most of them are by established artists, or those who've had success on SNS in the past. I've already mentioned "Lazarus"; the top debut is Adele's "When We Were Young", technically released as a single just a few weeks after "Hello". Again, the song, from her record-breaking 25 set, is another ballad set to piano. While she still sings with soul and feeling, it's pretty much similar to "Hello" and songs like "Someone Like You". She still sounds good as ever, I can't hate it even if I wanted to. But, as I mentioned on my recent Top 100 countdown, I have yet to hear the entire 25 album, but am hoping to soon, and to add a song that's a little bit more uptempo, and maybe something along the lines of her debut. That remains to be seen, and although my love for Adele has been somewhat diluted by her enormous popularity, I will try to find a song that is all "mine".
I recently posted the Top 102.7 of 2015 from alternative station WEQX in Manchester VT. "S.O.B" by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats was at the top, but further down, I noticed a new song by Wild Belle, "Giving Up On You". If you're an SNS reader, you'll know that "Keep You" by this brother-and-sister duo was a huge hit on SNS; it landed at #2 for the year 2013, was number one for six week, and stayed on my list for 54 weeks, the most by any artist not named Fitz & the Tantrums. The follow-up, "Backslider" also it the top for four more weeks. The duo combined rock and reggae in those songs, with a third single, "It's Too Late", also hitting my top ten.
So naturally I was interested in their new material. Well, forget the reggae rock; the song is nothing like those songs. It's in uptempo, rhythmic piece, more of a trance-rock type of thing. It is a pulsating beat and Natalie Bergman's voice sounds much tougher than before. Listen, I know artists evolve and are not expected to stay in one place, as they try out new things. "Keep You" took forever (23 weeks) to reach the top spot. Although I gave the new one a starting position of #74, perhaps it may take a few listens for it to keep moving up. A bit of a disappointment, but perhaps it will be the formula that gets them widespread airplay. "Giving Up On You" is from the bands upcoming second album, Dreamland.
I've been listening to Elle King's "Ex's and Oh's" for so long that I forget she has an album with other songs on it. This week, I add "Under the Influence" at #70. Again, if you're expecting another "Ex's and Oh's", forget it. But this one is a great, fresh sound from her hit. A haunting, bluesy beat, complete with strings, even resembling early, mid-tempo Adele. If nothing else, it shows this singer-songwriter's versatility. A definite pick for her second top 20.
The other debuts are "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors, the follow-up to their big hit "Renegades", and again, another side of the band is shown. A more somber ballad with a slow hip-hop rocking beat highlight this one. The only new band to me this week is Mew, with "Witness". This one is uptempo and rocks a bit, a combo of dream pop and experimental rock. The band hails from Denmark.
Finally, "6 AM" by Fitz & the Tantrums, holds at #89, in its 63rd chart week. That ties "Out of My League", also by the band for the most weeks on my SNS chart. It also becomes the third song to appear in three different calendar years, after "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons (2012-14) and "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities (also 2012-14). This those cases, however, those songs dropped off the chart and were re-added; "6 AM"'s appearance is continuous. .
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
January 10,
2016
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 | NUMBER ONE:
"Queen of Peace"
Album: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
(3 weeks at #1)
|
11 |
| 2 | 2 | Adele - Hello | 10 |
| 3 | 3 | Leila Hegazy - Maybe If We Try | 8 |
| 4 | 6 | Thomas Rhett - Crash and Burn | 12 |
| 5 | 4 | Selena Gomez - Same Old Love | 11 |
| 6 | 7 | The Dreamers - Wolves (You Got Me) | 9 |
| 7 | 5 | St. Paul & the Broken Bones - Broken Bones & Pocket Change | 15 |
| 8 | 9 | Coldplay - Adventure of A Lifetime | 6 |
| 9 | 10 | Gwen Stefani - Used to Love You | 8 |
| 10 | 11 | Smash Palace - Haddontown | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | Zac Brown Band - Loving You Easy | 11 |
| 12 | 8 | The Decemberists - Philomena | 11 |
| 13 | 14 | Iration - 867 | 7 |
| 14 | 15 | Foo Fighters - Outside | 15 |
| 15 | 20 | Brick + Mortar - Train | 7 |
| 16 | 13 | Us Commoners - Christmas & Hanukkah | 4 |
| 17 | 17 | The Hounds of Winter f. Sarah Jean - River | 6 |
| 18 | 16 | Soak - Sea Creatures | 17 |
| 19 | 32 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Monument"
Album: Vitals
|
7 |
| 20 | 25 | Cage the Elephant - Mess Around | 10 |
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more plays on my iPod. 
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