Why all the fuss?
You’d have to be living under a rock to not realise that David Bowie is ‘back’ (not that he technically ever went away).
A new album - The Next Day - out this week has been lauded the length and breadth of the country, prompting The Independent’s Andy Gill to say: “Rarely has a comeback been effected with such panache.” Even our very own BBC Music site called it a “…triumphant, almost defiant, return. Innovative, dark, bold and creative, it’s an album only David Bowie could make.”
Not only this, but the Victoria & Albert museum is about to open its doors for what has already been described as their most successful exhibition ever: David Bowie Is… a collection of the man’s costumes, lyrics and memorabilia.
So, to repeat, why the fuss? A 66-year old rock star makes his first album in 10 years. Big deal. Why does the British public (of all ages) seem so excited?
Maybe this week’s episode of The People’s Songs holds at least part of the answer as to why the former David Jones is close to our collective hearts.
Starman - Androgyny Arrives in the Living Room looks at (in Stuart’s words) ‘the repercussions from a singular moment on a Thursday evening in 1972 when dads were horrified and kids astonished.’
To contextualise: Bowie was appearing on Top of the Pops; a family show that not only gave us kids the rock ‘n’ roll thrills we craved, but also kept our mums and dads happy with middle of the road fare. Performing his latest hit, ‘Starman,’ David, in metallic one piece jumpsuit and make up, made quite a contrast to the usual stuff. As the chorus arrived Bowie slung his arm around the shoulders of lead guitarist Mick Ronson and blew our collective minds.
Here's contributor Nigel talking about his parents' reaction:
Nigel recalls his parents' reaction to seeing Bowie's legendary performance of 'Starman'
Bowie had already toyed with attitudes to sex and gender the previous year when he’d talked of his bisexuality to the music press and even appeared on the cover of his album, The Man Who Sold The World, in a dress.
But knowing how to get good publicity in the music press was a whole different animal to camping it up on primetime BBC One. Top of the Pops’ scheduling meant that, for a generation of teenagers as well as adults, Friday was the day to discuss what acts had graced our screens. Real water cooler moments, before the term was even coined.
And the following Friday all I can remember was everyone talking about Bowie’s transgressive cuddle. Suddenly the rather drab denim days of early ‘70s pop became infected by something far more glamorous and dangerous.
If you heard last week’s show – Je T’Aime – More Sex Please We’re British– you’ll know that our attitudes to sex by the end of the ‘60s were still grounded in the ‘nudge, nudge, wink, wink’ seaside postcard end of things, despite the success of one sleazy Frenchman in our charts.
Bowie managed to change all that. In one fell swoop the idea of what or who you could be was shifted. And this week’s show will bring that night and its repercussions back to life, via the memories you have sent in like this one from David. here he talks about how Bowie was always considered far more 'cool' than other glam acts such as The Sweet:
Contributor David remembers the pros and cons of being a glam fan in the early '70s
Of course Bowie’s been responsible for a whole lot more than just messing with our ideas about sexuality. It also helped that ‘Starman’ was a great tune, from a truly great album: one among so many. And of course ‘The Dame’ went on to give us so many more musical moments that landmarked the history of the UK, including his recitation of the Lord’s Prayer at Live Aid. But that night is another story, and one we’ll be looking at later in the series… And naturally, if you were there we’d like to hear from you.
