Who will love Aladdin Seine? …(OK, I know…I’m sorry)
There’s a visually stunning 8-page piece regarding Station To Station in the October issue of French magazine, ROCK&FOLK.
It’s written by a chap who is possibly the world’s biggest journalist Bowie fan, Jérôme Soligny, and knowing him, and judging by some of the lovely pieces he’s written in the past, it’s most likely a glowing appreciation.
However, seeing as I don’t read a word of French, (aside from “ouvre le chien”) I only have Jérôme’s word that it is the glowing appreciation I suspect. But Jerome has the kind of face one can trust, so I do.
In fact, he’s been kind enough to supply some background to the piece and translate a few excerpts…Over to Jérôme…
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In 2010, having the possibility to write a consequent piece about David Bowie in a major rock magazine is very rare so I felt quite privileged to have been given the opportunity to tell the “Station To Station” story in 8 pages. People often think Rock&Folk is “the Rolling Stones magazine” as my editor is a huge fan of Mick & Co, but it should be remembered that Bowie is the artist who?s been on the cover the most, and in more than 20 years time (my first piece for Rock&Folk was actually a disc to disc ? Ryko reissue campaign ? I never got paid for?), I?ve been given space to write about the (Thin White) Duke whenever it was requested.
Writing this piece, my goal, rather than telling the story all over again to the old readers (who already know most of it or think they do?), was to make it interesting for the young ones. Being the proud father of 16 and 20 (!) years old children, I have a good idea of what teenagers and future adults look for in a rock mag : good stories, with a good start, accurate details and a great ending. And so I tried my best to make it “readable” for them, recollecting facts and describing the music and the circumstances it was recorded in the best I could. I also spelled Walter Tevis properly because that?s how I am.
Of course, a book could be written about “Station To Station” and the period and events that led David Bowie to record and tour such a great album, but I tried my best to be clear and concise avoiding the many historical mistakes that have punctuated recent articles on the same subject. So, again, I would like to thank Rock&Folk and especially Vincent Tanières, our designer, who did a wonderful job to make the piece look great, using fantastic pictures (the last one, by Claude Gassian is stunning). I also thank Harry Maslin for telling me a few words about the recording, and my family who didn?t have a clue that it was possible to spend an entire summer listening exclusively to a five CD reissue in our car. Do they hate me for this ? I?d rather not know?
Introduction to the article:
“Some kind of survival instinct. A taste for ashes, compost for rebirth. A need to unravel art from life before it?s too late. A thirst for experimentation, ariadne?s thread of a career built on acts rather than poses, on the quality of a body of work in permanent motion rather than some alleged lofty Machiavellianism. The thought as a sacred guide. And also a need for seasons wet and cool, a need for rain, for Europe.”
One of Harry?s quotes:
“David was definitely a workaholic, which I appreciated. He is a serious artist and not a clock watcher when in the studio. We had many overnight sessions. In fact we had one session that went all night at Cherokee, and because the studio was booked for another client the following morning, I managed to get Record Plant to accommodate us immediately after leaving Cherokee to continue the session. That Record Plant session was when both David and I played sax on TVC15.”
End of the article:
“In his luggage, before leaving America, the Thin White Duke didn?t forget to take a travelling companion who?ll follow him to Berlin and will record two of his most relevant post-Stooges records with him. Many spotted him on the side of the stage during this tour which looked a lot like rebirth. Yellow fringe hiding his vivid look, chin hidden in the collar of a kaki raincoat, collecting every drop of the music generated by one of his greatest admirers, and every move of his body. Iggy Pop, saved from the abyss by David Bowie who?ll reinvent himself, again, in his company. Iggy Pop, deeply convinced that ?nothing could touch them in these golden years?. ”
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Thanx for continuing to fly the Bowie flag high, Jérôme, it’s very much appreciated.
