Halloween Jack is a real cool cat…
As many of you know, last week a gaggle of BowieNetters converged on the small, but perfectly adequate, Redferns Galley in London. It was a real pleasure to see so many familiar faces on the day, not least of all David Bowie’s about fifty times.
As I say, I knew many of the visitors, apart from a man and wife who had clearly dragged their two children along… At least I presumed the children were most likely there against their will. How wrong I was.
Jack, the eleven-year-old-boy in the brother/sister combo, was as enthusiastic as anybody else in the room at the sight of so many beautiful and iconic photographs of DB.
After grabbing the snap above, I asked him if he wouldn’t mind dropping me a few lines about what exactly it was that made one so young gravitate toward all things Bowie…
It hadn’t even occurred to me at that point that most of the BowieNetters in the room first discovered the same man at precisely the same age. Indeed, I was eleven myself when the mesmerising magic spell of the Starman himself was cast upon me.
Anyway, Jack kindly got back to me, and here’s what he said:
“I got into Bowie when my Mum (who is also a huge bowie fan) was playing the album “Reality” in her car. I really liked it. I thought it was a 57 year old man at his best. Although I heard the classic “Space Oddity” way before that.
I own lots of Bowie music. I usually tend to listen to my mum’s albums but here is my collection: Pin Ups, Diamond Dogs, Heroes, Lodger (I love that one, personally), Let’s Dance, Tonight (not his best), Outside, Earthling, Hours, David Live, Stage and a copy of the bonus live disc that came with the special edition of Bowie At The Beeb. Though my Mum has a much better collection, for she has classics like Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust.
My favourite period is definitely the 70s. Bowie created such fantastic music back then. And it was very different each year. Hunky Dory is a beautiful, poetic album with minimalist instruments like guitar and piano. While Low is completely different with its keyboards and synthesizers. Compare tracks like “Warszawa” and “Eight Line Poem”, for example.
Also, while I don’t think Bowie was trying hard enough with 80’s albums like “Tonight” and “Never Let Me Down”, “Scary Monsters” and “Let’s Dance” are fantastic.
My favourite Bowie look must be the early 70’s look. You really couldn’t get anything cooler. And he was glam. But in a really cool way.
Another good thing about Bowie is the way he beautifully reinvents himself. Take Heathen for example. What? His best album since Scary Monsters? Surely… And take that new version of “Rebel Rebel”. No one could re-make songs quite like Bowie. And furthermore, Bowie is one of the most talented musicians to stand today… From Jack d’Albiac“
Thanx Jack. So good to see that the work of David Bowie continues to appeal to every new generation of music fans.
After a few hours at the gallery, a select bunch (cough) of us repaired to the local hostelry to partake of alcoholic mood enhancement…And, as you can see from the picture below, what a right royal laff it was.
If you’re a BowieNetter and you feel you can stomach even larger versions of pictures like the one above, then click on the nutter at the front’s pint!
The David Bowie: Pin Up exhibition runs until August 6th – BowieNetters can continue to get a 10 per cent discount off of the pictures in the gallery which can be viewed by clicking on Jack.