And so the story goes, they wore the clothes…
Two great new similarly themed compilation CDs, each containing a Bowie track, are scheduled for release shortly. Here follows details in order of release…
First up, due on March 6th via the Independiente label, is the Robert Elms’ compilation, The Way We Wore (ISOM58CD).
Based on Robert’s excellent The Way We Wore: A Life in Threads book from last year, and apparently created to tie in with a forthcoming TV documentary, the CD actually contains two Bowie compositions: Mott The Hooples‘ All The Young Dudes and Bowie’s own Young Americans.
Here’s the full tracklisting:
01 Lord Kichener – London Is The Place For Me
02 Georgie Fame – Yeh Yeh
03 Otis Redding – Respect
04 The Upsetters – The Return Of Django
05 Toots And The Maytals – 5446 Was My Number
06 Rod Stewart – You Wear It Well
07 Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes
08 The Fatback Band – Yum Yum
09 Brass Construction – Movin
10 Lonnie Liston Smith – Expansions
11 David Bowie – Young Americans
12 Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together
13 Patti Smith – Piss Factory
14 The Clash – White Man In Hammersmith Palais
15 Spandau Ballet – To Cut A Long Story Short
16 Kid Creole And The Coconuts – Que Pasa/Me No Pop I
17 Working Week – Venceremos – We Will Win
18 Ce Ce Rogers – Someday
A fine compilation I’m sure you’ll agree…but IMHO, not quite as good as this next one from EMI due on May 1st…
Nick Rhodes & John Taylor Present: Only After Dark (EMI 356 0762) is a wonderful collection of songs typical of some of the DJ sets that
Taking it’s name from the Mick Ronson track of the same name (later re-recorded to brilliant effect by The Human League) Only After Dark comprises the following 18 pieces of pop perfection:
01 Human League ? Being Boiled (Fast version) (3.39)
02 Yellow Magic Orchestra – Computer Games (3.32)
03 David Bowie ? Always Crashing In The Same Car (3.29)
04 Psychedelic Furs ? Sister Europe (5.38)
05 Simple Minds ? Changeling (4.11)
06 Mick Ronson ? Only After Dark (3.30)
07 John Foxx ? Underpass (3.53)
08 The Normal ? Warm Leatherette (3.22)
09 Bryan Ferry ? In Crowd (4.33)
10 Brian Eno ? The True Wheel (5.11)
11 Tubeway Army ? “Are Friends Electric?” (5.17)
12 Kraftwerk ? The Robots (single edit) (3.45)
13 Donna Summer ? I Feel Love (3.48)
14 Wire ? I Am The Fly (3.06)
15 Magazine ? Shot By Both Sides (3.57)
16 Grace Jones – Private Life (5.11)
17 Iggy Pop ? The Passenger (4.41)
18 Ultravox ? Slow Motion (3.29)
Here’s a couple of quotations from the compilers of Only After Dark:
“By putting together this album our intention is to introduce songs by artists who influenced us, as we were developing our own sound, this was the backdrop. John Foxx?s Ultravox in particular were important as they were the first to fuse punk with synthesizers and there was a new kind of groove creeping in there too. Bands were moving ever closer to the dance floor.” – Nick Rhodes
“The gender identity thing was going on around the music: boys looking like girls; girls looking like boys. Everything was in a state of transition. Punk was a drug that everybody had taken and we were all wide awake – eyes dilated and pores open. You?re as high as a kite because your senses are alive and you?re turned on – it?s that moment of possibility which we’ve tried to bring to life again on this album.” – John Taylor
Well, I think you succeeded, John. Despite owning all these tracks anyway, (sadly, several times in most cases!) I’ve had this CD on repeat in the car over the last week. Kids today, eh? Don’t know quite what they missed. Anyway…
This isn’t the first time that Nick and John have revisited the Rum Runner. Back in 2001/02 they streamed a three part online playlist that recreated a typical set from 1980. At least twenty per cent of the music was either Bowie releases or Bowie related…check it out
Of course, none of this is a surprise to regular visitors to these pages. Duran Duran have always made it quite clear just how important David Bowie’s influence on them and the burgeoning New Romantic scene was. (12.12.2005 NEWS: HOW DAVID BOWIE HELPED TO FORM DURAN DURAN)