Lodger has always been the sore thumb of the trilogy. Besides the presence of Brian Eno, the record has little in common with Low and Heroes. While Lodger is a great record, it marks a return of sorts to conventional rock music. Again, Seabrook seems spot on with his observations.
He contends that Lodger, followed by 1980’s Scary Monsters, were parts one and two of a trilogy that culminated in the massive success of 1983’s Let’s Dance. A journey back into the mainstream, as it were. This time with David Bowie fully in control.
The integrity of Bowie is also discussed. Even after a post-Berlin fallout, due primarily to Iggy’s disgust at being so closely linked to him, Bowie still went out of his way to help his friend.
His pop smash cover of The Idiot’s “China Girl” is the most obvious example, but does anyone remember the follow up to Let’s Dance? It was a piece of crap called Tonight. And of Tonight’s nine tracks, four were Iggy Pop songs.
Bowie In Berlin is a must read for anyone seriously into music. There is a reason Low and Heroes are held in such high regard. Listen to “Warszawa” again, and reflect back on why Joy Division originally called themselves Warsaw.
At the time, nobody made music like this. These records have inspired countless bands. For my money, the balance between sound and vision Bowie attained in his Berlin years has never been equaled.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
This sounds like a really good book. I always thought Lodger was a bit underrated myself -- "Look Back In Anger" from that album is one of Bowie's best songs.
I'm a bit surprised the author doesn't cover Iggy's Lust For Life (or does he?), his second collaboration with Bowie from that period, and for my money the better of the two.
Boy you are dead on about Tonight though -- that one was a real stinker wasn't it?
-Glen
2 - Greg Barbrick
Bowie In Berlin is a must my friend. LFL is discussed in detail, along with "Heroes" and Low. The brevity of my comments were due to a desire to keep the "spoilers" down. Get Bowie In Berlin, and listen to the records again, by all means!
3 - zingzing
wow. this looks great. i'm on a big bowie kick right now and i'd have to say i like lodger the best. while i do think the first side of low is his greatest side of vinyl, and that station to station is an absolute marvel, heroes, leaves me a bit cold. i love some of the tracks, but others not so much. i was just thinking that someone should right a book like this, and here it is... must pick up.
4 - Greg Barbrick
Thanks zing, those were my thoughts exactly when I came across this one. I have to disagree with you on Heroes though. Of the trilogy, I find side 2 of Heroes the most compelling. To each his own I guess.
Greg
5 - zingzing
heh. i just noticed my right/write mistake up there.
anyway, side 2 of both low and heroes leave me pretty cold. i do like ambient music, and am a total eno freak, but i've just never gotten into them. i don't particularly know why, so i'll have to try them out again. maybe i just want something specific from bowie, although wanting something specific from bowie is a little bit of an undertaking... most everything he did from 71-83 is pure gold.
6 - Greg Barbrick
I agree, he made a career out of exceeding everyone's expectations. I came to both Low and Heroes very late, and was probably fairly well prepared after hearing so much about them. I think if I had listened to them when they were originally released, they would not have had the same impact on me.
I was pretty young and into Ted Nugent at the time. The subtleties of Bowie and Eno's experiments probably wouldn't have registered. Just as well. I highly recommend Bowie In Berlin.
Greg