David Bowie-Living On The Bri

by George Tremlett

Traces the life of the rock singer, David Bowie, examines the development of his musical style, and discusses his various record albums and films

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 7, 1996

About the author

George Tremlett became a rock writer when the rock and pop music began in the mid 1950s. He left King Edward VI School in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 1957 and spent four years on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, writing their daily tv column and reviewing all the visiting pop package shows.

In 1961 he moved to London and became a freelance writer, working part-time for the New Musical Express. He later became the London correspondent for television and pop music magazines in Japan, Holland, Sweden, the United States, Belgium, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Finland. In this role he was partnered by his wife and together they also contributed to most major British teenage magazines.

Outside of pop journalism, George Tremlett pursued a political career as a member of the Greater London Council, and served as a councillor in Richmond-Upon-Thames.

Reviews

[Chris O'leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wildly mixed bag: Tremlett was among the first Brit journalists to pay attention to Bowie in the 60s, so he had access: his interactions w/Bowie at a far less guarded time resulted in some marvelous interviews and insights. He outsources most of the mid-70s to the Zanetta/Edwards bio and is fairly useless in the later years (this was a multiply-revised book, last revision around 1996).

Still, worth reading. Tremlett is a very winning, acerbic personality who acts as a much-needed skeptic towards Bowie's more colorful episodes (i.e., the "Station to Station" LA exile era). & his wonderfully vitriolic bibliography is a hoot.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked this, more than I was expecting to! I learned a lot about Bowie's life, particularly about the early years, which I didn't know anything about before. Overall I liked how it was written and presented, and I think Tremlett did a good job of making sense of everything and structuring it in a way that was easy to follow. There were some things I didn't like, such as how he treated certain things, and I thought it was a bit weird that he kept coming back to money. I understand why, but it detracted from the main story for me a little. That being said, I think it was really interesting for me to read now because I'm currently taking a class on biography, which has made me think critically about this in a way I don't think I ever have about other biographies I've read. It was fascinating to see how Tremlett's personal relationship and interactions with Bowie informed the book and what Tremlett thought about everything he did. It can sometimes feel like a dense read, but I think it's well worth it. Very informative and interesting, for a fan of Bowie.

[Rachel Pieters · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth look at David Bowie's early years, and ending in the early 90s (this was written in 1995), written by a journalist who's interviewed both Bowie and his former manager many times early in his career. This autobiography examines Bowie's family history, early beginnings through later successes, and draws excerpts from other books written by his former friends, ex-wife, and business associates to confirm or debunk rumors and stories about the singer/songwriter/producer/actor/artist. A pretty thorough portrait, as far as I can tell, though oddly focused at times on his finances and sex life. I liked that George Tremlett included and related the ways in which several of Bowie's songs tied into his beliefs and/or life at the time of their writing, which has given me a new appreciation of many of his albums which I'd discounted and have been listening to again with "fresh ears and an open mind."

A pretty balanced look at the man behind the myth.
Recommend.

[Arto Mutka · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting biography of rock legend David Bowie. It is the third Bowie biography I have read and like the others focusses more on his rise to fame and incredible ambition to be the biggest rock star on the planet.

A great read. Bowie fans would love it. Published in 1996 so 20 years before his death so the story stops there.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't seem to be in step with the other reviewers but I didn't feel the author liked Bowie and he often painted him as shallow and selfish. Maybe he was, I didn't know him (unfortunately). But there was a danger that I'd end up not liking him either, reading this. So I stopped.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is there a decent David Bowie bio out there?



Probably not, since Bowie was no fool and rarely gave interviews. Although he relaxed during the last 15 - 20 years of his way-too-short life, Bowie was still masterful at twisting an interview to go his way. He preferred to let his work speak for him. He also did not cooperate with Tremlett for this book (published 1996) and OH it shows. The book concentrates on Bowie's career up to 1976. The years 1977 - 1996 are covered sketchily in two brief chapters.



If you are looking for information on Bowie's film work, forget it. They are given only brief mentions, with the exception of Bowie's first film, The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Still worth it for the interviews Tremlett did with Bowie back in 1969. Also a good bibliography to warn Bowie fans which bios to avoid and which ones that are heavy on pictures and light on text. There are very, very few photos in this book. Tremlett is also very good at naming his sources or pointing out what is his own opinion as opposed to fact.

My library's copy was a paperback that fell apart as I was reading it, so I guess it's "well-loved" condition is recommendation enough.

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Many of the unauthorized biographies of musicians make the mistake in assuming that readers of them are out to get 'the dirt' on the subject. This one really doesn't and that is what makes it very special and definitely one to read."

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's worth reading just to find out whether or not Bowie was really ever low enough to sleep with Mick Jagger.

NC