Bowie Odyssey 70

by Simon Goddard

He starts the decade a teenage pop idol. But the one-hit wonder who sang ‘Space Oddity’ is still very far from becoming the star who will one day define the 1970s. Not when he still has a band to find, a manager to sack, a mentally ill brother to save, a wife to marry and a rival called Marc Bolan to beat. Not when David Bowie still has no idea who or what David Bowie is.

Starting at the beginning of Bowie’s incredible ten-year odyssey changing the course of pop music, Simon Goddard’s bold and expressionistic biography weaves time, space, rock’n’roll and social history to relive Bowie’s 1970 – moment by vivid moment.

This is the limited edition collector's hardback available exclusively from the publisher's website.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2020

About the author

Simon Goddard was born in Cardiff in 1971.

He is the author of over a dozen books, most prominently the Bowie Odyssey series.

He is not religious and ought not be confused with anyone of the same name on Goodreads who has written religious stuff.

agent: thenorthlitagency.com

Reviews

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are to undertake a retelling of the Bowie saga one more time, you really need a unique vision and idea for a new format. This is what Goddard has, and he undertook it almost perfectly. His narrative is storytelling, almost stage play and dreamlike poetic and flowing. Picks up feelings of the times and emotions of the protagonists easily while all the time staying as an outside observer. A book to enjoy whether you are a Bowie fan or not.

[Camille McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not what I was expecting when I started to read it. It feels more like a novel than a biography, because the style of writing is very rich and lyrical, metaphorical, and uses a lot of wordplay to put you in 1970 in David Bowie's world. It was short but due to the dense, rich writing it took a lot longer for me to read than I would have thought. Goddard really sets the scene and every word is carefully chosen to put you in that time period. I liked that the focus was not just on David Bowie but on everyone who surrounded him closely at this time, and that we got a bit of his brother Terry's perspective, his bandmates' perspectives, and overall an immersive experience in 1970. The book introduced me to a lot of songs I had never heard before and showed how Bowie's success wasn't inevitable and that he floundered a bit before rising to stardom, and that of course he didn't do it all alone, he had a lot of others surrounding him and helping turn his scraps of songs into actual music. I was also intrigued to learn about the fashion at the time, horrified by the gay-bashing, and curious as to how Goddard had access to such personal information, and how he put it all together so seamlessly. Great writing, though I don't think anyone who isn't a Bowie fan would like it.

[John RE Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting - and readable - take on Bowie in 1970. SG has taken many facts from that year and woven them into a novel type narrative where the thoughts and ideas are expressed by protagonists and peripheral characters in the story.
It relates to how Bowie, having had a hit single late in 1969, tries to aim for further fame and success. Spoiler: he doesn't quite make it this year but the seeds are sown with Ronson, Woodmansey, Angie and Tony (Defries and Visconti) all there. Looking forward to the sequel for 1971.
To be honest, this is probably just for Bowie fans as some of it may be lost on those who aren't. For Bowie fans, there's lots there that makes sense that probably wouldn't be in a facts-only biography.

[Steven Pollack · Rating 3 out of 5]

As another reviewer has noted, the style is quite impressionistic. Makes it a challenging read at times. Not sure if I'll read 71.

[Kim Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I’ve said before, I have read so many Bowie biographies that it is difficult to find anything refreshingly different. This definitely was. A fair bit is supposition but it works and reads well. Will definitely look out 1971!

[Mark waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant one of the best music books ive read look foward to 71

[Nigel Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I have given this 3 stars, I think that Simon Goddard's project of writing a book for every year of Bowie's '70s collectively deserves 5 stars. It's an innovative approach to Bowie's life and work and once you get into the authors style the books published so far are hugely enjoyable.

The books themselves are attractive physical artefacts in themselves and are very collectable, and quickly read.

Goddard's style is almost novelistic in nature, imagining what Bowie as thinking and for some this might present a challenge. But the books are impressionistic and place Bowie firmly in 1970s Britain. You really get a sense of what was going on culturally and otherwise in Britain at the time. As a 10 year old in 1970 I was certainly taken back.

In 1970, Bowie was an artist struggling with how he wanted to present himself. He's had a hit with Space Odyssey at the end of the '60s but commercially nothing much was happening. His friend and rival, Marc Bolan was just about to get into his stride and Goddard's portrayal of Bolan is particularly strong.

Don't approach these books expecting a traditional biography as they will be frustrating. As an impression of Bowie's life and times they are great though.

Well recommended.

[Gary Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Great read. Lots of great stories, anecdotes, information. Very much like the writing style.

[Jonathan Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

fabulous read and one of ten that will eventually finish the set of 10 of the books about Bowie and his life during the 70s.

[Gary Fowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshingly different take on a story that most Bowie fans will already know backwards. Simon Goddard’s secret weapon is his witty prose, which never falls into the album/tour/album cycle that most music biogs do.
Instead we are spoiled with humour and a genuine attempt to place the reader in the times. Goddard treats his subject as a character in a vividly detailed post Beatles world. In a lesser author’s hands this would have fallen flat on its face. The fact that Goddard has promised a book for each year of the ‘70s, gives me the fizzy feeling in my stomach that I first felt when I found out as an eight year-old that there were going to be more Star Wars films.

[d a miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowie 70

Entertaining and different slant on the beginning of the Great Ones career, very enjoyable & quick read, please try out