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Bowie 75
Martin Popoff zkoumá rockovou ikonu Davida Bowieho optikou pětasedmdesáti nejvýznamnějších životních událostí, úspěchů a souvislostí, které spoluutvářely jeho kariéru.
Zmiňuje spolupráci s umělci jako Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Mick Jagger nebo kapelami Queen a Nine Inch Nails. Dále legendární Live Aid, koncert na počest Freddieho Mercuryho a Koncert pro New York, významné filmové a televizní role včetně snímků Labyrint a Muž, který spadl na Zemi nebo vystoupení v pořadu Saturday Night Live.
Od debutové desky z roku 1967 až po album Blackstar vydané v lednu 2016 patřil Bowie mezi nejvlivnější hudebníky a živě vystupující umělce, i když neustále měnil svou identitu.
Originální pohled na jeho životní cestu – od britského folkového zpěváka přes průlomový singl Space Oddity a glam rockové alter ego jménem Ziggy Stardust až po mnoho dalších jeho osobností – doplňují koncertní fotografie a momentky ze zákulisí, jakož i nejrůznější memorabilie. Kniha rovněž obsahuje přílohu s časovou osou, malbu zobrazující „Bowieho v průběhu let“ a také dosud nepublikované lesklé fotografie či odnímatelný umělecký plakát. Jedná se o velkolepou poctu jedné z nejobdivovanějších hvězd rockové historie.
Zmiňuje spolupráci s umělci jako Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Mick Jagger nebo kapelami Queen a Nine Inch Nails. Dále legendární Live Aid, koncert na počest Freddieho Mercuryho a Koncert pro New York, významné filmové a televizní role včetně snímků Labyrint a Muž, který spadl na Zemi nebo vystoupení v pořadu Saturday Night Live.
Od debutové desky z roku 1967 až po album Blackstar vydané v lednu 2016 patřil Bowie mezi nejvlivnější hudebníky a živě vystupující umělce, i když neustále měnil svou identitu.
Originální pohled na jeho životní cestu – od britského folkového zpěváka přes průlomový singl Space Oddity a glam rockové alter ego jménem Ziggy Stardust až po mnoho dalších jeho osobností – doplňují koncertní fotografie a momentky ze zákulisí, jakož i nejrůznější memorabilie. Kniha rovněž obsahuje přílohu s časovou osou, malbu zobrazující „Bowieho v průběhu let“ a také dosud nepublikované lesklé fotografie či odnímatelný umělecký plakát. Jedná se o velkolepou poctu jedné z nejobdivovanějších hvězd rockové historie.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published August 31, 2022
4 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Martin Popoff
224 books248 followersAt approximately 7900 (with over 7000 appearing in his books), Martin has unofficially written more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. He was Editor-In-Chief of the now retired Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Canada’s foremost metal publication for 14 years, and has also contributed to Revolver, Guitar World, Goldmine, Record Collector, bravewords.com, lollipop.com and hardradio.com, with many record label band bios and liner notes to his credit as well. Additionally, Martin has been a regular contractor to Banger Films, having worked for two years as researcher on the award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, on the writing and research team for the 11-episode Metal Evolution and on the ten-episode Rock Icons, both for VH1 Classic. Additionally, Martin is the writer of the original metal genre chart used in Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey and throughout the Metal Evolution episodes. Martin currently resides in Toronto and can be reached through martinp@inforamp.net or www.martinpopoff.com.
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August 19, 20229/6/22
August 17, 2022
Yess!!! I adore Bowie, and like to think of myself as a huge fan! So this book was just perfect.
The photos were beautiful (a lot I have seen before, but there were a couple of new ones too) and the amount of text in this was huge. There is A LOT of information in this book!
If you're a fan of Bowie you will love this!!
It's a great coffee table book, and a good one to dip in and out of.
Great!!
The photos were beautiful (a lot I have seen before, but there were a couple of new ones too) and the amount of text in this was huge. There is A LOT of information in this book!
If you're a fan of Bowie you will love this!!
It's a great coffee table book, and a good one to dip in and out of.
Great!!
July 31, 2022
Author Martin Popoff is best known as a heavy metal journalist but has now written a book about David Bowie’s life and music. David Bowie died in 2016 at the age of 69; he would be 75 today which is captured in the title, Bowie @ 75, a pictorial book featuring 75 “career highlights” according to author Martin Popoff, best known as a heavy metal journalist. These highlights include every studio album plus whatever the author considered a “touchpoint” – the first such being, of course, his birth. We are treated to a picture of Bromley, Bowie’s birthplace in South London, looking rather more rural than it does today, as well as a picture of Bowie aged 8 in 1955. Another early touchpoint is the notorious moment when friend George Underwood punched Bowie in the face and caused a permanent eye injury. This is described in some detail, including the name of the girl they were squabbling over, an indication that Popoff does care about detail.
Letter to Hermione from Bowie's first Philips album is described as a “dour but mercifully brief folk piece” – an early clue that Popoff is not altogether a fan. Perhaps surprising is that the author does not care for its successor either, despite it being the closest Bowie came to a heavy metal album (unless you count Tin Machine). The Man Who Sold the World is described as having writing that is “chordal, slightly aimless, with the lyrics coming after the music;” and that Bowie had a “foppish, dancehall voice.” At least the author is opinionated rather than bland. He does not mention the connection between the cartoon US cover and the asylum where Bowie’s brother Terry was ensconced – a sign that he is missing, I feel, much of what makes the album so good – though he does write again about the cover later in the book when describing Terry’s death by suicide. The author likes Hunky Dory better, calling it “the third first Bowie album” and with songs that became “catalog classics”.
Even when it comes to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the album that broke Bowie, Popoff does not sound like a fan. “There’s no sonic unity amount the songs” he complains, though conceding that “the record, curiously, is considered essential by those who started punk bands” – note the passive voice. He may prefer the following album, Aladdin Sane, writing that “Bowie’s sixth album makes the fifth sound like a demo.” Perhaps because it sounds “gnarlier,” suiting Popoff’s taste?
On we go: Pinups, Diamond Dogs, David Live (Popoff definitely not a fan), Young Americans (ditto), until we get to Station To Station which seems to strike a chord with the author, who says that it “somehow feels like Bowie’s first work of high art.” Low, then “a brutal assessment of ‘Heroes’ would have it an extended single, essentially ‘Heroes’ plus nine B-sides,” writes the author, though he later concedes “the huge respect the record now garners for its artistic merits,” once again using the passive voice to distance himself from popular opinion.
In Popoff’s framing, Let’s Dance and the Serious Moonlight tour are a peak. “Although there would be grander Bowie tours to come, there would be none more magical and demonstrative of a David Bowie not only firing on all cylinders but hitting every target.” Personally I could not disagree more; the tour lacks the intensity of the best Bowie performances, hugely popular but ultimately not that interesting except for being hugely popular. The author though is entitled to his opinion!
Despite a certain lack of enthusiasm for the music, I enjoyed reading the book, though it is hard to read any chronicle of Bowie’s career without a little sadness. Popoff is I think a fan of Bowie’s ability to change things up, to be ahead of his peers on matters like the internet (he calls bowienet “the first good website by a musician”), and gives good coverage to Bowie’s later years, saying that “Bowie would make some of his greatest records in his twilight years” and that Blackstar, the final record, was “a creative triumph beyond anybody’s expectations,” no passive voice this time. This is where I find myself most agreeing with Popoff; I consider it his finest musical achievement.
That said, I am not sure Popoff was the best person to do this book, which seems designed to appeal to the fans. Bowie’s music is not for everyone and one senses that while the author is trying his best to be sympathetic, his commendable honesty reveals that much of it is not to his taste.
I must add though that even judging by the electronic proof which I have reviewed, the design is excellent and although I did not spot any really unusual pictures, it is a bit of a visual feast and fans may like it for that alone.
Letter to Hermione from Bowie's first Philips album is described as a “dour but mercifully brief folk piece” – an early clue that Popoff is not altogether a fan. Perhaps surprising is that the author does not care for its successor either, despite it being the closest Bowie came to a heavy metal album (unless you count Tin Machine). The Man Who Sold the World is described as having writing that is “chordal, slightly aimless, with the lyrics coming after the music;” and that Bowie had a “foppish, dancehall voice.” At least the author is opinionated rather than bland. He does not mention the connection between the cartoon US cover and the asylum where Bowie’s brother Terry was ensconced – a sign that he is missing, I feel, much of what makes the album so good – though he does write again about the cover later in the book when describing Terry’s death by suicide. The author likes Hunky Dory better, calling it “the third first Bowie album” and with songs that became “catalog classics”.
Even when it comes to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the album that broke Bowie, Popoff does not sound like a fan. “There’s no sonic unity amount the songs” he complains, though conceding that “the record, curiously, is considered essential by those who started punk bands” – note the passive voice. He may prefer the following album, Aladdin Sane, writing that “Bowie’s sixth album makes the fifth sound like a demo.” Perhaps because it sounds “gnarlier,” suiting Popoff’s taste?
On we go: Pinups, Diamond Dogs, David Live (Popoff definitely not a fan), Young Americans (ditto), until we get to Station To Station which seems to strike a chord with the author, who says that it “somehow feels like Bowie’s first work of high art.” Low, then “a brutal assessment of ‘Heroes’ would have it an extended single, essentially ‘Heroes’ plus nine B-sides,” writes the author, though he later concedes “the huge respect the record now garners for its artistic merits,” once again using the passive voice to distance himself from popular opinion.
In Popoff’s framing, Let’s Dance and the Serious Moonlight tour are a peak. “Although there would be grander Bowie tours to come, there would be none more magical and demonstrative of a David Bowie not only firing on all cylinders but hitting every target.” Personally I could not disagree more; the tour lacks the intensity of the best Bowie performances, hugely popular but ultimately not that interesting except for being hugely popular. The author though is entitled to his opinion!
Despite a certain lack of enthusiasm for the music, I enjoyed reading the book, though it is hard to read any chronicle of Bowie’s career without a little sadness. Popoff is I think a fan of Bowie’s ability to change things up, to be ahead of his peers on matters like the internet (he calls bowienet “the first good website by a musician”), and gives good coverage to Bowie’s later years, saying that “Bowie would make some of his greatest records in his twilight years” and that Blackstar, the final record, was “a creative triumph beyond anybody’s expectations,” no passive voice this time. This is where I find myself most agreeing with Popoff; I consider it his finest musical achievement.
That said, I am not sure Popoff was the best person to do this book, which seems designed to appeal to the fans. Bowie’s music is not for everyone and one senses that while the author is trying his best to be sympathetic, his commendable honesty reveals that much of it is not to his taste.
I must add though that even judging by the electronic proof which I have reviewed, the design is excellent and although I did not spot any really unusual pictures, it is a bit of a visual feast and fans may like it for that alone.
August 24, 2022
I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The title of this book, “Bowie@75”, refers to the year 2022 being 75 years since David Bowie’s birth in London, as David Jones. Bowie is much more than just a highly successful and influential musician, this book attempts to give “…a sense of all the arts…that make the package that is David Bowie”. I think the book is successful in doing this, using 75 career highlights from throughout his life, up to and beyond his death.
Upon starting this book, I thought that surely all that can be said or seen of Bowie had already been done. And done many times over the years. But I was pleasantly surprised. Not so much by the written information, which is generally well known, but definitely with the new visual material that I had not seen before.
The book documents, in roughly chronological order, the story of David Bowie, musician and ultimately a creative artist in many fields. The author appears to have captured all the major events and people who have been involved in one way or another, with Bowie and his world.
I found the chapters covering the 70s and 80s the most interesting as (in my humble opinion) that is generally considered Bowie’s most creative period, at least as a musician. The history is well known, as are the characters. Angie Bowie, Mick Ronson, Tony Visconti, Ken Scott, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople are all rightly mentioned as either influencing and/or owing some of their success to David Bowie. Others significantly involved with helping Bowie become a success, the multiple musicians, managers, producers and collaborators are mostly all mentioned and given the credit they are due.
One might argue that some events or people might have more prominence. The 1980 Floor Show, from the Marquee Club performance in 1974 perhaps, or the role of Coco Schwab, Bowie’s long-time assistant for over 40 years . But for the most part, the author does a great job of capturing, people, places, events and of course, the music.
Each of Bowie’s official albums is discussed in some detail, as are the major tours and other public appearances. Bowies forays into other areas beside music are also covered. Films, television, visual arts and the theatre are all discussed as are his direct and indirect influences on so many musicians over the years.
Bowie’s life since the 1980s is covered in equal detail. The records, tours, band members, films, stage work, his private family life, are all adequately documented. Accolades continue throughout his life as new generations of Bowie fans discover his music and influence. The book ends with chapters on Bowie’s declining health and semi-retirement as the accolades continue. Final chapters cover the travelling V&A exhibition as well as the significance and success of his final two albums. The highly successful ‘The Next Day’ and the final album, ‘Blackstar’, released two days before his death in 2016.
The visual material is particularly well done. Representative of all periods and aspects of Bowie’s life and presented in high quality reproductions, with appropriate captions. Some are well known photographic images , but there are abundant new or at least lesser known photographs, as well as much Bowie promotional material. Posters, tickets, t-shirts, record labels, covers and so on.
The book is some 200 pages, equally divided between text and images. “Bowie@75” is a fine addition to the many volumes already published on David Bowie; his music, his art, his life. It is probably of most interest to younger readers or those new to Bowie’s creativity. It provides a compact, comprehensive summary of his life and work. The book does an excellent job of placing Bowies art in the context of the times, the people, the places and events where it happened. I wish the author and publishers all the very best with this book.
The title of this book, “Bowie@75”, refers to the year 2022 being 75 years since David Bowie’s birth in London, as David Jones. Bowie is much more than just a highly successful and influential musician, this book attempts to give “…a sense of all the arts…that make the package that is David Bowie”. I think the book is successful in doing this, using 75 career highlights from throughout his life, up to and beyond his death.
Upon starting this book, I thought that surely all that can be said or seen of Bowie had already been done. And done many times over the years. But I was pleasantly surprised. Not so much by the written information, which is generally well known, but definitely with the new visual material that I had not seen before.
The book documents, in roughly chronological order, the story of David Bowie, musician and ultimately a creative artist in many fields. The author appears to have captured all the major events and people who have been involved in one way or another, with Bowie and his world.
I found the chapters covering the 70s and 80s the most interesting as (in my humble opinion) that is generally considered Bowie’s most creative period, at least as a musician. The history is well known, as are the characters. Angie Bowie, Mick Ronson, Tony Visconti, Ken Scott, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople are all rightly mentioned as either influencing and/or owing some of their success to David Bowie. Others significantly involved with helping Bowie become a success, the multiple musicians, managers, producers and collaborators are mostly all mentioned and given the credit they are due.
One might argue that some events or people might have more prominence. The 1980 Floor Show, from the Marquee Club performance in 1974 perhaps, or the role of Coco Schwab, Bowie’s long-time assistant for over 40 years . But for the most part, the author does a great job of capturing, people, places, events and of course, the music.
Each of Bowie’s official albums is discussed in some detail, as are the major tours and other public appearances. Bowies forays into other areas beside music are also covered. Films, television, visual arts and the theatre are all discussed as are his direct and indirect influences on so many musicians over the years.
Bowie’s life since the 1980s is covered in equal detail. The records, tours, band members, films, stage work, his private family life, are all adequately documented. Accolades continue throughout his life as new generations of Bowie fans discover his music and influence. The book ends with chapters on Bowie’s declining health and semi-retirement as the accolades continue. Final chapters cover the travelling V&A exhibition as well as the significance and success of his final two albums. The highly successful ‘The Next Day’ and the final album, ‘Blackstar’, released two days before his death in 2016.
The visual material is particularly well done. Representative of all periods and aspects of Bowie’s life and presented in high quality reproductions, with appropriate captions. Some are well known photographic images , but there are abundant new or at least lesser known photographs, as well as much Bowie promotional material. Posters, tickets, t-shirts, record labels, covers and so on.
The book is some 200 pages, equally divided between text and images. “Bowie@75” is a fine addition to the many volumes already published on David Bowie; his music, his art, his life. It is probably of most interest to younger readers or those new to Bowie’s creativity. It provides a compact, comprehensive summary of his life and work. The book does an excellent job of placing Bowies art in the context of the times, the people, the places and events where it happened. I wish the author and publishers all the very best with this book.
October 24, 2022
At the end of the day, this is a coffee-table book, one to pull together common and rare photographs of the Thin White Duke. The middling review I've given stems from the fact that Popoff wrote the narrative as sort of a minimalist text to accompany an oversize tome that was a mix of gallery and album-by-album discography. The writing is lively, but not of the caliber you might find in a detailed biography of Bowie.
That being said, I appreciate the fact that this is not a hagiography -- in fact, the commentary might piss off a few obsessive Bowie fans, which means Popoff is probably approaching a fair telling of the Bowie tale. He dissects the months between Hunky Dory, the Spiders from Mars tour, and the "Death of Ziggy" party, and concludes that not only was the trajectory heavily scripted, without letting band members know his plans (something other writers have pointed out), but also that Bowie in the 1970s was not always a fair dealer for those accompanying him as musicians or handlers. In fact, there were times he could be a two-timing shit.
The other thing I liked about Popoff's approach is that he gave a fair shake to the albums Bowie relesased in the 1990s and 2000s. Popoff, like me, counts that era as possibly Bowie's best. The 1970s have been analyzed to death, the 1980s (despite some highlights like "Under Pressure") were about recovering from drugs and trying to achieve a mainstream pop sound, but the decades that came after were about a mature and accomplished musician trying to maintain a fresh sound. The main limitation with being "mature and accomplished" is that your work might not sell as well, and if you tour with younger musicians, you may suffer some blows to your ego. Popoff points out that by touring with Nine Inch Nails, Bowie subjected himself to just that danger, as many teens who came to see Reznor and NIN left the building before Bowie arrived. And Bowie took that as a challenge.
Popoff leaves out a few details of Bowie's session work of the post-1980s era. For example, the really radical aspect of Black Tie, White Noise is that Bowie collaborated with the other Bowie, trumpeter Lester Bowie. The latter Bowie is not even given a nod in the book, though the text covers quite a bit of the album's creation. But even if the details get occasionally fuzzy in latter years, Popoff is smart enough to recoginze that Bowie hit his stride after 40. Only a small fraction of musicians continue to be innovative in middle age and beyond, and for those who do remain innovative, many are largely ignored because the music industry is built on young talent. Even if Bowie@75 is a coffee-table work, it's a pretty clever tome.
That being said, I appreciate the fact that this is not a hagiography -- in fact, the commentary might piss off a few obsessive Bowie fans, which means Popoff is probably approaching a fair telling of the Bowie tale. He dissects the months between Hunky Dory, the Spiders from Mars tour, and the "Death of Ziggy" party, and concludes that not only was the trajectory heavily scripted, without letting band members know his plans (something other writers have pointed out), but also that Bowie in the 1970s was not always a fair dealer for those accompanying him as musicians or handlers. In fact, there were times he could be a two-timing shit.
The other thing I liked about Popoff's approach is that he gave a fair shake to the albums Bowie relesased in the 1990s and 2000s. Popoff, like me, counts that era as possibly Bowie's best. The 1970s have been analyzed to death, the 1980s (despite some highlights like "Under Pressure") were about recovering from drugs and trying to achieve a mainstream pop sound, but the decades that came after were about a mature and accomplished musician trying to maintain a fresh sound. The main limitation with being "mature and accomplished" is that your work might not sell as well, and if you tour with younger musicians, you may suffer some blows to your ego. Popoff points out that by touring with Nine Inch Nails, Bowie subjected himself to just that danger, as many teens who came to see Reznor and NIN left the building before Bowie arrived. And Bowie took that as a challenge.
Popoff leaves out a few details of Bowie's session work of the post-1980s era. For example, the really radical aspect of Black Tie, White Noise is that Bowie collaborated with the other Bowie, trumpeter Lester Bowie. The latter Bowie is not even given a nod in the book, though the text covers quite a bit of the album's creation. But even if the details get occasionally fuzzy in latter years, Popoff is smart enough to recoginze that Bowie hit his stride after 40. Only a small fraction of musicians continue to be innovative in middle age and beyond, and for those who do remain innovative, many are largely ignored because the music industry is built on young talent. Even if Bowie@75 is a coffee-table work, it's a pretty clever tome.
August 14, 2022
Perhaps the easiest way to express how good Bowie at 75, by Martin Popoff, is is to say that I will be trying to get a physical copy as soon as I can. It is attractive, well-written, and moves along at a brisk pace.
From albums and songs to friends and lovers, these moments in Bowie's life offer an excellent overview. Don't worry, the bit of analysis of the music that is included is more a restatement or paraphrase of many opinions and not, as some passive readers will claim, a case of Popoff showing his level of appreciation. If you read some of these people, you'd think anyone who holds an opinion different from theirs is not really a fan. Well, insecure is insecure I guess.
That said, because Bowie's career was so long and varied many readers will disagree with some assessments. I did, though not to the extent that I feel, as a fan of his since 1969 (thanks to some UK friends), qualified to determine how much Popoff is or is not a fan. Plus, the fact that the best books are often from only casual fans but those with a tremendous level of respect, and that is present throughout.
While I enjoyed the short sections for each event/moment, it is definitely the illustrations that make the book. Even if only a few are less common, it is nice to have them all in one place and even organized for you. It is the difference between cutting out several hundred pictures from, say, Life Magazine versus having them all bound into an organized collection. This volume puts them together for convenient browsing if you have it as a coffee table book or as a display volume on your shelves.
Highly recommended for fans of Bowie as well as fans of music history, both as a source of some information and a lot of wonderful pictures.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
From albums and songs to friends and lovers, these moments in Bowie's life offer an excellent overview. Don't worry, the bit of analysis of the music that is included is more a restatement or paraphrase of many opinions and not, as some passive readers will claim, a case of Popoff showing his level of appreciation. If you read some of these people, you'd think anyone who holds an opinion different from theirs is not really a fan. Well, insecure is insecure I guess.
That said, because Bowie's career was so long and varied many readers will disagree with some assessments. I did, though not to the extent that I feel, as a fan of his since 1969 (thanks to some UK friends), qualified to determine how much Popoff is or is not a fan. Plus, the fact that the best books are often from only casual fans but those with a tremendous level of respect, and that is present throughout.
While I enjoyed the short sections for each event/moment, it is definitely the illustrations that make the book. Even if only a few are less common, it is nice to have them all in one place and even organized for you. It is the difference between cutting out several hundred pictures from, say, Life Magazine versus having them all bound into an organized collection. This volume puts them together for convenient browsing if you have it as a coffee table book or as a display volume on your shelves.
Highly recommended for fans of Bowie as well as fans of music history, both as a source of some information and a lot of wonderful pictures.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
August 23, 2022
Bowie @ 75
I feel so blessed that I was granted early access to Bowie @ 75 via the eArc.
I thoroughly enjoyed every single page.
I loved this insight into such an icon, from his humble beginnings, up until his passing.
Bowie’s talent, passion and dedication were never something I doubted however, this book has now given me a greater level of knowledge & understanding of what drove and inspired him and how much Bowie truly put into every decision, record and style choice.
On a personal note, I enjoyed reading about the song, Heroes (forever locked into my heart) and about that joyous cult classic, Labyrinth! “You remind me of the babe!” Lol
David Bowie was beyond talented. And this world truly lost a gift when he passed, but what a legacy he left behind.
Oh, and how could I forget the stunning pictures included? Many of his iconic photos are there, but so many more I’d never seen. (I’m not saying these are never-before-seen, but they are new to my eyes). Even without reading a word, these pictures chart the incredible rise of a musical icon. I will say that the artwork for Diamond Dogs is a little disturbing! Lol But, Bowie was forever pushing the boundaries, and it is that that gave him his iconic status.
This book is a must for all David Bowie fans. I can’t wait to buy a physical copy. And with it being released just before my birthday, what a fabulous gift to myself.
Thank you, NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks, for the eArc.
I feel so blessed that I was granted early access to Bowie @ 75 via the eArc.
I thoroughly enjoyed every single page.
I loved this insight into such an icon, from his humble beginnings, up until his passing.
Bowie’s talent, passion and dedication were never something I doubted however, this book has now given me a greater level of knowledge & understanding of what drove and inspired him and how much Bowie truly put into every decision, record and style choice.
On a personal note, I enjoyed reading about the song, Heroes (forever locked into my heart) and about that joyous cult classic, Labyrinth! “You remind me of the babe!” Lol
David Bowie was beyond talented. And this world truly lost a gift when he passed, but what a legacy he left behind.
Oh, and how could I forget the stunning pictures included? Many of his iconic photos are there, but so many more I’d never seen. (I’m not saying these are never-before-seen, but they are new to my eyes). Even without reading a word, these pictures chart the incredible rise of a musical icon. I will say that the artwork for Diamond Dogs is a little disturbing! Lol But, Bowie was forever pushing the boundaries, and it is that that gave him his iconic status.
This book is a must for all David Bowie fans. I can’t wait to buy a physical copy. And with it being released just before my birthday, what a fabulous gift to myself.
Thank you, NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks, for the eArc.
October 11, 2022
This is a stunning coffee table book that's definitely worthy of its singular subject - the inimitable David Bowie. While I like Bowie as much as the next rock fan, he was never a personal favorite. If we're talking 1960s acts, I was always more of a Who girl myself. I fully intended to read this and gift it to a friend who absolutely adores the man, but after looking it over, I don't think I can part with it.
Prodigiously illustrated with crisply reproduced photographs, as well as album covers, concert posters, ticket stubs and film adverts, every page is a visual feast. Best of all, the text is broken up into 75 chronological single-page chapters (accompanied by copious images) making it easy to dip in and out. And even if you think you know everything there is to know about David Bowie, I suspect you might learn something new here. This isn't some cheapo celebrity cash-in, but an informed and informative chronicle of his life and career.
In terms of packaging, the bright orange book is dressed to impress. It comes sheathed in a thick cardboard sleeve that has black flocked cover and gorgeous grey scale image of middle period Bowie. Plus, there's a shiny orange envelope containing a moody 8x10 concert still and reproduction of a vintage poster from a 1973 concert in Osaka Japan.
This is a worthy tribute to a unique artist and fascinating individual.
Prodigiously illustrated with crisply reproduced photographs, as well as album covers, concert posters, ticket stubs and film adverts, every page is a visual feast. Best of all, the text is broken up into 75 chronological single-page chapters (accompanied by copious images) making it easy to dip in and out. And even if you think you know everything there is to know about David Bowie, I suspect you might learn something new here. This isn't some cheapo celebrity cash-in, but an informed and informative chronicle of his life and career.
In terms of packaging, the bright orange book is dressed to impress. It comes sheathed in a thick cardboard sleeve that has black flocked cover and gorgeous grey scale image of middle period Bowie. Plus, there's a shiny orange envelope containing a moody 8x10 concert still and reproduction of a vintage poster from a 1973 concert in Osaka Japan.
This is a worthy tribute to a unique artist and fascinating individual.
September 16, 2024
Beautiful collector’s book on the life and times of David Bowie.
Alongside his full life story is some fantastic music history of the artists he has collaborated and worked with, and photos and souvenirs from his different eras in music and creativity. It’s truly fascinating.
Through all of his famous albums, to the less popular or less known music, to his performances in theatre and on screen. David Bowie was never a conformist or ready to settle on any success, his music could be unsettling and pushed the boundaries. So many times in his life he was actually way ahead of the times.
A beautiful poignant look and reminder of how groundbreaking and instrumental in today’s music scene Bowie was.
This book is the reissue of Bowie at 75 published in 2022. Although this is largely written from an American perspective, Bowie did live a lot of his life in New York.
The information and pictures alone make it a must have for all music fans, covering music from late 1950’s through to the 2000’s and Bowie’s last performance and music.
I loved looking through, then going back to read more. Hugely enjoyed and a great gift for music lovers!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read. Loved it!!
Alongside his full life story is some fantastic music history of the artists he has collaborated and worked with, and photos and souvenirs from his different eras in music and creativity. It’s truly fascinating.
Through all of his famous albums, to the less popular or less known music, to his performances in theatre and on screen. David Bowie was never a conformist or ready to settle on any success, his music could be unsettling and pushed the boundaries. So many times in his life he was actually way ahead of the times.
A beautiful poignant look and reminder of how groundbreaking and instrumental in today’s music scene Bowie was.
This book is the reissue of Bowie at 75 published in 2022. Although this is largely written from an American perspective, Bowie did live a lot of his life in New York.
The information and pictures alone make it a must have for all music fans, covering music from late 1950’s through to the 2000’s and Bowie’s last performance and music.
I loved looking through, then going back to read more. Hugely enjoyed and a great gift for music lovers!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read. Loved it!!
September 6, 2022
Bowie at 75 is a colorful career retrospective released near what would have been the seminal artist's 75th birthday. Full of background information, history, pictures, and Bowie/Iggy Pop/Lou Reed hijinks, this is the perfect companion to the hotly anticipated Moonage Daydream documentary being released later this month.
Pros:
- Tons of full color photos that I've never seen before.
- Lovingly detailed...you can tell the author is a fan.
- Each album is given a section, focusing more on the art of the full-length rather than individual songs.
Cons:
- Facetious complaint sure, but the formatting on my ARC was all over the place and made it tough to read. Naturally that just tells me that I need to buy a physical copy someday.
Four stars. This is a nice career retrospective hitting in conjuncture with the new Bowie biopic that is sure to please fans.
FFO: Bowie, Iggy, Lou Reed, Kraftwerk, Berlin
**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Motorbooks and Netgalley*
Pros:
- Tons of full color photos that I've never seen before.
- Lovingly detailed...you can tell the author is a fan.
- Each album is given a section, focusing more on the art of the full-length rather than individual songs.
Cons:
- Facetious complaint sure, but the formatting on my ARC was all over the place and made it tough to read. Naturally that just tells me that I need to buy a physical copy someday.
Four stars. This is a nice career retrospective hitting in conjuncture with the new Bowie biopic that is sure to please fans.
FFO: Bowie, Iggy, Lou Reed, Kraftwerk, Berlin
**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Motorbooks and Netgalley*
September 12, 2022
For only being 200 ish pages, I found this book took me a while to read. This says nothing about the content as the insight into David Bowies life and career was amazing, but I feel it was due to the fact I knew inevitably what was coming at the end.
However, by the time I got there I was reminded (like you could forget) just how much Bowie gave to the world and how much he put into this from the start of his career, to the very end.
Not necessarily any new ground breaking new information in this book but a well laid out chronological tale, with accompanying images, which makes this a wonderfully enjoyable read and one I would gladly own the physical copy to peruse at a later date again and again.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review an early copy of this, was throughly enjoyable and a pleasure to read.
However, by the time I got there I was reminded (like you could forget) just how much Bowie gave to the world and how much he put into this from the start of his career, to the very end.
Not necessarily any new ground breaking new information in this book but a well laid out chronological tale, with accompanying images, which makes this a wonderfully enjoyable read and one I would gladly own the physical copy to peruse at a later date again and again.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review an early copy of this, was throughly enjoyable and a pleasure to read.
July 30, 2022
I read a copy provided by Quercus and Netgalley but my opinions are my own.
The photos in this book are fascinating. I found myself going back and forth to look at the details. A very good curation of photos of David’s public life.
I dipped in and out of the text but liked the chronological progression and especially the timeline section.
This is a book that you would revisit. The research seems sound though I was puzzled by some textual decisions. For example, ‘Haymaker’ describing Underwood seems odd and would readers outside UK understand this? And earlier the punch had been described by Bowie as not hard.
Overall, a good reference book and album of Bowie’s life in music.
The photos in this book are fascinating. I found myself going back and forth to look at the details. A very good curation of photos of David’s public life.
I dipped in and out of the text but liked the chronological progression and especially the timeline section.
This is a book that you would revisit. The research seems sound though I was puzzled by some textual decisions. For example, ‘Haymaker’ describing Underwood seems odd and would readers outside UK understand this? And earlier the punch had been described by Bowie as not hard.
Overall, a good reference book and album of Bowie’s life in music.
August 9, 2022
"Suffice to say it is the rare human being who will choose to dance with the muse so obsessively, to love all of the arts so much that he would not only die for art but perish as work of art personified, filmed and heard to the very end, showing and whispering to us strange things that widened and enriched the collective consciousness of those attuned and willing to receive."
Popoff delivered a visually stunning book that takes us through 75 of Bowie's life moments. For those who grew up on Bowie's music, this book will either serve as fun facts about his life for the casual consumer or a great collection piece for the big fans.
The art accompanying the text was the highlight and added life to the book. The text was great in showing the highs and lows of Bowie's career and the chronological order provided an immersive way to experience his life.
Excited to own a copy of this book, a great collection piece as a lifetime Bowie fan.
Thank you NetGalley, Quarto Publishing, and Martin Popoff for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
↠ 5 stars
Popoff delivered a visually stunning book that takes us through 75 of Bowie's life moments. For those who grew up on Bowie's music, this book will either serve as fun facts about his life for the casual consumer or a great collection piece for the big fans.
The art accompanying the text was the highlight and added life to the book. The text was great in showing the highs and lows of Bowie's career and the chronological order provided an immersive way to experience his life.
Excited to own a copy of this book, a great collection piece as a lifetime Bowie fan.
Thank you NetGalley, Quarto Publishing, and Martin Popoff for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
↠ 5 stars
April 14, 2023
David Bowie.
Ziggy Stardust. The Thin Pale Duke. Gene Genie.
Bowie has earned every ounce of fame, stardom, praise and glory. And more.
Everyone. EVERYONE. Has a favorite song from this undisputed master.
Probably more than one. (mine is "putting out fire" ).
Bowie came alive on the stage. From Early on he redefined showmanship.
Often imitated, never matched. Bowie became the song. And he enchanted you with his voice.
To hear a Bowie song is to touch a part of your soul you never saw before.
To see him changes you life.
Ziggy Stardust. The Thin Pale Duke. Gene Genie.
Bowie has earned every ounce of fame, stardom, praise and glory. And more.
Everyone. EVERYONE. Has a favorite song from this undisputed master.
Probably more than one. (mine is "putting out fire" ).
Bowie came alive on the stage. From Early on he redefined showmanship.
Often imitated, never matched. Bowie became the song. And he enchanted you with his voice.
To hear a Bowie song is to touch a part of your soul you never saw before.
To see him changes you life.
August 7, 2022
As a lifelong Bowie fan, I buy every book about him thats released, but obviously some are better than others, Martin Popoff’s “Bowie At 75” belongs on the latter shelf, mainly for the photographs which are a real feast for the eyes. Popoff’s analysis is at times a little eyebrow-raising because he doesn’t always sound like a hardcore fan, which comes across as unusual in such a sumptuously celebratory publication , but this doesn’t spoil the overall excellence of this book.
September 15, 2022
This format provides an accessible way to put new spins on the legacies of artists who've been exhaustively well-documented. I appreciated the author's critical ear, making this more interesting than just a hagiographic greatest-hits roundup. I reviewed Bowie @ 75 for the Duluth News Tribune.
January 24, 2023
Amazing book. As an David Bowie fan this book totally got me and I could put it down.
November 7, 2023
Just a solid, well laid out, interesting look at Bowie through the years. Well done.
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