The Complete David Bowie

by Nicholas Pegg

Provides an analysis of David Bowie's songs, albums, tours, radio sessions, and performances on screen.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Reference, Art, Rock N Roll

612 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Nicholas Pegg is a British actor, director and writer.

His acting work in the theatre includes productions for Nottingham Playhouse, Scottish Opera, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. He appears in several audio plays based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He also appeared as a Dalek operator in numerous episodes of the 2005 relaunch of the television series ("Bad Wolf", "The Parting of the Ways", "Army of Ghosts", "Doomsday", "Daleks in Manhattan", "Evolution of the Daleks", "The Stolen Earth", "Journey's End", "Victory of the Daleks"). Other television roles include appearances in EastEnders and Doc Martin.

A graduate of the University of Exeter, Pegg trained at the Guildford School of Acting. He is the author of The Complete David Bowie (ISBN 1-905287-15-1) and appeared as a David Bowie expert in the 2007 TV documentary series Seven Ages of Rock. He has written for publications including Mojo (magazine), and has also written stage plays, including numerous pantomimes for British theatres including Harrogate Theatre, the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, the MacRobert Playhouse in Stirling, and the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. His work as a director includes Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Peter Pan, Funny Money, I Thought I Heard a Rustling, and Diary of a Somebody.

Reviews

[James Gent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible! This book is just the absolute business. Authorative, informative, witty, insightful and rigorously researched - plus, it's written by one of the Daleks so, double bonus!

[Tyler Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say that I am probably one the biggest Bowie fans. I have everything that he's ever done as far a music, and I'm now trying to see his film work as well. My parents bought this book for me as a Christmas gift, and I'm still reading it. For me, its a bible for Bowie fans. Its something that every Bowie fan should read.

This book covers everything that you could possibly want to know about Bowie. There's really no need to read any other Bowie reference work if you've read and/or own this book. Pegg is a wise writer whose explanations and critique are very accurate and well-researched. I definitely recommend this book for Bowie fans at all stages...it's an absolute essential read for those who want to truly understand the work of one of music's most intriguing and off-the-wall musicians ever.

[Mariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The complete David Bowie is a pretty good book to consult with for your Bowie needs. "*Channels Han Solo* I don't know, my Bowie needs are quite a bit," you might say. Mine too, my friend. I was born a David Bowie fan. Wearing a David Bowie t-shirt. Instead of saying "It's a girl!" the doctor said "It's a Bowie fan!" (or "It's another Bowie fan!", since my twin was born first).
I've read a few Bowie books over the years (don't think they are on goodreads?). I think this is the best one to get. Not annoyingly gossipy in that awful missing the point way, only about the stuff to drool over. It's weird but I enjoy Beatles myths to no end. With Bowie I think it can't come too soon that he's known for just the music.

[Stephen Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s probably not quite accurate to say I’ve ‘read’ this - it is, after all, a reference book stretching to 900 densely packed pages - but I’ve had it by my side for the past few weeks, gobbling up chunks here and there. A more comprehensive study is hard to imagine. Every song, every album, every acting role; everything the great man turned his hand to is described, contextualised and analysed with rigour and discernment. Never to be bettered, I suspect.

[Tim Worthington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where other writers about Bowie tend to treat their subject as an alternative religion, an epic tale of rock'n'roll excess where the music was more or less a footnote, or worst of all an excuse to go on about themselves for page after page after page, The Complete Bowie puts the art and the facts first and foremost, and in so doing ends up telling the story more accurately, coherently and above all excitingly than pretty much anyone else ever.

And it really IS The Complete Bowie. From The Laughing Gnome, Tin Machine and Earthling to The Linguini Incident, liveandwell.com and those paintings he did of the back of his head or something, anything and everything in Bowie's universe that traditionally gets either snorted at or ignored by other biographers is given as fair a crack of the whip as possible here. Pegg has the sense to see that it's all part of his creative development and process whether the more precious fans like it or not, and while you may end up exasperatedly wondering just how many tens of thousands of songs formed part of that Cher Show Medley, or find the painstakingly detailed live history as gruelling to read in one go as the touring schedules themselves probably were for the milk/peppers/coke-era Bowie, a challenging but rewarding artist deserves a challenging but rewarding read.

Seemingly every page has a new and enthralling fact on it, from the Low sessions ending each day with a group watch of Fawlty Towers to Ken Pitt's dogged attempts to land his protege a gig hosting Jackanory, and nowhere else would you find a serious and straight-faced assessment of just how big an influence the BBC children's show Flower Pot Men had on his artistic vision.

The best book about David Bowie ever? Yes. If you can't read shit any more, read this.

[Caroline Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas Pegg's The Complete David Bowie is not a biography more of a reference book that includes biographical material. Pegg looks at every song in alphabetic order, revealing anecdotes and insights into lyrics. Every album in chronological order, delving into his state of mind whilst making them and who he had around him, videos, tours, including set lists, his acting career and then miscellaneous such as painting, internet etc.
Originally I thought I'd be using it as a reference work but actually I ended up reading it from cover to cover. Pegg is obviously a fan but he doesn't sink into the trap of sycophancy too often, and will call Bowie out on his creative lapses - Tin Machine gets quite a mauling for example. It's taken an age to read not only because it's a bloody thick book but also because, the Kindle edition at least, contains no illustrations or photographs so I was constantly on Google images to see a picture of the outfit, tour, album cover etc that Pegg was describing. I was also sent scurrying off to YouTube on many occasions to look up snippets of film and videos referred to. One for the Bowie fan rather than those with a casual interest but I really enjoyed it, despite a real melancholy that this is now a finite body of work, and would like to find the best Bowie biography (that isn't a hatchet job) to read about his life in a more straight forward chronological fashion.

[Margaret Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’d have to be a true David Bowie fan to plough through this this tome. It chock block full of all his songs whether written by him or sang as covers. There are thousands and each has a bit about each one. Sings he’d written for bang others and him being a backing singer for them too. His films, his stage appearances, TV interviews appearances and his paintings. He sold some paintings even though he never really liked them to raise money for AIDS and many other charities. This is the man who fell to earth as we loved him. What a fabulous New Edition, Expanded and Updated with 35,000 more words. What more could you ask for, it’s sheer perfection!

[Ilaria Vigorito · Rating 4 out of 5]

La lettura di questo libro è stata un'avventura durata mesi, non per il suo stile, scorrevole e godibile, ma per la materia. L'imponente monografia a tema Bowie di Nicholas Pegg è veramente una bibbia, una mastodontica enciclopedia dalla A alla Z di David Bowie per quanto riguarda la sua carriera di artista a tutto tondo - e dunque senza tralasciare neanche i suoi lavori da pittore, i ruoli che ha rivestito come attore e i suoi excursus nel mondo dell'arte e della scrittura.

Pegg fa un'analisi molto puntuale dell'opera di Bowie - la sua analisi delle canzoni e degli album è eccellente, sia sotto l'aspetto che pertiene i testi e il loro significato, sia sotto l'aspetto che riguarda la tecnica musicale e le influenze che altri musicisti, più o meno conosciuti, hanno esercitato sull'opera del Sottile Duca Bianco.

Nulla sfugge all'attenta e complessa disamina di Pegg, soprattutto fa l'immenso favore al lettore di non presupporre che già sappia a chi o cosa si stia riferendo. Fondamentale è lo spazio che si prende, ad esempio, per raccontare le disavventure di Bowie nel mondo discografico, specialmente per quel che attiene al periodo Main Man dei primi anni Settanta.

Questo rende l'immenso volume di Nicholas Pegg importante non soltanto per chi è fan di Bowie e vuole approfondire la conoscenza della sua vita artistica, ma anche per chi vuole sapere di più sul perverso funzionamento dell'industria musicale - non solo americana. Le analisi di Pegg delle canzoni di Bowie sicuramente costituiscono un buon esempio di come si scrive di musica, se non ci si vuole limitare a parlare dei testi e, fuggevolmente, dei temi e delle influenze su questo o quell'album di un determinato autore.

L'unico motivo che non mi ha fatto dare cinque stelle a questo libro - che pur essendo opera di un grande appassionato non fa sconti quando si tratta di descrivere gli scivoloni nella carriera di Bowie - è la traduzione. Se do quattro stelle, le do all'edizione che io ho letto, un'edizione italiana pessima nella fattura ma ancora di più nelle traduzioni.

Parlo di un continuo ricorso a calchi dall'jnglese, di traduzioni davvero opinabili di molti testi riportati nella descrizione di questa o quella canzone, della frequenza con cui si scambia il genere delle persone citate (Ellen Degeneres viene definita "un attore comico" e in riferimento a Lexie si parla del "figlio" e del "bambino" di Bowie). Soprattutto, molto irritante è la tendenza a operare anche in italiano l'inversione di aggettivo e sostantivo, che genera delle frasi francamente illeggibili, senza parlare della quantità imbarazzante di refusi di cui è disseminato il libro.

Note editoriali a parte, "Bowie" di Nicholas Pegg è un'opera splendida, consigliatissima a chiunque voglia immergersi nel mondo di Bowie e conoscerlo a tutto tondo, servendosi di una guida meticolosa, ben informata e attenta a verificare le fonti delle sue affermazioni.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, definitely the definitive Bowie overview. Song by song, album by album, etc. Pegg finds lots of unreleased and obscure tracks as well. Really thorough, and Pegg's a terrific writer. Highly recommended for the fan. Noobs probably want something a little lighter.

I read a 1999 edition; surely more current/updated editions exist.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having now taken quite an intensive journey this year through the life and works of David Bowie, here is perhaps (and self-avowedly) the most comprehensive of all of these books. Structured ostensibly like a Discography/Filmography/Recording Date Diary, it's actually written like a normal biography, using this play-off between chattiness and completeness to set up Bowie as a multimedia monolith - warts and all - and to approach him along several faces, starting each time at the chronological beginning and moving to a conclusion (in this 2007 updated edition) somewhere in the middle of his silence in the mid-2000s. First we get him song-by-song (alphabetically), then album-by-album (chronologically), then we get his collaborations, his films, his side projects, the rumoured projects and finally more or less a day-by-day account of his lengthy and diverse career.

There is not much more you could really add to this, meaning for anyone reading their way through the veritable mountain of Bowie-related books (most of which receive a thoughtful critique in this book), really needs to read this book. It may not be the ideal starting place, due to its sheer scope and heft, but it's never less than engagingly-presented.

In his discussions, Pegg quotes liberally from David Buckley's Strange Fascination and from the Gillmans' Alias David Bowie (which was indeed the first - and interesting if flawed - Bowie biography I ever read, back in the late 1980s), but maintains his own sharp conclusions, as well as having done some substantial research of his own.

The alphabetical format for the songs serves to have you jumping all over the place, placing jigsaw pieces on the ground, which the albums section then collects into groupings and periods. If you listen to these albums concurrently, as I tend to do when reading rock bios, you get an extraordinary journey, primed by the information offered in the song-by-song section and guaranteed to fine-tune your own critical viewpoints.

Some key moments are highlighted, such as the moment in 1983 when Tony Visconti, miffed about being sidelined without notice from the producer's chair on Let's Dance, agreed to prepare the sound for a festival concert but declined to follow the rest of the Serious Moonlight tour, a third estrangement that paved the way (possibly, allegedly, conceivably…) for Bowie's 1984-93 creative wobble. Here, perhaps more than in any of the books I have read, there is a real understanding and appreciation of what Bowie was reaching for post-1995, all of which is borne out better by the first CD of Nothing Has Changed than by most of the contemporary reviews and comments. This is a book that gives Bowie his due, while exploring his processes and occasionally doubting his results, often when he was ostensibly playing it safest. In the end, though, that Bowie strike rate was actually pretty damn good, with only 4 albums out of 30 (in my estimation) being failures, and 8 being true epoch-marking classics, another 13 being extremely good, and the remaining 5 merely good or acceptable.

What is lacking, for those who may be looking for it, is gossip. There are plenty of titbits, of course, but a clear line has been drawn on this side of the prurient, something which may disappoint a certain kind of reader, although there are plenty of options for them in the crowded Bowie bio market. And undoubtedly there will be new additions in the near future, including revised and updated versions of many of the better known bios, including this one.

[Ben Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beast of a book and bar the unexpected return of The Thin White David Bowie in 2014, there's not a spangled underpant or expressive mime uncatalogued. Essential.

[The Esoteric Jungle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great record on so many aspects of Bowie. But it is supernatural how much he did in his short years, like some alien amoeba interrelating with earth life on a faster, higher, time level. You may think you covered all of him as a biographer but then you turn your head and there are probably 15 other things you missed. How could any one Bio cover even half of it?

Allow me few periods for a moment here to just convey the gargantuan task any work would have to do to cover him: he had time to be friends with all the greatest stars in his day from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Elizabeth Taylor to Jagger to 100 others and at his death nearly every interesting and more esoteric musician (Interpol, Elliott Smith, Ian Astbury, Lorde, Kirk Hammett etc etc) came out and said he would just appear out of nowhere and talk with them about how important what they were doing was for the world. He had a fairly effluvient, continual and very “catholic” (inclusive) sex life ongoing comparable to King Solomon, read endlessly and had a very massive library according to those close to him (and him - he once put his list on goodreads); he knew the most odd facts about art and architecture that even professional artists who hung out with him hadn’t a clue about till him, people from centuries ago (this according to Iman too). Made 27 albums (most *groups* only make 7 or so), collaborated with several artists from Jimmy Page to Bing Crosby, had a few kids, had a deeply involved career as a professional actor in so many films off and on, brought his business onto the stock market and was totally involved in that all his life, had over 5 houses around the world, was a regular student of Rinpoche (and higher Thibetan orders than even the Red Hats, groups that would make such look elementary he once said), practiced meditation all the time, took opera lessons, helped so many artists like Queen become known. Also I have met people masters in esoteric symbolism (tarot, kabbalah, golden dawn, crowley) who have said Bowie really knew his stuff in this field and they were always learning something new from his references in lyrics. He choreographed all his dances and stages and I’ve met people steeped in the 50’s sinatra era who blew me away showing me how much he took from all that era as a student. Practiced Pantomime and art and did stints with comedians like Gervais and Flight of Conchords so must have watched some tv. He was obsessed with aliens and started a club looking for them, was a marketer and did much of his own marketing. He was a complete poet in his own rite and I can say knew things very obscure about archaic history he somehow had time to find out about and threw in everywhere (the meaning of Bewlay I discovered in the most obscure Arthurian text, there are 100 things like that I won’t go on about). Did the voice for Peter Rabbit on a children’s album and a few other things like that. Was really innovative in recording, engineering, finding the greatest musicians and arranging with them and so on, he wasn’t just a singer and lyricist - an excellent pianist.

And there are probably, like I said, 15 other things he did I have left out here. Well in showing all you can’t cover of him I think I covered most of it. I don’t know if any bio’s out there ever will cover this much though, they just focus on a few things, it is so hard to capture it all. But this bio and a few others did a good job.

In any case, now...think about anyone you know famous or family who have had time to do even a third of that. Thought of any? No. It’s just not humanly possible. This guy, for me, is the greatest proof of Aliens - or at least some kind of ubermen, coming buddha’s of the sixth phase of beinghood beginning here on earth - already living among us. May the Most High bless him and all he did for man in our day...one can already be sure his inner divinity already had (and was actuating itself here while on earth “whole hog no stops” pretty fully).

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not accurate to say I've "read" this in the usual sense, but I own it, have consulted it, and will continue to do so forevermore. Just an astonishingly deep collection of writing on every facet of Bowie's career (literally every facet). Much less of a biography than other Bowie books, this keeps the focus on the music and creative endeavors (where it should be IMO).

About the only things missing from this book are the accompanying visuals (artwork, promo photos, stage costumes) that form a crucial part of Bowie's oeuvre and the music itself. (I suggest picking up one of the many coffee table books like the awkwardly titled but gorgeous David Bowie Is to capture the visual aspect.) For a reference work about the art itself, you couldn't ask for anything more. The latest additions accounting for Blackstar are especially poignant and deep (the last edition added something like 70k words). Overkill for casual fans; essential for obsessives.

[Max Tachis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told song by song, album by album, withno detail spared and no stone left unturned; this is, as advertised, COMPLETE. It is meticulously researched and presented as a textbook of sorts, which is only fitting for a life and career as historically significant as David Bowie's. When an artist has put so much of themselves into their art, it's almost stupid obvious that their life can then, in turn, be told chronologically through their art. What a concept! Mr. Pegg gives us that gift and more. It has everything, which can, admittedly, make it a daunting experience for the casual fan or biography reader. This is not for a faint of heart. Nor is the collected works of William Shakespeare, however, and this contains about as much within its bindings.

I am a die-hard Bowie fan and, if you are, too, I can't recommend this highly enough.

[Randy Skretka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This David Bowie book to me is a biography, even though author Pegg declares it is not.

It does have a most unusual format, nothing like any of the biographies I have read.

It's sort of encyclopedia-like; lots of lists, and the main one is the list of songs.

It's a very complete documentation of most any Bowie song, film, TV appearance, tour, and even tour dates.

For me, it was definitely a slow and dull read a lot of the time. But as an aspiring musician, and a Bowie fan for a long time, to labor was certainly worth the while.

However, I vow to not read another biography with this sort of format! LOL

-Randy

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS NOT A BOOK YOU READ. This is a reference book for the extreme Bowie fan.
There is already a newer edition than the one I have. And there will be yet another edition soon covering Bowie's final LP BLACKSTAR.
This lists and comments on every David Bowie single; album and compilation.
It also notes any song he covered in concert that was not his and did not appear on an album.
The book is a monster and I will want that next volume.
I really like David Bowie's work.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is an extraordinary compendium, and I am glad I found it in its possibly final edition. Pegg has done some much research and especially makes some moving statements about the final projects in Bowie's career. Also, there is just an astounding treasure trove of "fun facts" about Bowie's music and collaborations and, well, you name it. It's a precious reference text for anyone who wants access to all things Bowie.

[Chris Brazendale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the definitive text for the origins and backstories of each and every David Bowie song, no matter how obscure or minor. There is something here for the casual listener and die hard fan, and it can be dipped into or read cover to cover depending on the reader.

[Joseph Sierputowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely masterful overview of the life and career of David Bowie. Covers every album, every song, every outtake, every major tour-if you want to know more about Bowie's varied and complex career, read this book.

[Picueta · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Qué maravilla! No es para nada una biografía al uso, más bien narra la vida de Bowie a través de los discos, las canciones, las giras... Es increíble la cantidad de información que hay aquí.
Me he gozado estas 1700 páginas. De verdad que sí.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indispensable as a reference book, and equally fascinating to read from cover to cover. The best guide to a musician's work that I have ever had the pleasure to read.

[Stargazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reference book for fans or researchers.

[Seamus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for all diehard Bowie fans!

[Thomas Rodebaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly detailed; the rare case of a "complete" book that actually is.

[Tina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ultimate Bowie Book

Amazing accurate and well researched Bowie. A definitive record of every aspect of his varied career. A must for Bowie fans.

[David Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written compilation of all things Bowie. Lots of historical details for ardent Bowie fans (like me.)

[Eric Neffke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a biography, but an exhaustive encyclopedia of Bowie. Packed with interesting and useful information for the hardcore fan.

[Brian Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You're a Bowie fan? Why wouldn't you read this?

[Melissa Manzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

REALE VOTO SAREBBE 2 STELLE E MEZZO

[Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most essential reading material available in regards to David Bowie's music.