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In this special memorial remembrance, Robert and Richard look back at the career of David Bowie: The Beatle/ex-Beatle influences, as well as direct interactions. In addition to an exclusive interview clip with the man himself, songs include “Fame” and “Across The Universe.”
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Hey Guys,
Very nice episode at a sad time. Two other Bowie/Beatles connections. 1: John and George being interviewed together in 1974(?) with George recounting how he had asked Bowie to take his sunglasses off so he could see him and John chirping in from the background “yeah I do” when George dourly remarks that some people think Bowie is great.
2: At the Prince’s Trust concert in 1986, Paul introduced Bowie and Mick Jagger as “surprise guests” to perform “Dancing in the Street” with Paul (and Bryan Adams and Mark Knopfler and Elton John etc) providing musical backing. Strangely, they perform the song in the middle of Paul’s set and leave straight after the song is over.
Another connection is Tin Machine’s cover of “Working Class Hero”.
Yep – shows a real connection to the Plastic Ono Band album, doesn’t it?
Yes – good points, Andy!
Mick thinks he’s hot shit and too cool to
Play with Paul.. Pulled the same crap at concert for New York.. John was right in his assent offices jealousy over the Beatles success
Thoughtful piece and some great insights. Strange comment about Bowie and Stevie Ray Vaughan having little in common. Bowie loved guitar and great guitarists. Ronson, Slick and Peter Frampton to mention but a few.
I meant more that a Texas bluesman wasn’t typically within the sphere of a guy that was so experimental and far afield from SRV’s genre. But that was Bowie’s genius: SEEING the potential that wasn’t obvious to anyone else.
Hey Guys,
Greetings from Minneapolis!
Great episode!
I just want to say that I completed listening to ALL of the episodes and I enjoyed them all!
I stumbled onto your site from a mention from Fab4Free4All a couple of months ago!
I like the camaraderie between you two! Maybe Robert could change the theme song to “Move over Buskin (Busker)” 😉
Don’t know if you take requests but I’d love to hear you guys have an episode that discusses the Beatles as session players playing on other artists songs/albums.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Kent
That’s a great idea Kent – we’ll add that to the list.
Thanks for listening!
Great podcast, guys – good episode, too. Happily surprised to hear the first falsetto ‘angel’ is Lennon. Uncanny! You mentioned Bowie appearing as the Elephant Man on Broadway in 1980: as you probably know, the BBC’s Andy Peebles and his team had just been to see the play not long before interviewing John & Yoko that December:
Peebles: …I must say a stunning performance from Bowie, he’s a very talented gentleman.
Lennon: Amazing guy, isn’t he?…I must say I admire him for the vast repertoire of talent the guy has, you know…between him and me I don’t know what was going down but we seemed to have some kind of communication is together and I think he’s great. The fact that he can just walk into that [The Elephant Man] and do that…I could never do that. I can’t even remember my own lyrics, son I couldn’t go on stage and remember all that.
I also hadn’t heard that stripped-down, Plastic Ono Band-esque arrangement of Space Oddity before. A real revelation – brilliant version. Thanks again for your excellent work – I’m glad I was recently directed to your podcast. It’ll definitely help feed my Beatles habit until the second volume of Tune In comes out!
First of all, Richard and Robert – I truly enjoy listening to the pods – well done job! love the banter, love the different angles you come up with – CHEERS!
Second of all, a connection that I find quite “Karmic” and uncanny is the fact that on “Life on Mars” the lyrics go:
“Now the workers have struck for FAME – ‘Cause LENNON’s on sale again”
and several years later he writes FAME with LENNON….
Now you tell me… is that straight out of the twighlight zone or what?
Third and last, I would love another podcast on Brian and one on big Mal.
Cheers!!
Richard and Robert thanks for fulfilling my request from April and producing a show dedicated to Big Mal!
Cheers!
As usual a wonderful show! Good on you, Robert, for getting the pronunciation of Bowie right! Especially since Richard has been so quick to correct your pronunciation of Twickenham. 🙂
One of us is a quicker learner than the other!
:). Just to back this up, here is Bowie pronouncing his own name. https://youtu.be/4Udrvt5cvzc
Wow! I didn’t know about the history with Try Some/Buy Some. This is one my most favorite songs of Bowie. The hook is amazing.
Nice episode. I’m coming to it late but it’s really amazing how much of an influence the Beatles had on other artists, this being a perfect example. You guys do great work.