Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

David Bowie

130 replies

paellaandpies · 03/08/2020 00:28

I’ve never really listened to him much, because my parents weren’t fans, and so he just wasn’t on my radar when growing up. But I was lucky enough to see him live at a festival once, and he was absolutely electric onstage, and I can see how loved he is. However, I have never got into any of his stuff, and I feel perhaps I am missing out... am I?

So, any Bowie fans, what would you recommend for someone just starting to listen to him? Anything in particular? Chronological or start with the famous hits?

Thank you!

OP posts:
ShesMadeATwatOfMePam · 03/08/2020 06:57

He statutorily raped 14 year old girls. What a hero.

Modwolvesrock · 03/08/2020 06:59

I love Bowie, have since I was a young teen. Saw him live when I was 16, cried like a baby when he died Sad

The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the spiders from Mars is, imo, the best album ever made (not biased at all Grin )

leolion1 · 03/08/2020 07:20

He slept with a 14 year old as a 17 year old himself, now he's a rapist Hmm
OP I would say that his music is the sort where it takes a few listens to really fall in love with it, rather than loving on first listen then becoming bored with it. The best sort of music imo.

HagridsBackTeeth · 03/08/2020 07:21

You have missed out!
My favourite three songs of his:
Under Pressure (with Queen)
Heroes
Space Oddity

I like the rest, but these have a "special" feel to them. YouTube will have them all, so have a browse.

Imissmoominmama · 03/08/2020 07:34

Hunky Dory is the album that got me through my teens. Kooks reminds me of my parents, who were 18 and 19 when I was born.

I recently watched the Halle perform the songs of Bowie; I wept through Life On Mars.

LockdownLump · 03/08/2020 07:39

I went a bit cold when I read he had sex with underage girls

Same. Used to adore him, but once I found this out, I just can't separate the songs from how uneasy this makes me feel. Soon as I hear a song by him, I just make this association.

LockdownLump · 03/08/2020 07:42

He slept with a 14 year old as a 17 year old himself, now he's a rapist

Well in the eyes of the law, yes.

He also tried to have a threesome with two 16 year olds when he was in his 40's. One of whom he shagged.

That is not classed as rape, bit it's classed as creepy as fuck in my book.

AlternativePerspective · 03/08/2020 07:44

He never did it for me, even before all the stuff about him came to light.

I find it interesting that it is almost taboo to talk about his personal life on here because his music was allegedly so great and he had such a talent etc etc etc, and yet the same can be said about Michael Jackson and people are slated for even admitting that he had any kind of talent.

What is it about Bowie that separates him from the average sex offender?

AlternativePerspective · 03/08/2020 07:46

In fact when he died people mentioning his past were flamed by people saying “some of us are grieving.” Hmm

Goinglive · 03/08/2020 07:52

^^What is it about Bowie that separates him from the average sex offender

This

Puppylucky · 03/08/2020 07:54

He wasn't a sex offender. And he certainly wasn't damaged like Michael Jackson. He was a young man living in an age where issues of consent were viewed very differently. And as times changed so did he, hence the fact for the last 20 years of his life he was a famously devoted husband and father.
Anyway back to the original question - all the above reccommendations are great and I would also suggest watching the Five Years documentary trilogy that give a fantastic overview of the man and his career.

iamtheoneandonlyyy · 03/08/2020 07:57

There is no statutory rape in this country. And if the 14/ 17 year age thing is accurate it wouldn't even flicker police interest today.
Anyway I can't get on with his music apart from a couple of songs

LockdownLump · 03/08/2020 08:04

What about a 15 year old girl and a 25 year old man? That was another one of his underage conquests.

Just because you stop shagging youngsters in your late 40s, doesn't erase the past.

FaceOfASpink · 03/08/2020 08:07

I always felt he was creepy in the 70s though I liked some of his chart stuff.

Modwolvesrock · 03/08/2020 08:18

Puppylucky, I completely agree with you.

leolion1 · 03/08/2020 08:19

Sex offender Grin I could ask what separates him from other 17 year old boys who have slept with slightly younger girls throughout history.
Can't beat MN for staunch black/ white thinking.

Ratonastick · 03/08/2020 08:29

Getting back to the original question, I can take or leave Hunky Dory, but love Ziggy, Aladdin Sane and Station to Station. The Berlin albums have some of his best songs but are a bit challenging as a whole. Scary Monsters and Let’s Dance have his most famous songs. He also made some less well known but brilliant albums later on, I love Earthling and Reality.

As to the underage girls, I also felt a bit grim about that. Yes you have to put it in the context of the time, yes it was the norm at the time, yes he was famously fucked up for most of the 70s, but he still shagged under age girls. I suspect you would struggle to find a 70s/80s rock star who didn’t. That doesn’t make it any better, it makes it a lot worse.

Modwolvesrock · 03/08/2020 08:29

There are times on mn when I find myself thinking "you weren't raised on my estate, were you!"

This thread is one of those times.

AntsInPenzance · 03/08/2020 08:32

@AlternativePerspective

He never did it for me, even before all the stuff about him came to light.

I find it interesting that it is almost taboo to talk about his personal life on here because his music was allegedly so great and he had such a talent etc etc etc, and yet the same can be said about Michael Jackson and people are slated for even admitting that he had any kind of talent.

What is it about Bowie that separates him from the average sex offender?

Because an adult in their 30's/40's preying on small children is not the same as a 17 year old boy having sex with a 14 year old girl*.
  • the girl/woman in question, to this day, objects to the encounter being described as statutory rape.
BovaryX · 03/08/2020 08:35

Hunky Dory, there are superb songs on it. The Bewlay Brothers, Life on Mars, Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch. Ziggy Stardust. Every track. Heroes. Low. Always crashing in the same car.

AlternativePerspective · 03/08/2020 08:36

So all those other artists who are still alive who had sex with under age girls back then when “it was the norm,” we should just forget about those as well?

And I’m not talking seventeen Y/O vs fourteen y/o, I’m talking 25 y/o with a 15 y/o. 40 y/o with a 16 y/o which at best was grooming and creepy as fuck even if it wasn’t illegal.

Ok so back then it was the norm. But if it was the norm for those who had talent then it should be seen as the norm for everyone, and we should stop persecuting everyone who it has now emerged had sex with under aged girls back then. Because it was the norm. It’s either acceptable or it isn’t. You can’t have it both ways.

AntsInPenzance · 03/08/2020 08:36

@LockdownLump

What about a 15 year old girl and a 25 year old man? That was another one of his underage conquests.

Just because you stop shagging youngsters in your late 40s, doesn't erase the past.

As far as I'm aware of, that was an unproven allegation and the person who made the allegation said she didn't feel she was taken advantage of.
LockdownLump · 03/08/2020 08:37

It's all very well to keep harping on about the 14/17 age difference. But what about 25 and 15. What about 40 odd and 16 year old.

If that is not creepy, I'm not sure what is.

He wasn't in his forties in the 70s. This was the 90s.

LockdownLump · 03/08/2020 08:39

unproven allegation

Well if you're calling the girl herself a liar, then yes, it is unproven.

AlternativePerspective · 03/08/2020 08:39

Because an adult in their 30's/40's preying on small children is not the same as a 17 year old boy having sex with a 14 year old girl.* I don’t care about that. I care about the fifteen year old he slept with when he was 25. Or the sixteen year old he slept with when he was in his 40’s.

There are grey areas such as seventeen vs fourteen, I’m sure a lot more do it even now and I wouldn’t get too worked up about that. there are probably even posters on here who lost their virginity below the age of consent to boys who were older.

But a 25 year old with a 15 year old is not ok, and even if sixteen is the age of consent, a sixteen year old with a 40 year old is creepy as fuck.

Oh and his music was shite anyway. IMO.