David Bowie Passed Away

Status
Not open for further replies.
A proper biopic with top talent needs to happen, Bale could pull it off as he can transform and shed pounds as needed.

Velvet Goldmine is as close as anyone is going to get. I do not believe that the estate is going to approve of a biopic in any traditional sense, unless Duncan Jones wanted to approach it (and I highly doubt that).

Honestly, Haynes approach to Dylan is more in line with what Bowie likely would have approved of in regards to a film about his legacy.
 
Today is officially David Bowie day.

January 20, 2016 Proclaimed DAVID BOWIE DAY in New York City

David Bowie’s 28th album ★ has entered at #1 in more than 20 territories including the US, UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland since its January 8, 2016 release on ISO/Columbia/RCA Records.

Coincidentally, ★, released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, has hit #1 on iTunes in 69 countries.

Also, it was announced today that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has proclaimed today, January 20, 2016 in the City of New York as David Bowie Day. The proclamation will be read tonight at the curtain call of the final performance of the sold-out run of Lazarus, the New York Theater Workshop production conceived and co-created by Bowie.
 
Velvet Goldmine is as close as anyone is going to get. I do not believe that the estate is going to approve of a biopic in any traditional sense, unless Duncan Jones wanted to approach it (and I highly doubt that).

Honestly, Haynes approach to Dylan is more in line with what Bowie likely would have approved of in regards to a film about his legacy.

Velvet Goldmine is a fanfic with a lot of assumptions of what was a very breve time period of Bowie's life, a very nice film but a biopic is not, not even close.
 
Velvet Goldmine is a fanfic with a lot of assumptions of what was a very breve time period of Bowie's life, a very nice film but a biopic is not, not even close.

I'm just saying that the conceptual framework that Haynes used there and (in a direct sense) for Dylan in I'm Not There (and even in his Karen Carpenter student film), where the film itself presents the subject in abstract and the story is told through a sort of meta-narrative is the only type of "biopic" that I could see Bowie or his estate ever accepting. If VG didn't get the nod when Haynes approached Bowie, I'm not sure what would.
 
Velvet Goldmine is a fanfic with a lot of assumptions of what was a very breve time period of Bowie's life, a very nice film but a biopic is not, not even close.

I think a comprehensive biopic of Bowie's life would just be too much to cram into one movie. I could more easily see something like Bowie's life from 1967-1974 or something similarly narrow in focus.

Even then, I'm not sure they should do a Bowie biopic for some time. I know there's a lot of attention on Bowie at the moment, but it's way too soon.
 
Gimmie a Bowie in Berlin biopic; my favorite set of albums with my favorite Bowie contributor (Brian Eno) set against the historical context of the Berlin Wall and Cold War. Fuck, call it "Heroes", that writes itself.
 
Gimmie a Bowie in Berlin biopic; my favorite set of albums with my favorite Bowie contributor (Brian Eno) set against the historical context of the Berlin Wall and Cold War. Fuck, call it "Heroes", that writes itself.

Now this, I think I want this.
 
Gimmie a Bowie in Berlin biopic; my favorite set of albums with my favorite Bowie contributor (Brian Eno) set against the historical context of the Berlin Wall and Cold War. Fuck, call it "Heroes", that writes itself.
Perfect.

No movie about him needs to span one's entire career. Pretty sure the Jobs' ones were only focused on the startup of Apple and that was pretty much it.

Even Bowie just up to and including Berlin would be enough, I think. Need to find a way to include his youth and backstory in bands/stageplays/mime etc.
 
Perfect.

No movie about him needs to span one's entire career. Pretty sure the Jobs' ones were only focused on the startup of Apple and that was pretty much it.

Even Bowie just up to and including Berlin would be enough, I think. Need to find a way to include his youth and backstory in bands/stageplays/mime etc.

Start with his early life, getting punched in the eye. His first few bands and then his main success. Follow him through his drug struggles then take the second half of the movie to explore his time in Berlin and his second wind.
 
Start with his early life, getting punched in the eye. His first few bands and then his main success. Follow him through his drug struggles then take the second half of the movie to explore his time in Berlin and his second wind.
Spot on.

So, who to play him? Trying to think of potential actors, the only one that comes to mind who I think could pull it off is Eddie Redmayne. A quick google shows Freddie Fox and Max Irons could probably pull it off as well (just by looks alone, so far).
 
Redmayne feels like a solid and safe choice, but it doesn't feel like the right choice for the role. Feature-wise he has the wrong mouth and nose, and I don't think his features are all that serviceable to Bowie's look even with makeup. I'll have to sit on this, but I do like the Bale suggestion.
 
Start with his early life, getting punched in the eye. His first few bands and then his main success. Follow him through his drug struggles then take the second half of the movie to explore his time in Berlin and his second wind.

Wouldn't even need to go back that far, really. It could just open with a scene set at an unspecified time, to show how out of control his drug use was, as that was the impetus for his move to Berlin. Then just focus on those three albums; Low, Heroes and Lodger, with Eno, Iggy Pop, Visconti, etc. That era was also packed with drama as that was near the end of his collaboration with Eno and the start of his divorce.

Hell, you can even sneak that amazing duet with Bing Crosby in, since that was right about that time. That seals it.
 
Wouldn't even need to go back that far, really. It could just open with a scene set at an unspecified time, to show how out of control his drug use was, as that was the impetus for his move to Berlin. Then just focus on those three albums; Low, Heroes and Lodger, with Eno, Iggy Pop, Visconti, etc. That era was also packed with drama as that was near the end of his collaboration with Eno and the start of his divorce.

Hell, you can even sneak that amazing duet with Bing Crosby in, since that was right about that time. That seals it.

I'm liking this.
 
Blackstar is such a great album, but listening to it makes me so sad. He obviously knew he was going to die soon, but the way he expresses it through his music can be heart-wrenching at times. I just can't stop missing this guy.
 
Redmayne feels like a solid and safe choice, but it doesn't feel like the right choice for the role. Feature-wise he has the wrong mouth and nose, and I don't think his features are all that serviceable to Bowie's look even with makeup. I'll have to sit on this, but I do like the Bale suggestion.
Christian Bale?

And I'm thinking more mannerisms and being able to pull off relaxed confidence and mannerisms. Redmayne would be safe, but if he can act as a trans-gendered person, he'd be perfect as Bowie.
 
Have never heard his 90s and more recent albums, gonna start checking them out in release order tonight. I alreasy listened to Black Tie, White Noise and I cant say that i enjoyed it too much. Which ones do u guys like? I'm listening to Outside right now
 
Have never heard his 90s and more recent albums, gonna start checking them out in release order tonight. I alreasy listened to Black Tie, White Noise and I cant say that i enjoyed it too much. Which ones do u guys like? I'm listening to Outside right now

Outside is his best 90s album. It's not big on songs, but it's very dark and atmospheric with Mike Garson being on fire on most of the tracks. It's like a soundtrack to an imaginary David Lynch movie (in fact, one of the songs was used to great effect in David Lynch's Lost Highway). Just skip the spoken-word interludes, they're a bit silly; if you ignore these, it's a legitimately great album.

Earthling is good as well. It got a lot of flack from the critics when it came out because the thought of David Bowie embracing drum'n'bass seemed ridiculous to them, but it kicks major ass and there are some truly great songs behind that late 90s production - some of the best he wrote in the 90s, I think.

Black Tie, White Noise didn't do much for me as well; I think it's mostly boring and has dated horribly. Hours... is boring as well. Two or three good songs on each of them, but that's it.

And don't skip Buddha of Suburbia. It's a soundtrack album but Bowie counted it as one of his "proper" studio albums. Most of the tracks aren't songs but instrumental pieces. The songs are great though (the title track is awesome) and the instrumentals are mostly interesting.
 
Why's there all this talk about Christian Bale? Wrong glam act. Clearly they're saving him for the Roxy Music biopic.

GWCc6KR.png
 
what are your favorite songs of his? I actually didn't know a lot of David Bowie before his death, I had seen a documentary on him that came out days before his death and I started listening to him then.

My favorite songs are life on mars?, Moonage daydream, Oh you pretty things, this is not america and ashes to ashes.
 
Favourite songs is a tough one.

Heroes is an obvious choice, but it's too damn good.
Word on a Wing
Teenage Wildlife
Lady Stardust
Slow Burn
Valentines Day
A New Career in a New Town
Kooks
Shadow Man
John I'm Only Dancing

Just the tip of the iceberg though. Staggering how many great tracks Bowie created.

And Christian Bale is clearly born to play Bryan Ferry.
 
Favourite songs is a tough one.

Heroes is an obvious choice, but it's too damn good.
Word on a Wing
Teenage Wildlife
Lady Stardust
Slow Burn
Valentines Day
A New Career in a New Town
Kooks
Shadow Man
John I'm Only Dancing

Just the tip of the iceberg though. Staggering how many great tracks Bowie created.

And Christian Bale is clearly born to play Bryan Ferry.

Thanks, part of why I posted this is to discover lesser known songs from people who know more ;)
 
I know people generally aren't so hot on Black Tie White Noise, but I think "Jump They Say" has to be one of Bowie's best songs ever. It's got such a weird, unique beat. I love the bouncing bassline.

And the music video is fantastic, too.
 
I know people generally aren't so hot on Black Tie White Noise, but I think "Jump They Say" has to be one of Bowie's best songs ever. It's got such a weird, unique beat. I love the bouncing bassline.

And the music video is fantastic, too.

Yup. Don't care much for the album, but Jump They Say is great. It's quite a weird one as well, because it sounds completely chaotic with all these different rhythm tracks seemingly at odds with each other, but somehow it works. The cover of Scott Walker's Nite Flights is pretty good as well (though some would probably argue that Bowie ruined the original by turning it into a dance pop song; not me though). Otherwise, the album just doesn't grab me. I never managed to listen through the entire thing even once without losing attention at some point.
 
what are your favorite songs of his?

It's hard to pick a few favorite songs, I'm more likely to just rattle off favorite albums; Station to Station, Low and "Heroes" would probably be my top three, but that's ignoring so much amazing work, both early (The Rise and Fall..., Aladdin Sane, etc.) and late (Outside is incredible, The Next Day and Blackstar, of course).

According to my iTunes play count, here's my top 10 played though;
Hallo Spaceboy (Outside)
Sound and Vision (Low)
Strangers When We Meet (Outside)
A New Career in a New Town (Low)
The Heart's Filthy Lesson (Outside)
Golden Years (Station to Station)
The Motel (Outside)
Thru These Architects' Eyes (Outside)
Speed of Life (Low)
Warszawa (Low)​

Seems about right considering I've had Low and Outside for ages and have only been able to start scooping up albums I don't have within the last couple of years.
 
Guys, GUYS. Stop hating on Black Tie White Noise. You're going to give me a heart attack.

Even aside Jump They Say, what about Nite Flights, what about You've Been Around, what about Palmas Athens?

Black Tie is a fantastic, and fantastically underrated album.

Also, I don't think his voice ever sounded sexier than it did on that record.
 
what are your favorite songs of his? I actually didn't know a lot of David Bowie before his death, I had seen a documentary on him that came out days before his death and I started listening to him then.

My favorite songs are life on mars?, Moonage daydream, Oh you pretty things, this is not america and ashes to ashes.
Difficult to narrow it down but after my recent Bowie binge these were the tracks that struck a chord and moved up the highest in my personal rankings:

Fantastic Voyage (Lodger)
Fascination (Young Americans)
Somebody Up There Likes Me (Young Americans)
Black Out (Heroes)
It's No Game Part 1 (Scary Monsters)

Favorite albums are Young Americans, Low and Ziggy Stardust.
 
what are your favorite songs of his? I actually didn't know a lot of David Bowie before his death, I had seen a documentary on him that came out days before his death and I started listening to him then.

My favorite songs are life on mars?, Moonage daydream, Oh you pretty things, this is not america and ashes to ashes.

keeping it to ten that are off the top of my head

life on mars? (hunky dory)
art decade (low)
a new career in a new town (low)
"heroes" ("heroes")
beauty and the beast ("heroes")
red money (lodger)
teenage wildlife (scary monsters (and super creeps))
loving the alien (tonight)
strangers when we meet (outside)
i'm afraid of americans (earthling)
 
Just been listening through Scary Monsters, Teenage Wildlife comes on and it sends me down a rabbit hole starts with a simple lyrics search to discovering that Bowie fucking hated Gary Numan. The lyrics reference him and I come across this funny story from The Kenny Everett Show.


GARY NUMAN
interview by David Buckley on Strange Fascination

"I'd done my bit, then Mallet said, "Bowie's going to be here next week. Do you want to come and see him?" Can you imagine? You'd just got famous yourself and all that was brilliant in your life and the next thing you're actually going to meet David Bowie! Short of flying to the moon and back I couldn't imagine anything else I would have rather done. So, I go along and there are a few other famous people there like Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, and I am shy. There's a little side room and we are allowed to look through a doorway and bugger me if Bowie didn't see me! I am sitting in the back of this room, trying to keep out of the way, and totally in awe. So recording stops and it's all awkward for a bit and nobody's sure what is going on. Obviously, something's happened because Bowie's not happy. Mallet comes over to me and says, "Can I have a word?" So he takes me outside and says, "David Bowie spotted you. He's not very happy about it and doesn't want you in the building." And that was it! So I'm thrown out! If Bowie had said, "Look, Mallet, I want that bloke off," then you were off because Mallet had a huge financial incentive to want to stay doing Bowie's videos. The next thing I know is that about three or four days later we get a call saying unfortunately it's not possible to have your song on The Kenny Everett Show, it doesn't fit in schedule, or some other fuckin' stupid excuse. So that was it! Out of the building and off the programme."

Fair enough, David. I always thought that there was something inescapably shit about Gary Numan too. I guess you did too. Also, Scary Monsters is brilliant. I don't think I've ever give it it's due, but listening it now, I love it. Anyway, to conclude, Gary Numan is shit.
 
Lazarus
Under Pressure
Blackstar
Changes
Young Americans
Suffragette City
See Emily Play (I know its a cover but its so much better than the original!
Girl Loves me
Fame
Heroes
 
I bought the Time magazine special Bowie edition, highly recommended , great stories from people who worked with him or knew him some way or another and great great pictures some of which I had never seem before, go get it guys great read.
 
I bought the Time magazine special Bowie edition, highly recommended , great stories from people who worked with him or knew him some way or another and great great pictures some of which I had never seem before, go get it guys great read.

Is it the Complete Story one, or the His Time on Earth one? I was looking at the former the other day and was tempted by it but since I only saw it on Amazon I couldn't get a good look.
 
Just been listening through Scary Monsters, Teenage Wildlife comes on and it sends me down a rabbit hole starts with a simple lyrics search to discovering that Bowie fucking hated Gary Numan. The lyrics reference him and I come across this funny story from The Kenny Everett Show.


GARY NUMAN
interview by David Buckley on Strange Fascination

"I'd done my bit, then Mallet said, "Bowie's going to be here next week. Do you want to come and see him?" Can you imagine? You'd just got famous yourself and all that was brilliant in your life and the next thing you're actually going to meet David Bowie! Short of flying to the moon and back I couldn't imagine anything else I would have rather done. So, I go along and there are a few other famous people there like Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, and I am shy. There's a little side room and we are allowed to look through a doorway and bugger me if Bowie didn't see me! I am sitting in the back of this room, trying to keep out of the way, and totally in awe. So recording stops and it's all awkward for a bit and nobody's sure what is going on. Obviously, something's happened because Bowie's not happy. Mallet comes over to me and says, "Can I have a word?" So he takes me outside and says, "David Bowie spotted you. He's not very happy about it and doesn't want you in the building." And that was it! So I'm thrown out! If Bowie had said, "Look, Mallet, I want that bloke off," then you were off because Mallet had a huge financial incentive to want to stay doing Bowie's videos. The next thing I know is that about three or four days later we get a call saying unfortunately it's not possible to have your song on The Kenny Everett Show, it doesn't fit in schedule, or some other fuckin' stupid excuse. So that was it! Out of the building and off the programme."

Fair enough, David. I always thought that there was something inescapably shit about Gary Numan too. I guess you did too. Also, Scary Monsters is brilliant. I don't think I've ever give it it's due, but listening it now, I love it. Anyway, to conclude, Gary Numan is shit.

I like Gary Numan. :(

I bought the Time magazine special Bowie edition, highly recommended , great stories from people who worked with him or knew him some way or another and great great pictures some of which I had never seem before, go get it guys great read.

There's a crazy expensive hardcover edition of this coming out in April. I have no idea if it will include additional content or not.
 
Not sure if this got posted yet. Really amazing outtake from a BBC doc with Visconti deconstructing "Heroes" song development direct from the multi-track.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g18sx?ns_mchannel=social&

There's a crazy expensive hardcover edition of this coming out in April. I have no idea if it will include additional content or not.

That is pretty insane pricing. I plan on picking this up. I'll admit i was tempted to get the limited signed edition but sanity prevailed.
 
Just been listening through Scary Monsters, Teenage Wildlife comes on and it sends me down a rabbit hole starts with a simple lyrics search to discovering that Bowie fucking hated Gary Numan. The lyrics reference him and I come across this funny story from The Kenny Everett Show.


GARY NUMAN
interview by David Buckley on Strange Fascination

"I'd done my bit, then Mallet said, "Bowie's going to be here next week. Do you want to come and see him?" Can you imagine? You'd just got famous yourself and all that was brilliant in your life and the next thing you're actually going to meet David Bowie! Short of flying to the moon and back I couldn't imagine anything else I would have rather done. So, I go along and there are a few other famous people there like Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, and I am shy. There's a little side room and we are allowed to look through a doorway and bugger me if Bowie didn't see me! I am sitting in the back of this room, trying to keep out of the way, and totally in awe. So recording stops and it's all awkward for a bit and nobody's sure what is going on. Obviously, something's happened because Bowie's not happy. Mallet comes over to me and says, "Can I have a word?" So he takes me outside and says, "David Bowie spotted you. He's not very happy about it and doesn't want you in the building." And that was it! So I'm thrown out! If Bowie had said, "Look, Mallet, I want that bloke off," then you were off because Mallet had a huge financial incentive to want to stay doing Bowie's videos. The next thing I know is that about three or four days later we get a call saying unfortunately it's not possible to have your song on The Kenny Everett Show, it doesn't fit in schedule, or some other fuckin' stupid excuse. So that was it! Out of the building and off the programme."

Fair enough, David. I always thought that there was something inescapably shit about Gary Numan too. I guess you did too. Also, Scary Monsters is brilliant. I don't think I've ever give it it's due, but listening it now, I love it. Anyway, to conclude, Gary Numan is shit.
IBL4JDg.gif
 
I love Gary Numan, I didn't know Bowie even gave it enough thought to dislike him so much though. I mean, he's not that bad.
 
Very cool video, enjoyed watching it, thanks for posting.

Also picked up the Time issue with Bowie on the cover, I thought maybe it was an issue dedicated solely to him, but still enjoyed the article.
 
Not sure if this got posted yet. Really amazing outtake from a BBC doc with Visconti deconstructing "Heroes" song development direct from the multi-track.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g18sx?ns_mchannel=social&



That is pretty insane pricing. I plan on picking this up. I'll admit i was tempted to get the limited signed edition but sanity prevailed.

I watched the full program yesterday, it's really interesting. The Heroes deconstruction is a highlight and shows you how production can elevate a song. The song, by itself, isn't enough and it's the magic that comes from having a great producer who knows exactly where to take the track.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom