Love Affair with David Bowie.

My love affair, with David Bowie, began the day i heard "Let's Dance" and it has been going strong ever since. I am a little embarrassed to admit that i may or may not have "made out" with his photo on the "Let's Dance" album cover. As a teenage girl my walls were littered with posters, photos and anything and everything David Bowie, it was quite a sight!
Of course being a naive teenager, i did not know that David Bowie had a career before "Let's Dance", i soon found out I was wrong. My Uncle Bill introduced me to some of Mr. Bowie's older music," Suffragette City, Starman, Ch-Ch-Changes", my Uncle graciously recorded every record he had on cassette for me. " The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, The Man Who Sold the World, Space Oddity" i played those cassettes until they died.
"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" is by far my favorite Bowie album. This album told a story, a story of a rock and roll character "Ziggy Stardust." Ziggy was an alien who was pretending to be human and he brought with him a message of hope, peace and love. Poor Ziggy Stardust did not live long, he was destroyed by his excessive drug use, sex and by the fans he inspired. Ziggy Stardust was a persona made up by David Bowie in the early 70's, a concert tour centered around it, where he wore some very elaborate costumes, it was a huge success.

David Bowie is one of the most important Rock Stars, of all time. He challenged Rock-n-Roll music's core beliefs and created one of the biggest cult followings in popular culture. He has inspired  many musicians, T. Rex, Joy Division, Lou Reed, The New York Dolls, Morrisey, Nine Inch Nails and The Pixies.  Ironically, some of the same artists that David Bowie inspired, later inspired Bowie, as an artist always reinventing his appearance along with his musical styles.
I have never been lucky enough to see David Bowie live in concert, but one can only hope. Bowie's last tour, the Reality Tour, 2003-2004, was plagued with problems, his own health issues, a technician killed by a bolt of lightening, and being struck by a lollipop in the eye while performing on stage. Mr. Bowie has not performed since 2006, and as of now has no intentions of touring anytime soon. Of course it is a life dream to see him in concert, but i am happy to have celebrated David Bowie's music collection since i was 12 years old. My relationship with David Bowie has been an exciting and rewarding lifelong journey and i look forward to growing old with him.

PINBACK "PROCEED TO MEMORY"

Pinback's fifth studio album, titled Information Retrieved, will be released on October 16. Yes, I'm very excited too. The song "Proceed To Memory" is the first single. Two other songs, "Sherman" and "True North," released as Record Store Day exclusives in 2010 and 2011 respectively will also me on the album. This is the band's first new material since 2007 and it doesn't sound like Rob Crow and Zach Smith will be making anyone regret the wait. Tour dates hopefully to follow soon. 

ODE TO AMY WINEHOUSE

It has been just over a year since Amy Winehouse left this world, but her voice still lives on. On July 23, 2011 Winehouse joined Cobain, Hendrix, Joplin and others in Rock-n- Roll history, leaving this world and the age of 27. Like all the artist before her, she died at the peak of her career. Her album "Back to Black" is the UK's best selling album of the 21st century so far.

She has been compared to the likes of Ronnie Spector and the Ronnettes, ironically, she was heavily influenced by girl groups of the 60s. With her teased beehive and "Cleopatra" make-up, sultry vocals, and bad girl image, she took the world by storm.

I think back to all the tabloid photo's of her, the images of her wasted, bruised and beaten, not the most flattering photos. Despite her incoherent state, she maintained her own style, it wasn't just a look, it was her style and she made it her own. Whether in full hair and dress, or a hot mess in jeans, heals and tank top, she rocked it and i for one loved it. An artist through and through from her vocals, to her beehive, a true artistic expression, a classic.

"Love is a Losing Game" brings me to tears each and every time i listen to it. Amy's vocals and this song are like a match made in heaven. Lost love, sung with such grace, pain and soul, cuts through me like a knife. Their is no denying her magical vocals, but a true artist puts all of themselves into their work and in this song i feel that, i cannot get enough of it. 

Despite Amy's short career, she has left a lasting mark in music, in 2012 she was listed at number 26 on VH-1's 100 Greatest Women in Music and helped pave the way for up and coming British soul singers Adele and Duffy. I cannot help but to think where her career would have taken her, it is terribly sad and the world is forever changed. Russel Brand, a close friend of Amy Winehouse, wrote a lovely tribute to her on his web page, titled "For Amy."  He spoke of their friendship, their struggles with addictions, i highly recommend you reading it.

I for one will miss her, but am very lucky to have her music which will live with me forever. Thank You Amy.