Having crafted his enduring legend in the 70s, David Bowie had never been anywhere near as commercially successful as he was in the early 80s. 1983’s Let’s Dance album was huge, its accompanying six-month Serious Moonlight tour enormous.
Its ’84 follow-up Tonight did similar business, but behind the scenes Bowie was facing something of a writer’s block. Aside from Tonight’s singles (Loving The Alien, Blue Jean) all of its constituent material were co-writes (largely with Iggy Pop) and covers. Bowie needed inspiration. So when in the spring of ’85 film director Julien ‘The Great Rock ’N’ Roll Swindle’ Temple approached him to write the theme song for his ambitious musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes’ classic 1959 proto-mod novel Absolute Beginners (and to play the part of Vendice Partners) he leapt at the chance.
Meanwhile, former Thomas Dolby sideman Kevin Armstrong’s career was in free fall. “In the shitter, to be honest,” admits the guitarist, with rather more cheeriness than one might expect. Groomed for solo stardom by EMI, Armstrong had a debut album already recorded (which he owned outright), video made, name remixers and band in place, but “it all came crashing down”.
While in a state of ‘Well, what do I do now?’ the phone rang. It was Hugh Stanley-Clarke, an A&R man at EMI, who simply stated: “Go to Abbey Road. Take a guitar. You’ll thank me later.”
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Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av Classic Rock.
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Joan Armatrading
The singer-songwriter on her new album, inspirations, being a 'band', what her key was about, meeting Nelson Mandela...
Meat Loaf: I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
It was the power ballad to end all power ballads, and 30 years later people still ponder what the it’ is that the singer wouldn't do.
Kris Kristofferson: June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024
Kris Kristofferson, the iconic, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor who played a key role in advancing a strand of country music into a more raw and confessional direction now recognised as outlaw country, has died peacefully at his home in Maui, surrounded by family. He was 88 years old.
"I have come a very long way in the last two-and-a-bit years"
Back from the brink: the Thunder vocalist who survived major medical trauma returns.
EVER MEET LEMMY?
He's heard Lemmy's unreleased solo album, had dinner with Chris Holmes, told Paul McCartney to get a round in, been told gangster Reggie Kray wanted to have a word with him... He is Dogs D'Amour frontman Tyla 7 Pallas, and these are some of his stories.
"LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT HAVING FUN"
With their ninth studio album In Murmuration, Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers have replaced their erstwhile prog epics for a more honest approach to songwriting reflecting their personal lives.
IN THE BEGINNING
With previously unseen photographs from their early days as featured in the new Queen | Collector's Edition, Sir Brian May talks us through sights of the band in the early seventies.
BASS-IC INSTINCT
Plucked from obscurity in 1975 to be in David Bowie's band, then unceremoniously out of the picture five years later, bassist George Murray looks back on his time with the Thin White Duke.
High Rollers
When Ronnie Wood, the Stones and some A-list mates holed up at his house to help with his solo album, it sparked a days-long party, a Rolling Stones hit and the last album by arguably their finest line-up.
THE NAME OF THE GAM
When ABBA-mad Opeth leader Mikael Akerfeldt met one of their singers, he lost it”. She didn’t sing on their new concept album, but some other, perhaps unlikely, big names did.
