Book Review- Bowie in Berlin

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Bowie In Berlin: A New Career In A New Town by Thomas Jerome Seabrook

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I bought this book which has a unique and look to it for one. It covers Bowie’s “Berlin” trilogy but also the two albums Iggy Pop recorded (heavily assisted by Bowie) during that time from roughly 1976 to 1979

Although I think Bowie contains multitudes, there is definitely something special about these five albums. Seabrook does a good job of capturing what Bowie was doing in his day to day life and then also turning around and breaking down each song and how it was composed and what it meant. In that, the reader will learn new stuff about the recording of favorite songs as well as new appreciation for songs that don’t rate so high.

Online book reviewers (and the bibliography) reveal that there isn’t a lot new here. The content comes largely from decades interviews and other published content (Tony Visconti’s autobiography - a major source of content). That said, I don’t think most readers will be disappointed. It hangs together quite well.

It is interesting to see the contemporary reaction, the promotion and reviews. Surely, this the wrong steps for Bowie to take at the time. And yet with hindsight, it’s easy to say this was the perfect path. Eschewing a retread of Young Americans, or any similar accessible record and minimizing live performances, Bowie establishes his legacy with records that are still held in the high tea of regard.

He emerges out the other side with Lodger, with an eye on international sounds. He had chosen various acting roles. Bowie would be ready to give us Scary Monsters and Let’s Dance.

With Iggy, Bowie fills a wish he has of being part of a band. The side man not the main performer. It’s an instinct of his that fans don’t really get, hence the decision to form and the reaction to Tin Machine a decade later.

This book is great for anyone who is ready to take a deep dive into the Bowie Berlin albums for the first time or if you are a long time fan of these five albums, you will enjoy this.



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