Thursday, July 02, 2009

Bowie on Dick Cavett, 1974

by Dick Mac

In 1974, David Bowie appeared on the Dick Cavett show, and to this day explains that the event is barely a blur in his memory.

His performances on the show were brilliant were brilliant. In the video below, he and his amazing band (including Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, Carols Alomar and other young, soon-to-be-famous musicians) do a version of the very funky "1984" from the then-current "Diamond Dogs" record.

This video then cuts to a series of clips of Bowie fiddling with a cane, sniffling like a coke-head, and talking a-million-miles-an-hour. Do you remember those days?

This era was my favorite of Bowie's creative genius. I am a fan of the funk-filled "Diamond Dogs" and "Young Americans" records, and the coke-crazed "Station To Station" record. The music and lyrics are some of his best, and the bands he assembled in the mid-70s (including John Lennon during the added-on New York "Young Americans" sessions) were amazing.

The Dick Cavett interview is a classic, and I recommend you seek it out and watch it in its entirety.

"Ladies and gentlemen, yet another David Bowie":

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