David Bowie releases his first record in ten years and Lou Reed dies. We must all now remember the ten commandments of glam: 1.Thou shalt be an untamed youth with thy cloak full of eagles 2.Thou shalt not be stealing clothes from Marks & Sparks 3.Thou shalt beg voulez-vous coucher avec moi 4.Thou shalt praise do do do do do do as yon colored girls sing 5.Thou shalt sock it onto others as thou shalt have them sock it to thee 6.Thou shalt be waiting for thy man 7.Thou shalt party like it's 1999 8.Thou shalt not lay a divorcee in New York City 9.Thou shalt keep thy TV Eye on me babe 10.Thou shalt wear thy electric boots and thy mohair suit
The Top 50 front men? For New Music Express (NME) the fiftieth is Richard Hell of The Voidoids. He would probably make my list. Who would be on my list?
The lead of Tin Machine? Rolling Stones? Patti Smith Group? T.Rex? The New York Dolls? Sly & The Family Stone? The Stooges? Plastic Ono Band? Velvet Underground? Sex Pistols? The Heartbreakers? Blockheads? Blondie? Joy Division? The Ramones? The Jam? Queen? The The?
There are people on the NME list that never would occur to me to select. I'm not even sure I could come-up with 50!
So I'll do my Top Ten:
01 David Bowie 02 Mick Jagger 03 Patti Smith 04 Lou Reed 05 Iggy Pop 06 John Lennon 07 David Johansen 08 John Lydon 09 Freddie Mercury 10 Diana Ross
That list will be different as soon as I publish this article, but I think Bowie will always be at the top. I also think that Patti Smith might bump Mick Jagger out of second place. Or perhaps Iggy Pop would be #2.
The John Lennon on the list is the John Lennon who was the front man for Plastic Ono Band, not The Beatles. I did not include Yoko Ono with him, even though she and Lennon were almost always listed as co-leads of Plastic Ono Band). Also, if you have been fortunate enough to see any of the current Plastic Ono Band shows over the past few years, your opinion of her might change. Seeing a 79-year-old Japanese woman dancing and singing with a rock band is a show you shouldn't miss. I know that most of you hate Yoko Ono, but I don't care. :-P
The NME #1 was an impressive choice that reflects, I think, a rather sophisticated analysis of such a list. I won't tell you. Go find out: 50 most electrifying frontmen (and women)
I am not embarrassed to say that I did not even know some of the NME Top 50!
Who knew that "China Girl" was originally written while "politely drunk, after-dinner drunk" using a toy piano and child's drum kit; or that "Lust For Life" was hatched while Iggy and Bowie were settled in front of the television for their weekly viewing of "Starsky & Hutch"?
In this four-minute clip, Iggy uses a power drill to open a coconut and talks about working with David Bowie on the albums "The Idiot" and "Lust For Life."
For me, and I think for rock and roll, this collaboration was world-altering. It put Iggy Pop into the eyes of the mainstream. Not that "The Idiot" or "Lust for Life" were 'hits' or popular radio fare. In fact, like Bowie's "Low" and "Heroes" of the same era, they were not really appreciated until many years later. But they certainly put Iggy into the mainstream media spotlight and onto the "Dinah Shore Show" and that alone is world-altering!
These records have always been shrouded in mystery: two rock stars living in the demi-monde of Berlin, near The Wall, getting loaded, writing songs.
These 35 years later, the myths continue to be shattered, and these two stars become more and more human and more and more like regular guys.
And the song "Lust For Life" might have been used in more television commercials than any other rock song. Who'da thunk it?
I love to hear the evolution of sounds and song in pop music.
Listen to "This Door Swings Both Ways" by Herman's Hermits [1966], then listen to "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel [1977]. Although I make no accusations of copy-catting, there is a real similarity between these two songs.
Many artists proudly discuss the derivative nature of their creative process. I believe it is impossible for an artist to avoid influences of other artists that have come before them. America's penchant for dismissing derivative work is misguided.
Could Elvis have existed without Little Richard? Could James Brown have existed without Little Richard or Elvis? Could Michael Jackson have existed without Little Richard, Elvis and James Brown?
I don't see these as artists stealing from each other, I see them as natural progressions of the art form.
Recently, Grace Jones was dismissive of Lady Gaga and she accused the younger star of being derivative. HELLO? If Iggy Pop and Andy Warhol had never been born, Grace Jones would have been a CEO or some other dullard, not a performer. Methinks that Ms. Jones accuses Gaga of that she is herself most guilty!
That said, I have no problem with music deriving from previous music.
Here are some songs. I think they flow rather well in a historical perspective.
Brian Eno: Sky Saw [1975]
Iggy Pop: Sister Midnight [1977]
David Bowie: Red Money [1979]
And here's an added treat: Iggy Pop and his band, including David Bowie on keyboards, performing Sister Midnight live:
Jimmy Osterberg, a/k/a Iggy Pop, celebrated his 60th Birthday with a concert at the Warfield Theater, in San Francisco, on April 21, 2007.
I have seen many Iggy Pop shows. I have never seen a bad Iggy Pop show. Iggy is the consummate entertainer.
Happy Birthday, Iggy!
Iggy Pop returns to the stage after diving into the crowd during a performance with 'The Stooges' on his 60th birthday at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, California April 21, 2007. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
