Its amazing, when you look at pictures how David looked through the Diamond Dogs tour. He may have been a coke addict but that fallen in cheeks starving look fits with the idea behind the album. Like he is a survivor living in Hunger City.

Im not trying to say that using drugs is good but however you look at it, its perfect.

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Its amazing, when you look at pictures how David looked through the Diamond Dogs tour

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I know he looks guant and all the rest... But yes he looks good duznt he

People moaned at the David Live album cover, but I think it's FAB, plus there must have been a joke with that cover, I mean DAVID LIVE look at the cover, David just about Live more like.

Then again in interviews and 'Cracked Actor' yes he's a coke addict for sure, but as you say what an image to set with Diamond Dogs, interestingly enuff I find his two coke fueled albums Diamond Dogs and STATIONTOSTATION probably his best period for excellence, but If he was on Coke for those two albums, what about Young Americans was that also coke fueled? which beggars belief! a coke fueled soul album but it works brilliantly.

I often wonder just how much an addict he was and how much was just hearsay?

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Rheingold
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London Bye Ta-Ta...

As early as Hunky Dory, Bowie described himself as an "actor;" it's amazing how he has changed his appearance during the course of his career. He truly is a modern day Lon Chaney.

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As early as Hunky Dory, Bowie described himself as an "actor;"

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Precisely and well said.

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Rheingold
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London Bye Ta-Ta...

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People moaned at the David Live album cover, but I think it's FAB, plus there must have been a joke with that cover, I mean DAVID LIVE look at the cover, David just about Live more like.

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"David Bowie Is Alive And Well And Living Only In Theory."

KArt | Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal

My [parents'] vinyl copy of that LP has faded slightly or something, but the colors look fairly washed out on the photos and he looks even more corpselike that way — should've stuck to black and white, like the original STATIONTOSTATION.

Don’t think about Young Americans as a makeout album

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"David Bowie Is Alive And Well And Living Only In Theory."

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Yes I've read that old chestnut many times Sys

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should've stuck to black and white, like the original STATIONTOSTATION.

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Yes the b/w cover is by far the better IMO, I have it in b/w form on an RCA CD ( bought off ebay ) I still think David Live is better in the colour format, the blue suit is wonderful with his red hair.

So duz anyone know if Young Americans was a coke fueled album also? please.


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Rheingold
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London Bye Ta-Ta...

Undoubtedly he was using coke at the time. If he was using as much coke as he did after the end of the tour (or before the tour for that matter) is an interesting question, as most biographies tend to paint a picture that he was using less coke while he was doing Young Americans.

In the end I presume coke was as big of a driving for as it was generally during that era.

KArt | Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal

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as most biographies tend to paint a picture that he was using less coke while he was doing Young Americans.

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Thanks for the information Sys, I've always thought it odd that Diamond Dogs and STATIONTOSTATION were very coke fueled and excellent albums ( ground breaking IMO ) and then there is the beautiful work of breathtaking soul music between those two albums in the name of Young Americans. strange he snorted less coke while recording that album? maybe the music was enuff of a stimulant for him, It's most certainly a wonderful album that shows his voice off to perfection, I've always longed for another soul type album off Mr Bowie.

So we have three of his most wonderfully adventurous albums from the 1970s all fueled by coke, I feel a tad guilty for loving these albums so much as I do, knowing he suffered so much for his art.


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Rheingold
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London Bye Ta-Ta...

According to one Bowie biography I read some years ago Carlos Alomar was more or less shocked because of the excessive drug abuse during Young Americans sessions. Supposedly this didn't just include Bowie but Visconti and many of the session musicians too.
Now if only I remember which book it was...
My best guess is either Alias David Bowie or the one that was released shortly after Black Tie White Noise. I can't remember the name of that one but I think it had a white cover and a picture of Bowie around BTWN era.

Oh and according the book Alomar pretty soon overcame his shock and joined the gang.

Rejection is one thing
but rejection from a fool is cruel

I was eriously under the impression that Bowie used coke heavily during the 74-76 period. The reason YA sounded like it did was because he took a "break" from coke to use PMA(70's version of E) for several months since his body chemicles were getting out of whack.

Bowie's PMA use has been documented in some DB books. Bowie was in a "lovey dovey" mood when he made that album, similar to the making of BTWN and maybe a couple of his 60's songs. I think Bowie began a new female relationship or two in 1974.

This theory seems to fit quit nicely in my mind.

BFP

It was "MDA" which was the 70's version of E, well some what. And yes our Bowie was into Coke during the YA sessions but not nearly as bad as during the STS sessions. By the time STS came alone, our Bowie was out of control with his coke use.

I remember during the STS recording time frame a concert promoter friend of mind had this huge party in S. Calif and Bowie showed up and he kept his nose in the coke bowl most of the night.

I remember reading somewhere that during an interview around 1978, Bowie admitted to not even remembering the recording sessions for Station To Station.

He has said that several times.

KArt | Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal