In reply to:

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As far as most casual music fans who get most of their information from programmes like Top Of The Pops and video channels, Bowie seems to have disappeared in the last few years.

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Whether or not he seems to have disappeared, he's not adding to his cannon of "greatest hits" at the moment. As has been mentioned many times in other threads, Bowie has a rather impressive list of songs that everybody has heard, most of which can be found on either ChangesBowie or A Reality Tour (not so much the new Best of Bowie which adds on unmemorable songs which happened to chart well at the time). Even though "I'm Afraid of Americans" didn't chart exceptionally well by Bowie's standards, people know it, even if it is in the context of "that song Bowie did with NIN." I'm constantly amazed at how so many of my friends can say, "I can't even name a single Bowie song," but then listen to a few albums with me, or a collection of ones I know they've heard, and lo! they have heard them after all! It's Bowie not adding to this repertoire that I think is what is hurting him, not sales and chart possitions. Next time Bowie goes on the road to do a medium-to-large-scale tour (if ever again), he will play "New Killer Star" to fill the 00's hit quotient for the show, and though it might be just five years from now, no one will remember it but the hardcore fans.

Now, about Morrissey, I am of the mind that he can say what he wants, but as far as this statement goes, it has served its purpose. We are talking about it at length. I actually gave his new album a listen, which I never would have done had he not been in the media so much now with this Bowie-bashing. And I enjoyed it. Might buy it, might not. In any case, he got me to consider it. Perhaps that is another factor in charting so well in the UK (though I agree that his #4 in the US is due to a small market and a core of dedicated fans.)

I'll be seeing YOU in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Washington DC, Moline, Columbus, Wantagh, and Holmdel. So dress sharp.

Edited by dukewhite on 05/19/04 02:17 PM (server time).