Need some help from Bowie fans!

[Zoots]

I have recently gotten very interested and curious about Bowie's Berlin Trilogy since those albums were recorded at Hansa studios and were inspirations for Achtung and Zooropa. Now, my question is which one should I get first? Low, Heroes or Lodger? Or should I get Station To Station since the title track was the inspiration for Zooropa. I haven't really listened to a single album of his... just the radio hits.

 

[lazarus]

Station to Station is a great album. The title track, Golden Years, and TVC-15 are worth getting the album for (there's only 3 more songs on there anyway!). As a bridge from the "normal" Bowie stuff to Berlin it's a great intro.

Low, while often called a masterpiece, is my least favorite of the Berlin trilogy. While I respect it, I don't often reach for it. It has the most ambient/instrumental work on it. If you don't like Passengers, you probably won't like Low very much. Whether you'll like the other two is open for debate as well. Heroes has "Heroes", at least, and a couple other individual great tracks. Lodger doesn't have any instrumental songs on it, and it's definitely the most accessible of the three. It also has more Middle Eastern/African sounds in it which is a step beyond the previous two records. I listen to it more than the others.

Keep in mind they are all ALBUM albums, and are more total experiences than collections of songs. If you're looking for an easier introduction to Bowie's albums, I might suggest Aladdin Sane. Ziggy Stardust is good but not really experimental enough for my tastes. It's a rather standard rock album to me.

Also, don't write off Bowie's recent work. I REALLY like the last two (Heathen & Reality), and think they are up there with some of his best efforts.


laz

 

[Zoots]

Thanks, laz! Maybe I should stick with 'best of bowie' or Ziggy cos they're easier intros? Isn't Aladdin Sane considered a sequel to Ziggy?

 

[MrBrau1]

Aladdin Sane is sort of a continuation of Ziggy, the sound of the record is the same, very Rock & Roll.

I agree with everything laz said, except Low is amazing and should be bought.

My favorite Bowie songs aren't on Changesbowie:

Rock n Roll With Me
Sweethead
Drive In Saturday
Five Years
Oh You Pretty Things!
Watch That Man

His album cuts are ace.

 

[UltraVelvet]

Well said Lazarus. Yes, I always recommend greatest hits' collections for a start, then buy the albums that the tracks you liked came from. Heathen in particular I found even real non-fans often got into. Comes off brilliant live too.

I play Lodger the most of the 'Berlin trilogy' (some of which was recorded in Paris LOL), but that's a funny one - got some really odd stuff on there, that I've found sometimes puts people off. "Heroes" is really deeply depressed and freaked out at its core I think... jagged, discordant, fighting against giving in to chaos ...some AMAZING guitar work from Robert Fripp too. Low has a few instrumentals, but not soothing ambient ones, they sure keep your attention (don't play Neukoln in front of children or pets, the damage may be permanent )! It is an album that can either be soothing or horribly depressing, depending on what mood you are in to start with. Brilliant in any case, but not one you'll probably rock on to at a party. Mind you, I got a pool hall to play it once and there were no complaints from other punters LOL!

As with all Bowie albums, they tend to be 'growers' - might not grab you at first, but keep putting them on, you'll find they become necessary after a while.

Station To Station is my all time favourite record - the groove you can just leave on repeat for aaages! Diamond Dogs is another one that gets it's claws in without you noticing. Aladdin Sane - if you want to hear some of the best piano work ever committed to record, Mike Garson is awesome on this whole album. I wouldn't say it's quite the same vibe as Ziggy - much more jazz & paranoia to Aladdin.

Cheers! ~Ultra (probably a bad person to ask, I can think of solid reasons for you to buy EVERYTHING including both Tin Machine albums!)

 

[annabelle]

Just buy 'em all - you won't regret it!

I'd start near the start if I were you - well maybe not the Deram Anthology till you've got to know him a little better! and Space Oddity is a bit naff these days - but Man Who Sold the World rocks and on you go from there.

My fave of the Berlin period is Low for many reasons - Speed of Life and Always Crashing In The same Carbeing the main ones.

enjoy your Bowie odyssey ... as with U2 there is so much to discover

 

[Aardvark747]

Low.......

 

[annabelle]

Yep!

 

[U2DMfan]

you should also try Outside, which was the first time Bowie and Eno got together since the 'trilogy'

It came out in 1995, and it's brilliant.
It's one of the most underrated albums ever, IMO.

 

[learn2kneel]

Low is my favorite of the berlin trilogy, i'd say the best intro to bowie, tho, is probably hunky dory, it has lots of classic bowie stuff, (changes, life on mars, queen bitch) and it has some of his best album tracks as well.

If your into the glam rock stuff, Scary Monsters is a great album to get along with Ziggy and Alladin Sane.

 

[UltraVelvet]

Outside.... ooooooooh yeah.

 

[gareth brown]

Get 'Low' first. Enough said, that goes for anyone else interested in investing in the 'Berlin Trilogy'..see that you get the early 1990's re-issue with 'All Saints' on it, fantastic stuff.

 

[ZeroDude]

Station to Station

"It's not the side affects of the cocaine!"

Just to be brief buy everything by Bowie even all of the Nineties stuff it's still great imo Hours is class, but for the Berlin trio get them all, please do it, I was lucky enough to get into Bowie and U2 at the same time, best solo artist ever by far...................

I've seemed to forgot what Lady Grinning Soul is off, can someone remind me?

 

[lazarus]

Zero Dude, Lady Grinning Soul is the last proper song on Aladdin Sane (some versions have bonus tracks). Awesome song on one of his best records.

I totally forgot about Hunky Dory until learn2kneel mentioned it. Definitely one of his best. Andy Warhol, Quicksand, Queen Bitch, Life on Mars?, Oh! You Pretty Things, and of course Changes. Bowie's like Dylan in that there's a lot of decent, underrated albums that have great stuff and so-so stuff, but Hunky Dory is perhaps his most consistently brilliant.


laz

 

[Zoots]

The other day, I happened to notice that the single disc 'best of' was on sale and available for $12.99. I almost bought it but then looked at the tracklisting. Not a single song from Low? No 'Man Who Sold The World'? WTF???

 

[annabelle]

Just goes to show that those 2 albums are among the more interesting and satisfying albums...not having mainstream stuff on them...the stuff that ends up on best of's. not that there's anything wrong with "best of's"

 

[Zoots]

Okay... so I ended up getting the best of (2 CD set). Listening to it right now. Life On Mars? is playing. I'm sure I'm gonna hear songs that I recognize but never knew the names of. Got it for just $9.99. BMG.

 

[U2DMfan]

well you can't pass that deal up. But I'm sure you know going in, there are a lot of cool songs not on that set. Just as if you only had U2's two best of discs, you'd be missing some greatness.

I have the double disc set, Sound And Vision, but I went back and bought individual discs over the years. It's good, especially the first disc. I don't know if this is the same you have or a different one. He actually released a few Best-Of compilations, some better than others.

Next time you go to a used CD place, look in the bins for 'Outside', I've seen it used for $4 or $5 in some places. It's awesome, and it's probably the last thing Bowie and Eno will ever do, they were supposed to do a second Berlin trilogy and so far have made only 1 of the 3. Outside. That's why it has a 1 in front of it on the album.

 

[Zoots]

I got the one that says BEST OF BOWIE. It's been released in many countries I think with customized track selections. After listening to it, I'm sure I'll go on and get Ziggy, Low etc..

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Okay... so I ended up getting the best of (2 CD set). Listening to it right now. Life On Mars? is playing. I'm sure I'm gonna hear songs that I recognize but never knew the names of. Got it for just $9.99. BMG.

i've got a two disc best of. not sure if it's the same as yours, but i like it.