David Bowie Biography

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David Bowie returned to original compositions for his next line of work "Diamond Dogs". Having failed to receive permission to use the title "1984", he nevertheless adapted George Orwell's famous novel as the basis for his favourite forays into dystopianism, sexuality and doomed love. There were even some delightful flashes from the novel neatly translated into rock by Bowie. A massive tour of the USA and Canada saw the "Diamond Dogs" spectacle at it's most excessive and expansive, but the whole project was hampered by the production budget. The 'Diamond Dogs' tour opened in Montreal, New York - with a new band - Carlos Alomar (on guitar), Herbie Flowers (on bass), Tony Newman (on drums), Earl Slick (on lead guitar) and Mike Garson, plus singers and two male dancers, who cavort with Bowie. Beneath the spectacle, the music tended to be somewhat forgotten, a review reinforced by the release of the critically panned 'David Live' in 1974.

Bowie's popularity was as great as ever in the mid-70's when he effectively taking the hit "Space Oddity" to no. 1, six years after its initial UK chart entry. That same year, he also enjoyed his first US no. 1 "Fame" which featured the voice and co-composing skills of 'John Lennon'. The song appeared on his next album. "Young Americans", which was the emergence of a new Bowie, successfully tackling Philadelphia soul. Meanwhile, there were significant changes in his business life, with Tony De Fries finally falling from favour amid an acrimonious lawsuit, because Bowie started dabbling amidst witchcraft and drugs. During the same period Bowie, had taken up new accommodation in at a Bel Air residence in Hollywood, and was slipping into chemical dependency and occultism, while his often-stormy marriage to Angie was falling apart. As ever in Bowie's life, personal upheavals coincided with creative endeavour and he was busy working on Nic Roeg's movie "The Man Who Fell To Earth", in which he was given the leading role of the displaced Alien; who marooned on Earth. The movie received mixed reviews.

His image was crystallised in the persona of 'The Thin White Duke', the icy character who came to life on his next album, "Station To Station". This album moved him toward a new chapter of his career when he worked with Visconti and Brian Eno on the "Berlin Trilogy".

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