As I’m sure you know, today is probably the greatest double-shot in rock birthdays, the day Elvis Presley would have been 75 and the day David Bowie is 63.
Damn, Elvis wasn’t much younger than I am now when he died, and now I’m old enough that 75 doesn’t seem too old to be featured on documentaries and Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame extravaganzas as a “living legend!” The ’68 Comeback Special still resonates for me more than just about anything else The King ever did. I was just a boy when I saw that and first heard songs like “Suspicious Minds.” What a comeback that only set fans up for a major letdown!
You know I’ve struggled to get my head around Bowie’s fine body of work, but I’ve come a long way. Here’s a nice story I saw on a letter the young Bowie wrote to an early fan.
Sorry to soil the birthday celebrations for Elvis and Bowie with this story, but in this report on comedian Artie Lange’s ongoing efforts to achieve John Belushi-like significance, a particular detail troubles me:
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/new_jersey/20100108_ap_policecomedianartielangestabbedself.html
Could the publicist for the Wolfgang Puck knife manufacturer have had a role product placing in this AP report?
She probably only likes maybe 15 or 16 Bowie songs. Nowhere near the required 30.
The “pit session” from the 68 special is so fantastic that it is a shame that only some of it was used. Entertaining as much of the rest of the comeback special is, unfortunately the schmaltzier aspects of it are what E pursued in the years ahead instead of the basics of the pit session when he showed he was still fully capable of wearing the crown. It’s as if, having proven he could do it, he lost interest. Too bad.