David Bowie versus Bryan Ferry

I always loved the sound textures Bryan gets.

That's sort of an apples to flaming-pianos-on-the-planet-dipton comparison.

Bowie is the eternal enigma.

But I shorely did luv me them ol albums of "chestnut covers" that Bryan put out.  Warble on, ol pal...warble on.

yorolpal


That's sort of an apples to flaming-pianos-on-the-planet-dipton comparison.

Bowie is the eternal enigma.

But I shorely did luv me them ol albums of "chestnut covers" that Bryan put out.  Warble on, ol pal...warble on.

You do know that Bowie considers Bryan his favorite song writer though, ya?

David Bowie is no Bryan Ferry... maybe he is a Brian Ferry wanna be. I never understood what made Bowie so famous. There was that one song about Major Tom but that, IMO, got old quickly. Besides that he was really strange and in a bad sort of way. Frank Zappa was strange in a funny/good sort of was. Bowie was always disturbing to me... still is I guess.

Besides, how can you go wrong with dancing girls?

J

I like them both, but David Bowies span of expression is about 100 times wider than that of Bryan Ferry. Both his compositions and performances are hard to beat if you think about how many styles of pop and rock he masters / has mastered during the years.

Not only is Bowie a phenomenal live performer, but he has been copied so much right from the beginning of his fame: style of singing, habitus, record sounds etc. I don't know any single artist that has been a trend setter for so long. 

Bryan Ferry has a great, recognizable sound and style, but IMO he really is a one trick pony, whereas  Bowie is a pony, horse, tractor, acrobat and aeroplane.

This thread had me listening to Boys and Girls yesterday.  In many ways I've been pretty naive about the personnel behind the music (heck, I rarely even pay attention to the lyrics - I just love the music).  I like threads like this because it got me to research Bowie and Ferry which provided several "Really?" moments.  I never realized how much Eno was involved.  I know Brian was big, mostly behind the scenes, in helping the band migrations of Bauhaus, Love & Rockets, Tones On Tail and Peter Murphy, but didn't know about all the other places he's been.  Let alone his own ambient work (of which I have a lot).  Cool!

The early Roxy Music stuff with Brian Eno is the shizzle.....then when you thought it was all over, they came back with THE BEST shagging album ever, 'Avalon'

jamesg1213

Moshkiae




David, should have become an actor a long time ago. Some of his work in film is excellent and deserves some credit. Of special attention is "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and then "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", and even "The Hunger". 

I have to take issue with that Pedro..Bowie is at best, a mediocre actor, with less than two facial expressions. He's marginally better than Sting, but that ain't saying much.

I'm with Moshkiae . David is quite a good actor IMO, and I really don't think he's stiff-faced. And his verbal expression is good. Anyways, it's the weaker actors who have to make faces.
 
Al Pacino has one face (the paralyzed from forehead down, two versions: eyebrows up/down), Robert De Niro has two (the grin and the non-grin), Marlon Brando used mostly two faces (the cool stoneface and the desperate/hysterical), Dustin Hoffman has two (the serious and the comical) and those are all really good actors IMO. Jack Nicholson is a rubber face to the extent of being gimmicky, but he's good, too. It's often the special kind of presence that makes some more impressive than others.
 
Here's a quote from the Variety-magazines review of Bowies performance on Broadway as the Elephant Man in 1980:
 
"Playing a man too ugly to draw a freak audience, and too human to survive within a distorted body, Bowie shows a mastery of movement and of vocal projection. Bowie takes the stage with authority to create a stirring performance. Vocally, he is both quick and sensitive. In scene after scene he builds poignantly, crying for the chance to become civilised, though he knows he will always be a freak; pleading for a home; though he knows his presence disturbs; and questioning the rules of society; though his well being depends on their acceptance. Judging from his sensitive projection of this part, Bowie has the chance to achieve legit stardom … "
 
 
 

Weird - on the radio today - David Bowie's new 'surprise' single AND the Bryan Ferry Jazz Orchestra.
The Bryan Ferry Jazz Orchestra is a band formed by Mr Ferry who play Roxy Music hits played in a Trad Jazz style (I kid you not)

Craig - unfortunately I am not kidding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2OOaJKAnxg

daryl1968


Craig - unfortunately I am not kidding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2OOaJKAnxg

Love it. 

57Gregy

Weird - on the radio today - David Bowie's new 'surprise' single

 
It's Bowie's birthday (Jan. 8).
And Elvis's.
And my room mate's.
Maybe Ferry's, too?
 
 

Happy Birthday to your room mate

No but I thought at least one of them wouldn't care. 


Thank yer very muuch 

daryl1968


Craig - unfortunately I am not kidding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2OOaJKAnxg

 
That's not surprising. I would think that Bryan's style is almost a throw back to many of the lounge singers of years ago, and the jazz style, is more like what he would have done, but I think he knew that "jazz" was a road to nowhere land ... and people ignoring you after one album!
 
But you have to notice that these folks are aware ... of what their friends were doing ... and it was no secret that no "jazz" anything, was picking up any nickels in the 70's and 80's when you had such a vibrant rock stage in London! So, in this sense, Bryan was smart ... to do the right thing.
 
What is strange is his wife leaving to go marry Mick! And the covers, were never that great anymore! But then, I'm not sure that Mick doing a song about David's wife was not interesting, either ... but then, those times were not exactly innocent so everyone sleeping with everyone else, is not news anymore! Except for folks feigning idiocy, of course!