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Rockturnal With Scotty B

80’s at 8: January 7, 2023: David Bowie & Pete Townshend

Author Scotty B
NEWPORT, ENGLAND - JUNE 13: David Bowie performs on stage on the third and final day of "The Nokia Isle of Wight Festival 2004" at Seaclose Park, on June 13, 2004 in Newport, UK. The third annual rock festival takes place during the Isle of Wight Festival which runs from June 4-19. (Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images)

Tonight’s 80’s at 8 started off with “Modern Love” by David Bowie. It was the third single released from his 1983 album Let’s Dance. It is a rock song that contains elements of new wave music that was one of the first tracks recorded for the album at The Power station in Manhattan.

Modern Love has received critical acclaim from music critics for its production and David Bowie’s songwriting. It is considered one of the best tracks on the album. It reached #6 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and #14 on the Billboard hot 100. Modern Love was a staple of his Serious Moonlight tour, where it closed the show on most nights allowing Bowie to “wave bye-bye” to the crowd per the lyrics of the song.

The song’s music video used footage of Bowie and his band performing the song during a concert on the Serious Moonlight Tour. You can watch the music video for Modern Love by David Bowie here:

The second track in tonight’s 80’s at 8 was “Face The Face” by Pete Townsend. It’s from his 1985 concept album titled White City: A Novel. I have always loved this track. The energy and the hard-hitting drums and the horns make it an epic upbeat eighties knockout! upon its release to US radio stations, it was discovered that the release for the US had bad sound quality compared to the release for the UK.

The packaging for the US release said: Dear Programmer: Enclosed is a reservice of the Pete Townshend single “Face the Face.” While Pete was visiting us here in the States, he remarked to us that the British single sounded a bit hotter. We checked… he was right. Same edit. Same mix. Hotter sound. Maybe you wouldn’t notice. Maybe you would. Time to re-cart the record. Happy Holidays, Atco Records.

The Music video for Face The Face had no bad qualities whatsoever. It captures the excitement of a big-band performance and Townshend’s jitterbugging … in a forties-style tuxedo. You can watch the music video for Face The Face by Pete Townsend here:

 

David Bowie: 5 Moments that Exemplified the Wonder He Was

David Bowie died on January 10, 2016. Since his passing, we know now more than ever that there was no other artist like him, and there likely will never be one quite like him ever again.

Bowie was truly one of a kind. He had a fearlessness about him. He took on nearly every project with gusto, even later in his career when he didn’t have anything else to really prove. At the same time, Bowie had a remarkable sense of humor. Honestly, it was almost unfair someone that musically gifted was also so incredibly funny. Add on top of everything that he was also good looking, and it’s easy that as a fan, you could be jealous of him.

One of Bowie’s most admirable traits was his ability to take risks. He was seemingly always up for a challenge and never wanted to take the easy way out. He also had a unique outlook on the world and technology and how the two worked in concert together. Much like with his music, Bowie was seemingly several steps ahead of most people on this front, too.

On top of all of this, Bowie wasn’t afraid to speak out against injustice or be willing to have difficult conversations. This is a prime example of his fearlessness, and there’s really not enough of that in the world today.

Until the very end, Bowie kept fans guessing and kept surprising fans. Not many artists — regardless of their medium — could say they did the same. All of these aspects and more are represented in the five moments below.

The clips below are as diverse as Bowie himself. While it’s difficult to summarize someone like Bowie in just five videos, we feel these clips offer a look at the late rock star through a broad lens. Enjoy! We think Bowie would do the same.

  • 5. He could have a laugh and not take himself too seriously.

    Make no mistake that Bowie was an artist’s artist, but the man was funny, too. Just look at this compilation of moments he had with Conan O’Brien for proof.

  • 4. He’s half responsible for the best rendition of a Christmas classic

    So many artists have covered Christmas classics, but few are responsible for the best renditions. Think about it: Is it really Christmas without listening to Bowie and Bing Crosby’s version of “The Little Drummer Boy (Peace On Earth)?” The answer you’re looking for is “No.”

    https://youtu.be/n9kfdEyV3RQ

  • 3. He had the foresight of what the Internet would do to/for society

    This clip from BBC Newsnight from 1999 of Bowie talking about the Internet is so spot-on, it’s chilling. Bowie’s intelligence often doesn’t get enough attention.

    David Bowie speaks to Jeremy Paxman in 1999

    "It's going to crush our ideas of what mediums are all about": David Bowie in 1999 predicting how the internet would change our lives. Watch his full interview with Jeremy Paxman here: http://bbc.in/22VXdbH #newsnight #DavidBowieRIP

    Posted by BBC Newsnight on Monday, January 11, 2016

  • 2. He wasn’t afraid to take on MTV

    Bowie had a bone to pick with MTV in a 1983 interview and rightfully so. In a video that was released by MTV shortly after his death, Bowie bluntly asks VJ Mark Goodman why there were so few black artists played on the network. Bowie didn’t just bite one of the hands that fed him; he pretty much gnawed it off and spit it out.

  • 1. He said goodbye in epic fashion

    No one knew it until it was too late, but Bowie’s final studio album Blackstar was his way of saying goodbye to all of his fans.  It was devastating and ridiculously cool all at the same time.  Blackstar would debut at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. It was his first number one album ever on the chart.  What a way to go out.

 

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