Madonna did one, Kanye threatened one, Gaga did one, there’s a big one planned for New York, and an all-star supergroup are rumoured to be performing one at the Brit awards. But do we really need all of these Bowie tributes? Now don’t get me wrong, I was surprised at how upset I was by his death, and much of the last month has found me rediscovering Bowie’s music and being struck by how varied its is and how well so much of it stands the test of time. But isn’t that enough? Blackstar by itself stands as a much greater tribute to what he was about than a bunch of rockstars performing meat-and-potatoes cover versions of his greatest hits. Looking at the line-up of the New York shows (see link) I can see a few acts with a real Bowie connection, whether through history or spirit, but equally there are others whose presence is mystifying to say the least. Then there’s the rumoured line-up for the Brits; lots of star-power for sure, but it fair makes the heart sink to imagine what it’s going to sound like.
No doubt Bowie meant as much, if not more, to many of these musicians as he did to me, but wouldn’t it have been enough to incorporate the odd Bowie song into their live sets by way of tribute? Maybe for someone of Bowie’s stature there is a place for a more extensive public tribute, but surely it needs more vitality, more imagination, more creativity than looks to be the case here? Aren’t there any contemporary acts who could be said, in even the loosest terms, to embody the spirit of the Dame and who could be involved in these things? So many questions, but I guess what it comes down to is do we need these tributes and if so, what form should they take?
And this should be the link to the rumoured Brits tribute:
http://www.gigwise.com/news/105014/david-bowie-death-brit-awards-supergroup-tribute-cover-adele
I think it’s very interesting that Bowie’s family said they were not going to be behind any tribute themselves. It’s fraught with the possibility of disaster hence their keeping right out of it.
The Brits have to do something though don’t they? The suggested lineup is the usual suspects. They could get Goldie, Momus and Pet Shop Boys as people who had worked with him or been clearly influenced, but would anyone want to watch that apart from me?
I think they have to do a tribute, that these are the people most appropriate for the Brits, and that it will be poor.
I drew a lightning flash on my face with a magic marker, does that count?
Also I am ginger, have a wonky eye and a great big walloper.
I can’t give everything away.
You are Alf, and I claim my prize (walloper not pictured)
http://i.imgur.com/ASGDo1N.jpg
Loving the Alien Life Form
A lot of these ‘tributes’ are folks wanting to cover themselves with hip. It makes me think of those bloody awful Simple Minds and Duran Duran cover albums where the eye is on what they WANT to be perceived as, rather than what they are. Bowie’s own “Pin-Ups” was smarter; it took what were sometimes weak songs and made something better. It can only be minutes before Robbie Wiliams tries to don the Bowie Peg Pants in another comeback effort.
This one’s good:
What a tribute should have, if they had any imagination or understanding about the man at all, is Iggy doing China Girl, since he actually wrote the words, and is STILL ALIVE and performing and knew Bowie well, and did the song first, better than Bowie himself, with possibly his new band featuring Josh Homme, to give it back it’s original raw power. But that would never happen, oh no. The Gaga thing, much as I like her, was dire – medleys are awful. She would have done better covering just Life On Mars simply accompanying herself on piano. A decent tribute is entirely possible only these people don’t know how.
Damon Albarn is arguably one of the few current artists with something of the “spirit” of Bowie.
PS, FWIW, I think the Brits could do worse than get in Gary Numan, Lulu, Go West, Imagination and Crazyhead to represent some of the more poptastic highpoints of Dave’s career. Unbeatable line-up
Drop a huge screen, and show Bowie. Educate the unknowing, inspire the rest.