David Bowie Santa Monica '72

I can recall grabbing a cassette of this bootleg at Camden Town market in the '70s. It's now out released officially. It's Ziggy era Bowie at his absolute peak, with Ronson on electric form and the quieter acoustic moments still understated and beautiful. Try these:

mp3 David Bowie: My Death (live)
mp3 David Bowie: The Width of a Circle (live)

As a bonus, two items from Bowie's recordings from this era for the BBC:

mp3 David Bowie: Hang Onto Yourself
mp3 David Bowie: Moonage Daydream

As a bonus, an old bootleg early run through of a classic. Sounds like it was recorded in a barn, but sounds great:

mp3 David Bowie: Drive-in Saturday (live)

Buy here.

Return

Apologies for lack of posts, but a mixture of a wedding in France and a modem failure stalled matters. So, we'll roll some stuff out over the next few days.

These songs fit right now, but I thought I'd dedicate them to a good friend and the control freak that tried to fuck up his life and, instead, fucked themselves. I can remember Lou Reed once introducing Femme Fatale with the remark "This is as song about someone who was once..."; or of course, Dylan's

I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you

Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you

mp3 David Ford: I Don't Care What You Call Me
mp3 Will Johnson: Closing Down My House
mp3 Drive-by Truckers: Goodbye

Buy the artist's music here.

Rachel Unthank & the Winterset

Took my time to post Northumbria's finest, but local folk done good with a Mercury nomination. In fact, what got me thinking of this was the Robert Wyatt post a week or two back. So, here's Rachel Unthank & the Winterset's take on the man, and then another.

mp3 Rachel Unthank & the Winterset: Sea Song
mp3 Rachel Unthank & the Winterset: Felton Lonnin

Buy here.

Leonard and Marianne

Back in the 'sixties, Leonard Cohen had a love affair with a young Scandinavian woman. That affair seems to have informed his classic debut album. This morning, BBC Radio 4 ran a programme, where they talked to both of them: for the next few days you can listen here.

mp3 Leonard Cohen: So Long, Marianne

It's really worth doing.

Buy here.