How I chose to honor David Bowie's 65th birthday (1/8/12)!

[DarthPazuzu]

TO BE PLAYED AT MAXIMUM VOLUME:
a non-linear DAVID BOWIE hyper-cycle (1964-2003)

DISC #1: "Such Is The Stuff From Where Dreams Are Woven"
-1. Station To Station (live) [Stage (1978)]
-2. Five Years [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
-3. Space Oddity [Space Oddity (1969)]
-4. Sound And Vision [Low (1977)]
-5. The Jean Genie [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-6. China Girl (single version) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002) / orig. Let's Dance (1983)]
-7. Buddha Of Suburbia [The Buddha Of Suburbia (1993)]
-8. Black Country Rock [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
-9. Little Wonder (single version) [Best Of Bowie (UK compilation) (2002) / orig. Earthling (1997)]
10. Baby Universal (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
11. Oh! You Pretty Things [Hunky Dory (1971)]
12. Up The Hill Backwards [Scary Monsters (1980)]
13. Fascination [Young Americans (1975)]
14. Knock On Wood (live) [David Live (1974)]
15. Fantastic Voyage [Lodger (1979)]
16. In The Heat Of The Morning [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1968)]
17. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere [Pin Ups (1973)]
18. John, I'm Only Dancing [Best Of Bowie (UK compilation) (2002/1972)]
19. Suffragette City [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
20. When I Live My Dream [David Bowie (1967)]

DISC #2: "Put Your Ray Gun To My Head"
-1. It's No Game (No. 1) [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-2. The Width Of A Circle [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
-3. New Killer Star [Reality (2003)]
-4. Let's Dance (single version) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002) / orig. Let's Dance (1983)]
-5. Fashion [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-6. Fame (w / John Lennon) [Young Americans (1975)]
-7. Changes [Hunky Dory (1971)]
-8. I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship [Heathen (2002)]
-9. Moonage Daydream [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
10. Drive-In Saturday [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
11. TVC 15 (single version) [Best Of Bowie (US compilation) (2002) / orig. Station To Station (1976)]
12. Life On Mars? [Hunky Dory (1971)]
13. Starman [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
14. Nite Flights (Moodswings Back To Basics remix radio edit) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
15. African Night Flight [Lodger (1979)]
16. New Angels Of Promise (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version) ['hours...' (bonus track) (1999)]
17. Sons Of The Silent Age ["Heroes" (1977)]
18. The Supermen [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]

DISC #3: "Ready To Shape The Scheme Of Things"
-1. Sunday [Heathen (2002)]
-2. Word On A Wing [Station To Station (1976)]
-3. Soul Love [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
-4. Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed [Space Oddity (1969)]
-5. Red Sails [Lodger (1979)]
-6. Always Crashing In The Same Car [Low (1977)]
-7. Reality [Reality (2003)]
-8. Dancing With The Big Boys (w / Iggy Pop) [Tonight (1984)]
-9. I Can't Read (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
10. Andy Warhol [Hunky Dory (1971)]
11. God Knows I'm Good [Space Oddity (1969)]
12. Everyone Says 'Hi' [Heathen (2002)]
13. Seven ['hours...' (1999)]
14. Across The Universe (w / John Lennon) [Young Americans (1975)]
15. No Control [Outside (1995)]
16. Blackout ["Heroes" (1977)]
17. Zeroes [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
18. Bus Stop (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
19. Can't Help Thinking About Me (w / The Lower Third) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'66)]

DISC #4: "For This Could Be The Biggest Sky..."
-1. I'm Deranged [Outside (1995)]
-2. Look Back In Anger [Lodger (1979)]
-3. 1984 [Diamond Dogs (1984)]
-4. Panic In Detroit [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-5. Day-In Day-Out [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
-6. This Is Not America (w / Pat Metheny Group) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002/1985)]
-7. Black Tie White Noise (w / Al B. Sure!) [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
-8. Repetition [Lodger (1979)]
-9. I'm Afraid Of Americans (Nine Inch Nails V1 Mix) [Earthling (bonus track) (1997)]
10. Young Americans [Young Americans (1975)]
11. Brilliant Adventure (instrumental) ['hours...' (1999)]
12. The Secret Life Of Arabia ["Heroes" (1977)]
13. Loving The Alien (single remixed version) [Best Of Bowie (UK compilation) (2002/1985) / orig. Tonight (1984)]
14. Be My Wife [Low (1977)]
15. The Prettiest Star (single version w / Marc Bolan) [The Best Of David Bowie 1969/1974 (compilation) (1997/'70)]
16. Never Let Me Down [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
17. Amazing (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
18. Velvet Goldmine [The Best Of David Bowie 1969/1974 (compilation) (1997/'72)]
19. Cactus [Heathen (2002)]
20. Let Me Sleep Beside You (BBC Radio session) [Bowie At The Beeb (compilation) (2000/1969)]
21. Holy Holy [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: 30th Anniversary 2CD Edition (bonus track) (2002/1972)]

DISC #5: "Taking A Swing At This Shadow Of Mine"
-1. The Wedding (instrumental) [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
-2. Outside [Outside (1995)]
-3. Heaven's In Here (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
-4. Abdulmajid (instrumental) [All Saints: Collected Instrumentals 1977-1999 (compilation) (2001/1977)]
-5. You've Been Around [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
-6. I've Been Waiting For You [Heathen (2002)]
-7. Looking For Satellites [Earthling (1997)]
-8. Win [Young Americans (1975)]
-9. I Want My Baby Back (demo) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'65)]
10. Star [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
11. Everything's Alright [Pin Ups (1973)]
12. What In The World (w / Iggy Pop) [Low (1977)]
13. Baby Loves That Way (w / The Lower Third) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'65)]
14. Untitled No. 1 [The Buddha Of Suburbia (1993)]
15. Don't Look Down [Tonight (1984)]
16. Yassassin (Turkish For: Long Live) [Lodger (1979)]
17. Tin Machine (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
18. '87 And Cry [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
19. Battle For Britain (The Letter) [Earthling (1997)]
20. I Can't Explain [Pin Ups (1973)]

DISC #6: "The World And All That Glitters"
-1. A Small Plot Of Land (Basquiat Mix) [Outside (bonus track) (1995)]
-2. Pablo Picasso [Reality (2003)]
-3. What's Really Happening? ['hours...' (1999)]
-4. Bombers [Hunky Dory (bonus track) (1971)]
-5. Join The Gang [David Bowie (1967)]
-6. Prisoner Of Love (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
-7. When I'm Five [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1968)]
-8. Bleed Like A Craze, Dad [The Buddha Of Suburbia (1993)]
-9. You Belong In Rock 'N' Roll (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
10. Beat Of Your Drum [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
11. I Pity The Fool (w / The Manish Boys + Jimmy Page) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'65)]
12. Afraid [Heathen (2002)]
13. Sell Me A Coat [David Bowie (1967)]
14. Run (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
15. We All Go Through ['hours...' (bonus track) (1999)]
16. Shapes Of Things [Pin Ups (1973)]
17. Neukoln (instrumental) ["Heroes" (1977)]
18. A Better Future [Heathen (2002)]
19. Don't Let Me Down & Down [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
20. Who Can I Be Now? [Young Americans (bonus track) (1975)]
21. Without You [Let's Dance (1983)]

DISC #7: "Break Open Your Million Dollar Weapon"
-1. Speed Of Life (instrumental) [Low (1977)]
-2. Joe The Lion ["Heroes" (1977)]
-3. One Shot (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
-4. Teenage Wildlife [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-5. The London Boys [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1966)]
-6. Slip Away [Heathen (2002)]
-7. Sorrow [Pin Ups (1973)]
-8. Janine [Space Oddity (1969)]
-9. I Have Not Been To Oxford Town [Outside (1995)]
10. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003/1975)]
11. London Bye Ta-Ta (alternate stereo mix) [Space Oddity: 40th Anniversary Edition (bonus track) (2009/1970)]
12. As The World Falls Down [Labyrinth (O.S.T.) (1986)]
13. Lucy Can't Dance [Black Tie White Noise (bonus track) (1993)]
14. Dead Man Walking [Earthling (1997)]
15. Can You Hear Me [Young Americans (1975)]
16. Sister Midnight (live) [A Reality Tour (2010/'03)]
17. Red Money [Lodger (1979)]
18. The Laughing Gnome (new stereo mix) [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1967)]

[DarthPazuzu]

DISC #8: "Is There Concrete All Around, Or Is It In My Head?"
-1. V-2 Schneider ["Heroes" (1977)]
-2. Glass Spider [Never Let Me Down (1987)]
-3. Seven Years In Tibet [Earthling (1997)]
-4. Silly Boy Blue [David Bowie (1967)]
-5. Kooks [Hunky Dory (1971)]
-6. Modern Love [Let's Dance (1983)]
-7. I Dig Everything [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'66)]
-8. Karma Man [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1967)]
-9. Dancing In The Street (w / Mick Jagger) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002/1985)]
10. Let's Spend The Night Together [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
11. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (single B-side) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003/1969)]
12. Telling Lies [Earthling (1997)]
13. Thru' These Architects Eyes [Outside (1995)]
14. The Drowned Girl [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht's Baal EP (1982)]
15. Something In The Air (American Psycho Remix) ['hours...' (bonus track) (1999)]
16. Underground (single version) [The Best Of David Bowie 1980/1987 (compilation) (2005) / orig. Labyrinth (O.S.T.) (1986)]
17. All The Young Dudes [The Best Of David Bowie 1969/1974 (compilation) (1997/1973)]
18. A New Career In A New Town (instrumental) [Low (1977)]
19. Wild Is The Wind [Station To Station (1976)]

DISC #9: "I've Got Dollars, I've Got Sense"
-1. Fly [Reality (bonus track) (2003)]
-2. Liza Jane (w / The King Bees) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'64)]
-3. Miracle Goodnight [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
-4. Round And Round (alternate mix) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003/1972)]
-5. You've Got A Habit Of Leaving (w / The Lower Third) [Early On (1964-1966) (compilation) (1991/'66)]
-6. Amlapura (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
-7. Tumble And Twirl [Tonight (1984)]
-8. Looking For Water [Reality (2003)]
-9. Friday On My Mind [Pin Ups (1973)]
10. Pallas Athena (Gone Midnight Mix) (instrumental) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
11. We Prick You [Outside (1995)]
12. Within You [Labyrinth (O.S.T.) (1986)]
13. Saviour Machine [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
14. We Are Hungry Men [David Bowie (1967)]
15. Video Crime (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
16. Sweet Head (Take 4) [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: 30th Anniversary 2CD Edition (bonus track) (2002/1972)]
17. Waiting For The Man (live) [Live Santa Monica '72 (2009/1972)]
18. Nothing To Be Desired [Outside (bonus track) (1995)]
19. Subterraneans [Low (1977)]
20. Shadow Man [Heathen (bonus track) (2002) / orig. Toy sessions (2000)]

DISC #10: "...And I Want To Believe!"
-1. Sense Of Doubt (instrumental) ["Heroes" (1977)]
-2. Baal's Hymn [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht's Baal EP (1982)]
-3. The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction (As Beauty) [Outside (1995)]
-4. Shopping For Girls (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
-5. Amsterdam [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: 30th Anniversary 2CD Edition (bonus track) (2002/1972)]
-6. Cygnet Committee [Space Oddity (1969)]
-7. After All [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
-8. Get Real [Outside (bonus track) (1995)]
-9. Fall Dog Bombs The Moon [Reality (2003)]
10. Goodbye Mr. Ed (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine II (1991)]
11. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (live) [David Live (bonus track) (1974)
12. Love You Till Tuesday (single version) [David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (bonus track) (2010/1967)]
13. Try Some, Buy Some [Reality (2003)]
14. After Today [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003/1975)]
15. I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
16. The Dreamers ['hours...' (1999)]
17. Conversation Piece [Space Oddity: 40th Anniversary Edition (bonus track) (2009/1969)]
18. God Only Knows [Tonight (1984)]
19. The Wedding Song [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]

DISC #11: "Don't Be Afraid Of The Room"
-1. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-2. Beauty And The Beast ["Heroes" (1977)]
-3. Diamond Dogs [Diamond Dogs (1974)]
-4. The Hearts Filthy Lesson [Outside (1995)]
-5. Time Will Crawl (MM Remix) [iSelect (compilation) (2008) / orig. Never Let Me Down (1987)]
-6. Time [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-7. Alabama Song [The Best Of David Bowie 1980/1987 (compilation) (2007/1980)]
-8. Baby Can Dance (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
-9. Breaking Glass [Low (1977)]
10. Safe [Heathen (bonus track) (2002)]
11. See Emily Play [Pin Ups (1973)]
12. Dead Against It [The Buddha Of Suburbia (1993)]
13. 5:15 The Angels Have Gone [Heathen (2002)]
14. Some Are [iSelect (compilation) (2008/1977)]
15. Memory Of A Free Festival [Space Oddity (1969)]
16. Under Pressure [The Best Of David Bowie 1980/1987 (compilation) (2007/1981)]
17. Lady Grinning Soul [Aladdin Sane (1973)]

DISC #12: "I Can Stare For A Thousand Years"
-1. Running Gun Blues [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
-2. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. Cat People (O.S.T.: Giorgio Moroder) (1982)]
-3. Sweet Thing / Candidate / Sweet Thing (Reprise) [Diamond Dogs (1974)]
-4. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-5. Warszawa [Low (1977)]
-6. The Motel [Outside (1995)]
-7. Ashes To Ashes [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-8. The Loneliest Guy [Reality (2003)]
-9. Thursday's Child (radio edit) [Best Of Bowie (US compilation) (2002) / orig. 'hours...' (1999)]
10. Golden Years [Station to Station (1976)]
11. Tonight (w / Tina Turner) [Tonight (1984)]
12. Quicksand [Hunky Dory (1971)]
13. My Death (live) [Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (O.S.T.) (2003/1973)]
14. Heathen (The Rays) [Heathen (2002)]
15. When The Wind Blows [The Best Of David Bowie 1980/1987 (compilation) (2007) / orig. When The Wind Blows (O.S.T.: V/A) (1986)]

DISC #13: "Sound Of The Devil Breaking Parole"
-1. Hallo Spaceboy (Pet Shop Boys remix) [Best Of Bowie (UK compilation) (2002) / orig. Outside (1995)]
-2. Lady Stardust [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
-3. Scream Like A Baby [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-4. All The Madmen [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
-5. Jump They Say [Black Tie White Noise (1993)]
-6. Cracked Actor [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-7. D.J. [Lodger (1979)]
-8. Somebody Up There Likes Me [Young Americans (1975)]
-9. Ziggy Stardust [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
10. Don't Bring Me Down [Pin Ups (1973)]
11. Never Get Old [Reality (2003)]
12. Rebel Rebel (U.S. single version) [Sound + Vision (box set) (2003) / orig. Diamond Dogs (1974)]
13. Boys Keep Swinging [Lodger (1979)]
14. The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Edit) ['hours...' (bonus track) (1999)]
15. Ricochet [Let's Dance (1983)]
16. Under The God (w / Tin Machine) [Tin Machine (1989)]
17. Big Brother }
18. Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family [Diamond Dogs (1974)]
19. It's No Game (No. 2) [Scary Monsters (1980)]
20. The Bewlay Brothers [Hunky Dory (1971)]

DISC #14: "Out Of Breath, But Not Quite Doubting"
-1. Watch That Man [Aladdin Sane (1973)]
-2. Blue Jean [Tonight (1984)]
-3. John, I'm Only Dancing (Again) [Young Americans (bonus track) (1975)]
-4. Bring Me The Disco King [Reality (2003)]
-5. Crystal Japan (instrumental) [All Saints: Collected Instrumentals 1977-1999 (compilation) (2001/1980)]
-6. Hang On To Yourself [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
-7. Stay (single version) [Christiane F.: Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo (O.S.T.) (1981) / orig. Station To Station (1976)]
-8. Kingdom Come [Scary Monsters (1980)]
-9. The Man Who Sold The World [The Man Who Sold The World (1970)]
10. White Light/White Heat (live) [Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (O.S.T.) (2003/1973)]
11. Queen Bitch [Hunky Dory (1971)]
12. Slow Burn (w / Pete Townshend) (radio edit) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002) / orig. Heathen (2002)]
13. Survive (Marius De Vries Mix) ['hours...' (bonus track) (1999)]
14. Absolute Beginners (single version) [Best Of Bowie (compilation) (2002) / orig. Absolute Beginners (O.S.T.: V/A) (1986)]
15. Rock 'N' Roll With Me [Diamond Dogs (1974)]
16. Rock 'N' Roll Suicide [The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972)]
17. Strangers When We Meet [Outside (1995)]
18. "Heroes" ["Heroes" (1977)]

[DarthPazuzu]

Let me start at the beginning: For the longest time, I only had three David Bowie discs in my collection: The Best Of...1969/1974, The Best Of...1974/1979 and 1995's Outside - which I got because I was a fan of the movies Se7en (1995) and Lost Highway (1997), which both prominently featured songs from that disc in their soundtracks (The Hearts Filthy Lesson and I'm Deranged, respectively), and I was sufficiently intrigued to pick myself up a copy. Then...much later on...I picked up copies of Hunky Dory (1971) and The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972) in order to obtain certain songs that I wanted to use for my mixes (Queen Bitch and Lady Stardust, respectively). Then, earlier in the year, the eldest of my younger brothers picked me up a copy of the 2003 edition of the Sound + Vision box set for a birthday present, and I had also picked up the US version of 2002's Best Of Bowie collection in order to obtain Absolute Beginners, which I wanted to include in a future (and as yet unmade) mix. But then, once I started to seriously get into these discs, I felt myself positively compelled to embark on nothing less than a full-blown crusade to get myself everything that David Bowie had ever done (or almost everything, anyway). It took me quite a while, but I eventually obtained all 26 of David Bowie's studio albums (including the two with Tin Machine), every compilation which contained something important that was unavailable elsewhere, the BBC collection, and almost all of the live albums. (I also double-dipped for several special editions in order to obtain some more obscure and lesser-known tracks!)

Well...eventually I completed the task. And in the meanwhile the CD mixer in my head had kicked into overdrive and started working on the compilation which developed into what you are currently seeing! And believe you me, that took a considerably long while, as well. The trouble was...I didn't quite know where to stop! I knew that I wanted to start off with Station To Station, and I wanted to conclude with "Heroes". So I started working from both forward from the beginning and backward from the end simultaneously, with the end goal of using up perhaps...oh, I don't know, 5 or 6 blank CD-R's?? (Ha! What a laugh that particular expectation was looking back on it now!) The trouble was, once I had decided on some very particular sequences I had in mind, I found myself totally unable to compromise in order to make room for everything. So instead of cutting down, I ended up adding on...and adding on...and adding on! And whenever I would back myself into a corner, I would simply kick out the wall and add a whole new freakin' room to the structure! Let me tell you, I just had absolutely zero self-discipline when it came to whittling things down to a reasonable minimum. So I ended up not making a David Bowie mix set so much as doing a non-linear, Burroughsian "cut-up" job on practically 2/3 of the man's entire body of work! Oh well, go figure...

As clearly indicated by the overall title, this mix of David Bowie's music is indeed quite "non-linear"! I truly give the "wayback machine" a real workout here, jumping back and forth in time across the entire span of David Bowie's canon. I like the idea of taking a non-chronological, non-linear approach when I compile my favorite artists, and in Bowie's case it's particularly useful, because it serves to undermine all of those "chameleon," "reinvention" and "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!" cliches that are far too often trotted out by media hacks in regard to Bowie's work. Yes, the man may change his sound, change his clothes, change his hairstyle, change his influences and change his singing style from time to time. But in the end, it all comes from the very same individual, the very same soul, so no matter how big a leap back and forth in time is taken, there is a quite remarkable consistency from track to track!

I decided to set only one rule for myself in compiling this mammoth epic: I would limit myself to using only two songs per album on each disc. David Bowie has released 26 proper studio albums, and not every one of them can be represented in the space of one blank 80-minute CD-R, so that was one commitment I didn't have to worry about making. Usually a favorite artist has just enough albums to their credit that there's no excuse for not representing each album with at least one song per disc. But in this case, the circumstance of Bowie's having an exceptionally large canon (European or otherwise - nyuk, nyuk, nyuk) of work gave me an out.

Sooooooo...Basically, all the "usual suspects" (Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, The Jean Genie, Young Americans, Changes, Suffragette City, Life On Mars?, China Girl, Let's Dance, etc.) are pretty much to be found on the first four discs (#1-4) and the last four discs (#11-14) of this mix series. And quite a few important songs in the Bowie canon are to be found right smack in the middle (#7-8) , as well. I suppose you could say that #5 & 10 are arguably less essential, but they turned out really good (and those two are companion volumes as well, with The Wedding instrumental and The Wedding Song from 1993 serving as bookends). Discs 6 & 9 are pretty much where all the real "non-essentials" washed up - and consequently those two could theoretically be removed without seriously affecting the greater whole of the series. But they had certain tracks on them that I thought would work really well together, so I decided to keep them! As stated before, in this instance I elected not to discipline myself and whittle the mix down to something more minimal and concise. My problem was, as I kept on coming up with more ideas on songs for inclusion, the structures of each individual disc began to take shape, and I kept adding on more and more discs to the program because I just simply didn't want to compromise what structure I had already established! So then I had to keep coming up with ideas for lesser-known "deep cuts" and songs that I thought might fill out the newly-expanded program, which meant...more Tin Machine! More Pin Ups! More of the early singles and '67 Deram era! More B-sides and bonus tracks from the Rykodisc re-issues and special 2-CD anniversary editions! And so it went, I guess...

As stated before, The Wedding instrumental and The Wedding Song serve as bookends for #5 & 10 (as indeed they do for 1993's Black Tie White Noise album). Both discs are the fifth discs from the beginning and end of the entire program, and I deliberately intended for there to be a sense of symmetry in the bookending. You'll also notice that It's No Game (No. 1) is the opening track on #2 while It's No Game (No. 2) is the next-to-last track of #13 - the second disc from the end of the program. Both tracks serve to bookend 1980's Scary Monsters album, and I decided to do a kind of Beatles/Sgt. Pepper thing with those tracks on #2 & 13, with Hunky Dory closer The Bewlay Brothers performing the A Day In The Life role and bringing #13 to a close. And even though they're technically entirely different tracks, I felt that Sunday and Heathen (The Rays) - the opening and closing tracks of 2002's Heathen, respectively - were closely connected enough to be similarly positioned on #3 & 12 (with the title track from the 1986 animated film When The Wind Blows serving as the finale for the latter).

Even though there isn't necessarily any kind of overall dramatic arc or conceptual plan to my Bowie mix set, it did occur to me that certain songs would probably work really well when placed together on certain discs, and as a result a kind of dramatic arc to each disc gradually developed, almost of their own accord! The whole process - at least initially - started out with my subconscious doing most of the work, and and if ever there was a popular music artist whose work aided and abetted the listener's subconscious, it's David Bowie! I think this owes primarily to the fact that his particular lyrical sensibility is very open-ended, not really nailed down in any kind of specific way. For example, classic albums such as 1972's The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars and 1974's Diamond Dogs are often thought of as concept albums, possessing a storyline of one sort or another. But Bowie never ever really gives us anything of the sort. We are only generally aware that Ziggy Stardust is a vaguely pansexual alien being (or possibly androgynous human granted special powers and given ubermensch status by extra-terrestrials) who plays in a rock 'n' roll band, and is ultimately done in by his own excess and hubris, just as we are only generally aware that the Diamond Dogs are some sort of gang of (possibly mutant) droogs running amok in the streets of some desiccated cityscape in some Orwellian totalitarian society of the future. Therefore, much leeway is left for each individual listener to fill in the blanks and invest the songs with his or her own meaning. So you very well could say that this mix probably reflects my own attitudes and sensibilities as much as Bowie's! Anyway...here's an admittedly crude overall breakdown of how each particular disc shaped up in thematic terms:

DISC #1 (introduces the performer, as well as the sci-fi and spiritual quest motifs; the equivalent of a superhero origin story!)

DISC #2 (introduces elements of angst, disquiet and restlessness; discontent with the trappings of religion, fame and fashion; images of flight; tales of starmen and supermen; introduces motif of mortality)

DISC #3 (introduces motif of spiritual devotion and faith; further images of restlessness, flight and retreat; angst over the meaning of life and existence)

DISC #4 (images of angelic visitation, the American scene, urban violence, drugs and domestic strife; the need for racial harmony; romance and sexuality)

DISC #5 (further development of romantic motifs; the quest for personal fulfillment; politically motivated disquiet; sense of cultural dislocation)

DISC #6 (nature of reality; the need to maintain personal integrity in the face of conformity; child's vision of life versus adult strife; the need to believe in the future, personal and collective)

DISC #7 (thwarted ambitions of stardom; the threat of obsolescence; struggles with romantic relationships; murder and mayhem in the big city; coming to terms with one's responsibility; funny little old chuckling men...basically it has all the makings of a David Lynch movie!)

DISC #8 (Tibet, Buddhism, Asia; Berlin travelogues; Jagger, Stones and Martha & Vandellas; silly boys, kooks, young dudes, false prophets, concrete visionaries (all around and in the head); topped off with an epic ballad - Mathis-via-Simone)

DISC #9 (rock 'n' roll kicks; living for the weekend; Indonesian travelogue; malevolent would-be saviours and killers; addictions)

DISC #10 (an upward struggle from darkness to light, taking in the words of Brecht and Brel; sexual exploitation; ideologies gone bad; postmodern angst; renewal of hope and faith; ultimate romantic redemption...a Hollywood ending!)

DISC #11 (continuation of darker motifs; soured relationships; apocalytic visions; a more desperate clinging to faith, hope and love)

DISC #12 (almost Oliver Stone territory; warfare and bloodshed; descent into personal darkness; finding redemption in love; coming to terms with death and mortality)

DISC #13 (quintessential Bowie motifs: madness, fascism, cult of personality, rebellion, brotherhood, nonconformity, gender ambivalence, sexual confusion, politics, corruption of stardom)

DISC #14 (the hero/star's final bow; a look back at the good and the bad in life; hope for the future)

And at the risk of sounding blatantly immodest, in the immortal words of Brad Pitt's Lt. Aldo Raine at the end of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds - featuring Cat People (Putting Out Fire) on its soundtrack, no less! - "Y'know, I think this just might be my masterpiece!" (among my own mixes, that is!) :smokin:

[Pelicula]

David Bowie is absolutely fabulous.

[DrPepper21]

Originally Posted by Pelicula

David Bowie is absolutely fabulous.

Yup.

Excellent compilations Darth and an excellent post!