Cover of David Bowie’s “Low”
In 1976, David Bowie had actually reached the goal of his dreams: With “Young Americans” and the REtB-tinged singles “Fame” and “Golden Years” he had found a formula for success that had also brought him superstar status in America.
But Bowie, never a stickler, found himself increasingly frustrated and disillusioned in Los Angeles. So without further ado he prescribed a radical change: “What you have to do now is to take a closer look at yourself. Find some people you don’t understand and a place you don’t want to be and throw yourself in!”
Dark soundscapes from a divided city
So he went back to Europe, more precisely: to Berlin, a place that was divided like himself. This is where the recordings for his new album were made. The first page is about himself: “Always Crashing In The Same Car” and “all that self-pity stuff,” as he once whimsically put it.
On page two, with the help of Brian Eno, he processed his impressions of the divided city and the Eastern Bloc. Since these could hardly be put into words, mainly gloomy soundscapes were created.
All in all, this resulted in a kind of experimental album with which Bowie freed himself on his own and at the same time opened up new perspectives. Not to mention the lasting influence “Low” had on subsequent generations of musicians.
Gabrielle Werth