In London, an exhibition with previously unpublished artifacts opens the glam rock legend David Bowie.
New handwritten notes of the glam rock musician have been exhibited in the David Bowie Center in London. Which songs and books accompanied him, and what did he think he was “out” in the mid -nineties? These questions are now clarifying with the opening of the permanent exhibition in honor of the artist.
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An archive full of insights
The London Victoria & Albert Museum has created a central place in its Storehouse in Ostlondon for the work of the famous musician and actor. The collection draws “Creative processes as a musical innovator, cultural icon and advocate of self -development and reinvention” David Bowies, as “Times” writes. Around 90,000 objects are accessible there, including photographs, costumes, instruments and countless sketches. Among them also a note in which the favorite songs of the late artist are listed. “Memo for radio broadcast – list of favorite songs” is said that there is a list with titles such as “Right Now Right Now” (1956) by Alan Freed and his Rock ‘N’ Roll Band or Jeff Beck’s “Beck’s Bolero” (1966).
David Bowie’s “All Time Favourites”
The artist’s private notes reflect the range of his character influences, interests and thoughts in a most personal way.
The list of favorite songs, for example, ranges from classical music to jazz to experimental rock – everything is included. Here is a section of his favorite pieces.
- Ralph Vaughan Williams – “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis” (2003)
- Richard Strauss – “Four Last Songs” (1948)
- Little Richard – “True Fine Mama” (1957)
- The Hollywood Argyles – “Sho Know A Lot About Love” (1960)
- Miles Davis – “Some Day My Prince Will Come” (1961)
- Charles Mingus – “Ecclusiastics” (1956)
- Legendary Stardust Cowboy – “I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship” (2006)
- The Beatles – “Across the Universe” (1969)
- Ronnie Spector – “Try some, buy some” (1971)
- Roxy Music – “Mother of Pearl” (1974)
- Edgar Froese – “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale” (1975)
- The Walker Brothers – “The Electrician” (1978)
- Sonic Youth – “Tom Violence” (1986)
Insights in Bowie’s world of thoughts
Further down on the piece of caro paper, in a confident manuscript in black ink, “All Time Favourites” is underlined. Among them, the musician recognizes two apparently formative novels: Jack Kerouak’s “On the Road” (1957) and “City of Night” (1963) by John Rechy. Among the 23 other books that accompanied his life were George Orwell’s dystopian work “1984” from 1949, or “cold -blooded” (1965) by Truman Capote.
On another side from 1995, the singer typed a list of things that he regarded as “in” and “out”. “In” were, for example, “spirituality, chaos surfing, no decent ends, reasonable cybernetic systems, Ennui” and-of course-“David Bowie”. He apparently considered “outmodern, religion, irony” and: “David Bowie” as “out”.
David Bowie’s secret project
In the course of the archive research, it was also found that Bowie must have worked on a separate project in the last months of his life. The notes found records that the musician referred to as “musical from the 18th century” with the title “The Spectator”. As “Times” reported, the details of the project were kept strictly secret – even his closest employees: inside knew nothing about his existence until the notes were found in his study after his death in 2016.
On September 13, the permanent exhibition in the David Bowie Center will be accessible to all interested and fans.