David Bowie's Low (33 1/3) [Paperback]

Hugo Wilcken (Author)

Book Description

Series: 33 1/3 | Publication Date: August 19, 2005

“One day I blew my nose and half my brains came out.” Los Angeles, 1976. David Bowie is holed up in his Bel-Air mansion, drifting into drug-induced paranoia and confusion. Obsessed with black magic and the Holy Grail, he’s built an altar in the living room and keeps his fingernail clippings in the fridge. There are occasional trips out to visit his friend Iggy Pop in a mental institution. His latest album is the cocaine-fuelled Station To Station (Bowie: “I know it was recorded in LA because I read it was”), which welds R&B rhythms to lyrics that mix the occult with a yearning for Europe, after three mad years in the New World. Bowie has long been haunted by the angst-ridden, emotional work of the Die Brucke movement and the Expressionists. Berlin is their spiritual home, and after a chaotic world tour, Bowie adopts this city as his new sanctuary. Immediately he sets to work on Low, his own expressionist mood-piece.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"David Bowie's album Low, released in 1977, is an inspired high point for the singer/actor/musician/icon, yet the record still fails to generate the attention it deserves. Hugo Wilcken's Low will hopefully put an end to the long neglect....his book will captivate Bowie fans and the musically inquisitive looking for a lost gem from a name artist. Fascinating for rock historian types who are drawn in to the never-ending debate of who influenced who, and those that simply want to know the stories behind the songs. Devotees will be anxious to rediscover a forgotten favorite....an absorbing and appealing analysis, thankfully sans the type of mind-numbing prose that often accompanies this type of scrutiny. Once Bowie's long career has concluded Low will surely stand as his creative apex, and Hugo Wilcken's book will be its knowing and worthy companion. — Drastic Plastic Press

“David Bowie’s album Low, released in 1977, is an inspired high point for the singer/actor/musician/icon, yet the record still fails to generate the attention it deserves. Hugo Wilcken’s Low will hopefully put an end to the long neglect….his book will captivate Bowie fans and the musically inquisitive looking for a lost gem from a name artist. Fascinating for rock historian types who are drawn in to the never-ending debate of who influenced who, and those that simply want to know the stories behind the songs. Devotees will be anxious to rediscover a forgotten favorite….an absorbing and appealing analysis, thankfully sans the type of mind-numbing prose that often accompanies this type of scrutiny. Once Bowie’s long career has concluded Low will surely stand as his creative apex, and Hugo Wilcken’s book will be its knowing and worthy companion. – Drastic Plastic Press

About the Author

Hugo Wilcken is a Paris-based, Australian-born writer and translator. His first novel, The Execution, was published by HarperCollins in 2002. ("A remarkably accomplished debut heralding the arrival of a noteworthy talent"- Publishers Weekly.) It was well reviewed, and has since been translated into Dutch and German. A second novel, Colony, was published in August 2007.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (August 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826416845
• ISBN-13: 978-0826416841
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and fun book, February 26, 2006

By 

desmond "barrow. marketplace." (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: David Bowie's Low (33 1/3) (Paperback)

Seems quite meticulously researched. (The Amazon description should make some mention of that; it seems unnecessarily vague is describing what the book is.)

I did find 1 minor factual error in the first few pages (it was Gus Dudgeon who produced the "Space Oddity" single, not Paul Buckmaster!).

But given the density of detailed information packed into this relatively small book (culled from a variety of books and music articles published over the past few years), that may be a forgivable offense.

Overall, this book is filled with interesting facts, beginning with the recording of Station to Station, then the actual recording of Low and the beginning of Bowie's Berlin period.

Among other things, the book recounts:
- how various influences (Kraftwerk, Neu!, etc.) actually worked their way onto the album
- how Eno recorded the album's signature drum sound
- some of the strange devices used in the studio to "inspire creativity"
- an insight into Bowie's working methodology at the time
- and generally does a great job of analyzing the album in the context of Bowie's career and mindset

I have found this a very enjoyable read, and I recommend it to all Bowie enthusaists and especially fans of one of Bowie's very best albums, Low.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring Back Hugo!, February 8, 2007

By 

K. Buckley "Sid The Dog" (Bloomington, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: David Bowie's Low (33 1/3) (Paperback)

This is perhaps the finest, most detailed analysis of Bowie's work I've ever read, and I earnestly entreat the author to consider taking on the remainder of the Berlin trilogy albums. In spite of the minor error or three (that's Walter Tevis who wrote The Man Who Fell To Earth, not Travis), this book answers so many questions I've always wanted to ask about "Low"-- which is saying a lot, as this has remained one of the most important albums of all time to my own musical work. Great stuff!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book, May 13, 2007

By 

M. Doron (Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: David Bowie's Low (33 1/3) (Paperback)

Having first listened to this record years ago, and understanding it is among Bowie's best, I found refreshing history bits about the record I never knew about. REcommended read for Bowie fans.