David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

I always feel a pang of guilt when I think of this album. It came out when I was 14 and I borrowed it off a kid at school called Jonathan, and have yet to give it back. Jonathan is dead now, having died in a tragic barbecue accident, so I heard (I know it sounds like I’m taking the piss here, but I’m not), so he has no further use for it.

This was Bowie taking stylistic-influence from the Blitz kids, and he was keen to get out of the Berlin Trilogy-doldrums, which – ironically – were partly due to his imitators getting all the record sales. It worked – the album contains two massive hits in Ashes To Ashes and Fashion and buoys him up for a split with both long-time producer, Tony Visconti, and long-time label, RCA, heralding one of the worst periods of his career.

I’ve always loved Robert Fripp’s guitar playing on this album (even before I knew who he was.)

Michi Hirota’s Japanese spoken vocal on It’s No Game (No.1) elevates the track to make it my favourite of the album. She is one of the two women on the cover of the best album sleeve ever, but you probably already knew that.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#DavidBowie
#ScaryMonsters
#Music

John Spithead

2025-06-12 01:28:57

Lawns grow plush in the hinterlands

Sparks - Kimono My House

I can still clearly recall the impact of seeing Sparks on Top Of The Pops for the first time in 1974, performing the lead single from this album, This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us, Ron’s Hitler moustache creating quite the stir, even in a pop world occupied by the frocked-up Bowie and Robbie from Mud, and Steve Priest from The Sweet dressed like a big gay fash on the Christmas Day TOTP episode.

This is the album in which Sparks set out their stall with the wares they will hawk, albeit in variations, until today. Wares that will be blatantly shoplifted by some of their contemporaries (looking at you, Queen.)

The front of the sleeve has to be one of the best album covers ever.

#NowPlaying
#Vinyl
#Music
#Sparks
#KimonoMyHouse