taking sides: Never Let Me Down vs Blah Blah Blah

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Recorded back-to-back at the same studio, both co-produced by Bowie, both containing Bowie-penned tracks...

Which is the worse?

― Edwin Holmes, Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

"Real Wild One" was used in Miami Vice before its career selling orange soda pop.

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

I quite like the title track to Blah Blah Blah, actually. There isn't a single track on Never Let Me Down I can stomach.

Also, Blah Blah Blah has a far superior sleeve (for whatever that's worth).

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002GHD.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00001OH81.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif

Iggy is full "Yeah, so I'm old...what of it? You talkin' to me?" mode versus David in "Whoooeee, lookit me being all surreal!" desperation. The choice is clear.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

I LOVE "Never Let Me Down" and am so happy there's a thread devoted to it. It's by no means a good album, but it's the kind of splendidly awful album only a poseur like Bowie can pull off (better than the boring, awful "Tonight"). Bowie tried to write and arrange a mainstream rock album with art-school pretensions and succeeds; however, I'm glad he never attempted such a grisly hybrid ever agian.

I will now release tongue from cheek and declare that "Zeroes," "Beat of Your Drum," and the title track are wonderful songs.

As for "Blah Blah Blah," I don't have it, but like "Shades" a lot.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

words i never though i'd utter: i have to weigh in heavily in favor of blah blah blah.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

Speak truth, Blount, you are actually wanting to start an Instinct vs. Tin Machine thread.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

COLD METAL! IN MY GARBAGE CAN! AND MY FRYING PAN! FRYING PAN FRYING PAN FRYING PAN FRYING PAN!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

But but Brancasonic! Cuz heaven's in here!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:58 (twenty years ago)

"steve jones and iggy? THIS IS GONNA BE INCREDIBLE"

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:58 (twenty years ago)

"bowie's rocking again? THIS IS GONNA BE INCREDIBLE"

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:58 (twenty years ago)

these are how aesthetic callouses are born

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

what's that kiss song from circa 89-90 where they diss bowie for tin machine and ripoff the melody from sufragette city? dave q or alex in nyc will know this

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:00 (twenty years ago)

I LOVE the title track from 'Never Let me Down'.

― derrick (derrick), Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:48 (twenty years ago)

"Beat of your Drum" is a good song indeed. "Makin My Love" is great too.

― bahtology, Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

Blah Blah Blah was one of the first vinyl records I ever bought, having found it in a cut-out bin for $2-3 about the time Instinct had come out. Initially, I was disappointed, but now I'd much rather listen to it than Instinct.

I don't know that I've ever even bothered to hear Never Let Me Down in its entirity.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

what's that kiss song from circa 89-90 where they diss bowie for tin machine and ripoff the melody from sufragette city?

It's called "The Street Giveth & the Street Taketh Away." I doubt Bowie lost any sleep over it.....or even heard it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 4 February 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

Blah Blah Blah is not too shabby. Never Let Me Down is an awesome slab of eighties rock, with a weird arty twist to it. I don't understand how this came to be officially Bowie's Worst Album. Both Tonight and the Tin Machine albums are far more derivative and boring.

― Moses Smith, Friday, 4 February 2005 10:25 (twenty years ago)

"I don't understand how this came to be officially Bowie's Worst Album. Both Tonight and the Tin Machine albums are far more derivative and boring."

I firmly agree.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 4 February 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

"Time Will Crawl", was that one of the tracks on "Never let me down"?

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 4 February 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

I love NLMD! Alfred OTM upthread. Only Shining Star is truly awful - much of it is splendid stadium artrock.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 4 February 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

I love the A-side of "Never Let Me Down"; the B-side is complete and utter rubbish though.
I can't even remember anything off of "Blah Blah Blah"

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Friday, 4 February 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

Yup. The A-side is listenable, while the B side is crap. I have insane love for "Glass Spider" though, as one would for a retarded child. The mellotron, pompous spoken-word section (he seems to be taking the piss out of his Diamond Dogs posturing), the addled "ja-ja-ja" backup vocals – what a fuckin' freak!

I actually prefer NLMD to Diamond Dogs...

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 4 February 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

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