STEWART COPELAND

DAVID BOWIE is cool. I know this isn't really news. But every once in a while, it needs to be said.

Not everything he does is great. But everything he does is interesting, and many of the things he has done have been great. There are few who have been as good at singing AND songwriting as he is. Even fewer had the career longevity and lasting creativity that he demonstrates.

Oh yeah, and he's great live. His powerful performances, from what I see on TV, are magnetic. He ALWAYS packs a killer band.

He's still got it, performance wise. Check out this rager from a few years a go with Lou Reed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8QNM2sXeHY


So I'm insane, and that's on a good day. But I had this weird Idea that The Who should do a tour with Bowie.

Actually, apologies to Roger, but I sit slack-jawed at the thought of The Who as Bowie's band. That's it! Roger and Bowie will trade off vocals all night. Make life easier on their throats.

I mean seriously, who in rock ever ventured as close to opera as BOWIE did? THE WHO.

While I'm at it,
Pete Townshend is better than Jack White:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwh-R72ZeUA

OMG Pluto I thought you were announcing news of such a tour. Fuck! I'd go see that in a second and I'd probably pay $200. Seen the Who a few times but haven't gotten to see Bowie.

[quote="plutonic"]DAVID BOWIE is cool. I know this isn't really news. But every once in a while, it needs to be said.

Not everything he does is great. But everything he does is interesting, and many of the things he has done have been great. There are few who have been as good at singing AND songwriting as he is. Even fewer had the career longevity and lasting creativity that he demonstrates.

Oh yeah, and he's great live. His powerful performances, from what I see on TV, are magnetic. He ALWAYS packs a killer band.

He's still got it, performance wise. Check out this rager from a few years a go with Lou Reed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8QNM2sXeHY


So I'm insane, and that's on a good day. But I had this weird Idea that The Who should do a tour with Bowie.

Actually, apologies to Roger, but I sit slack-jawed at the thought of The Who as Bowie's band. That's it! Roger and Bowie will trade off vocals all night. Make life easier on their throats.

I mean seriously, who in rock ever ventured as close to opera as BOWIE did? THE WHO.

While I'm at it,
Pete Townshend is better than Jack White:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwh-R72ZeUA[/quote]



But not Jack Black

[quote="zilboy"][quote="plutonic"]DAVID BOWIE is cool. I know this isn't really news. But every once in a while, it needs to be said.

Not everything he does is great. But everything he does is interesting, and many of the things he has done have been great. There are few who have been as good at singing AND songwriting as he is. Even fewer had the career longevity and lasting creativity that he demonstrates.

Oh yeah, and he's great live. His powerful performances, from what I see on TV, are magnetic. He ALWAYS packs a killer band.

He's still got it, performance wise. Check out this rager from a few years a go with Lou Reed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8QNM2sXeHY


So I'm insane, and that's on a good day. But I had this weird Idea that The Who should do a tour with Bowie.

Actually, apologies to Roger, but I sit slack-jawed at the thought of The Who as Bowie's band. That's it! Roger and Bowie will trade off vocals all night. Make life easier on their throats.

I mean seriously, who in rock ever ventured as close to opera as BOWIE did? THE WHO.

While I'm at it,
Pete Townshend is better than Jack White:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwh-R72ZeUA[/quote]



But not Jack Black [/quote]

Ha! Actually, they should Hire Jack Black to MC the thing and sing some of the hard parts. That dude is talented.


The more I think about it, the better it gets.

BOWIE has a fab falsetto, so he can sing Entwistle parts.

So while we're parting this job out, I'm handing the Bass Chair to Les Claypool (Can you imagine him destroying those Entwistle bass lines?) and the drum chair (Sorry Zak) to Dave Grohl.

Sigh.

I am a HUGE Bowie AND Who fan. HUGE HUGE HUGE.

HOWEVER, I don't think Bowie on vocals with the Who is a good mix. Daltrey's vocals are all about pure masculinity. And Bowie is . . . not. Case in point: Can't Explain on Bowie's Pin Up album and regularly played live through out Bowie's career. I'm sad to say that it just does not work.

The Who does have some songs that work with a more, uh, feminine voice, but I think that is Pete's realm.

There are some excepts where I think Bowie might work with Who material: I'm One, Sea and Sand, Acid Queen, I'm Free, I Can See For Miles, Happy Jack, oh wait. I think I just convinced myself that Bowie would be a good singer with the Who.

On a side note, I think its sad how Roger's voice really has been a shadow of the what it used to be especially given that I think that Townshend's playing has gotten better after John's death (in comparison to what it was like in the period from It's Hard to, lets say, The Queadrophenia tour in 1995-96).

Somebody mentioned some of the GODS in my pantheon?

I just saw the Who in a London program on public TV - they still have it all, regardless of the fact that Roger does not accept to lower the songs of an octave or two.

Bo has had a phenomenally trying physical recovery, and, paranoid as he is (we share this personality trait)...I don't see him touring in the future.
The Dame has done waaay too much harm to his precious self, and if his desire is seeing Lexy grow up into the gorgeous being she will be, he'll stay away.

But the mere idea is phenomenal!

Bowie and The Who both played at the Isle of Wight Festival the last time Bowie toured (though they never shared the stage). The HD Music channel (whatever that is called, starts with a P) was running partial sets from this on a not infrequent basis not long ago (if not currently).

DAMN it!! I was getting ready to whip out the credit card, also....

I'd go to a lot of trouble to see Bowie, since I haven't ever. Only thing is, tickets to this hypothetical gig would be $$$$$$$$ (which is one reason I didn't go to any shows on the last Who tour...)

I concur with TOWOS that I think a tour by Bowie in the future is doubtful. At best, he may do a one off show here or there, like his special guest appearance with David Gilmour where he sang Arnold Layne and Comfortably Numb (which was cool as fuck). So unfortunately, if you never saw a Bowie tour, I'm thinking you probably never will. Quite unfortunate, as even on his last tour, his voice was as strong as ever.

I'm not a Bowie fan, personally, (ducks and runs) so I'll stuck with Rog & Pete when I want my Who fix.

And Pluto, mate, I'd dare say there's any number of other artists and bands who have blended rock and opera before...many a lot closer than I can ever think of Bowie straying (hello, Floyd, Queensryche, Saga, Queen, etc etc etc.)

[quote="TheEqualizer"]So unfortunately, if you never saw a Bowie tour, I'm thinking you probably never will. [/quote]

Luckily I've seen him 5 times -
I still prefer his See Emily Play to the original!

[quote="sockii"]
And Pluto, mate, I'd dare say there's any number of other artists and bands who have blended rock and opera before...many a lot closer than I can ever think of Bowie straying (hello, Floyd, Queensryche, Saga, Queen, etc etc etc.)
[/quote]

PInk Floyd, Queen, OK, Yes.

Who's Queensryche?
Saga? IS that a kind of cheese?

I recall a radio interview with Roger Daltrey when "Under a Raging Moon" was released. He said that his voice requires a certain level of humidity in order to be in top form. Made sense to me.

That aside, I still think he's brave as hell for even trying to sing like he did at 20. Stupid, but brave - kinda' like Brian Johnson.

[quote="zilboy"]I recall a radio interview with Roger Daltrey when "Under a Raging Moon" was released. He said that his voice requires a certain level of humidity in order to be in top form. Made sense to me.

[/quote]

I saw the Who here in the Vegas desert during the Endless Wire tour. Roger was absolutely unlistenable. The show was still fantastic, though.

HOWEVER, I have seen the Who a number of times in Vegas, and that was the only show where his voice was poor.

I did Bowie again this morning.
Er, well, I blogged about him:

http://dcguitarlessons.blogspot.com/200 ... light.html