David Bowie: An Illustrated Record [Paperback]

This is, however, not a bad thing. Remember that Bowie himself spawned Icehouse, Bauhaus (and therfore 'the fields of the nephilm'- a gothic embarrasment from the UK that mass cringing couldn't drive away)and a whole gamut of pass the sick, or make up, bag 'artistes'.

The photos were a revelation, in terms of size and quality, when first published and it must have been obvious to Eel-Pie (Publisher owned by Pete Townsend) that sad spotty but 'different' - i.e. couldn't score chics - schoolkids like myself were going to buy two copies at a time. One for perusing and dripping saliva on and the other for the bedroom wall. Some of us particularly sad types bought three, as some pages had 'crucial' snaps on either side.

In fairness, up until then in the UK (or at least Scotland) there were about 20 unofficial Bowie books that you could buy. All of which had little of written interest and shared the same newsprint qualiy black and whites. Face it, the photos were all that really mattered. As soon as I had parted with my pocket money, the cellophane wrapping was aibourne and my mums scissors were gummed up with cellotape as I added the latest installement to the 'installation (conversation?)piece' that was my bedroom 'collage'.

Once I had bought my third copy and actually started to read the thing (only joking, I read the second one before I cut it up) I realised that this was not going to be the same old cliche ridden sychophantic drivel that I was used to swallowing so gratefully. When you are a young teenager and your mates periodically want to beat you up 'cos you listen to a poof', it can be quite comforting having some hack confirm to you in print that 'the chamelion of rock' is actually the second coming in mascarra. Like, it says so there so it must be true!

How refreshing then, to read a book that praises and ridicules Bowie in fairly equal measure, even though it's obvious that Carr & Murray love 95% of the music they are critiquing. I didn't agree with all of their observations and conclusions, but neither I or the authors should mind about that. This was then, the first music publication that for me, made reading it feel like an adult pursuit. Just before I cut it up and used it to cover every inch of my bedroom.

Two more things, 1. If you buy a copy, you will need a bigger coffee table 2. I wish I had kept one.