Product Description

PIN UPS served as a sort of "how to" guide to David Bowie'scareer. This all-covers album shed light on his ability to adopt personas and emulate musical genres with amazing speedand diversity. It also showed that Bowie was anticipating adifferent musical climate for the rest of the decade, signifying a change from what was admired during the 1960s.
The psychedelic overtones of Pink Floyd's "See Emily Play" andthe garage rock cynicism of the Easybeats' "Friday On My Mind" perfectly display Bowie's ear for melody and eye for pop-culture posturing. He even tips a hat to his more established influences. The Kinks' "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" sparks his interest as a memory-soaked ballad (a Ray Davies speciality), and with The Who's "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" Bowie admits to not having invented the rock 'n' roll ego.
PIN UPS served another suitable purpose for the chameleonic performer, down-playing his other-worldly image by betraying his influences. By presenting Bowie as an actual fan--and not just an image/style manipulator--the album portrayed the singer in a different light, allowing him to loosen up his approach to performing and to step outside the multiple characters he had created for himself.

Track Listing

1. Rosalyn
2. Here Comes The Night
3. I Wish You Would
4. See Emily Play
5. Everything's Alright
6. I Can't Explain
7. Friday On My Mind
8. Sorrow
9. Don't Bring Me Down
10. Shapes Of Things
11. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
12. Where Have All The Good Times Gone

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3402 in Music
• Released on: 1999-09-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Customer Reviews

A Strange Brew
In retrospect it seemed a strange career move for Bowie to bring out an album of covers after three of the greatest rock albums in the history of the genre. But the question is has it stood the test of time and the answer is a qualified yes. In 1973 when the album was released most of the songs would have been instantly recognisable but Bowie does manage to give them the Ziggy twist and that makes the album worthwhile if only for the novelty value and as a collector's item. Some pieces work better than others. There is some awful attempts to really rock but the alum is rescued by covers of Syd Barrett's "See Emily Play," "Sorrow" and The Easybeat's "Friday on My Mind."

Pinups: What Ed thinks
Pinups- the clue is in the title, these are some of the tracks that influenced Bowie when he was growing up in south London in the mid-60s. I've always liked it as an album, the sound is good going glam (the opening guitars to Rosalyn set the tone well). My favourite bit is when Rosalyn segues into Here Comes The Night, which was originally done by Van Morrisons band Them in 1965. Sorrow is an absolute classic Bowie single, still sounds fresh today and one of my favourite singles of the period. The album runs at a pace through songs by Pink Floyd, The Who, anding with a great version of The Kinks 'Where have all the good times gone?. A great little album that is probably not at the top of any Bowie fan's shopping list.

So why only 3 stars? What is not included on the EMI remaster is the track 'Amsterdam', which was the B-side to Sorrow. This track gives a link between Bowie the performer and the individual. A real omission, it was included in tours from the time, and says a lot about how deep Bowie was- not all glitter and big platformn boots, there really was a brain in there ticking away on Jacques Brel and Bertoldt Brecht. Of course, Amsterdam was included on the original Ryko CD, sp pick that up if you can find it.

A bit overpriced but a well crafted and honest homage
As much as we all decry albums of covers, 'cause they lack artistic merit, they are often very entertaining and informative. This one is no exception. It's Bowie's roots (musical, not hair) done with sincerity. The arrangements are clever glam rock - 'See Emily Play' done brilliantly with manic violin, ballsy versions of 'Rosalyn' and 'Don't Bring me Down', gutsy 'Shapes', the two Who numbers are performed with real relish and affection while Bowie's sax on 'Sorrow' may not be a virtuoso performance technically but it sounds spot on to me..
Ronno's guitar (as always at this time) is perfection and everyone sounds to be enjoying themselves. It's not pretensious in any way but good fun. An honest trip back thru Bowies influences that hits the right note with every track. Don't miss out on this great little nugget.