Bowie In Berlin: A New Career In A New Town
by Thomas Jerome Seabrook

What in the world? A new Bowie book worth reading!

Since Seabrook was born the namesake of Bowie’s character in The Man Who Fell To Earth, it was perhaps inevitable from conception that he would grow up to write the definitive book on Bowie’s “Berlin period”. This isn’t just a what-went-where of Bowie’s mid-70s recording sessions, nor is it a long, boring muso’s note-by-note dissection of Low, “Heroes” and Lodger. What we get is the madness of David Bowie circa 1975-1979 (chopped peppers and milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner; driving an open-topped Mercedes-Benz in 100mph circles in a hotel basement; a fascination with the occult and Nazi symbolism), an in depth look at his then-relationship with Iggy Pop and, of course, everything that went into creating two-and-a-half albums of pure genius.

Seabrook’s grasp on Bowie’s music (mid-70s and elsewhere, he never fails to fill in the gaps) is spot-on, and the balance of critical analysis and storytelling is nigh on perfect. What we’re given is a picture of a group of artists making music they might well not have understood themselves, certainly under conditions they were less than familiar with. It’s no news that these albums are essential, but a book that actually does them justice in an over-subscribed market most definitely is.

ISBN 9781906002084

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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