David Bowie: Proto-punk?

[EightMilesHigh]

I've been thinking about this lately. I'm a major David Bowie fanboy. I think he's so cool. He's a great songwriter, great performer, all-around cool guy. Through his involvement with artists like Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, and the way he broke down so many musical genres (the whole glam thing was new, etc), I think he was definitely part of the proto-punk movement.

So I figured I'd put in a poll to see what you punX think.

[Flagjacket]

Well, I think indirectly yeah. But even without him, I still think that we'd have punk.

[Brain Toad]

He had a lot of influence on the proto-punk scene which lead to the punk scene, so in theory he is proto-punk. I don't think he really played the music though. I also like him a lot.

[Vietnow]

I voted no.

I really like David Bowie though, and the Labryinth rules

[littlebeast]

no.

[dr._feelgood]

He never really played punk music, but had influence, kinda like what The Velvet Underground did.

[xxGumbyxx]

Listen to "Rebel, Rebel" and you'll see why I voted yes.

[AIRIC]

I think he is.

Ziggy Stardust is such an awesome album.

[Rise Me Up]

I have: Reality, Diamond Dogs, Ziggy Stardust, Alladin Sane, and Space Oddity. They are all very good albums.

I voted yes.

[FunknPunk]

yes.

and the vote is 7-4 in favour of yes

[RetiredAt21]

I say, who cares?

[TheNowhereman42]

David Bowie thinks he's being stalked by a man in a giant pink bunny suit. He saw him at a number of shows, but wasn't alarmed untill he boarded a plane and the bunny was on it.

And I say yes, and I have a couple of his albums i found in my mom's big box of vinyl.

[pedro durruti]

I said no because he dresses in women's clothes

[Biscuit_box]

I voted yes, and yes I do listen to Bowie a good bit. He was one of the pillars that help build punk

[Pete]

No.

Glam is the exact opposite of punk.

Bowie is good though, been planning to do a punk cover of "Space Oddity".

[littlebeast]

No way is Bowie punk!

[Jonney Blazes V1]

^^ Of course he's npt punk. But that's not the issue were discussing. The argument is that if Iggy and the Stooges have been classed as influecing punk a hell of a lot (rightly so..) then Bowie should be credited too. And Fat pete your wrong with your comment. Bowie wasn't always glam an in fact ISN't glam. Just because he produced 2 glam albums (aladdin sane and ziggy stardust) doesn't make all his music glam. Stuff like rebel, rebel is definatly not glam. I would argue that even stuff liek starman, heroes and space oddity are not glam either. Sure theeir poppy, bouncy tunes but they are also very definitive. They have their own feel about them. Bowie influenced a lot of people to come with his ethereal voice and futuristic lyrics. I would say that he influenced some punk artists. Especially people like Billy idol. A lot of Bowie songs are relativly short with no noticable long musical solos. Something the punk movement and him have in common. 3/4 chord songs are also a similairity. Strange lyrics and vocals is also another. So I would yes he definatly inspired and infleunced the punk movement even if indirectly.

[smokersdieyounger]

He stole his look from the punk musical 'PORK' which Jayne (at the time Wayne) County starred in and was built up from Andy Warhol's recorded conversations.

Also, the Sex Pistols stole thier amps from a David Bowie gig, which David Bowie always thought was Hilarious, Ive got a few LPS, but I havnt got ziggy stardust or diamond dogs which are the ones I really want.

[username77]

I'd say Davis had a major influence on a lot of punk. Most notably the Germs. Darby was a huge Bowie fan, and it came out a lot in his songs. I know about half this forum HATES the Germs, but they did have a huge influence on a lot of later punk bands.

[white_riot]

I like Bowie alot. I guess you could consider him Proto-Punk but I don't really care what he is, all I know is that he is awesome.

[ThisUserIsAPipebomb]

What exactly is protopunk?

[asdf]

I said no because he dresses in women's clothes
New york dolls?

[Rise Me Up]

Diamond Dogs= Bowie's best easily.

[Theramed]

This whole thread was answered perfectly in the first post

[Rise Me Up]

This whole thread was answered perfectly in the first post


I think post # 17 pretty much summed it up. :thumb:

[User Name]

no.

[Phill]

/votes yes, David Bowie is a very talented man

[Flagjacket]

He stole his look from the punk musical 'PORK' which Jayne (at the time Wayne) County starred in and was built up from Andy Warhol's recorded conversations.

Also, the Sex Pistols stole thier amps from a David Bowie gig, which David Bowie always thought was Hilarious, Ive got a few LPS, but I havnt got ziggy stardust or diamond dogs which are the ones I really want.
Doesn't Steve Jones brag about stealing his Fender Twin from Bob Marley though? Maybe I could be super punk like him and steal my amps from Metallica or Led Zeppelin or something.

[AlkoholikMouse]

Dunno about stealing from Bob, but its common knowledge that Jones stole from Bowie. Pretty cool thing to do I think.

[Mr.Shankly]

He is damn good, but not Proto-Punk. He didn't have the influence on the genre that The New York Dolls or Iggy did.

[Aus Rotten]

Well, I think indirectly yeah. But even without him, I still think that we'd have punk.

12 to the 3.

[Jonney Blazes V1]

I think post # 17 pretty much summed it up. :thumb:

Thanks:thumb:

I love Bowie, I thought Heroes or Young Americans was his best albums but i like them all, even Space oddity and Alladin sane,..

You know I expressed my opionons in the terrible bands thread and people were threatning to ban me..

i don't undertsand how people can hate people like the Sex pistols Ramones and teh Clash for being well, popular, and influentail..

[littlebeast]

He is damn good, but not Proto-Punk. He didn't have the influence on the genre that The New York Dolls or Iggy did.

123:thumb:

[EightMilesHigh]

Listen to "Rebel, Rebel" and you'll see why I voted yes.

One of the things I had in my mind when I made this thread. Probably my favorite Bowie song.