David Bowie, Pinups (1973)

I bought Pinups in the early 1990s; the first David Bowie album I ever owned on vinyl and one of the first albums of his I owned. I had heard albums – and owned compilations but this was quite possibly the first original album of his I owned. I didn’t even know it was a covers album – I just grabbed it. $1. The only song I knew was Sorrow – from the Best of Bowie tape that went round and round in mum’s car for a while. (When Les Mis was getting a rest). But as soon as I put it on the wheel and gave it a spin I recognised the songs – I heard that it was all covers. And some great covers too. I still like a lot of the original songs that are covered here. I still like this album of covers – I still think it stands up. And Bowie has continued to have good taste across his career with his cover selections. The only worry now of course is that he returns to the recording world, getting towards a decade on from his last effort, with a new set of cover-songs. I would not want to hear that. That would not stand up. But I still think Pinups is fresh and fun. It evokes the London of ’64-’67 that David Bowie was inspired by. It evokes the early-mid 70s when Bowie ruled the roost; was (well) on his way to super-stardom. And for me it evokes the early-mid-90s; a period where I drank in whatever Bowie music I could. And, it has to be said, drank too much at one point.

Sample Track: See Emily Play

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