db Biographies

Have anyone read a good Bowie biography?

I’ve only read Loving the Alien by Christopher Sandford, a book I found very informing and interesting, although perhaps a bit dry at times. Have anyone read other biographies?



Alternatively, are there other non-Bowie (auto-)biographies that contain interesting information to a Bowie-fan? Keith Richards’ “Life” perhaps?

Here my only contribution is Slash by Anthony Bozza, which, as far as I can remember mentions Bowie three times:
- Slash’s mother, Ola Hudson, was Bowie’s costume designer (on Young Americans, Station to Station, and The Man Who Fell to Earth), and the two also had an affair for a while. Slash and Duncan Jones used to have play-dates while their parents worked.
- Once when Bowie (and Ola) came to see Guns n’ Roses play, Axl Rose abused Bowie from the stage because he had got it in his head that Bowie had stolen his then girl friend Erin Everly.
- When Slash began loosing touch with reality due to his drug addiction, Ola made him call Bowie up and ask for advice to kick his habit.

I actually haven't read any David Bowie biographys, but I'm on the waiting list at my library for 2 of them. So the ones I'm going to read I've heard they are the best ones (especially considering the librarian there is a hardcore DB fan who is like 50 and she is the one who gave me the advice). Anyways those books are "The complete David Bowie" ( I don't remember who this one is by) and "Bowie: a biography" by Marc Spitz. There is actually a web site for that last one, It is www.davidbowiebook.com

Please do tell how you find the books when you eventually get to read them

Most definitely :3

I read some of his biography and i think that my favourite is "strange fascination" by David Buckley, is pretty good
i found it on amazon, i read it in english, 'cause i couldnt find it in italian, but i have no idea about the other languages, i'm sorry

Macarawni, did you ever get to read any of those biographies?

Ladymoondust, I have put Strange Fascination on my wish list. It seems it gets both very strong and quite poor reviews, but this is usual with everything db. I mean, some of the reviewers out there are pretty damn lame!


I'm currently reading the Mick Ronson biography, The Spider with the Platinum Hair, by Weird and Guilly (no kidding!). It isn't the best of bios technically (the actual writing could be better and more inspiring), but it is very nice to read about the life and work of Mick Ronson. It seems he was such a swell guy, a very nice person

@angelman yup the read the biography "Bowie by Mark Spitz" i would say that it was pretty good, considering the length of the book it can get a little dry at some parts. Whats cool is that the auther is a huge bowie fan himself, but this means that he tends to rant about his favorite parts ocasionaly. But overall Mr. Bowie is a VERY interesting person and had the most intreaging life. Its a MUST-READ.

sorry i hadnt reviewed it earlier! i got so caught up in my life that i forgot this forum existed... : ( sorry!

No problem, macarawni

I'll be sure to pick up that book some time, it sounds nice!

The Mick Ronson biograpy I'm currently reading is quite good, and it is interesting to see another perspective to db, a book that contains much db information, but where the focus isn't on him. Interesting stuff

And Mick Ronsons was the nicest fellow ever! Wish I could have met him...

Recently, I was reading over this one Bowie biography I found in Borders focusing on his life and music before and during the Berlin Trilogy era. I learned a lot. I forgot the name though. I didn't buy it though as I didn't have the money haha.

I read the Mark Spitz one it was good. The cool part was that at the end of some chapters he would talk about the different stuff he did as a fan like when he met Bowie and some different stuff pretty cool I think

ZiggyBowieFan01 wrote:

I read the Mark Spitz one it was good. The cool part was that at the end of some chapters he would talk about the different stuff he did as a fan like when he met Bowie and some different stuff pretty cool I think

Oh I was reading through that one on Borders (R.I.P.) the other day.

I read Angela Bowie's "Backstage Passes" (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Backstage-Passes-Life-David-Bowie/dp/0815410018/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312218025&sr=1-1) and Dave Thompson's "Hallo Spaceboy: The Rebirth of David Bowie" (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hallo-Spaceboy-Rebirth-David-Bowie/dp/1550227335/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312217919&sr=1-1) during my vacation in England.

The first book is Angie's tale about her life with her ex-husband, and despite the often gruling reviews this book gets, it was rather good actually. It isn't actually a book about db, but more Angie's autobiography (entire chapters go by without db making an appearance), although she does offer a unique insight into the Bowie she knew back in the 70s. I found her vulgarness and sometimes self-absorbeness to be a bit annoying at times, but this book is well worth reading.

The second book is about db's career from 1987 to 2006, and is a very good biography of a period that is mostly glossed over by other biographies. I liked this one very much, especially since it complements other db biographies so well. If you're at all interested in Bowie's 90s-early 2000s, THEN READ THIS BOOK!