David Bowie’s bandmates explain just how he got them to sound like that

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“He always had a vision, but he never micromanaged,” says keyboardist Mike Garson of David Bowie, whose death shocked the world earlier this week. “Whatever it took to stretch the boundaries, no matter how wild it sounded, David was game. That’s where his genius was, almost like a great casting director. In that sense he was like Miles Davis: He knew who to pick to work with, and he knew if he got out of the way and let them do their thing, he’d get the most out of them.”

Much has been written about Bowie since his death on Jan. 10 from liver cancer. Articles have focused on the undeniable impact of his music on the world, the fact that he was the first major artist to declare himself gay (a claim he later withdrew) and on the almost eerie predictions contained in his new album, Blackstar, released last Friday, on his 69th birthday. Most of all, there’s been a sense of overwhelming sadness from people of all ages and from all walks of life.

To the people who worked with Bowie, his lasting legacy is his uncompromising artistic spirit. That’s something we all witnessed from afar, but which they saw up close. His colleagues insist this quality is what sets him apart from his peers, and offers a lesson to anyone striving to reach the top of their profession.

“The lack of fear that he showed, even in his death, that’s something that went through his whole musical life,” Ken Scott tells Quartz. Scott worked with Bowie on his seminal early-1970s albums and produced his breakthrough albums The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Hunky Dory. “I think there was a certain amount of fear when we started Hunky Dory, but as things started to come together, and it was obvious it was working, that fear started to disappear. From then on, he felt more and more sure and less and less fearful. That’s why he could go from one genre to another. Most artists, if they’re successful, they stick to that plan, because they’re worried that they’ll suddenly lose their fans. But David’s attitude was always, ‘I’m going to do what I want to do and hope they come along with me, but if they don’t, they don’t.’ That’s truly unique and totally courageous, especially in music.”

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http://qz.com/595259/david-bowies-bandmates-explain-just-how-he-got-them-to-sound-like-that/

[TexasBushwhacker]

1. I didn't realize it was liver cancer

I'm surprised he lived 18 months.

[gvstn]

3. I saw earlier reports of lung cancer.

Not sure of what is official but he did smoke like a fiend.

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. Yes, he quit in 2004 though

Oman banished him to the patio when their daughter was born in 2000. He finally quit in 2004 because the cold NY winters made smoking outside several times a day miserable.

I found this article from the American Cancer Society. It says smoking is a huge risk factor for liver cancer.

http://m.cancer.org/cancer/news/study-smoking-dramatically-increases-liver-cancer-risk

[begin_within]

2. The famous piano solo

In the middle of "Aladdin Sane" was done by Mike Garson in one take. Bowie asked him to improvise in the avant-garde style he heard Garson playing. What you hear on the record is the first take. Garson has said he gets asked about that more than anything else he's done.