FUN WITH DICK & CANE

LOOSE OR LOOSING IT?

BOWIE DEBUTS NEW UNCONVENTION

David Bowie appeared on The U.S. mainstream Dick Cavett show in December 1974. He’d just finished a massive, successful global tour as Ziggy Stardust, killing him off at the end to make way for his next persona. Soul Bowie.

Now he looked utterly amazing again debuting a defining stylistic moment which freed him of ties from the past with a smart but loosened take on the future. In contrast to androgynous glam-sex deity Ziggy, the new Dave was working with those most mannish currencies: the suit, shirt and tie. For me right now, Bowies new unconventional manifestation pivots round his loosened tie. And his hips.

IN SUSPENSE

Bowie’s new conception is masculine, Immaculate, controlled but relaxed. Dave himself was a trifle uptight however. Most people had never seen David being David before, talking and the like. He’d barely done TV chat, so this was a major glimpse of the man with the world at his feet. I’ve watch his performance of the then unreleased Young Americans endlessly in the past (click), and thought it was deliberately soulful and raw, even rough vocally and all the more exciting for it. Remember crying while watching it once. Was a little brittle myself at that point, but still. Its very good.

Dave was clearly very strung out from touring, shovels full of coke and being a fragile rock god in transition. Who wouldn’t be a little twitchy? Reviews talk in term of embarrassing and being awful to watch. Fair dos, he acts and sounds double wired, a bit difficult & mental, though I don’t see it as embarrassing. What do you want from your genius rock’no’roll creative in flux? Bit awkward for Cavett, mind. Dave’s ever so polite, even when you ask for a part, DIck. (Dick-click) for whole interview.

TRICKY WITH DICKY

Granted there’s lot of cane twiddling, and Dave even gets a tug off cocky Dick about him writing in the carpet with it. ”What ya drawing?”

Fuck off Dick am really wired and I’ve just done bloody “1984” live, without bloody Lulu, in the most amazing tailoring ensemble ever seen on TV, then cleared the pool table straight from the break. Winner stays on, mate.

NOW SCREW BACK FOR THE GREEN, DAVE

VANDROSS SUGGESTS NEXT SHOT

The Freddie Burretti cocoa bolero number has pagoda shoulders, high peg pleat pants, and is teamed with white heel platform lace ups x argyle almonds. Dave also busts braces, indigo blue soft point collar shirt and fat knot loosened wide check tie. Bowie comes in to killer effect to preform“1984” (click). This is a fully blown sartorial with all the trimmings. Wicked style beyond previous ideas of tailoring, and in no way straight-going formal. He’s tampered with so many elements, not least wearing a tie and making it cool, funky* and rebellious. As caveat, note Cavett is doing then ubiquitous splayed collar tie-less silky shirt look, Ben Cobb to note.

Agreed his badminton racket head sized waist is a rather helpful attribute in pulling this this look off, (also see Ben Cobb), highlight by tucked in tie*, and gold wallet chain swinging from his pocket, Zoot style. His graduated orange, almost proto-Trumpian flick-swirl hair do later to be developed into Thin White Duke’s wedge for Man Who Fell To Earth (a film with Dave it it) and the cover of Low (an album by Dave). On mortals this look is tantamount to a hip clowns outfit, but on Bowie its sublimely angular, gawky, sexy and geeky all at once.

Back with Dick Cavett, Dave talks about his cane being a direct influence from the audience at gigs who’d started bringing them. Reports also suggest he need it for support cos he was so frail from canning it, ironically. He don’t give Dick a particularly hard time, but does spar round a fair few silly questions about his previous outrageous styling. He talks of his  Mum “she pretends I’m not hers”.

FRAME

MAKES A MAN TAKE THINGS OVER

Also shares his current interest in ‘black noise’ and the potential for making Sound Bombs with it. He’s got a Diane Arbus book he’s just keen, and one he’s done one himself on the Trans Siberian Express after spending time commuting by train across this continent. See, busy Dick, really busy.

Bowie does a plenty of manic sniffing and face pulling, while smoking fags and looking gaunt and odd, but again, so what? Watch it and decide.

LETS HIM LOOSE, HARD TO SWALLOW

Aside of the performance of Young Americans backed by singers including young Luther Vandross, this is a great look at a new fully realised sartorial funky Dave, complete with all the trimmings.

Loosen up straight goers,  heres the new white Sarf-Funk, big fat loose tie and all.

Stubbs out.