Bowie & Mick teamed up and going with current trend tried to be heavy. Lyrically Bowie succeeded, but musically it meant Visconti turned up the bass whenever he could. Mick did his best (imitating Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page & Hendrix) but he was on a steep learning curve and he hadn't really developed the style that he is remembered for. Vocally Bowie struggled at times, musically this album is a classic (see tabs) with some wonderful chord progressions and fills. The music was ready well before the lyrics and Visconti and Mick had to put the pressure on to get them at all. All the things Bowie had been dabbling in surfaced and got a mention. (see Lyrics)

Album Tracks

Width of a Circle   Tab

A simple mellow intro that belies what is to come. Mick riffs away in E and A and Bowie lays down some of his heaviest lyric yet while strumming away on his 12 string acoustic. Ambiguous sexuality, the devil, temptation, leather belts intertwined with the music make this a powerful statement of the life Bowie is leading and what is to come. Note the way the music builds to a climax followed by a gentle acoustic interlude before diving in again with simple D C G riff and Mick's frantic solo leading into the final gentle fade.

All The Madmen    Tab

About his brother Terry, who was resident in mental asylum, "Cane Hill". Bowie, always worried about his sanity saw all the sane ones as being in the asylum. Musically, a blend of acoustic and electric with a clever riff woven around the chord changes.

Black Country Rock    Tab

Recorded as a B side to Holy Holy this is often seen just as another Marc Bolan impersonation. Lyrically it's deeper than Bolan and far more musically with the riff again woven around the chord changes. Black Country Rock could refer to his musical influences at the time: Blues, Folk, Rock music.

After All    Tab

Acoustic 12 string with a some lovely chord changes (Note the Am, Am/G change that he also uses in Space Oddity & Starman). Mick plays a nice 4 note fill towards the end. Lyrically one of the best on the album.

Running Gun Blues   Tab

The intro is acoustic and probably the closest to anything on Space Oddity. After that Mick comes in and again a great chord progression in the chorus. Vocally Bowie tries to sound like the madman this song is about. An ex-Vietnam veteran who went berserk with his rifle and shot a lot of people

Saviour Machine    Tab

The omnipotent computer (ala Isaac Asimov's Multivac) that rules the world but this one gets bored. Again lots of interesting chord changes and a 12/8 tempo.

She Shook Me Cold    Tab

Mick performs well despite Visconti turning the bass up to intolerable levels. (Was Visconti trying to match the lyrics with his frantic throttling of the bass?). Get rid of the over the top mix and this is actually not a bad song with great chord changes again that get pretty close to being heavy.

The Man Who Sold The World   Tab coming soon

A classic 3 note riff that winds in and out of major and minor keys creating a beautiful feel. The first off this album to be included in "Best of" collections. Brought back into the public's attention by Kurt Coblain's unplugged performance. Lyrically a track that summed up Bowie's (& Kurt's) preoccupation with despair/isolation/mental illness. The first 3 lines deny his existence, madness or death? (See Lyrics). Bowie waited until the last minute to announce that this would be the title track.

The Supermen   Tab coming soon

Superbeings (gods) who are bored with immortality and looking for a way out. A heavy G/F riff, purportedly given to Mick by Jimmy Page, rocks along with Bowie's frail/frantic voice madly crying out for extinction. Again some great chord changes that go well beyond what most heavy metals band use.