David Bowie in Darkness: A Study of 1. Outside and the Late Career

by Nicholas P. Greco

Overview

As an artist, David Bowie was widely considered a "chameleon," shedding one persona to create another and thus staying popular, relevant and compelling. In reality, Bowie was able to work with the resources around him to create something new, causing many to see him as a sort of lone artist rather than a collaborator in the creation of his own celebrity.

Mid-career, Bowie began presenting himself as a figure in darkness, progressively more hidden. He required an audience for his continued celebrity but worked against that audience in the creation—or rather the destruction—of his star image. This tension is made clear in his 1995 album 1. Outside, which has him performing for an audience while simultaneously shunning them. This book explores Bowie's negotiation of his celebrity during his later career, with particular focus on 1. Outside, an album symptomatic of deep-seated societal and personal anxiety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786494101
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	07/10/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Nicholas P. Greco is an associate professor of communications and media at Providence University College in Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Introduction 3

1 The Beginning of the End 11

2 The Descent of Anxiety 67

3 Mugging Demons for Wisdom 85

4 The Culture of Body Modification 106

5 An Analysis of I. Outside 129

6 Bowie in Video and Live Performance 164

Postscript 189

Chapter Notes 197

Bibliography 209

Index 217