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David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:19
by Davey the Fat Boy
The "greatest solo artist (after Dylan)" has me scratching my head. I thought a head to head matchup might be in order.

Who do you choose? And how do you justify your choice?

Finally - let's dispense with voting for the guy who you prefer because their music got you laid or some such nonsense. Choose the one you judge to be the greater artist.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:26
by Sneelock
JB. but, it must be said that "Hot" owes something to "Fame" and that's a feather in a thin, white cap.
I'm one of those guys who thinks JB was like Halley's Comet or something.
I doubt we'll see the likes of him again.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:29
by Snarfyguy
Sneelock wrote:JB. but, it must be said that "Hot" owes something to "Fame" and that's a feather in a thin, white cap.

I thought it was supposed to be the other way around; that Bowie (or Carlos Alomar or whoever) copped the Fame lick from a JB record.

I've been watching some of those JB 1968 DVDs recently. Ridiculously great!

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:34
by der nister
usual lamb to slaughter

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:36
by Sneelock
Alomar says he played "fame" on The Dick Cavett Show with Bowie in '74 & "hot" was released in '75.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:38
by The Modernist
To be honest this is the last thread I'm interested in, I don't think BCB is capable of discussing either rationally. Besides haven't we had this one before?
It might be more interesting to pair Brown against Marvin Gaye.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:39
by toomanyhatz
As much as I dislike everything Bowie's done since 1979 (just in case anyone's missed all 10,000 times that I've said so) to dismiss him from the list of greatest solo artists is absurd. His influence on the entirety of the 1970s- from end to end- is absolutely staggering. When I have more time I'm going to go to the other thread and say so.

That said, Brown's influence is not restricted to one decade, or even less so, to the western world, as Bowie's unquestionably is. Even if that weren't so, his peak started earlier and lasted longer, and as an all-around performer, he's given the world more direct, visceral excitement than the more detached appreciation even his fans have for Bowie. I certainly want to stress the importance of not underrating Bowie, but he's up against a giant here. I don't have to think about this much.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:41
by The Modernist
toomanyhatz wrote:As much as I dislike everything Bowie's done since 1979 (just in case anyone's missed all 10,000 times that I've said so) to dismiss him from the list of greatest solo artists is absurd. His influence on the entirety of the 1970s- from end to end- is absolutely staggering. When I have more time I'm going to go to the other thread and say so.

That said, Brown's influence is not restricted to one decade, or even less so, to the western world, as Bowie's unquestionably is. Even if that weren't so, his peak started earlier and lasted longer, and as an all-around performer, he's given the world more direct, visceral excitement than the more detached appreciation even his fans have for Bowie. I certainly want to stress the importance of not underrating Bowie, but he's up against a giant here. I don't have to think about this much.


Ah, you've disproved my post by discussing this rationally!
Fair points.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:42
by The Modernist
I'm going to go for Bowie because I'd say there's greater musicality and creativity there. But on a board that was weighted towards Bowie, I might very well make the argument for Brown.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:46
by Nolamike
The Modernist wrote:I'm going to go for Bowie because I'd say there's greater musicality and creativity there.


:shock:

:?

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:47
by der nister
Nolamike wrote:
The Modernist wrote:I'm going to go for Bowie because I'd say there's greater musicality and creativity there.


:shock:

:?


for British males of a certain age :lol:

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:47
by Matt Wilson
zphage wrote:
Nolamike wrote:
The Modernist wrote:I'm going to go for Bowie because I'd say there's greater musicality and creativity there.


:shock:

:?


for British males of a certain age :lol:


British females too.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:50
by The Modernist
and so the sneering starts. :roll:

I'll leave this thread to Zphage. BCB gets the posters it deserves on these things I'm afraid.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:53
by sloopjohnc
I'm tired of talking. Let's dance.


Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:53
by Matt Wilson
The Modernist wrote:and so the sneering starts. :roll:

I'll leave this thread to Zphage. BCB gets the posters it deserves on these things I'm afraid.


There's been no sneering.

And why have you absolutely nothing to say regarding Slider's comments about America on the other thread?


Your blind spots always amuse, G.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:54
by Count Machuki
Sneelock wrote:Alomar says he played "fame" on The Dick Cavett Show with Bowie in '74 & "hot" was released in '75.


Yes. JB copped that from Bowie.

Guess which I voted for?

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:55
by der nister
Bowie has lost threads against:

George Clinton

Van Morrison

Elton John

Elvis

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:57
by The Modernist
There haven't been Bowie threads against half those artists.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 19:59
by Josef Tay
I voted for Bowie. James Brown could arguably be given the award for being the most influential in the long run, but musically, he was a bit of a one-trick pony, wasn't he? I realise that when he was at the top of his game, he was phenomonal (almost as good as Otis Redding, some might say :wink:), but I honestly don't hear a lot of difference in his music, regardless of which part of his career it comes from.

Bowie was stylistically all over the shop - accusations of pilfering and recycling, be damned! - and just more interesting to my ears.

Re: David Bowie vs. James Brown

Posted: 28 Jul 2010, 20:02
by Nolamike
The Modernist wrote:and so the sneering starts. :roll:

I'll leave this thread to Zphage. BCB gets the posters it deserves on these things I'm afraid.


I'm not sneering, I just totally disagree with the statement that Bowie was more "creative" than JB, who basically created a whole new genre of music on his own, and became (and remains) one of the two or three most influential acts of the last 50 years.

Musicality, well, that's a bit of a squishy term, and seeing as how open to interpretation it can be, well, I don't know if a real argument can be made for JB or DB in this regard.