Hunky Dory - David Bowie

Hunky Dory was the 1971 release by David Bowie, the predecessor of the 'Ziggy Stardust' era. Peaking at number 3 in the UK album chart, it is the epitome of Bowie's early style, with songs such as Oh! You Pretty Things and (of course) Changes really standing out amongst the melee. It is one of Bowie's most popular albums, and is more easy-rock than the hard-rock of its predecessor, 'Man Who Sold The World. **Introduction** After reviewing The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars, I could hardly wait to review my favourite Bowie album of them all, Hunky Dory. Released almost 40 years ago, it is one of the classic albums of the 70s, ...

The airbrushed cover shot of David Bowie on the cover of his Hunky Dory album in 1971 was clearly aimed at playing up to the impending "Is he gay?" controversy which Bowie himself used so archfully to further his career as a God of Glam Rock in the first years of the new decade. He stares wistfully out into some hazy half-distance like a mix between Greta Garbo and Lauren Bacall, smoothing his shoulder length hair away from his boy-girl beautiful face, tastefully created and craftily posed. It was clear that Bowie was committed to his future world domination and would do literally anything to ensure he made it to the top. It would be building too much ...

The first time I came across Hunky Dory, I was 16 years old. The guy I fancied in the sixth form had rated it as one of his all time favourite albums. Little impressionable me, like your typical teenager girl,wanted to copy the hormone stirrer two years above me. Also, little impressionable me was something of a huge music fan. Having spent most of my early teens listening to The Beatles, it was inevitable that I?d check out other musical legends. By that point, Dylan had came and has since gone. Donovan hung healthily in there. The Stones were sinking their drug addled bluesiness into my psyche. Now it was Bowies turn. I had heard his music before, but had never really ...