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Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) cover
Studio album by David Bowie
Released September 12, 1980
Rykodisc Reissue May 8, 1992
Recorded The Power Station, New York; Good Earth Studios, London February-April 1980
Genre Rock
New Wave
Post-punk
Length 45:08
Label RCA Records
Producer David Bowie, Tony Visconti
Professional reviews
David Bowie chronology
Lodger
(1979)		 Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
(1980)		 ChangesTwoBowie
(1981)
Back cover
Original LP rear sleeve
Original LP rear sleeve

Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) is an album by David Bowie, released in September 1980 by RCA Records. A studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Rykodisc Records is an American Record label, owned by Warner Music Group. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Avatar Studios, formerly known as the The Power Station, is a Recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The City of New York London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. Anthony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American Record producer and sometimes a Musician or Singer. allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. Robert Christgau (born April 18 1942) is an American Essayist, Music journalist, and the self-declared "Dean of American David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. Lodger is an album by British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1979 ChangesTwoBowie, released in 1981 was a David Bowie compilation album issued by RCA Records. A gramophone David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. It was Bowie's final studio album for the label and his first following the so-called 'Berlin Trilogy' of Low, "Heroes" and Lodger (1977-1979). The Berlin Trilogy is a series of David Bowie albums recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno in the 1970s Low is a 1977 album by British musician David Bowie. Widely regarded as one of his most influential releases Low was the first of the " Berlin "Heroes" (the quotation marks are part of the title for reasons of irony is an album by David Bowie, released in 1977 Lodger is an album by British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1979 Though considered significant in artistic terms, the trilogy had proved less successful commercially. [1] With Scary Monsters, however, Bowie achieved what biographer David Buckley called "the perfect balance", the music press heaping praise on the new album and public anticipation being high enough to see it debut in the UK charts at #1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located [2][3][4]

Contents

Production

According to co-producer Tony Visconti, Bowie's method on Scary Monsters was somewhat less experimental and more concerned with achieving a commercially-viable sound than had been the case with his recent releases; to that end the composer spent more time on his own developing lyrics and melodies before recording, rather than improvising music in the studio and making up words at the last minute. Anthony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American Record producer and sometimes a Musician or Singer. [2] Aside from one cover, Tom Verlaine's "Kingdom Come", all tracks would be credited to Bowie alone, unlike the 'Berlin Trilogy' where he had increasingly relied on input from his collaborators. Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, December 13 1949, in Morristown New Jersey) is a Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist

Among those collaborators, Brian Eno was no longer present on Scary Monsters but, following his absence from Lodger, Robert Fripp returned with the distinctive guitar sound he had earlier lent to "Heroes". Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (born 15 May 1948 commonly known as Brian Eno (ˈiːnoʊ is an English Musician, producer Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England) is a Guitarist, Composer and a Record Bruce Springsteen's pianist Roy Bittan was back for his first Bowie album since Station to Station (1976), while The Who's Pete Townshend guested on the bittersweet love song "Because You’re Young". Roy Bittan (born July 2 1949 in Rockaway Beach Queens, New York City) is an American Keyboardist, best known as a member Station to Station is the tenth Studio album by English musician David Bowie, released by record label RCA in 1976 The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, London) is an English rock Guitarist, Singer,

Style and themes

The public's first taste of Scary Monsters was "Ashes to Ashes", which was released as a single one month prior to the album and made #1 in the UK. " Ashes to Ashes " is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980 Built around an ear-catching guitar synth theme by Chuck Hammer, it revisited the character of Major Tom from Bowie's early hit "Space Oddity". This is about synthesizers which can be played like guitars for the portable keyboard synthesizers that are held like guitars see Keytar. Chuck Hammer is an American Guitarist and Emmy nominated digital film Composer, known for seminal guitar-synth with Lou Reed, Major Tom is a fictional Astronaut created by David Bowie. He appears in the songs " Space Oddity " and " Ashes to Ashes " and This article is about the song For the album which includes this song see Space Oddity (album. Aside from its critical and commercial success as a song, the accompanying music video set a benchmark for the art form. A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics [5]

Notwithstanding the lush textures of "Ashes to Ashes", Bowie's sound on the album was described by critics as being harsher – and his worldview more desperate – than anything he had released since Diamond Dogs (1974). Diamond Dogs is a Concept album by David Bowie, originally released by RCA in 1974 [4] This was exemplified by such tracks as "It's No Game (No. " It's No Game " is a song written by David Bowie for the 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps, featuring lead Guitar played 1)", the hard-rocking opener featuring lead female vocals in Japanese; the careering title track with its prominent percussion effects and Bowie’s mock-cockney accent; the second single "Fashion", which seemed to draw uncomfortable parallels between style and politics and which had its own highly-regarded video;[4] and "Scream Like a Baby", a tale of political imprisonment. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities " Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps " is the title track from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations " Fashion " is a track from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. " Scream Like a Baby " is a song written by David Bowie that appears on the 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps.

Aside from "Ashes to Ashes", "Teenage Wildlife" was perhaps the album’s most personal lyric. Against a musical backdrop that owed much to his classic song "Heroes", Bowie appeared to take aim squarely at his post-punk artistic godchildren, particularly Gary Numan:[2]

A broken-nosed mogul are you
One of the new wave boys
Same old thing in brand new drag
Comes sweeping into view
As ugly as a teenage millionaire
Pretending it’s a whiz-kid world

Cover

The cover of Scary Monsters featured Bowie in his "Ashes to Ashes"' Pierrot costume, rendered in a combination of Brian Duffy's photographs and Edward Bell's painting. " Heroes " is a song written by David Bowie and Brian Eno in 1977 Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s Gary Numan (born Gary Anthony James Webb on 8 March 1958 is an English singer composer and musician WatteauPierrotjpg|thumb|200px|Watteau's sad Commedia dell'arte player of Pierrot ca 1718–19 traditionally identified as "Gilles" ( Louvre)]] The original vinyl album's rear sleeve referred to four earlier albums, namely the immediately preceding 'Berlin Trilogy' and 1973's Aladdin Sane, the last-mentioned also having been designed and photographed by Duffy. A gramophone Aladdin Sane is an album by David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1973 (see 1973 in music) The cover images from Low, "Heroes", and Lodger – the last showing Bowie's torso superimposed on the figure from Aladdin Sane's inside gatefold picture – were portrayed in small frames to the left of the track listing. Their whitewashed look was reportedly designed "to symbolise the discarding of Bowie's old personae. "[6] These images were not reproduced on the Rykodisc reissue in 1992.

Singles and additional tracks

Following the release of "Ashes to Ashes" in August 1980, prior to the album, and "Fashion" in October, the title track was issued as a single in January 1981 in both vinyl record and compact cassette form. A gramophone The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a Magnetic tape sound In March that year the album's last single, "Up the Hill Backwards", was released. " Up the Hill Backwards " is a song from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. Other songs from this period, released on CD by RykoDisc, included both sides of the single "Alabama Song" b/w "Space Oddity", the latter a stark remake that debuted New Year’s Eve 1979 on The Kenny Everett Video Show and served as a "ritualistic purification"[4] of Bowie’s most famous number prior to its demolition with "Ashes to Ashes"; "Crystal Japan", B-side of "Up the Hill Backwards" in the UK and an A-side b/w "Alabama Song" in Japan, where it was also used for a Sake commercial;[4] and a new version of Aladdin Sane’s "Panic in Detroit". A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio " Alabama Song " is a single by David Bowie, a cover of a song from Bertold Brecht ’s Opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Kenny Everett (born Maurice Cole in Seaforth Lancashire; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995 was an English radio DJ and television entertainer " Crystal Japan " is an instrumental piece written by David Bowie and released as a single in Japan in 1980

Release and aftermath

RCA released Scary Monsters in September 1980 with the promo line "Often Copied, Never Equalled", seen as a direct reference to the New Wave acts Bowie had inspired over the years. [2] It was highly praised by critics, Record Mirror giving it a rating of seven stars out of five,[2] while Melody Maker called it "an eerily impressive stride into the '80s" and Billboard reported that it "should be the most accessible and commercially successful Bowie LP in years". Record Mirror was a national tabloid consumer weekly pop music newspaper founded by Isadore Green in 1953 then priced 6d (2½p in decimal currency featuring news articles interviews Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly Music Newspaper See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry [7] The album's #1 placing in the UK charts was Bowie's first since Diamond Dogs in 1974, while its U. S. peak of #12 was his highest stateside showing since Low almost four years earlier.

Despite the worldwide megastardom and commercial success that Bowie would achieve in coming years, most notably with his next studio album Let's Dance in 1983, many commentators consider Scary Monsters to be "his last great album",[8] the "benchmark" for each new release. Let's Dance is an album by David Bowie, released in 1983 It is a post-disco album with co-production by Chic 's Nile Rodgers. [2] Later efforts, such as Heathen or Reality, were often cited as "the best album since Scary Monsters. Heathen is an album by the British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 2002 Reality is an album by the British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 2003 "[9] In the latest edition of his musical biography of the singer, Strange Fascination, David Buckley suggested that "Bowie should pre-emptively sticker up his next album 'Best Since Scary Monsters' and have done with it". [10]

In 2000 Q magazine ranked Scary Monsters at #30 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. Q is a Music Magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130179 as of June 2007 In 2002 Pitchfork Media placed it #93 in its Top 100 Albums of the 1980s. Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago -based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary

Track listing

All songs written by David Bowie except where noted. David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger.

  1. "It's No Game (No. " It's No Game " is a song written by David Bowie for the 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps, featuring lead Guitar played 1)" – 4:15
  2. "Up the Hill Backwards" – 3:13
  3. "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" – 5:10
  4. "Ashes to Ashes" – 4:23
  5. "Fashion" – 4:46
  6. "Teenage Wildlife" – 6:51
  7. "Scream Like a Baby" – 3:35
  8. "Kingdom Come" (Tom Verlaine) – 3:42
  9. "Because You're Young" – 4:51
  10. "It's No Game (No. " Up the Hill Backwards " is a song from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. " Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps " is the title track from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. " Ashes to Ashes " is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980 " Fashion " is a track from David Bowie 's 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. " Teenage Wildlife " is a song written by David Bowie in 1980 for the album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. " Scream Like a Baby " is a song written by David Bowie that appears on the 1980 album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. For the Jay-Z song see Kingdom Come (Jay-Z song. For other uses see Kingdom Come. Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, December 13 1949, in Morristown New Jersey) is a Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist " Because You're Young " is a song written by David Bowie in 1980 for the album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps. 2)" – 4:22

Reissues

The album has been rereleased four times to date on CD, the first being in 1984 by RCA, the second in 1992 by Rykodisc (containing four bonus tracks), the third in 1999 by EMI (featuring 24-bit digitally-remastered sound and no bonus tracks) and the last in 2003 by EMI as a SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc). A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio Rykodisc Records is an American Record label, owned by Warner Music Group. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Super Audio CD ( SACD) is a read-only optical audio disc format that can provide higher fidelity digital audio reproduction than the Red

1992 reissue bonus tracks

  1. "Space Oddity" (single B-side, re-recorded acoustic version 1979) – 4:47
  2. "Panic in Detroit" (re-recorded version 1979, previously unreleased) – 3:00
  3. "Crystal Japan" (Japanese single A-side 1979) – 3:08
  4. "Alabama Song" (Bertold Brecht, Kurt Weill) (UK single A-side, recorded 1978) – 3:51

Personnel

Additional personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1980 UK Albums Chart 1
1980 Billboard Pop Albums 12
1980 Norway 3

Single

Year Single Chart Position
1980 "Ashes to Ashes" UK Singles Chart 1
1980 "Ashes to Ashes" Norway 3
1980 "Fashion" UK Singles Chart 5
1980 "Fashion" Billboard Pop Singles 70
1980 "Fashion" Norway 9
1981 "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" UK Singles Chart 20
1981 "Up the Hill Backwards" UK Singles Chart 32

Certifications

Organization Level Date
BPI – UK Gold September 17, 1980

Notes

  1. ^ David Buckley (1999). The UK Albums Chart is a list of Albums ranked by sales in the United Kingdom. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story: p. 302
  2. ^ a b c d e f David Buckley (1999). Ibid: pp. 363-375
  3. ^ Nicholas Pegg (2000). Nicholas Pegg is a British actor director and writer His acting work in the theatre includes productions for Nottingham Playhouse, Scottish Opera, The Complete David Bowie: p. 314
  4. ^ a b c d e Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Roy Carr is an English Music Journalist. He joined the New Musical Express (NME in the 1960s and has edited NME, Charles Shaar Murray (born 1951 is an English Music Journalist. Bowie: An Illustrated Record: pp. 108-114
  5. ^ Nicholas Pegg (2000). Op Cit: p. 29
  6. ^ Scary Monsters at BowieGoldenYears
  7. ^ Patrick Humphrey (2007). "You've Been Around", MOJO 60 Years of Bowie: p. 79
  8. ^ All Music Guide review
  9. ^ Google reviews
  10. ^ David Buckley (2005). Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story: p. 500
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