Episode 119: Bowie’s Blackstar 10 Years Later

On January 8th, 2016, David Bowie celebrated his 69th birthday with the release of his 26th and final studio album, Blackstar. Two days later, Bowie was gone after succumbing to liver cancer. Now, a decade after its haunting release, host Ted Asregadoo revisits Bowie’s final masterpiece. Was it a "pretentious" swan song or a stroke of avant-garde genius? From its "dark jazz" undertones to the incredible musicianship of the Donny McCaslin Quartet, we break down why this record remains a monumental final statement in a career defined by constant reinvention. Joining the conversation is long-time friend of the pod and veteran radio broadcaster Michael McGauley (KCBS/KNX). Michael shares why Blackstar has climbed the ranks to become his favorite Bowie record and recounts his first experiences with the Thin White Duke’s legendary catalog. In This Episode, We Discuss: Track-by-Track Breakdown: We dive into the "guts" of the record, from the experimental merging of parts in the title track to the "Cure-esque" tones of Lazarus. The Power of the Band: A look at how drummer Mark Guiliana and the Donny McCaslin Quartet blew away even seasoned producers like Tony Visconti. The Death of Rock? We pivot to Billy Corgan’s recent "paranoid" claims about the decline of rock music. Is it a conspiracy, or has the genre run its course -- which is why Bowie kept pushing into new music territory. The Emotional Weight of Musical Icons: Ted reflects on a 2016 blog post written after the deaths of Bowie and Prince. He explores why we grieve for artists we never met—not just for the loss of the person, but for the loss of the "touchstones" to our own youth and the era of "immortality" we felt in our teens. Read the full post here. Special Thanks to our Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Steve Fox’s Old School. It’s a "party in a box" featuring the best of Classic Soul, Disco, Hip-Hop, and 90s R&B. Listen now at SteveFoxOldSchool.com.