The Buddha of Suburbia by David Bowie (with Chris O'Leary, author of Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976-2016) episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 11, 2026 · 52 MIN

The Buddha of Suburbia by David Bowie (with Chris O'Leary, author of Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976-2016)

from Rose-Colored Headphones

David Bowie's soundtrack to a movie you probably haven't seen is an unusually sentimental affair. Sure, it didn't make the same splash as Ziggy Stardust or Low, but it is every bit as adventurous.    Here to help us unpack it is Chris O'Leary, the author of two books that trace Bowie's trajectory song by song. Chris fills us in on the story of this album's inspiration and creation and we find a lot to like in this excellent music that is often overshadowed by Bowie's more famous work.  Later, Michael dusts off his saxophone to perform a song from this album.    Check out Chris' latest project here: https://64quartets.wordpress.com/   Find us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rchpodcast.bsky.social   Or send us an email: [email protected]   Our visual art was created by Elaine Banks (@elaineprints on IG).   This podcast is recorded at a house somewhere in Michigan and produced in a state of simmering panic by Ralph and Michael, who have no choice in the matter. It's a long story not worth getting into here. 

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The Buddha of Suburbia by David Bowie (with Chris O'Leary, author of Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976-2016)

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