Hunky Dory: David Bowie In Transition

David Bowie was one of the most talented and eclectic musicians ever to perform onstage stage, or grace a recording studio. His chamelionic qualities and innate gifts as a songwriter allowed him to create music in a variety of styles, and to inhabit several characters including the iconic Ziggy Stardust. Just before he introduced the world to his Ziggy persona, he recorded his fourth album, Hunky Dory, in 1971. The record includes such now-classic tracks as "Changes"and "Life On Mars?" At the time, Bowie had not yet achieved superstar status. While his previous releases had garnered some critical acclaim, the albums had not sold well, and he was essentially best known for his hit single, "Space Oddity." For the Hunky Dory sessions, Bowie gathered a stellar group of musicians,  including Mick Ronson, Woody Woodmansey and Rick Wakeman. The album would act as a transitional record and a turning point for Bowie. Hunky Dory would kick off one of the most fruitful and creative periods in Bowie's long and successful recording history, and helped cement his status as a rock legend.

Ken Sharp has recently re- released his excellent book Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie's Hunky Dory. It's a comprehensive oral history covering the sessions for the landmark album. The book features interviews with producer Ken Scott, Mick Ronson, Rick Wakeman, Woody Woodmansey and the Thin White Duke himself. Hunky Dory is the record where you start to see the “modern” Bowie begin, leading to future classics such as The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups. This is the period where Bowie really began his series of personal and professional metamorphoses. Sharp's detailed coverage of the album's production gives you real insight into Bowie's creative process, and the ways in which he involved the band in the recording of the songs.

This compelling look at Hunky Dory features some marvelous and entertaining inside stories about the making of this now classic record. If you’re a Bowie fanatic, the book is a must read. Even if you're a casual fan, you’ll find this marvelous work endlessly fascinating. The in-depth portraits of the album sessions, as well as Bowie and his band members is lovingly crafted by author Sharp, whose passion for his subject matter is clearly evident in this perceptive, exhaustively researched, well-written work.

Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie's Hunky Dory can be purchased wherever ebooks are sold, and you can get more information about Ken's many other fine books about artists such as Cheap Trick, Elvis Presley, KISS and The Raspberries by heading over to www.kensharp.com. While you're at it, you can also check out some of his fantastic power pop music at www.bandcamp.com as well. As both an artist and a writer, Ken's work is indispensable and highly recommended.