The Never Ending Interview: Bowie's humble beginning.

Yann: John, I've listened carefully the Deram Anthology of Bowie because of wha you've said about "London Boys" as a Mod Anthem, and... it's great, don't you think? Some lyrics are amazing... Maid of bond street... He was really in a "kinks" way of writing, eh? I'm very surprised... What you think?

John Hellier: I love that very first David Bowie album from 1966, that’s the one that London Boys came from. It’s never been highly rated in the UK. When Space Oddity and, later on, Ziggy Stardust made him into a superstar the first Deram album was re-released (many times) and always got slaughtered in the music press. May have something to do with the Laughing Gnome! That was pure comedy and that will always be Bowie’s Yellow Submarine, I suppose. One of his biggest influences in those days was a guy called Anthony Newley and his presence is strongly felt on that debut album. I love it though and it features marvellous, whimsical English lyrics and if Ray Davies had wrote those songs in 1966 everybody would have raved about them. Did you know that David Bowie, as a solo artist, was support act to Humble Pie on their first ever UK tour in 1969? I also remember him doing Sunday afternoon sessions at the Marquee club in London’s Soho. He’d play from 3.oclock to 6.oclock and sometimes there would be as many as 10 people in there, most of Australian tourists! Anyway, from humble beginnings eh…

NB: The laughing gnome 45 RPM has a logo you've ever seen elsewhere! :)