till there was rock you only had god

welcome, art types

that feels like a more contextual greeting than the usual for something vibes related, look you see. or, perhaps not. but also yes, this is that thing i do where i try not to write too much of David Bowie each month. although, in this instance, it is not really music related. 

it was so that, recently, i was browsing for gift ideas for someone that i used to know (rather well). as luck, or good fortune, would have it, a random, sporadic, no i am sure they are not listening to and watch all we are doing on the internet ad turned up. since the item which presented itself (from what i recall, on one of them social media things) looked on impulse perfect, off i went to purchase. 

unexpectedly, they had items which my eyes were immediately drawn to. thus, not only did i secure or procure the intended gift, but i added some apparently much needed wall art to my place of exile. 

presented, of course in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, is an artsy interpretation of the cover for the album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, recorded of course by David Bowie. and assembled musicians. the trick being, as i have every confidence you can see in the above (yet even more confidence in the below), it is presented in the style of "stained glass". 

of the one i purchased as a gift, well, that is not mine to speak of or showcase, but it looked really excellent, and was an absolutely perfect (to my eyes) interpretation or imagining of the cover. seeing some of Bowie available drew my attention, with said attention being kept when they were offering them at half the usual price. or, if you will, at a 50% discount. 

for wall art in general, or specific, this is something i have not gotten around to in any great hurry, and am not quite so fussed, truth be spoken. one or two friends, contemporaries even, have encouraged me to do so, based on the aesthetic and psychological peace of mind (or joy) such brings. well, with these, as there are two to showcase, i would imagine it could be said i have made a start. 

and there you go, in the above image, it (the album cover in stained glass), presented in not a Commodore 64 mode. with it at kind of an angle to avoid reflections and what have you, and to also try to counter the the fact that it is (ahem) "temporarily" housed in a £1 12" x 12" frame bought for simple reasons of why not off of Poundland, several years ago. 

whereas, to keep it a little briefer with the abridged title, Ziggy Stardust is not quite my favourite album, and if i were forced to pick probably Station To Station or The Buddha Of Suburbia, it is easily one of Bowie's most iconic, if not the most iconic. also, on my first glance at the website, it struck me as immediately being really, really cool in this stained glass format. ever since it arrived, and i got around to placing it in the (ahem) will do for now frame, all it has done is grown on me as looking all the more impressive. i purchased, i believe, wisely. 

yet no, i did not immediately click "buy". the people what are doing these ones, and many others (and they are called We Are Glass, which explains a lot of Gary Numan designs) were evidently very keen for me to have some Bowie wall art up. this was showcased by the fact that, at the time i visited them, they were presenting all customers (patrons, maybe) with a free Blackstar stained glass design with each Bowie one purchased. so, buy, i did, to be sure. 

quite so, yes, i have kind of got "bookends" here. whereas Ziggy (to shorten further) was far removed from being his debut, there is little point debating the fact that it was the album which elevated Bowie to superstar status, the one which showcased him as one of the world's most gifted and important musical beings. it is so that Blackstar marked his exit from the stage, in a way the world had seldom seen before and is unlikely to ever see again. or, yes, hear. 

in regards of the title of this post, yes, well spotted if you noted it was a quote from the relatively obscure and partially rare Sweet Head, a song recorded but not released for Ziggy until one of the fancy CD re-issues, 1990 or 1991. and i don't think it has featured on a release since. brilliant song, and no real answer has ever been given (or sought) as to why it was discarded. probably as it is fairly obvious, since it is a little bit too overtly sexual and slightly blasphemous (or sacrilegious) in an era when doing so could get you, in theory, into a fair bit of trouble. also, thematically, what this one song says in relevance to the "concept" is pretty much covered by Hang Onto Yourself and Star. 

care to see the Blackstar stained glass thing in non-Commodore 64 mode? go on then. 

erm, quite. yes, they would appear to have decided it should be Greystar, or indeed Graystar, if that is your preference on spelling. i like the simplicity of the design, and of course the iconic depth to this album cover, but no, if on sale i would not have purchased due to the colour issue. still, does look rather good on the wall, even in a sh!t cheap frame, that may get replaced eventually. 

plans to further beautify the walls of my lodgings in my place of exile? not especially, in truth. this was all far from a planned such gesture, let us not forget. of course teenage me would be distressed to learn older, if not grown up, me has a place of my own and has not put really, really smart posters everywhere, but things change as the planet revolves again and again and again. 

some consideration shall be given, mind. the ones i have do look rather splendid. at least, to me. it is only moi who must be pleased by such things, and similar i need only please myself. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!