David Bowie On Angie And The Fate Of The World

Roy Hollingworth's Melody Maker article begins, at the end of his story, with the return of David Bowie to London, at Charing Cross Station. It was 9.10 p.m., and female fans fought to get to Bowie - he, shielded from them, by 'brave coppers'...

'..This arrival; this sweaty, shocking, swift and severe welcome home for Bowie, back from Japan, 7,000 miles by boat and train, because...because he won't fly...Four and a half months away from England...'

Mr.Hollingworth describes travelling to Paris with photographer, Barrie Wentzell. At Paris, they visit the George V Hotel, where in the now empty 'Rouge Room', a 'Bowie reception' had been held. Brief encounters with (phone) Leee Black Childers and Cherry Vanilla occur.

In the morning, the MM duo go to Paris Nord Station, unsure of finding Bowie, who is due to take the 12.30 to Victoria. He isn't on the train, so they wait in the station, until:

'..as the sunlight split the smoke of several hundred smoking porters, there appeared in all innocence, and a neat suit of silver and purple, David Bowie. Fresh from a limousine, and with that delightful wife of his, Angie. "The most remarkable woman on Earth", says David. She might well be...'

Turns out they've missed the train, and after a brief discussion, Bowie agrees to taking the hovercraft from Boulogne to Dover. So, they take a later train to Boulogne.

Roy Hollingworth writes that , on boarding the train, Bowie began to talk about 'the fate of the world', and went on to do so for 'approximately two hours'. This is an excerpt:

'.."You see Roy," says Bowie, softly, looking straight at me, dead-eyed, a can of beer acting as the microphone, "I've gone through a lot of changes...A whole lot of changes. It's all happened on my way back from Japan. You see...I've seen life, and I think I know who's controlling this damned world.

"And after what I've seen of the state of this world, I've never been so damned scared in my life."

Are you going to write about it?

"If I did it would be my last album ever."

You mean that?

"It would have to be my last album ever."

Why?

"Because I don't think I'd be around after recording it."...

..."The (cough) changes I've seen...they have to be written about."

Then YOU write them David! (I say)

"Yes (cough), I suppose somebody must (cough). I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders."...'

There is further discussion recorded by Ray Hollingworth, pertaining to Lou Reed, and the "rock revolution", and Bowie's desire to get back home to Beckenham, to "..watch the telly".

Mr.Hollingworth, Mr.Bowie, and the others accompanying them, arrive at Boulogne, where Bowie is apprehensive about the impending hovercraft travel. He signs the 'fag packets' of 'a couple of girlies.. (who were) on a day trip to France...'

Arrived at Dover Station, Bowie:

'..talked, so nicely to girls on the platform.

"Roy, they're the salt of the earth. Those girls. They don't sit each night and compare notes of groups, criticising lyrics, asking if it's valid. They just play the record...yeh, and maybe they dance, I love them. I love them dearly."...'

On the Dover train, more discussions about the rock scene; decadence in relation to his career, and being hyped as an artist (etc.). Ziggy and Aladdin Sane, and the writing process:

"..I have story-lines for the albums, but the actual inspiration comes suddenly, and is written as it comes."

"What keeps me together, what shoulders these 'escapades' of mine is this dear wife that I have. This dear woman Angie, who knows David Bowie...ah, she knows me better than I do."

Wherever we travelled, each station, each town, there were few spare minutes when he didn't hug, kiss, and point at his lady, and say, loudly "She's the greatest."

"He gets very evil after a few beers, I mean Roy, look at his face now - he's Jean Genie, he's a little villain, but he's lovely," says Angie, looking after us all. One remarkable woman to be sure.'

THREE KEY QUOTES

Here are quotes attributed to David Bowie, when speaking about Angie Bowie, from this 1973 Melody Maker article, by Roy Hollingworth:

1) "The most remarkable woman on Earth"

2) "What keeps me together, what shoulders these 'escapades' of mine is this dear wife that I have. This dear woman Angie, who knows David Bowie...ah, she knows me better than I do"

3) "She's the greatest" 

 So, folks, next time you read comments from people who are portraying Angie Bowie as an oh! so bad person, in words that insinuate or proclaim that she never really helped David Bowie much. And, that the two of them were not really close - David Bowie never caring much for her... and so on, etcetera, etcetera, ad nauseam... 

...You might do well to think of this article by Roy Hollingworth, and the close, positive relationship between the couple that he conveys so well to the reader...

...And, wonder whether the Angie Bowie-haters, in their snipings, might not be little more than a pack of spiteful, ignorant, twisters of historical truth.