Bowie: A Biography - JFK247

during the New York City power failure in July of that
year, revisiting the coke paranoia that he returned to
Europe to avoid: “Get me off the street,” he pleads,
“get some protection.” Like Low’s second side, side
t w o of “Heroes” is largely instrumental. “V-2
Schneider” is a motorik-beat-driven homage to
Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider. “Sense of Doubt”
could have functioned as a Fritz Lang score, with its
minimalist descending piano riff a sort of cue for
some sweaty, bug-eyed, Peter Lorre–esque villain.
“Moss Garden” draws its inspiration from David
Lynch’s cult classic Eraserhead (a Bowie favorite,
also released that year, complete with a creepy,
urban industrial soundtrack). “Neuköln” is an homage
to the district where Bowie and Iggy rented their flats.
In keeping with the neighborhood’s bohemian bent,
the track features Bowie blowing John Coltrane–
style free-form notes on his sax. The album closes
with a vocal track, “Secret Life of Arabia,” a Middle
Eastern disco number that hints at the world funk
Bowie and Eno would pursue on 1979’s Lodger.
Bowie, who raved about those spud boys in Devo
to anyone who would listen that year and was for a
time scheduled to produce their debut Q: Are We
Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (Eno eventually did the
job), was not the only one reinspired by New Wave.
Marc Bolan looked to be making a comeback by
1977. Bolan had fallen on hard times since the
heyday of T. Rextasy by refusing stubbornly to adapt.
Visconti had changed camps and was making
monumental new music with Bowie and Eno. Bolan