Is this the best version of ashes to ashes ? ? ?

[funkgod]

I love Bowie and after buying this single with the pic cover when it came out ( still have it !)
i have always since had ashes to ashes in my top 10 best ever songs.
I think this was the turning point in his career and delving deeper into it, it has alot meaning for bowie.
some intresting views here http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/16865/

after listening to a number of versons i have this as the best,
you can see it on bowie's face he loves this ending
anyone got a better version ?
your thoughts ?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwJNMwykLf8[/media]

Edited July 24, 2013 by funkgod

[SlapbassSteve]

Lovely stingray tone that! Down a few keys from the original too so the bassline sounds a fair bit beefier

[bassmachine2112]

[u]That,s the best one for me as well[/u]
Great musicman sound and great playing all round.

[benthos]

Very nice indeed.

[merlin]

been a long time since hearing,yes totally brilliant version,thanks

[dave_bass5]

Yep, best for me as well. I really love the live Bowie stuff, he seems to choose the right musicians and the songs sound new and refreshing.
My two fav live albums of his are the Glass Spider tour and A Reality tour. Maybe not classic Bowie but they really appeal to me.

Loved what he did with Rebel Rebel on the[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] A Reality Tour as well.[/font][/size]

[gapiro]

I do love the live versions of bowie..... check this one out (i think same gig?) - lets dance
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X74vPgriDEU[/media]
The intro is just fantastic

Edited July 24, 2013 by gapiro

[cb213]

Not a massive fan of Bowie but must admit this rendition of Ashes to Ashes is superb - sounds much better transposed down.

[Lozz196]

Great rendition. Plus, Gail Ann Dorsey on guitar, so who was that on bass, was it Earl Slick, as fairly sure have seen him playing bass on Ashes to Ashes on another performance?

[JapanAxe]

That's Mark Plati on bass. My favourite Bowie [i]single[/i] (rather tha song) and a cracking version.

[molan]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1374668930' post='2151542']

Loved what he did with Rebel Rebel on the[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] A Reality Tour as well.[/font][/size]
[/quote]

My favourite of live intros - especially when the guitar comes back n

http://youtu.be/eF551z9KlA8

[BigRedX]

Well IMO it's certainly not the one in the OP. Terrible, terrible jobsworth band. Yes they are all technically great musicians, but where's the modern version of Mick Ronson? Brian Eno? Where's the danger, the unpredictability, or even some semblance of originality? It just sounds like a competent covers band with a singer who can do a decent Bowie impersonation. Little wonder that few members of this "band" actually appear on the recordings.

Me, I'll stick with the original version off the Scary Monsters album.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1374681030' post='2151791']
That's Mark Plati on bass. My favourite Bowie [i]single[/i] (rather tha song) and a cracking version.
[/quote]

So a few traded places with Gail for the slap-bass on Ashes To Ashes then. Hmmm, puzzlement, maybe she just don`t like slap-bass.

[bigjohn]

My favourite version is the one with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB8mhzv5t_o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB8mhzv5t_o[/url]

[wombatboter]

A friend of mine was visiting a studio in Paris and there was one person doing the editting of live Bowie footage..
Every second of the footage was analysed and often redone (the man had all the instruments around him and could play all of them with the same sound recreated on stage, the whole day through he was watching the songs meanwhile taking notes "5'12" : edit the image (Bowie looks old) and change it into a shot of the drums"'6'14" : guitar plays a suspended chord, change the bass", etc... The guy could do that for hours and hours while jumping from one keyboard to a guitar or a bass...)

[chardbass]

This was a great gig- I remember when it was first aired and yes, funny that bassist and guitarist switch for this number.

[jonsmith]

I remember watching it when it aired on the Beeb a few years ago. Unlike some, I think this band does bring something to the song & Bowie obviously thought so too and I'm sure that's the reason for the big smile. He seems especially impressed with the drumming at the end of Ashes to Ashes and makes a comment after it's finished (unfortunately the clip in the original post finishes before he makes it).

EDIT: at about 10:50 on this clip

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhltP1IELYg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhltP1IELYg[/url]

Edited July 29, 2013 by jonsmith

[toneknob]

[quote name='chardbass' timestamp='1375050907' post='2156253']
This was a great gig- I remember when it was first aired and yes, funny that bassist and guitarist switch for this number.
[/quote]

Explanations why Gail Ann Dorsey and guitarist Mark Plati switch instruments here

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f19/bowies-ashes-ashes-8719/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f19/bowies-ashes-ashes-8719/[/url]

and here

[url="http://www.bowiewonderworld.com/chats/dbplati0800.htm"]http://www.bowiewonderworld.com/chats/dbplati0800.htm[/url]

Conclusion appears to be "we fancied a change"

[iconic]

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1374632913' post='2151173']
Lovely stingray tone that! Down a few keys from the original too so the bassline sounds a fair bit beefier
[/quote]

If an alien popped down to Norfolk and, after he'd finished 'probing me', asked (in English!) "prey country boy, what does a Stingray bass sound like?" I'd play this, to me it is THE stingray sound, sublime....I try not to play this too often, too painful, sold mine earlier this year

...there's another live version kicking around in the same key, where Mark plays a Fender (or clone?) jazz, sounds very, very good, but the Stingray kills it.


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gk1DcFz-Uc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gk1DcFz-Uc[/url]

Edited July 30, 2013 by iconic