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| Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | David Bowie |
| Released | 12 September 1980 |
| Recorded | February–April 1980 |
| Studio | Power Station, New York; RCA, New York |
| Length | 38:29 |
| Label | RCA Records |
| Producer | David Bowie, Tony Visconti |
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) is the fourteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1980 through RCA Records. The record followed Bowie's experimental Berlin Trilogy collaborations with Brian Eno and marked a stylistic return toward art rock and new wave, incorporating elements of post-punk and electronic music. The album was produced with long-time collaborator Tony Visconti and featured guitarist Robert Fripp, drummer Dennis Davis, bassist George Murray and keyboardist Roy Bittan, bridging Bowie's work with contemporaries across the New York City and London music scenes. It includes the hit single "Ashes to Ashes", which revisited the persona of Major Tom from Bowie's earlier song "Space Oddity" and consolidated Bowie's reputation with critics and peers such as Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, John Lennon, Mick Ronson, and Brian Eno.
Recording sessions took place at the Power Station and RCA Studios in New York City between February and April 1980, after Bowie completed soundtrack work for The Elephant Man and toured with the Isolar II Tour. Bowie reunited with producer Tony Visconti, who had worked with him on albums including Low, "Heroes", and Lodger. Guitarist Robert Fripp, noted for his work with King Crimson, contributed innovative lead lines and Fripp's collaboration recalled prior intersections with artists like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, and Peter Hammill. Sessions also involved keyboardists associated with E Street Band and Bruce Springsteen, and engineers who had credits with Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, and T. Rex; these personnel brought influences traced to Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, and The Beatles. The production combined new wave clarity with avant-garde textures reminiscent of works by Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, Kraftwerk, and The Clash, while drawing on Bowie's prior collaborations with Mick Ronson and associations with Marc Bolan and Nico.
Musically, the album spans art rock, synth-pop, and post-punk with arrangements that evoke John Lennon-era experimentation and the electronic minimalism of Kraftwerk. Tracks employ Fripp's guitar techniques alongside Visconti's string arrangements, which recall orchestral touches used by George Martin and production styles linked to Phil Spector and Tony Visconti's earlier work for T. Rex and Iggy Pop. Lyrically, Bowie revisits characters and motifs from Space Oddity and the Ziggy Stardust era while engaging with cinematic imagery akin to David Lynch and theatrical personas associated with Queen (band), The Rolling Stones, and Patti Smith. Themes of alienation, fame, and identity connect to cultural touchstones like Andy Warhol, Berlin's art scene, and literary influences including William Burroughs and George Orwell. "Ashes to Ashes" references Major Tom, while other songs recall narratives familiar to listeners of Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
RCA released the album in September 1980, backed by singles and music videos that benefited from Bowie's established connections to filmmakers and visual artists such as Nicolas Roeg, Julian Temple, Anton Corbijn, and Ken Russell. The promotional campaign included television appearances on programmes linked to BBC Television, Top of the Pops, and U.S. outlets like Saturday Night Live, leveraging press coverage in publications including NME, Rolling Stone, Melody Maker, and Billboard. Bowie staged the subsequent Serious Moonlight Tour-era promotional performances with musicians from his studio roster, and the album's artwork drew on collaborations with designers who had previously worked with Island Records, Virgin Records, and EMI affiliates. The single "Ashes to Ashes" had a high-budget video that circulated on music programmes and presaged later music video promotion strategies used by Michael Jackson and Madonna.
Upon release, critics from outlets such as Rolling Stone, NME, Melody Maker, The New York Times, and The Guardian praised the album's songwriting and production, with comparisons to Low and "Heroes". Reviewers highlighted Bowie's ability to synthesize influences from Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Roxy Music while anticipating trends later embraced by artists like Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, U2, The Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The record is widely cited in retrospectives by institutions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, music historians connected to AllMusic and Pitchfork, and authors who wrote biographies of Bowie including works by Nicholas Pegg, David Buckley, and Marc Spitz. Its influence extends to musicians across genres—punk, goth, electronic and alternative—impacting careers of performers like Thom Yorke, Trent Reznor, St. Vincent, PJ Harvey, and James Murphy.
The album reached the top of the album charts in the United Kingdom and charted highly in markets including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan. Singles such as "Ashes to Ashes" became international hits, charting in publications tracked by Billboard, Official Charts Company, and ARIA Charts. Sales propelled Bowie back into mainstream visibility, contributing to later commercial successes like Let's Dance and tours that visited venues associated with Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, and festival bills curated by promoters like Live Nation and AEG Presents.
Personnel included David Bowie (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Robert Fripp (lead guitar), Tony Visconti (producer, arrangements), Dennis Davis (drums), George Murray (bass), Roy Bittan (keyboards), and guest contributors from scenes around New York City and London. Engineering and mixing credits involved technicians who had worked with Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. The collaborative production approach echoed practices used by producers such as Brian Eno, George Martin, Phil Spector, and Trevor Horn while aligning with labels' A&R strategies at RCA Records and partners like EMI.
Bowie performed material from the album during subsequent tours and television spots, often reinterpreting arrangements on stage with musicians involved in projects tied to Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, and members of the E Street Band. "Ashes to Ashes" and other tracks have been covered by artists including Philip Glass, Nine Inch Nails, Placebo, Moby, Anohni, Patti Smith, Beck, and St. Vincent, and have appeared on tribute compilations curated by labels and events linked to Glastonbury Festival, Coachella, and benefit concerts organized by War Child and other cultural institutions. The songs continue to be featured in film soundtracks and series produced by directors and producers associated with David Lynch, Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese, and Christopher Nolan.
Category:David Bowie albums