I read this story and it led me to a thought:
Drawing inspiration from both dance-pop kingpins like Madonna and Michael Jackson and glam practitioners like Queen and David Bowie, the fabulously flamboyant Lady GaGa — checking into Elements nightclub in Kitchener Thursday for a sold-out show — is tied with Katy Perry (I Kissed A Girl) as pop’s pre-eminent It Girl.
“I consider what I do to be more of an Andy Warhol concept: pop performance art, multimedia, fashion, technology, video, film,” the 23-year-old New Yorker, whose hit single Just Dance was nominated as best dance recording at this year’s Grammy awards, notes on the Universal Music Group web site.
OK, let’s get insightful here, shall we?
Lady Gaga for starters, maybe borrowed from Bowie’s Lady Stardust
Her hit, Just Dance
Then, there’s the matter of style:
A space cadet ala Ziggy Stardust
So yeah, I see the Lady Gaga / David Bowie connection. There’s probably more, I just didn’t feel like digging any deeper.
I’ve been a fan of David Bowie much longer than I have ever heard Lady Gaga’s music. I thought I would like her stuff since I also like a lot of the musicians she “draws inspiration” from. However, though I do enjoy listening to her music, hearing songs such as ‘The Fame’ just makes me sick when I think about how eerily similar it is to not only Bowie’s song ‘Fame’, but a few others. Luckily, like your post, most people can see through her as a conceited rip-off.
You’re more generous than I am. I really didn’t enjoy her stuff at all. She even had the benefit of the doubt buttering me up with all the Bowie stuff. However, what made Bowie fun was very creative music and even more creative lyrics that illustrated his enjoyment of language itself. Needless to say, GaGa doesn’t go that route.
David Bowie has many followers and it absolutely makes me sick that someone so untalented like Lady Gaga is trying to rip him off. Bowie wins this battle!
woe she’s a thief!
sorry, I just think other artists’work should be respected and of course could be used as reference as long as its aura remains untouched – that’s what andy warhol did, that”s what a genuine artist does – and Bowie is a true genius…I just hope the youngest generation does not give her all the credit.
Although she definitely alludes to Bowie in many overt ways, she’s not re-doing his stuff or making any real effort to sound like him. So, I don’t really think she’s stealing anything. If kids see her, and see Ziggy Stardust, they’ll know there’s a difference.
Lady Gaga…The Aeon of Maat. Maat’s got to love No-Body(0). Poker Face, Mask of Pan(0)? Aces (1). A hot pair we will be -1 + +1 = 0; 2 = 0. Zero and One; Binary; Assembly Language…hmmmmmmmmm 93
Tonight, the Zeroes were singing for you……
Aladdin Sane, Lady Gaga – how much more obvious a rip-off could she get? She even does the lightning bolt. Breach of copyright?? Not sure if the younger ones will see this (I did have to spell out A-Lad-Insane, Lady Gaga to my kids)…Bowie was the original – even Madonna and Kylie have copied his stye, though they at least made the chameleon their own; Lady Gaga just copies. Disgraceful! anyway, I doubt we will see the depth of talent or variety of style from LG that we’ve seen from David Bowie. Not sure that anyone else comes near him for that.
I have no doubt the depth is not there. The classical influences that pushed musicians to create complete works of music were forgotten a generation ago. Until kids return to what made musicians famous for hundreds of years, they’ll continue to be forgotten immediately after their last airplay.
Lady Gaga is da bomb. Poker Face and Starstruck are so cool to listen.
I REALLY liked your post and blog! It took me a diminutive bit to locate your site…but I book marked it. Would you mind if I still a link back to your site?
Glad you like it! Have at it.