10 Rock Albums That You Were Never Supposed To Hear
9. Pin Ups - David Bowie
Cover records by nature is not the most complicated thing for artists to assemble. After all, if none of the songs that you're actually playing are your own, what's the point of actually calling it an authentic extension of yourself (unless your name is Elvis Presley or Aretha Franklin)? Though these records feel cheap coming from established artists, it's doubly weird when it's one of more adventurous artists of all time.
After years of being one of the premier voices in the world of glam rock, David Bowie was all set to begin on a new project inspired by the work of George Orwell, only to be coaxed into making Pin Ups. On its own, it's a great album from Bowie, as he inhabits some of the great rock and roll tunes of his youth...there's just no reason for it to exist though.
These kinds of albums normally come out when the artist themselves are either burnt out or struggling to come out with new material, but considering the amazing record that came afterwards with Diamond Dogs, this just feels like Bowie screwing around with his bandmates on a few covers, ranging from some decent songs to tracks that sound like pisstakes. For a man that was one of the most original artists of his time, this is the one time where it feels like Bowie was told what to do...and that should never happen.