TRYNKA'S BIOGRAPHIES of Iggy Pop and Brian Jones were excellent, I thought. His book on Iggy may be definitive--I don't expect it to be surpassed in my lifetime, at least.
This one is very good but perhaps not as impressive.
One problem: it has the disadvantage of having appeared in 2011, during Bowie's extended hiatus before his re-emergence with The Next Day and the extraordinary final achievement of Blackstar. For another, the latter part of the book--covering the Tin Machine era, Outside, Heathen, Reality, the final tours--are merely workmanlike and not particularly illuminating. I wondered if Trynka had simply brushed off some of his journalism of the era.
On the early years, though, Bowie as lean and hungry chancer trying to claw his way into pop stardom, and on the career-defining breakthroughs of the 1970s, Trynka is excellent. As in the Pop and Jones books, he demonstrates a keen journalistic sense of whom to interview and how to gain their trust--e.g., key influence Lindsay Kemp, early days manager Ken Pitt, crucial sideman Carlos Alomar. And I hardly hope to get a better glimpse into the career of Tony DeFries.
As in his Pop and Jones biographies, Trynka as author maintains just the right distance. He knows exactly what makes Bowie a major figure in his field, but he does not fawn or hyperbolically praise. Nor does he indulge in the sort of scandal-sniffing or pissing on idols that makes (for instance) Albert Goldman's books on Presley and Lennon worthless.
I wonder if Trynka has a new edition in mind, now that Bowie belongs to the ages? I would certainly want to read what he has to say about the final chapter.
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