Time Of Your Life: Mike Dirnt’s Favourite Albums

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

2. David BowieThe Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

This came out in 1972, the year I was born. It’s a perfect album. Most of these songs were done in one or two takes. Are you kidding me? When I hear that I think, one, they’re some of the most talented fucking rock musicians in the world. And two, how much cocaine were they doing to be that focused? The storytelling of it was what I really loved, and the fact that no stone was unturned when it came to finding all the countermelodies and the little sub-harmonics, and Trevor Bolder’s bass-playing melodies everywhere. In the songwriting, Bowie was so intelligent with his chord choices. He would come in the side door. The only song I ever learned to play on piano, because I was just obsessed by it, was ‘Lady Stardust’. Beautiful.  

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