David Bowie invited confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, Bowie renamed himself after the 19th-century American pioneer James Bowie and the knife he had popularised. His April 1967 solo single, "The Laughing Gnome", using speeded-up thus high-pitched vocals, failed to chart. Released six weeks later, his album debut, "David Bowie", an amalgam of pop, psychedelia, and music hall, met the same fate. It was his last release for two years. Bowie met dancer Lindsay Kemp in 1967 and enrolled in his dance class at the London Dance Centre. He commented in 1972 that meeting Kemp was when his interest in image
Rare (David Bowie album) Rare (David Bowie album) Rare (often known as Bowie Rare) was a compilation released by RCA Records to cash in on David Bowie for the 1982 Christmas market. The artist's relations with the company were at a low – Bowie had recorded his last music for RCA with the "Baal EP", and had been annoyed by the release of a five-year-old duet with Bing Crosby ("Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy") as a single without his consultation. Bowie let it be known he was unhappy with the "Rare" package, and would sign with EMI for his next album. All of the