Really interesting discussion, you tend to forget how it was back in the day, I was a naive 10yo in 83. Bowie is intelligent, articulate and opinionated with conviction...but not rude or aggressive. Great interview.
One of the most interesting parts of the interview is the end when Bowie pauses and says "I understand your point of view" and Goodman has absolutely no idea that Bowie just WRECKED him. That smile, that laugh, was a "gotcha". He pegged Goodman as a racist moron. He calmly talked Goodman into admitting that "white kids making black music" was acceptable but black kids making black music was "difficult", and Goodman didn't even realize the racism of his words.
David Bowie - a National Treasure from my home town - always exhibited an eloquence which was unexpected from a rock star and which took people, particularly journalists with an agenda by surprise. Incredibly perceptive, he wasn't afraid to challenge them which often resulted in the flustered response you see here. 😆🇬🇧
Prince is from mid west😂. Only Bowie voiced out in style n classy for Black musicians . He used black musicians in his works in mid 70s blended in every talents regardless of colors 😊 .
There were very few music-videos in general in the early 1980s, especially in America. Black music acts were signed to labels which all had less money to promote music with things like music videos. Making music videos was very expensive back then. The reality is, there just weren't that many black music acts' videos to show in the early days of MTV. But I can attest that MTV showed Michael Jackson and Prince videos round the clock in 1983, when this video happened. Tina Turner as well. Early MTV also showed Rap videos by Kurtis Blow, RUN DMC, the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash. I know, I was there. I guarantee that, as an American teenager, I watched a hell of a lot more MTV in 1983 than David Bowie did!
This was definitely what we at MTV called b-roll. I think someone dug it out of the library and put it out there. I’ll bet $$$ Mark wishes it wasn’t floating around. 🤦♀️
This was at the height of his mainstream success and he used his position to call out injustice and directly confront people about it. Something that is almost entirely lacking from the most successful musical artists today.
Bowie was spot on. Mark was talking as though they couldn't cater to more than just white kids in Wisconsin. I would hope he looks back on that and cringes. It was very much upholding the status quo because they thought it made them more money. I'm glad Bowie pushed back.
Mark Goodman should’ve known better than state the thing about white artists were just STARTING to implement “black sound “on “white music “ into mainstream radio, tv, etc… When in reality white artists have been taking from black artists since the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll, even before. We wouldn’t have rock music without black artists in blues, boogie woogie, and even gospel influences. Bowie’s face said it all! He knew when to call out b.s. and make a point like a gentleman.
Absolutely LOVE what David Bowie (RIP) did here! More than one reason he's known as The Chameleon - wasn't just for his ever changing personas, but for the varying genre music he created! 1983? Let's Dance was out, featuring such prolific funk talents as Nile Rodgers, and blues virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughn (also RIP). You'd almost say Bowie was colour blind when it came to musical talent! I just get a laugh that he wasn't putting up with the sh!t Goodman was shoveling. The whole concept of 'playing to the crowd' was B.S. given you had variety shows like Midnight Special, Soul Train (of which Bowie was one of the first white artists to perform on) present as various type of music as existed! Over time, we needed champions like Bowie, The Beatles, Stones, Sinatra, Dean Martin that would stand up to the segregated attitudes in the States. They had (and used) their power to inflict & influence change! And rightfully so. Good music is complete colourblind! Cheers!
Bowie was so smart. I assume he was sober at the time, but it's worth remembering that just a few years earlier he had been suffering from cocaine-induced psychosis. Regarding black music--ie, soul, blues, funk, etc--i don't think that MTV's decision was totally down to racism alone. There's a lot of radio stations today that focus on rap music which wouldn't dream of playing Johnny Cash. Is anyone deluded enough to think that that is because the rap radio stations are racist? Or can we just admit that Johnny Cash doesn't appeal to the demographic that rap stations are targeting? I think at least to some extent, the same applies to MTV in 1983. They focused on a lot of new wave, post-punk and British stuff. They were more likely to play Devo than the latest Bob Dylan, not because they were anti-semitic but because someone like Dylan or James Brown didn't produce the genre of music that they were promoting. Another example, i don't have statistics to verify this, but as someone who was an apt MTV listener, i think Joan Jett would have gotten a much heavier rotation on MTV because she was punky than did Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," extent though ONJ's song was a much bigger hit. It came down to genre rather than colour of skin, at least to an extent.
It’s crazy, right? His answer to MTV not featuring black artists was that they didn’t want to risk upsetting the racists in their audience. Bowie handled it really well. He pushed back a bit, pressed him just a enough to be polite and allow the interviewer to do the talking, and the interviewer just kept lengthening the rope on his own.
Yep, they sure had a lot to learn back in the early days as Trail Blazers 😎 kinda making it up as they went along I imagine. Wow what a ride they went on ❤️👍🏼
Really interesting discussion, you tend to forget how it was back in the day, I was a naive 10yo in 83.
Bowie is intelligent, articulate and opinionated with conviction...but not rude or aggressive.
Great interview.
great interview, Bowie so chill & direct 😎
Bowie called out the racism in the most chill, yet devastating way.
That look from Bowie says it all
True Dat Right 😳😳
One of the most interesting parts of the interview is the end when Bowie pauses and says "I understand your point of view" and Goodman has absolutely no idea that Bowie just WRECKED him. That smile, that laugh, was a "gotcha". He pegged Goodman as a racist moron. He calmly talked Goodman into admitting that "white kids making black music" was acceptable but black kids making black music was "difficult", and Goodman didn't even realize the racism of his words.
Gotta love the mind of this man!
David Bowie - a National Treasure from my home town - always exhibited an eloquence which was unexpected from a rock star and which took people, particularly journalists with an agenda by surprise.
Incredibly perceptive, he wasn't afraid to challenge them which often resulted in the flustered response you see here. 😆🇬🇧
The way he just stares at him, not taking any of his shit
Prince is from mid west😂.
Only Bowie voiced out in style n classy for Black musicians . He used black musicians in his works in mid 70s blended in every talents regardless of colors 😊 .
There were very few music-videos in general in the early 1980s, especially in America. Black music acts were signed to labels which all had less money to promote music with things like music videos. Making music videos was very expensive back then. The reality is, there just weren't that many black music acts' videos to show in the early days of MTV. But I can attest that MTV showed Michael Jackson and Prince videos round the clock in 1983, when this video happened. Tina Turner as well. Early MTV also showed Rap videos by Kurtis Blow, RUN DMC, the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash. I know, I was there. I guarantee that, as an American teenager, I watched a hell of a lot more MTV in 1983 than David Bowie did!
This was definitely what we at MTV called b-roll. I think someone dug it out of the library and put it out there. I’ll bet $$$ Mark wishes it wasn’t floating around. 🤦♀️
Oh yes I, bet this makes Mark cringe Big Time 💯
This was at the height of his mainstream success and he used his position to call out injustice and directly confront people about it. Something that is almost entirely lacking from the most successful musical artists today.
Here David wasn't so much directing his questions to Mark,
as he was to the executives and producers who were standing behind the curtain.
Bowie was spot on. Mark was talking as though they couldn't cater to more than just white kids in Wisconsin. I would hope he looks back on that and cringes. It was very much upholding the status quo because they thought it made them more money. I'm glad Bowie pushed back.
Bowie definitely schooled Mark on that one 😳
@@reactionextraction For real! He was so effortless and cool about it which is completely unsurprising considering who he was.
It was great to see Bowie maintain his cool like that .. like I know what your saying, it’s just totally nuts, ha 😎 cool stuff
Poor Mark! Trying to explain on behalf of the execs at MTV! 🤦♀️ Gotta love Bowie. Pure class!!! ❤
Mark Goodman should’ve known better than state the thing about white artists were just STARTING to implement “black sound “on “white music “ into mainstream radio, tv, etc… When in reality white artists have been taking from black artists since the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll, even before.
We wouldn’t have rock music without black artists in blues, boogie woogie, and even gospel influences.
Bowie’s face said it all! He knew when to call out b.s. and make a point like a gentleman.
Bowie says that MTV ought to take up the challenge to integrate media “>>especially
Absolutely LOVE what David Bowie (RIP) did here! More than one reason he's known as The Chameleon - wasn't just for his ever changing personas, but for the varying genre music he created! 1983? Let's Dance was out, featuring such prolific funk talents as Nile Rodgers, and blues virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughn (also RIP). You'd almost say Bowie was colour blind when it came to musical talent!
I just get a laugh that he wasn't putting up with the sh!t Goodman was shoveling. The whole concept of 'playing to the crowd' was B.S. given you had variety shows like Midnight Special, Soul Train (of which Bowie was one of the first white artists to perform on) present as various type of music as existed!
Over time, we needed champions like Bowie, The Beatles, Stones, Sinatra, Dean Martin that would stand up to the segregated attitudes in the States. They had (and used) their power to inflict & influence change! And rightfully so.
Good music is complete colourblind! Cheers!
Bowie was so smart. I assume he was sober at the time, but it's worth remembering that just a few years earlier he had been suffering from cocaine-induced psychosis.
Regarding black music--ie, soul, blues, funk, etc--i don't think that MTV's decision was totally down to racism alone. There's a lot of radio stations today that focus on rap music which wouldn't dream of playing Johnny Cash. Is anyone deluded enough to think that that is because the rap radio stations are racist? Or can we just admit that Johnny Cash doesn't appeal to the demographic that rap stations are targeting?
I think at least to some extent, the same applies to MTV in 1983. They focused on a lot of new wave, post-punk and British stuff. They were more likely to play Devo than the latest Bob Dylan, not because they were anti-semitic but because someone like Dylan or James Brown didn't produce the genre of music that they were promoting.
Another example, i don't have statistics to verify this, but as someone who was an apt MTV listener, i think Joan Jett would have gotten a much heavier rotation on MTV because she was punky than did Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," extent though ONJ's song was a much bigger hit.
It came down to genre rather than colour of skin, at least to an extent.
It’s crazy, right? His answer to MTV not featuring black artists was that they didn’t want to risk upsetting the racists in their audience. Bowie handled it really well. He pushed back a bit, pressed him just a enough to be polite and allow the interviewer to do the talking, and the interviewer just kept lengthening the rope on his own.
MTV had only been around for 2 years? 1.5? At this point?
Yep, they sure had a lot to learn back in the early days as Trail Blazers 😎 kinda making it up as they went along I imagine. Wow what a ride they went on ❤️👍🏼
and rock & roll was invented by black people, and motown was around for decades....MTV had no excuse....they were racist....