David Bowie: The Genesis of Tin Machine

Swiss Isolation & Creative Reset – January 1987

πŸ“… 1988-01-08
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: 41st Birthday: Low-Key Celebration
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David celebrates his 41st birthday in private. Following the overwhelming scale of 1987, he spends the day away from the media, focusing on his personal life and his growing interest in contemporary art and painting.
πŸ“… 1988-01-15
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Home Studio

🎸 Event: Songwriting: Initial 1988 Sketches
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David begins experimenting with new musical ideas. He moves away from the polished production of his mid-80s work, seeking a more aggressive, guitar-driven sound that prioritizes spontaneity over commercial appeal.
πŸ“… 1988-01-25
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Artistic Evaluation: Moving Away from Solo Stardom
πŸ—’οΈ Note: In private discussions with his management, David expresses a firm desire to stop being a “solo superstar.” He begins formulated plans to form a democratic band where he is merely one of the members, laying the groundwork for what will become Tin Machine.
πŸ“… 1988-01-31
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Strategic Silence
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes January in complete professional silence. This period is a deliberate “cleansing of the palate” after the Glass Spider tour, allowing him to reconnect with the raw energy of rock music before his next major collaboration.

First Contact & Musical Reconnection – February 1988

πŸ“… 1988-02-12
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Strategic Planning: The Gabrels Connection
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David reviews tapes sent by Reeves Gabrels, whom he met during the 1987 tour. He is impressed by Gabrels’ avant-garde guitar style and begins discussing a potential collaboration that moves away from standard rock structures.
πŸ“… 1988-02-29
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Home Office

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Abandoning the 80s Sound
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes February by officially deciding to shelf any plans for a solo follow-up to ‘Never Let Me Down’. He instructs his team to look for a small, raw studio environment for his next project.

The Assembly of the Band – March 1988

πŸ“… 1988-03-09
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Isolar Office / Private Meeting

🎸 Event: Recruitment: The Sales Brothers
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David reaches out to Tony and Hunt Sales, the rhythm section from the 1977 ‘Lust For Life’ era with Iggy Pop. He wants their aggressive, “heavy” swing to be the backbone of his new band project.
πŸ“… 1988-03-15
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Private Rehearsal Space

🎸 Event: First Jam: Bowie, Gabrels, and the Sales Brothers
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The four musicians meet for an informal jam session. The chemistry is immediate and loud. David is exhilarated by the lack of synthesizers and the raw, democratic feel of the group.
πŸ“… 1988-03-31
πŸ“ Montreux, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Mountain Studios / Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Pre-Production Ready
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes March with a functional band line-up. He decides to record the project in Switzerland and The Bahamas, far away from the industry pressure of London or New York.

Swiss Demos & The Hard Rock Shift – April 1988

πŸ“… 1988-04-12
πŸ“ Montreux, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Mountain Studios

🎸 Event: Pre-production: Tin Machine Initial Demos
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David, Reeves Gabrels, and the Sales brothers begin their first formal demo sessions. David insists on recording live in the studio with minimal overdubs, aiming for a raw, unpolished sound that rejects the high-production values of his 80s solo work.
πŸ“… 1988-04-25
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Creative Session: Songwriting Overhaul
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David and Reeves Gabrels spend the week developing a new musical shorthand. They focus on complex guitar textures and aggressive rhythms, discarding several melodic pop ideas in favor of the confrontational rock style that will define the band.
πŸ“… 1988-04-30
πŸ“ Montreux, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Mountain Studios

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Democratic Foundation
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes April having solidified the “band” concept. He makes it clear to his collaborators that he is no longer the “boss” but one of four equal members, even suggesting the band name ‘Tin Machine’ during these sessions.

Bahamian Sessions & Sonic Brutalism – May 1988

πŸ“… 1988-05-09
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Recording: Official Tin Machine Album Sessions Start
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The group relocates to the Bahamas to begin principal photography of their debut album. David chooses this studio for its specific acoustic properties and isolated environment, allowing the band to record at extremely high volumes without interruption.
πŸ“… 1988-05-20
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Recording: ‘I Can’t Read’ & ‘Under the God’
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The band records the core tracks for the album. David adopts a new vocal approach, often recording first takes to capture the immediate energy of the room. The lyrics become more overtly political and abrasive, reflecting David’s renewed sense of artistic freedom.
πŸ“… 1988-05-31
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Production Momentum
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes May with the majority of the album’s backing tracks completed. He is energized by the “non-commercial” nature of the recordings, marking the most significant departure from his mainstream persona in over a decade.

Final Overdubs & Sonic Density – June 1988

πŸ“… 1988-06-12
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Overdubs: Gabrels’ Guitar Textures
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David encourages Reeves Gabrels to push the boundaries of conventional guitar playing. They spend several sessions layering feedback and non-traditional sounds, creating the dense, “ugly” sonic landscape that David feels is necessary to kill off his 80s pop persona.
πŸ“… 1988-06-25
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Recording: ‘Prisoner of Love’ & ‘Crack City’
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The band completes the final core tracks for the debut album. David’s lyrics for ‘Crack City’ are particularly abrasive, reflecting his observations of urban decay and drug culture, delivered with a raw vocal intensity absent from his recent solo work.
πŸ“… 1988-06-30
πŸ“ Nassau, πŸ‡§πŸ‡Έ Bahamas
πŸ›οΈ Compass Point Studios

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Bahamas Sessions Wrap
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes June with the primary recording phase finished. The band feels a strong sense of camaraderie, having successfully functioned as a democratic unit throughout the intense Caribbean heat.

Mixing & The Search for Rawness – July 1988

πŸ“… 1988-07-10
πŸ“ Montreux, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Mountain Studios

🎸 Event: Mixing Sessions: David Richards & The Band
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The band relocates back to Switzerland to begin mixing the album with David Richards. David insists on a “dry” mix with very little reverb, wanting the listener to feel as if they are in the room with the loud, vibrating amplifiers.
πŸ“… 1988-07-22
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Artistic Evaluation: Mastering the Noise
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David reviews the first full-length playback of the album. He is delighted by the jarring, uncommercial nature of the music, privatey remarking that this project is his “mid-life crisis” handled through noise rather than nostalgia.
πŸ“… 1988-07-31
πŸ“ Montreux, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Mountain Studios

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Post-Production Milestone
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes July with the majority of the album mixed. The transition from the “Glass Spider” superstar to a band member in a hard-rock quartet is now sonically complete.

Final Mastering & Post-Studio Reset – August 1988

πŸ“… 1988-08-15
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Masterdisk / The Hit Factory

🎸 Event: Mastering: The Loudness Principle
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David arrives in New York to oversee the final mastering of the debut ‘Tin Machine’ album. He instructs engineer Bob Ludwig to keep the levels high and the sound “dry,” ensuring that the abrasive guitar frequencies are preserved for the final vinyl and CD pressings.
πŸ“… 1988-08-28
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Isolar Office / Private Viewing

🎸 Event: Visual Strategy: The Anti-Glamour Look
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David meets with artistic collaborators to discuss the visual identity of the band. He decides on a “suit-and-tie” aesthetic that is intentionally corporate and anonymous, a direct move to strip away the flamboyant “David Bowie” persona of the mid-80s.
πŸ“… 1988-08-31
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Isolar Office

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Strategic Silence Continues
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes August with the album fully mastered and ready for release. He chooses to keep the project a secret from the general public for several more months, allowing the “old” Bowie image to fade further from the spotlight.

The Sales Brothers & Rhythmic Foundations – September 1988

πŸ“… 1988-09-12
πŸ“ Los Angeles, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Private Rehearsal Space

🎸 Event: Rhythm Section Sessions: Tony and Hunt Sales
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David spends time in LA with Tony and Hunt Sales to review the finished mixes. He is particularly focused on their “heavy swing” contribution, which he feels differentiates this project from the mechanical drum-machine sound of his previous era.
πŸ“… 1988-09-24
πŸ“ Los Angeles, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Private Photography Session

🎸 Event: Photography: Early Band Portraits
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The band participates in their first formal photo sessions. David insists on group shots where he is not the central figure, reinforcing the democratic “four-man-band” concept that he will maintain throughout the project’s promotion.
πŸ“… 1988-09-30
πŸ“ Los Angeles, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Sunset Marquis

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Building Group Identity
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes September having successfully shifted his focus from the studio process to the psychological reality of being in a band. The group identity is now firmly established among the four members as they prepare for the 1989 launch.

Visual Identity & Artistic Retreat – October 1988

πŸ“… 1988-10-14
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Creative Session: Cover Art Design
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David reviews the final mock-ups for the debut album cover. He chooses a stark, monochromatic image of the four band members in suits, standing in a line. He insists that his name does not appear larger than the others, reinforcing the democratic band concept.
πŸ“… 1988-10-25
πŸ“ London, πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ UK
πŸ›οΈ Isolar Office / Private Meeting

🎸 Event: Strategic Planning: Label Negotiations
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David and his management hold private discussions with EMI. David is adamant that ‘Tin Machine’ should be marketed as a new band rather than a David Bowie solo project, even at the risk of lower initial commercial expectations.
πŸ“… 1988-10-31
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Preparing for the Reveal
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes October in Switzerland. The album is finished, the artwork is selected, and the marketing strategy is set. He spends his time painting and preparing for the high-energy promotion planned for 1989.

Contractual Shifts & Band Consolidation – November 1988

πŸ“… 1988-11-12
πŸ“ Los Angeles, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Private Rehearsal Studio

🎸 Event: Rehearsals: Refining the Live Sound
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The band reconvenes for a short series of rehearsals. David wants to ensure that the raw, improvisational energy of the studio sessions can be replicated on stage without the aid of backing tracks or synthesizers.
πŸ“… 1988-11-23
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ EMI Records HQ

🎸 Event: Contractual Finalization: Tin Machine Deal
πŸ—’οΈ Note: The formal agreements for the release of the ‘Tin Machine’ album are finalized. David secures a deal that allows the band significant creative control, ensuring that the uncompromising “noise-rock” sound of the record remains intact.
πŸ“… 1988-11-30
πŸ“ New York City, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ USA
πŸ›οΈ Isolar Office

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: The End of Solo Bowie
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes November having successfully legally and artistically transitioned into a band member. He privately remarks that he feels a renewed sense of purpose, having finally shed the “superstar” burden of the mid-80s.

Year-End Reflection & The Quiet Before the Storm – December 1988

πŸ“… 1988-12-08
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Archival Review: Glass Spider Home Video
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David spends time reviewing the final cuts of the ‘Glass Spider’ concert film, scheduled for release in early 1989. He privately views this as the final document of his “solo superstar” era, contrasting its neon excess with the monochromatic noise of the finished Tin Machine album.
πŸ“… 1988-12-20
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Home Studio / Painting Room

🎸 Event: Artistic Reset: Painting and Preparation
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David focuses on his painting and visual arts during the winter weeks. This creative detour is essential for his mental transition into the “anonymous” role he intends to play within Tin Machine, allowing him to step back from the music industry’s expectations.
πŸ“… 1988-12-25
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Holiday Break: Final Private Christmas
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David spends a quiet Christmas with his son, Duncan. He is aware that 1989 will bring a massive public relaunch and possibly a polarizing reaction from fans, making this private interval a critical “cleansing of the palate.”
πŸ“… 1988-12-31
πŸ“ Lausanne, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
πŸ›οΈ Clos des MΓ©sanges

🎸 Event: Month-End Review: Farewell to the 80s Persona
πŸ—’οΈ Note: David concludes 1988 having successfully avoided the public eye for the entire year. He has dismantled his commercial solo career and replaced it with a volatile, guitar-heavy rock band, ready to confront the new decade on his own terms.
(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)