Graham Rivens (The Lower Third)
Graham Rivens was the guitarist for The Lower Third, the London-based mod band fronted by David Bowie during 1965.
As Bowie’s ambitions shifted away from pure rhythm & blues toward a sharper, modern image and original songwriting, The Lower Third became his most focused and self-directed band to date.
- Name: Graham Rivens
- Band: The Lower Third
- Role: Guitar
- With Bowie: 1965
- Era: Mod / post-R&B transition
- Key release: “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving” (1965)
Where Graham Rivens fits in Bowie’s timeline
Graham Rivens belongs to a brief but critical moment in Bowie’s early career, when he was actively abandoning the British R&B circuit in favour of a more modern, image-conscious mod identity.
The Lower Third followed Bowie’s stints with The King Bees and The Manish Boys, but represented a clear step forward in artistic intent and authorship.
The Lower Third and the mod sound
Unlike Bowie’s earlier bands, The Lower Third placed greater emphasis on original material and a tighter, more aggressive sound. Graham Rivens’ guitar work helped define this shift.
His playing supported crisp rhythms and sharp chord structures rather than blues improvisation, aligning the band with contemporary mod acts rather than traditional R&B groups.
“You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving”
The Lower Third’s single “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving” (1965) stands as one of the earliest recordings where Bowie’s songwriting ambition is fully evident.
Rivens’ guitar contributes to the song’s urgent, forward-driving feel, reinforcing Bowie’s move toward a more assertive vocal and lyrical style.
The end of the band
Despite growing confidence and a stronger artistic identity, The Lower Third struggled to gain commercial attention. As with Bowie’s earlier groups, frustration and lack of progress led to its eventual dissolution.
Bowie would soon move on again, passing briefly through The Buzz before embarking on his solo recording career.
Historical importance
Graham Rivens’ contribution lies in helping Bowie cross a crucial threshold: from being a singer within a band to becoming a songwriter with a clear personal direction.
The Lower Third may have been short-lived, but it was essential preparation for everything that followed.