Berlin Trilogy
Encyclopedia
The Berlin Trilogy is a series of David Bowie
albums recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno
in the 1970s. The three albums are Low, "Heroes" and Lodger
.
They became known as the Berlin Trilogy because Bowie was living in West Berlin
at the time of their inception, at least part of them was recorded there, and they were influenced by the new music from Germany
that was popular at that time; most notably, the sound of electronic pop pioneers Kraftwerk
(who, in the song "Trans-Europe Express
", mention the lyrics "From station to station
/ back to Düsseldorf
City / Meet Iggy Pop
and David Bowie
" as a nod to the two artists' work in Berlin). The albums are experimental
and rank among the most highly-regarded in the Bowie catalogue. Among the later styles influenced by the albums were New Wave
, post-punk
and industrial
.
The accuracy of the moniker "Berlin Trilogy" is debated, as only "Heroes" was wholly recorded in Berlin, and none of Lodger, but the term has been used by Bowie himself to describe the albums.
Credit for producing the albums is occasionally mistakenly given to Brian Eno
because of his extensive involvement with the trilogy and his well-known production work with other artists. Though Eno performed on all three records and co-wrote a few of the songs, all three albums were in fact produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti
. Lead guitar on the "Heroes" album was handled by Robert Fripp
, and lead guitar on the Lodger album was handled by Adrian Belew
; these two guitarists later formed a partnership in a reincarnated King Crimson
that has lasted nearly three decades. Their shared experience with Bowie later led to King Crimson regularly performing "'Heroes'" on their 2000 tour.
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
albums recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
in the 1970s. The three albums are Low, "Heroes" and Lodger
Lodger (album)
Lodger is an album by British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1979. The last of the 'Berlin Trilogy' recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno , it was more accessible than its immediate predecessors Low and "Heroes", having no instrumentals and being somewhat lighter and more pop-oriented...
.
They became known as the Berlin Trilogy because Bowie was living in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
at the time of their inception, at least part of them was recorded there, and they were influenced by the new music from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
that was popular at that time; most notably, the sound of electronic pop pioneers Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
(who, in the song "Trans-Europe Express
Trans-Europe Express (song)
"Trans-Europe Express" is the title track of Kraftwerk's 1977 album of the same name, and released as a single at the time, and reissued on CD in 1990. The music was written by Ralf Hütter, and the lyrics by Hütter and Florian Schneider. The track is ostensibly about the Trans Europ Express rail...
", mention the lyrics "From station to station
Station to Station
Station to Station is the tenth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1976. Commonly regarded as one of his most significant works, Station to Station is also notable as the vehicle for Bowie's last great 'character', The Thin White Duke...
/ back to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
City / Meet Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
" as a nod to the two artists' work in Berlin). The albums are experimental
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
and rank among the most highly-regarded in the Bowie catalogue. Among the later styles influenced by the albums were New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
and industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
.
The accuracy of the moniker "Berlin Trilogy" is debated, as only "Heroes" was wholly recorded in Berlin, and none of Lodger, but the term has been used by Bowie himself to describe the albums.
Credit for producing the albums is occasionally mistakenly given to Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
because of his extensive involvement with the trilogy and his well-known production work with other artists. Though Eno performed on all three records and co-wrote a few of the songs, all three albums were in fact produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
. Lead guitar on the "Heroes" album was handled by Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
, and lead guitar on the Lodger album was handled by Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
; these two guitarists later formed a partnership in a reincarnated King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
that has lasted nearly three decades. Their shared experience with Bowie later led to King Crimson regularly performing "'Heroes'" on their 2000 tour.