STRANGE STARS

released 22 June 302 pages | Hardback/ebook Author Jason Heller Publisher Melville House

David Bowie’s passing in 2016 has led to a burgeoning micro-industry of books, podcasts and documentaries examining every facet of the rock god’s life. Journalist Jason Heller’s effort isn’t just about Bowie’s life and career, but he’s undoubtedly the (black)star that the book orbits. Strange Stars explores the influence of science fiction on music in the ’70s – and no-one embodied that better than Bowie.

It’s similar in approach to Peter Berbergal’s Season Of The Witch, which delved into the currents of magick, occultism and religious practice that coursed throughout music in that decade. Heller’s book is telling a smaller story – ultimately, a lot of the anecdotes here come down to discovering that a rock star really liked Ray Bradbury or Robert Heinlein. Likewise, the very specific time period covered means that albums like 1995’s 1. Outside – Bowie’s fascinatingly weird venture into cyberpunk narrative – are beyond its remit.

That said, it’s an engaging read, and it’s refreshing to find a book of this sort that has such a strong focus on SF literature, rather than just film and TV. Ironically, it’s in the moments where Heller turns the spotlight away from its cover star and onto the likes of P-Funk pioneer George Clinton and sci-fi garage rockers Simply Saucer where Strange Stars really begins to shine. Will Salmon