Mark Plati; with David Bowie from Earthling to Toy, Musical Director, Guitarist, Producer Mixer
Mark Plati(David Bowie)
59:40•952 views
What was it like to make records with David Bowie—and then become his musical director?
Mark Plati joins Steve Blame to discuss a working relationship built on curiosity, experimentation and trust. From their first sessions on “Telling Lies” and Earthling to performing together, Glastonbury and recording Toy, Mark describes how Bowie encouraged people to bring their own ideas.
He recalls joining Arthur Baker’s Shakedown studio, learning through late-night experimentation, and discovering how his musicianship could shape his work as an engineer, programmer and producer.
We explore Bowie’s approach to collaboration, the intensity of VH1 Storytellers, leading a band featuring Mike Garson and Earl Slick, and revisiting Bowie’s early songs for Toy. Mark also reflects on Bowie’s death, the community of musicians who continue celebrating his work, and why he has spent his life trying to “avoid the treadmill”.
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Chapters
00:00 Coming up: Mark Plati
01:24 Welcome from his New York studio
01:43 Childhood, pop radio and family expectations
04:02 Music, escape and the generation gap
06:36 Choosing music after trying another path
07:56 A teacher who opened his eyes to performing
10:29 Discovering the possibilities of recording studios
12:32 Learning engineering, live sound and technical skills
13:34 Finding his way into Arthur Baker’s Shakedown studio
15:29 Learning MIDI and finding his value as a musician
17:18 Remixing, visiting artists and studio opportunities
20:26 Ego, openness and lessons in collaboration
23:04 Bowie’s approach to choosing and trusting musicians
24:17 Telling Lies and the beginning of their partnership
25:12 From engineer and programmer to performing with Bowie
26:20 Growing up with Bowie’s music
28:26 Bowie’s curiosity, ideas and creative freedom
31:51 Sharing discoveries and developing songs in the studio
33:55 What Mark brought to the collaboration
35:19 Becoming Bowie’s musical director
38:21 VH1 Storytellers and the intensity of performing
40:29 Station to Station with Garson and Slick
41:26 Bowie’s charisma on and off stage
43:03 Lessons that stayed with Mark
44:03 What makes someone an artist?
45:55 Recording Toy and revisiting Bowie’s early songs
49:05 Songwriting, chance and happy accidents
51:24 Hearing the news of Bowie’s death
53:42 Celebrating Bowie with his fellow musicians
56:06 Why Mark wants to avoid the treadmill
57:55 Performing in Greece and discovering music’s impact
59:14 Farewell
