Tin Machine

by Jason Ankeny Even in a career defined by its detours and departures, it nevertheless raised eyebrows when David Bowie formed Tin Machine in 1989, briefly forgoing his long and successful solo career to work within the confines of a band. Featuring guitarist Reeves Gabrels and the sibling rhythm section of Tony and Hunt Sales -- the sons of legendary television comic Soupy Sales -- the group was ostensibly assembled to allow Bowie the opportunity to return to his roots, touring small clubs and collaborating in what he asserted was a truly democratic creative partnership. Indeed, Tin Machine's metallic, feedback-intensive sound set it distinctly apart from recent Bowie solo efforts, and their eponymous 1989 debut LP earned favorable reviews, scoring an MTV hit with the first single, "Under the God." Tin Machine II followed in 1991, but lacking the novelty and the attendant media coverage of its predecessor, the record failed to generate much excitement; the live Oy Vey, Baby appeared later that same year, but when Bowie resumed his solo career with 1993's Black Tie White Noise, the band quietly ceased to exist.