on the thread subject, as opposed to Bowie-aversion -
one of the reasons why solo careers of people who once in a great band are often disappointing that because they are famous or established, they can assemble a new band by calling on the best players around / their famous mates - or they will just make a record using session musicians (again superskilled professionals who can do anything they are asked to do)
whereas with the original band, it'll have come together almost always through happenstance - often people in the neighbourhood or school - and it'll be an odd motley bunch of people of differing abilities, who'll then grown up musically together (as well emotionally and in terms of navigating the business) .. and that's how the chemistry comes about, that leads to a distinctive band-sound
it's very hard to create that kind of spark, or identity-through-limitations, when you are consciously selecting musicians - even more so when they actually play whatever is demanded of them (and are also effectively your employees, rather than your comrades in arms)
Bowie actually was very good at picking people to create an ersatz band energy / sound-identity, he had a run of successful quasi-groups (the best being the one with Carlos Alomar in) but that run ended when he formed Tin Machine and went through this earnest pantomime of it being a real band, a four-man combo in which he was just another bloke who happened to be singing. even insisted on doing interviews with all members present (much to the chagrin no doubt of the journalists, who only wanted to hear from DB, but had to politely converse with Reeves Gabrel or whatever he's called, the guitarist).
