"However, there's no theme or concept behind Heathen, just a number of songs but somehow there is a thread that runs through it that is quite as strong as any of my thematic type albums"

In this quote, David Bowie is discussing his album "Heathen" and the absence of a specific theme or idea behind it. He explains that the album is merely a collection of tunes, but despite this, there is a typical thread that ties them together. This thread is described as being just as strong as the themes discovered in his other albums that have a specific principle or theme. This recommends that even though "Heathen" may not have a clear overarching style, there is still a cohesive element that connects the songs and offers the album a sense of unity.