Lou Reed, RCA Victor, RCA 2318. No UK chart position.
April ‘Drive-In Saturday’ b/w ‘Round And Round’
David Bowie, RCA Victor, RCA 2352. Highest UK chart position: #3 in May 1973.
ALADDIN SANE
‘Watch That Man’, ‘Aladdin Sane (1913–1938–197?)’, ‘Drive-In Saturday’, ‘Panic In Detroit’, ‘Cracked Actor’, ‘Time’, ‘The Prettiest Star’, ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’, ‘The Jean Genie’, ‘Lady Grinning Soul’
David Bowie, RCA Victor, LSP 4852. Highest UK chart position: #1 in May 1973. Aladdin Sane was officially the biggest selling UK album of 1973.
June RAW POWER
‘Search And Destroy’, ‘Gimme Danger’, ‘Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (Originally titled ‘Hard To Beat’)’, ‘Penetration’, ‘Raw Power’, ‘I Need Somebody’, ‘Shake Appeal’, ‘Death Trip’ Iggy And The Stooges, CBS, S65586. No UK chart position.
‘Life On Mars?’ b/w ‘The Man Who Sold The World’
David Bowie, RCA Victor, RCA 2316. Highest UK chart position: #3 in July 1973. The last release during Ziggy’s lifetime.
David Bowie’s Hunky Dory album, first released in December 1971, enjoyed its greatest commercial success after the death of Ziggy in the autumn of 1973, reaching number three that September. That same month, the Bowie albums Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane could be found leaping around one another in the top ten with the reissued Space Oddity and The Man Who Sold The World further down: a total of five Bowie albums in the UK album charts at any given time. His dominance was compounded that November with the release of the covers album Pin Ups, entering at number one.
Ziggy’s ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide’ was issued as a single in April 1974, confusingly circa the release of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs. It reached number 22 in May.
Also in early 1974, Lulu released her Bowie-produced version of Ziggy’s ‘Watch That Man’ on the B-side of her cover of ‘The Man Who Sold The World’. The A-side provided Lulu with her first top ten hit in five years, peaking at number three that February.
The highest charting 45 r.p.m. Ziggy recording, if only by default, remains the album outtake ‘Velvet Goldmine’ (originally ‘He’s A Goldmine’) posthumously released on a three-track ‘maxi-single’ of ‘Space Oddity’ alongside ‘Changes’ in September 1975 which became David Bowie’s first UK number one single, spending a fortnight at the top in early November.
Many of the best Ziggy recordings were also issued posthumously. These include the studio outtakes ‘All The Young Dudes’ (Ziggy’s vocal), ‘Holy Holy’ (The Spiders’ stunning rerecording of Bowie’s 1970 flop single), ‘John, I’m Only Dancing’ (the Aladdin Sane session ‘sax version’) and ‘Sweet Head’. Jaques Brel’s ‘Amsterdam’, once destined for the Ziggy Stardust album, had been recorded by David in 1971 and was finally released as the B-side of 1973’s ‘Sorrow’ single.
Ziggy’s live performances of The Velvet Underground’s ‘White Light/White Heat’ and Brel’s ‘My Death’ are available on the soundtrack of D. A. Pennebaker’s film of the final Hammersmith Odeon concert, first issued as Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture. ‘My Death’ also features on the equally essential concert album Santa Monica ’72 along with the Spiders’ charge through The Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’.
A poor quality live recording of Ziggy’s cover of Cream’s ‘I Feel Free’ was released on the 1997 compilation RarestOneBowie. Other cover versions performed on stage by Ziggy and the Spiders include: The Who’s ‘I Can’t Explain’ (later recorded by Bowie for Pin Ups), The Beatles’ ‘This Boy’ and ‘Love Me Do’ (the latter medleyed with ‘The Jean Genie’), Judy Garland’s ‘Over The Rainbow’ (incorporated into ‘Starman’ during his August 1972 London Rainbow shows) and the shortlived James Brown medley of ‘You Got To Have A Job (If You Don’t Work – You Don’t Eat)’/‘Hot Pants’.
ZIGGY ON STAGE 1972–73
Later concerts marked * indicate two shows played on the same day.
1972
Jan 29. Aylesbury, Borough Assembly Hall, Friars Club
Feb 10. London, Tolworth, The Toby Jug
12. London, South Kensington, Imperial College
14. Brighton, Dome
18. Sheffield, University
23. Chichester, Chichester College
24. London, Sutton, Wallington Public Hall
25. London, Eltham, Avery Hill College
26. Sutton Coldfield, Belfry Hotel
March 1. Bristol, University
4. Portsmouth, Southsea, Pier Pavilion
7. Yeovil, Yeovil College
11. Southampton, Guild Hall
14. Bournemouth, Chelsea Village
17. Birmingham, Town Hall
24. Newcastle, Mayfair Ballroom
April 20. Harlow, The Playhouse
21. Manchester, Free Trade Hall
30. Plymouth, Guild Hall
May 5. Aberystwyth, University
6. London, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Kingston Polytechnic
7. Hemel Hempstead, Pavilion
11. Worthing, Assembly Hall
12. London, Marylebone, Polytechnic of Central London
13. Slough, Technical College
19. Oxford, Polytechnic
25. Bournemouth, Chelsea Village
27. Epsom, Ebbisham Hall
June 2. Newcastle, City Hall
3. Liverpool, Stadium
4. Preston, Public Hall
6. Bradford, St George’s Hall
7. Sheffield, City Hall
8. Middlesbrough, Town Hall
13. Bristol, Colston Hall
16. Torquay, Town Hall
17. Oxford, Town Hall
19. Southampton, Civic Centre
21. Dunstable, Civic Hall
25. Croydon, The Greyhound
July 1. Weston-Super-Mare, Winter Gardens Pavilion
2. Torquay, Rainbow Pavilion
8. London, Southbank, Royal Festival Hall
15. Aylesbury, Borough Assembly Hall, Friars Club
Aug 19. London, Finsbury Park, the Rainbow
20. London, Finsbury Park, the Rainbow
27. Bristol, Locarno Electric Village
30. London, Finsbury Park, the Rainbow
31. Boscombe, Royal Ballrooms
Sept 1. Doncaster, Top Rank Suite
2. Manchester, Stretford, the Hardrock
3. Manchester, Stretford, the Hardrock
4. Liverpool, Top Rank Suite
5. Sunderland, Top Rank Suite
6. Sheffield, Top Rank Suite
7. Stoke-On-Trent, Hanley, Top Rank Suite
22. Cleveland (Ohio, USA), Music Hall
24. Memphis (Tennessee, USA), Ellis Auditorium
28. New York City (New York, USA), Carnegie Hall
Oct 1. Boston (Massachusetts, USA), Music Hall
7. Chicago (Illinois, USA), Auditorium Theatre
8. Detroit (Michigan, USA), Fisher Theatre
11. St Louis (Missouri, USA), Kiel Auditorium
15. Kansas City (Kansas, USA), Memorial Hall
20. Los Angeles (California, USA), Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
21. Los Angeles (California, USA), Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
27. San Francisco (California, USA), Winterland
28. San Francisco (California, USA), Winterland
Nov 1. Seattle (Washington, USA), Paramount Theatre
2. Phoenix (Arizona, USA), Celebrity Theatre
11. Dallas (Texas, USA), Majestic Theatre
12. Houston (Texas, USA), Music Hall
14. New Orleans (Louisiana, USA), Loyola University
17. Miami (Florida, USA), Jai Alai Fronton
20. Nashville (Tennessee, USA), Municipal Auditorium
22. New Orleans (Louisiana, USA), The Warehouse
25. Cleveland (Ohio, USA), Public Auditorium
26. Cleveland (Ohio, USA), Public Auditorium
28. Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, US
A), Stanley Theatre
29. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre (Ziggy as special guest of Mott The Hoople for encore of ‘All The Young Dudes’ and ‘Honky Tonk Women’)
30. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre
Dec 1. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre
2. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre
23. London, Finsbury Park, the Rainbow
24. London, Finsbury Park, the Rainbow
28. Manchester, Stretford, the Hardrock
29. Manchester, Stretford, the Hardrock
1973
Jan 5. Glasgow, Green’s Playhouse
6. Edinburgh, Empire Theatre
7. Newcastle, City Hall
9. Preston, Guild Hall
Feb 14. New York City (New York, USA), Radio City Music Hall
15. New York City (New York, USA), Radio City Music Hall
16. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre
17. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre *
18. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre *
19. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Tower Theatre *
23. Nashville (Tennessee, USA), War Memorial Auditorium
26. Memphis (Tennessee, USA), Ellis Auditorium *
March 1. Detroit (Michigan, USA), Masonic Temple
2. Detroit (Michigan, USA), Masonic Temple
4. Chicago (Illinois), Aragon Ballroom
10. Los Angeles (California, USA), Long Beach Arena
12. Los Angeles (California, USA), Hollywood Palladium
April 8. Tokyo (Japan), Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan
10. Tokyo (Japan), Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan
11. Tokyo (Japan), Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan
12. Nagoya (Japan), Kokaido Hall
14. Hiroshima (Japan), Yubin Chokin Kaikan
16. Kobe (Japan), Kokusai Kaikan Hall
17. Osaka (Japan), Koseinenkin Kaikan
18. Tokyo (Japan), Shibuya Kokaido
20. Tokyo (Japan), Shibuya Kokaido
May 12. London, Earls Court, Earls Court Exhibition Centre
16. Aberdeen, Music Hall *
17. Dundee, Caird Hall
18. Glasgow, Green’s Playhouse *
19. Edinburgh, Empire Theatre
21. Norwich, Theatre Royal *
22. Romford, Odeon
23. Brighton, Dome *
24. London, Lewisham, Odeon
25. Bournemouth, Winter Gardens
27. Guildford, Civic Hall *
28. Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
29. Stoke-On-Trent, Hanley, Victoria Hall
30. Oxford, New Theatre
31. Blackburn, King George’s Hall
June 1. Bradford, St George’s Hall
3. Coventry, New Theatre
4. Worcester, Gaumont
6. Sheffield, City Hall *
7. Manchester, Free Trade Hall *
8. Newcastle, City Hall *
9. Preston, Guild Hall
10. Liverpool, Empire Theatre *
11. Leicester, De Montfort Hall
12. Chatham, Central Hall *
13. London, Kilburn, Gaumont
14. Salisbury, City Hall
15. Taunton, Odeon *
16. Torquay, Town Hall *
18. Bristol, Colston Hall *
19. Southampton, Guild Hall
21. Birmingham, Town Hall *
22. Birmingham, Town Hall *
23. Boston (Lincolnshire), Gliderdrome
24. Croydon, Fairfield Halls *
25. Oxford, New Theatre *
26. Oxford, New Theatre
27. Doncaster, Top Rank Suite
28. Bridlington, Spa Ballroom
29. Leeds, Rolarena
30. Newcastle, City Hall *
July 2. London, Hammersmith, Odeon
3. London, Hammersmith, Odeon
ZIGGY ON TELEVISION 1972–73
Ziggy and the Spiders made only a handful of UK television appearances in their brief lifetime yet all were of cataclysmic cultural importance. The majority, listed here in order of broadcast date, consisted of mimed performances to backing tracks with live vocal. Performances marked * are those available on the 2002 DVD Best Of Bowie (EMI, 4901039)
1972
Feb The Old Grey Whistle Test
Broadcast on BBC 2, Tuesday 8 February, recorded 7 February. ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ was also recorded but not aired at the time.
June Lift Off With Ayshea
‘Starman’
Broadcast on ITV, Wednesday 21 June, recorded 15 June.
July Top Of The Pops
‘Starman’ *
Broadcast on BBC 1, Thursday 6 July, recorded 5 July. Repeated on 20 July and on 25 December as part of the Christmas special Top Of The Pops ’72.
1973
Jan Top Of The Pops
‘The Jean Genie’
Live studio performance (including Ziggy’s tribute to The Beatles’ ‘Love Me Do’ on harmonica) broadcast on BBC 1, Thursday 4 January, recorded 3 January.
Russell Harty Plus
‘Drive-In Saturday’ *, ‘My Death’
Broadcast on ITV, Saturday 20 January, recorded 17 January. The show was a ‘Pop’ special of a programme ordinarily called Russell Harty Plus and included Ziggy’s only sit-down television interview.
June Nationwide
Filmed report of Ziggy’s final UK tour including live clips and interview, broadcast on BBC 1, Tuesday 5 June 1973.
All the above clips have survived apart from the Ayshea performance, the tapes sadly since wiped by Granada Television. The full July 1972 episode of Top Of The Pops featuring ‘Starman’ was also wiped by the BBC: the historic clip only survives through its licensing at the time to foreign television. Top Of The Pops also broadcast the promo films directed by Mick Rock for the singles ‘The Jean Genie’ (featuring Cyrinda Foxe) and ‘Life On Mars?’ As previously mentioned, the BBC refused to broadcast Rock’s earlier promo for ‘John, I’m Only Dancing’. The version of ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ recorded for The Old Grey Whistle Test was finally broadcast in the 1980s and also included on the Best Of Bowie DVD .
ZIGGY ON RADIO
In the first half of 1972 Ziggy and the Spiders recorded five sessions for BBC Radio 1, listed below in order of original broadcast date. Tracks marked * are those which were later compiled on the 2000 double-CD compilation album Bowie At The Beeb (EMI, 7243 52862924).
Jan Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel
‘Hang On To Yourself’, ‘Ziggy Stardust’, Queen Bitch’, ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’, ‘Lady Stardust’
First broadcast BBC Radio 1, Friday 28 January, recorded 11 January.
Feb Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris
‘Hang On To Yourself’ *, ‘Ziggy Stardust’ *, Queen Bitch’ *, ‘Five Years’ *
First broadcast BBC Radio 1, Monday 7 February, recorded 18 January. ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ * was also recorded but never broadcast.
May Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel
‘White Light/White Heat’ *, ‘Hang On To Yourself’ *, ‘Suffragette City’ *, ‘Ziggy Stardust’ *
First broadcast BBC Radio 1, Tuesday 23 May, recorded 16 May.
June Johnnie Walker
‘Starman’ *, ‘Space Oddity’ *, ‘Changes’ *, ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ *
First broadcast BBC Radio 1, Monday 5 June, recorded 22 May.
Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris
‘Andy Warhol’ *, ‘Lady Stardust’ *, ‘White Light/White Heat’, ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide’ *
First broadcast BBC Radio 1, Monday 19 June, recorded 23 May.
July Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel
Broadcast BBC Radio 1, Tuesday 25 July, a repeat of ‘White Light/White Heat’ and ‘Suffragette City’ from 23 May Sounds Of The ’70s: John Peel session along with the previously unbroad-cast ‘Moonage Daydream’ *. All tracks r
ecorded 16 May.
THE ZIGGYOLOGY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agel, Jerome (editor), The Making Of Kubrick’s 2001 (Signet, 1970)
Ambaras, David R., Bad Youth: Juvenile Delinquency And The Politics Of Everyday Life In Modern Japan (University of California Press, 2006)
Ambrose, Joe, Gimme Danger – The Story Of Iggy Pop (Omnibus Press, 2004)
Angell, Callie, Andy Warhol Screen Tests (Abrams, 2006)
Anthon, Charles, A Classical Dictionary (Harper, 1869)
Antonia, Nina, The New York Dolls – Too Much Too Soon (Omnibus Press, 2006)
Antonia, Nina, The Prettiest Star – Whatever Happened To Brett Smiley? (SAF, 2005)
Aughton, Peter, The Story Of Astronomy (Quercus, 2008)
Austen, Jake (editor), Flying Saucers Rock ’N’ Roll (Duke University Press, 2011)
Berry, Chuck, Chuck Berry – The Autobiography (Faber & Faber, 1988)
Bockris, Victor and Gerard Malanga, Up-Tight: The Velvet Underground Story (Omnibus Press, 1983)
Bodanis, David, E=mc2: A Biography Of The World’s Most Famous Equation (Berkley, 2000)
Bowie, Angela and Patrick Carr, Backstage Passes – Life On The Wild Side With David Bowie (Cooper Square Press, 2000)
Bradbury, Ray with Arthur C. Clarke, Bruce Murray, Carl Sagan and Walter Sullivan, Mars And The Mind Of Man (Harper & Row,1973)
Brake, Mark L. and Neil Hook, Different Engines: How Science Drives Fiction And Fiction Drives Science (Macmillan, 2008)
Brome, Vincent, H. G. Wells – A Biography (House Of Stratus, 2001)
Brooks, Michael, The Big Questions: Physics (Quercus, 2010)
Brown, Ivor, H. G. Wells (Nisbet & Co., 1923)
Burgess, Anthony, A Clockwork Orange (W. W. Norton, 1986)
Burgess, Anthony, Little Wilson And Big God (Heinemann, 1987)
Burgess, Anthony, You’ve Had Your Time (Heinemann, 1990)