I’m wit
h Davi
d Bowi
e, aren ’t
you?
Rescued from Teenage Boredom Jonathan Marks | Fan Story
He rescued my only friend Lisa and I (two American kids with very British taste in music) from teenage boredom and launched us through outer space to his very own planet, somewhere beyond Pluto The US TV show “In Concert” featured the final Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars concert at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. It was the first and only time we would see Ziggy live in action(besides the hundreds of magazine photos and posters we had). The stage was dark, the focus was soft and the camerawork shaky and evasive. Ziggy was shrouded in mystery. He was definitely from the cosmos; androgynous, surreal and seductive, perfect porcelain skin, unearthly mismatched eyes with a foreign, piercing stare. It was impossible to discern if he was for real, or if this was in an impeccable performance. We saw this on a black & white TV, yet it was still utterly compelling. We had found our ultimate icon, and there he was announcing his final performance. Our devastation mounted We never got to see Ziggy live. When Ziggy landed his space
ship on stage at New York’s Radio City Music Hall I was alone in my room watching the clock, forbidden by mom to attend such an event, yet knowing that he had landed on stage — at the exact moment the second hand reached eight o’ clock — in a cloud of smoke with “Moonage Daydream” reverberating throughout the stratosphere. I swear I coud hear it faintly in my bedroom twenty miles away. Although we were into Bowie for a year already, his latest incarnation as Ziggy Stardust was the most fascinating. His final appearance as Ziggy was when Lisa and I saw him in quasi-kabuki drag on the TV show Midnight Special in 1974 (from the Marquee club in London) when we were in our pre-teens and highly impressionable. We were now sexually damaged for life. We had no concept of “camp” (except for summer camp) or about gay culture. Our innocent perception of gender was instantly perverted. We didn’t know any other way to take this but at face value, and we took it — seriously. It was the most impressive sight we had ever seen (in all of our mere fifteen years on earth) and I remain to this day as I said, damaged. Something cracked my world open that night and the void has never closed. When I watch the “Floorshow” now on video it’s truly hilarious and just as colourful, but then it was utterly intriguing and so damned important. At the time this glowing, fleeting kaleidoscopic instant in history was gone in a flash with no hope of ever being seen again (in the pre-VCR days). I know I didn’t blink once in the entire 90 minutes! We thought this must be the highest form of art or theatre, or whatever alien genre it was and what did the mere boys at school know about art or beauty.
4
It was impossible
to discern
if he was
for real.
“No it doesn’t,” David protested. “Once you
that RCA had delivered to his suite. After listening to
get out there and start working actively, the
four numbers, Ava and her girlfriends persuaded David
responsibility’s on everybody’s shoulders.
to leave with them. Ava knew a millionaire who lived
“Yes, but with the public- ” began the
not far away in a modernistic mansion full of strange
saucer man.
delights. David gulped down another cup of coffee, with cream and sugar, put on a striking green coat and fol-
“Exactly!” interrupted David. “That’s what
lowed them out of the suite.
I’m saying, man. It works like Hitler but the actual effect was produced by a number of
It was 2.30 a.m., and the sluggish night crew of the
people, all working their own strategies of
small but elegant hotel barelylooked up as the red–
where it was going to go.”
haired rock star and four giggling black girls made their way through the lobby to the waiting limousine.
At this point the tension suddenly broke. David and everyone in the room broke into laughter at the seriousness with which a rock and roll star and some acquaintances of one evening were presuming to figure out the way the world ran. Everyone lightened up, and David put on tapes of the new album on an elaborate studio tape deck
6
Flying Saucers, Hitler and David Bowie By Bruno Stein | Creem | February 1975
“Have you got any metal in your body? asked the flying saucer man. “Yeah, I’ve got one pin,” said David Bowie. Well, it turned out David was in luck then. If he went to a little town in Missouri at a certain time, he would be able to see in a seemingly empty field a fully equipped flying saucer repair shop at work. It was one of those fascinating things you learn at a Bowie soiree. This evening the gathering was rather intimate. There was Corinne, David’s charming personal secretary, who ducked out early due to exhaustion (although another girl gossiped that she had someone interesting waiting for her in her hotel room). There was a tired newspaper reporter trying to get a question in edgewise now and then. There was Ava Cherry, the effervescent, husky-voiced black singer and dancer with white bleached hair who was part of David’s backup vocal group on his “soul” tour.
ZIG
There were three more young black ladies,
made sightings six, seven times a night for about a year
members of “gang” when she was growing
when I was in the observatory. We had regular cruises
up, whom she invited over now that she was
that came over. We knew the 6.15 was coming in and
back in her hometown for a night.
would meet up with another one. And they would be
stationary for about half an hour, and then after verifyThere was a nice young roadie who had just
ing what they’d been doing that day, they’d shoot off.
resigned from David’s crew for some mys
“But I mean, it’s what you do with the information. We
out about. The roadie had brought along two
never used to tell anybody. It was beautifully dissipated
local friends, a guy and girl, and the guy
when it got to the media. Media control is still based
was the flying saucer man, who had actually
in the main on cultural manipulation. It’s just so easy
seen UFOs, in flight and on the ground.
to do. When you set up one set of objectives toward the public and you’ve given them a certain definition for
And, of course, there was Mr. Bowie himself,
each code word, you hit them with the various code
somewhat tired from the energetic perfor-
words and they’re not going to believe anything if you
mance he had given to a packed audience
don’t want them to.
less than an hour before. He looked relaxed in a loose-fitting, uncolourful overall outfit,
That’s what the media is. That’s how it works. The
and although his eyes seemed weary and
Mayan calendar: they could get the crowds to go out
his voice was a bit hoarse, as the conversa-
and crucify somebody merely by giving them a certain
tion twisted and turned among the subjects
definition, two or third words, primed in terms such that
of music, extraterrestrials and political
they could tell what day the people would react and
conspiracies, he gradually grew animated
how they would react... I sound like a subversive.”
and energetic, jumping up to make a point, stalking around the hotel suite while listen-
The reporter protested that he knew the media all too
ing to someone else, dancing while seated
well and they weren’t organised enough to carry off any
on a chair and singing along as he played
kind of conspiracy or manipulation.
his forthcoming soul album. “It’s seemingly disorganised,” replied David. It’s not
10
“I used to work for two guys who put out a
disorganised, because I’ve been in the media as well. I
UFO magazine in England,” he told the fly-
used to be a visualiser for an advertising agency, and I
ing saucer man. “About six years ago. And I
know exactly what I mean the advertising agencies that
GGY was our saviour.
sell us, they are killers, man. Those guys, they can sell anybody anything. And not just products. If you think agencies are just out to sell products, you’re naive. They’re powerful for other reasons. A lot of those agencies are responsible for a lot of things they shouldn’t be responsible for. They’re dealing with lives, those ad agencies.” Somehow to make a point about how humans are all manipulated, David bought up Hitler’s Germany and said that Hitler, too, was controlled. The reporter asks how’s it possible if Hitler’s personal military mismanagement“Oh he was a terrible military strategist,” said David, “the world’s worst, but his overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead. And I’m sure that he was just part of it, that he was used... He was a nut and everybody knew he was a nut.” But what about losing the war, asked the reporter. Was that part of the plan too? “No, that’s not what I said,” said David, exasperated. “I said I don’t believe that he was the dictatorial, omnipotent leader that he’s been taken for. ”At this point, the flying saucer man broke in to try and help put things in perspective. “I think that you have to look at it as the same thing as your band,” he said to David. “You’ll sing, but you are the figurehead of the band. You’re the main man. Hitler was the main man of his entourage.” “Yes... well, I’m the leader, the organiser and what-not, but the product which takes place is a contributed product, and responsibility lies with the whole lot, and the direction is on many shoulders. The responsibility lies in you,” maintained the flying saucer man.
A Candid Conversation with the Actor, Rock Singer and Sexual Switch-Hitter Playboy | September, 1976
He was once a scruffy, honey-haired folk singer. Then the foppish leader of a Beatlesprototype pop band, The Buzz. Then an adamantly bisexual balla-deer. Then a spacy, cropped-red-haired androgynous guitarist backed by a band called the Spiders from Mars. Then a soul singer. Then a movie actor…and finally, a smartly conservative, Sinatraesque entertainer. David Bowie, would do anything to make it. And now that he has made it, he’ll do anything to stay there. At 29, David Bowie (born David Jones in Brixton, England) is far more than another rock star. He is a self-dsigned media manipulator who knows neither tact nor intimidation. There is but one objective to his bizarrely eclectic career-attention. Without it, he would surely wither and die. Before a crowd of paying customers, if possible.In April 1975, Bowie splashily announced he had given up on rock. “I’ve rocked my roll,” is the way he put it. “It’s a boring dead end. There will be no more rock-’n’-roll records
14
or tours from me. The last thing I want to
Spain, meanwhile, demanded emergency use of the
be is some useless fucking rock singer.”
satellite to tell the world that Generalissimo Franco had
That was the second time he’d made such
died. Bowie, always the bad boy, refused to give it up.
a statement. He had first announced a rock retirement during his encore at a huge out-
Bowie is not the most loved man in the music business.
door London concert in 1973, after which he
Still, he has made his mark. When he first appeared
went on to release “Diamond Dogs” and to
on an American stage, in 1972, he was humping his
book a three-month American tour.
guitarist, wearing full make-up and sporting lavishly feminine costumes. He instantly created a new genre
This time, Bowie ate his words of farewell
— glamor rock — that yanked rock out of its innocence.
even more spectacularly. Last November,
Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Alice
he arranged an interview by satellite from
Cooper, Todd Rundgren, Lou Reed and a host of glitter
his Los Angeles home with England’s most
bands, such as Queen, Roxy Music, Slade, T. Rex and
popular talk-show host, Russell Harty, to
Cockney Rebel, followed suit.
explain that he had a new album of doublefisted rock ‘n’ roll, “Station to Station.”
Once Bowie had turned everybody’s head on that first U.S. tour, it wasn’t long before his then-current LP about
16
What’s more, Bowie rambled on, he would
a doomed rock demigod, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy
soon be embarking on a six-month world-
Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” shot to the top of
wide concert blitz. The government of
the charts. His three previous albums -all stiffs in their
He is a self-designed media manipulator who knows neither tact nor
inst-ance, he ended a session by asking for
these girls try to get me over to the other side again: “C’mon, David,
a random list of 20 items. I gave it to him.
it isn’t all that bad. I’ll show you.” Or, better yet, “We’ll show you.” I
He studied the list for ten seconds, handed
always act dumb.
it back and recited it from memory. On the other hand — I’m sure you want to know about the other “Bowie is expertly charming, whether in
hand as well — when I was 14, sex suddenly became all-important
the company of a stuffy film executive,
to me. It didn’t really matter who or what it was with, as long as it
another musician or a complete stranger.
was a sexual experience. So it was some very pretty boy in class
The more shocking his revelation, from his
in some school or other that I took home and neatly fucked on my
homosexual encounters to his fascist lean-
bed upstairs. And that was it. My first thought was, Well, if I ever
ings, the wider his grin. He knows exactly
go to prison, I’ll know how to keep happy.I’ve always been very
what interviewers consider good copy; and
chauvinistic, even in my boy-obsessed days. But I was always
he gives them precisely that. The truth is
a gentleman. I always treated my boys like real ladies. Always
probably inconsequential.”
escorted them properly and, in fact, I suppose if I were a lot older— like 40 or 50— I’d be a wonderful sugar daddy to some little queen
Q&A by Cameron Crowe
down in Kensington. I’d have a houseboy named Richard to order
PLAYBOY: Let’s start with the one question
around. “James Dean epitomized the very thing that is so campily
you’ve always seemed to hedge: How much
respectable today— the male hustler… He had quite a sordid little
of your bisexuality is fact and is gimmick?
reputation. I admire him immensely.”
BOWIE: It’s true — I am a bisexual. But I
PLAYBOY: How much of that are we supposed to believe? Your for-
can’t deny that I’ve used that fact very well.
mer publicist, the celebrated ex-groupie Cherry Vanilla, says she’s
I suppose it’s the best thing that ever hap-
slept with you and that you’re not gay at all. She says you just let
pened to me. Fun, too. We’ll talk.
people think you like guys.
PLAYBOY: Why do you say it’s the best
BOWIE: Oh, I’d love to meet this impostor she’s talking about. It
thing that ever happened to you?
sure ain’t me. That’s actually a lovely quote. Cherry’s almost as good as I am at using the media.
BOWIE: Well, for one thing, girls are always
20
presuming that I’ve kept my heterosexual
PLAYBOY: Yet the fact remains that you’ve never been seen with a
virginity for some reason. So I’ve had all
He didn’t want to die. But he did believe in taking your day it’s a
day — began selling wildly. The press leaped to proclaim Bowie the Next Big Thing we’d all been craving. Just as quickly, it turned to attack the phenomenon. There was just kind of the nature of something about Bowie’s bisexual band wagon that wasn’t quite… healthy. Musicians and critics banded together to revolt against Bowie’s decadence. But Bowie had already assumed a new, equally ludicrous facçade— disco soul. Suddenly, this frail, faggy hard rocker was bumping and grinding out rhythmand-blues. And it worked. Bowie racked up two huge hits, “Young Americans” and “Fame.” Then came the ultimate acceptance: He became one of the very few whites ever to be invited to appear on “Soul Train.” To accommodate the wide base of his success, Bowie has since assumed the posture of grand old entertainer, wearing black formal trousers and vest over a white shirt. “Station to Station” reached the sacred gold status of $500,000 worth sold. His subsequent world tour, just completed, was a sellout at every stop. Now, in Bowie’s biggest year yet, the onetime glitter king/queen of rock is threatening to keep a promise for once. He has always claimed to be a genuine film star, and his performance in Nicolas (“Walkabout,” “Don’t Look Now,” “Performance”) Roeg’s recent release, “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” has won lavish praise. The choice of Bowie to play the title role was, according to The New York Times, “inspired. Mr. Bowie gives an extraordinary performance.” We figured it was about time to catch up with Bowie’s crusade as he has explained it — to rule the world. Free-lance journalist and Rolling Stone contributing editor Cameron Crowe was sent to visit with the most arrogant superstar to invade the media in the Seventies. His report:“My talks with Bowie began as far back as early 1975. Few of our sessions were marathon affairs. No matter how stimulating the conversation, after any longer than an hour of sitting still, Bowie could barely contain himself. ‘Can we just take a short break?’ he’d blurt. Not waiting for a reply, he would then shoot to his feet and dart in another direction: sometimes to write a song or two, other times to dash off a painting. In one
The t is pro
Incons 22
truth obably
sequential
BOWIE: Oh, Lord, I got over being a queen
He didn’t want to die. But he did believe in taking your-
quite a long time ago. For a while, it was
self to extremes, add a deeper cut to one’s personality.
pretty much 50-50; and now the only time it tempts me is when I go over to Japan. There
BOWIE: Funnily enough, and you’ll never believe me, it
are such beautiful-looking little boys over
was a parody of Gabriel Rossetti. Slightly askew, obvi-
there. Little boys? Not that little. About 18
ously. So when they told me that a drag-queen cult was
or 19. They have a wonderful sort of mental-
forming behind me, I said, “Fine, don’t try to explain it;
ity. They’re all queens until they reach 25,
nobody is going to bother to try to understand it.” I’ll
then suddenly they become samurai, get
play along, absolutely anything to break me through.
married and have thousands of children. I
Because of everybody’s thirst for scandal — look at
love it.
how big People is — they gave me a big chance. All the papers wrote volumes about how sick I was, how I was
BOWIE: I would say that America forced me
helping to kill off true art. They used up all the space
into it. Someone asked me in an interview
they could have given over to true artists.
once - I believe it was in ‘71 -if I were gay. I said, “No, I’m bisexual.” The guy, a writer
The follow-up to that, now that I’ve decided to talk a
for one of the English trades, had no idea
little more — if only to you — was, “How dare he have
what the term meant. So I explained it to
such a strenuous ego?” That, in itself, seemed a danger
him. It was all printed — and that’s where
to some people. Am I, as a human being, worth talk-
it started. It’s so nostalgic now, isn’t it?
ing about? I frankly think, Yes, I am. I’ve got to carry
‘Seventy-one was a good American year. Sex
through with the conviction that I am also my own
was still shocking. Everybody wanted to see
medium. The only way I can be effective as a person is
the freak. But they were so ignorant about
to be this confoundedly arrogant and forthright with my
what I was doing.
point of view.
PLAYBOY: Dean. James Dean did, very
PLAYBOY: But aren’t you having trouble getting other
subtly and very well. I have some insight on
people to believe you? Take, for example, your well-
it. Dean was probably very much like me.
publicized farewells to showbiz. You’ve retired twice,
Elizabeth Taylor told me that once. Dean
swearing you’d never have another thing to do with rock
was calculating. He wasn’t careless. He was
‘n’ roll… It’s all very tricky, indeed. How do you rational-
not the rebel he portrayed so successfully.
ize these contradictions?
I believe in with the u sincerity. I
n myself utmost
I lie.
26
BOWIE: I lie. It’s quite easy to do. Nothing matters except whatever it is I’m doing at the moment. I can’t keep track of everything I say. I don’t give a shit. I can’t even remember how much I believe and how much I don’t believe The point is to grow into the person you grow into. I haven’t a clue where I’m gonna be in a year. A raving nut, a flower child or a dictator, some kind of reverend — I don’t know. That’s what keeps me from getting bored. PLAYBOY: What else do you do to keep from getting bored? BOWIE: You name it. PLAYBOY: How about drugs? BOWIE: What year is it now? ‘Seventy-six? I suppose I’ve been knocking on heaven’s door for about 11 years now, with one sort of high or another. The only kinds of drugs I use, though, are ones that keep me working for longer periods of time. I haven’t gotten involved in anything heavy since ‘68. I had a silly flirtation with smack then, but it was only for the mystery and enigma of trying it. I never really enjoyed it at all. I like fast drugs. I’ve said that many times. I hate falling out, where I can’t stand up and stuff. It seems like such a waste of time. I hate downs and slow drugs like grass. I hate sleep. I would much prefer staying up, just working, all the time. It makes me so mad that we can’t do anything about sleep or the common cold. PLAYBOY: Do you remember the first time you got stoned? BOWIE: On grass? I’d done a lot of pills ever since I was a kid. Thirteen or fourteen. But the first time I got stoned on grass was with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin many, many years ago, when he was still a bass player on Herman’s Hermits records. We’d been talking to Ramblin’ Jack Elliott somewhere and Jonesy said to me, “Come over and I’ll turn you on to grass.” I thought about it
PLAYBOY: But you’ve said you find rock depressing and sterile, evil. BOWIE: Thethat unfortunate thing is that I’ve always wanted to be a even film director. And the two media got unconsciously amalgamated, so I was doing films on record. That creates your basic concept album, which becomes a bit of a slow pack horse in the end. Now I know that if I’m going to make albums, I’ve got to make albums that I enjoy musically, or else just make the fucking film. A lot of my concept albums, like Aladdin Sane, Ziggy and Diamond Dogs, were only 50 percent there. They should have been visual as well. I think that some of the most talented actors around are in rock. I think a whole renaissance in film making is gonna come from rock. Not because of it, though, despite it.
PLAYBOY: Let’s goBOWIE: back Ittoisdisco music. You say it’s a dirge, yet you had the biggest disco hit of last yea depressing and sterile and, yes, ultimately evil. Anything that contributes to stagnation is evil. When it has familiarity, it’s no longer rock ‘n’ roll. It’s white noise. Dirge. Just look at disco music——the endless numb beat. It’s really dangerous. So I’ve moved on. I’ve established the fact that I am an entertainer, David Bowie, not just another boring rock singer. I’ve got a film out, Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth. And I’ll be doing a lot more, taking a
PLAYBOY: What did you think of Barbra Streisand’s recording your song Life on Mars? lot of chances. The minute you know you’re on safe ground, you’re dead. You’re
finished. It’s over. The last thing I want is to be established. I want to go to bed every night saying, “If I never wake again, I certainly will have lived while I was alive.”
PLAYBOY: You’re not noted for cordial relationships with other artists. Yet there was the rumor that you BOWIE: I love disco. It’s a lovely escapist’s way out. I quite like it, as long as
it’s not on the radio night and day — which it is so much these days. Fame was an incredible bluff that worked. Very flattering. I’ll do anything until I fail. And when I succeed, I quit, too. I’m really knocked out that people actually dance to my records, though. But let’s be honest; my rhythm and blues are thoroughly plastic. Young Americans, the album Fame is from, is, I would say, the definitive plastic soul record. It’s the squashed remains of ethnic music as it survives in the age of Muzak rock, written and sung by a white limey. If you had played Young Americans to me five years ago and said, “This is an R album,” I would
PLAYBOY: Under what circumstances did you meet? have laughed. Hysterically.
BOWIE: I would have thrown you and the record out of my house.
PLAYBOY: How about if we had said, “This is going to be your album five years from now”? BOWIE: Bloody awful. Sorry, Barb, but it was atrocious.
BOWIE: That’s a beaut. I haven’t even left this bloody country in years. I saw Dylan in New York seven, eight months ago. We don’t have a lot to talk about.
PLAYBOY: But you’ve thatfriends. you find rockI think depressing and sterile, even evil. We’resaid not great Actually, he hates me. BOWIE: Very bad ones. We went back to somebody’s house after some gig at a
28
ar in Fame and you scored again this year with Golden Years. How do you explain that?
u flew to Europe to spend a sabbatical with Bob Dylan. What about it?
club. We had all gone to see someone, I can’t
aware of, more than anything else, is the man’s Scarlet Pimpernel-
remember who, and Dylan was there. I was
like intelligence. They seek him here, they seek him there...
in a very, sort of … verbose frame of mind. And I just talked at him for hours and hours
For Bowie is someone who speaks out strongly, yet won’t stay
and hours, and whether I amused him or
pinned down to any opinion. Or indeed lifestyle. And of late his life-
scared him or repulsed him, I really don’t
styles have undergone startling, changes.
know. I didn’t wait for any answers. I just went on and on about everything. And then
Early in the year, there was the “Young Americans” album which
I said good night. He never phoned me. sure
confirmed his flirtation with American soul; it sure was a change
the operator will be listening in.”
from the surrealistic R&B of the previous “Diamond Dogs”, anyway. About the same time as “Young Americans”, he upped and left
“This is the Los Angeles operator... we think
longtime manager Tony De Fries. But soon afterwards there were
we have a connection and we will not, re-
rumours he was planning a concert tour of Brazil. No Brazil. But he
peat not, be listening ...”
did spend some time recording Detroit street punk artiste, lggy Pop (the midget who had inspired the Bowie song, “Jean Genie”. And
Finally...
the next word on Bowie was he was huddled in a room drawing pentangles, burning candles, chanting spells. And then he started work
“A big hullo to all of you people over there
on a film “The Man Who Fell To Earth”. Definitely it was a rapid-
from all of me over here. What’s happen-
change program.
ing?” And what’s happening is his voice keeps fading into blurry white noise.
MEANWHILE.... back at the telephone receiver.... David why don’t
(Telephone operators bootlegging the
we start talking about “Young Americans”
conversation?) As always, he speaks with an accentless clipped tone, very English
“You know, it’s easy— all you got to do is win.” The voice fades into
but very anonymous all at the same time.
white noise, then comes back.
The sort of voice that goes with whatever
30
personality its owner is wearing at the time.
“’Fascination’?... there’s not much I can say really, it’s pretty self-ex-
Ziggy Stardust to Diamond Dog to Flame
planatory…” And Bowie fades away ... pauses ... comes back. “Like
Flared Androgynous Dandy. But it’s weird
over here, it’s bright young Americans, you know, the lilting phrase
and quite ghostly when you hear it without
before the crashing crescendo. In England it’s a dirge— the days are
seeing the visual effect. What you become
all grey over there. It’s a bit worrying.
“Like that uncertainty stretches from where I am to where you are. There’s literally no economic confidence in any one nation in the world. There’s not one confident central source anywhere on this whole damn planet. “It makes you want to shoot yourself— it’s very demoralising. I think we should maybe strengthen up a bit. “I think the morals should be straightened up for a start. They’re disgusting. This whole particular period of civilisation... it’s not even decadent. We’ve never had true decadence yet. It borders on Philistine really. “If you, like me, believe the current morality … or the signals for each morality really … are pushed by an established power or, media … well, it’s really just another way of suppressing or ridiculing the working man, so he has less to look up to in his own life. “I mean, to put on pornographic movies in a truly free society is one thing; to put on pornographic movies in America is very dangerous because it intimidates and ridicules the average family man. He watches himself being portrayed six inches tall on TV every night, and he wakes up the next morning and he feels six inches tall, he thinks he is six inches tall. “There’s a continual dirge of music on radio. I like music, but... conversation on radio is totally missing, there’s no gambit no motivation on the radio any more. It used to happen some years ago on FM radio but it’s totally lacking now. With the FM stations in America. If they don’t start slipping into a Top 40 format, they go broke, and are then bought by the Church. I think over 45% of the older FM stations are now owned by the church or religious organisations. “It’s absolutely incredible the way media is used over here. With all it’s potential power and the vast implications of what could happen, it is’ confounding. It
PLAYBOY: Did impress just he repads what isyou? padded. You have absolutely no feedback in America as to what the real situation is by listening to TV, radio, reading newspapers. “And unfortunately, at this moment, listening to music as well.” This is somewhat stunning from a man who has manipulated the media significantly himself.
PLAYBOY: Could another musician impress you? Like many years ago, there was his coy admission of bisexuality that set English newspapers screaming— a story by the way that probably had little basis— Bowie has certainly denied any bisexual leanings since.
PLAYBOY: How you a rock roller, anyway? Thendid there wasbecome his prediction thatn’ a major rock star, maybe himself would certainly die on stage within the next few years. And yet, after a year’s retirement from stage performances he returned with a wilder more frantic act yet. Scalding audiences into a frenzy.
PLAYBOY: But nice clothes cost of money. Now, David the Guardian Morality. One thing for sure, or rather, four or five things for sure — Bowie is a rapid change chameleon. It’s always been part of his appeal. The new Bowie though is more than a little startling. It’s almost a Saul/St. Paul type change... “I just want to do some things I want to do,” he says. “I’ve recently gone PLAYBOY: What was it like to be a mime? through some pretty interesting changes”
“I’d like to do something that’s actively concerned with trying to clear up the mess. I have an idea, but I’d rather do it than say it. But as it is, the situation’s just nonsensical, it goes round in never decreasing circles. Rock and roll certainly hasn’t fulfilled its original promise.
PLAYBOY: Didn’t your wife, Angela, have something to do with itt? “Like the original aim of rock and roll when it first came out was to establish an alternative media speak voice for people who had neither the power nor advantage to infiltrate any other media or carry any weight and cornily enough, people really needed rock and roll.
PLAYBOY: And how was the thing with your mutual boyfriend resolved? “And what we said was that we were only using rock and roll to express our vehement arguments against the conditions we find ourselves in, and we promise
PLAYBOY: Why didwill you marry her? that we do something to change the world from how it was. We will use rock and roll as a springboard. “But it’s just become one more whirling deity, right? Going round that
BLAS THROUG
the intergalactic soun
BLACK
and static of my st
STED UGH THE
nds of Ziggy Stardust
KNESS
tone suburban life
Strobe Lights, Colour, Noise Lisa Keiths | Fan Story
Fears of being beaten up by skinheads for dressing this way meant nothing. I’d found my niche. My father despaired but I was Ziggy Stardust and I was on my way to see myself play at the Liverpool Empire. It was a warm June evening and once at the Theatre I was a little disturbed to find that I’d already played a matinee show. After half an hour of queuing, the flood gates open and out pour the audience from the first show. It was the second time I’d been to this theatre. The first was to see Norman Wisdom at the tender age of seven. This was for real though. I go and buy my show programme, which is a glossy mag with some cool photo’s and little else really. Didn’t matter. I think it cost £2. Still got it somewhere. Anyway, after what seems like an eternity, the house lights eventually come down and a Butlins Redcoat is on the stage announcing the evenings entertainment. “DAVID BOWIE”. Then there’s some strange classical music being piped through the PA. I now know this to be Beethoven but to a 14 year old it was something you’d hear your dad
playing.. People in the audience are getting
Isn’t he the bloke who did “Walk on the Wild Side?” I’m
restless and I can see the ones down at the
thinking. There were so many things I didn’t know back
front getting crushed even before ‘I’m’ on
then. Ziggy was new.Ronno seems to be doing more
the stage. Strobe lights, colour, noise. A
of the lead vocals on “Lets Spend the Night Together”,
mass of hysteria hits the stage. Blam, the
which I already know as a Rolling Stones song. Maybe
opening chords of “Hang On To Yourself”
Ziggy’s voice is spent from touring. Ziggy introduces
rip out of the PA.
the band and is being heckled from someone down at the front of the crowd. I can remember Ziggy’s retort
Ziggy floats across the stage in the glare of
verbatim.”When you are playing the Liverpool Empire
strobe and is positioned, not at the centre
I’ll come and see you.
mike, Ronno is there. Ziggy is on Ronno’s mike and is midway through the song
Until then, SHUT UP!”“Suffragette City”, Thank you
before my eyes can believe what they’re
good night. That’s it.The show seems so choreographed
seeing. The outfit would appear to be a
that there seems little room for something so spontane-
multi coloured suit that flares from the
ous as an encore so I start milling through the crowd
chest down. The hair is more red than I’ve
towards the door. I’m almost out when I hear a huge
ever seen on photo’s. The voice doesn’t
roar and to my surprise, Ziggy and the Spiders are back.
sound as slick as the record. In fact, it
Ziggy’s hair is now tucked behind the ears and I can see
sounds hoarse. Ziggy’s not reaching the
an earring sparkling. The costume is now black and skin
high notes but who cares.
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Next up is “Ziggy Stardust” and the suit is ripped off to reveal some white Japanese looking outfit. I still haven’t got Aladdin Sane, can’t afford it so there’s a couple of songs I don’t know. I’m rewarded soon enough with my favourite from Ziggy — “Moonage Daydream”. The guitar solo is absolutely stunning from Ronno. “Space Oddity” and some others I don’t know and they’re off the stage for the interval. Second-half sees more costumes and more songs I don’t know but the event is overwhelming. Eventually Ziggy is wearing what I could only describe as a red swimsuit with little animals printed all over it. “Width of a Circle” - mid way through the song Ziggy comes running from the back of the stage and slams into an invisible wall. He tries again, fails, so unzips the wall and climbs through, then turns into a bird. Wow! I was not aware of Ziggy’s mime show back then. Mind-blowing to 14 year old.At certain points during the show the only stage lighting is a single spotlight on Ziggy’s face. Again, mind-blowing. A duel between Ronno and Trevor Bolder. Woody collapsing from his drumstool while a green spotlight picks out the fake demise of the drummer. I don’t know the next song but Ziggy tells us it was written by Lou Reed.
Watch out Mate! Hitler’s on His Way Back. Anthony O’Grady | New Musical Express | | August, 1975
Finally... “A big hullo to all of you people over there from all of me over here. What’s happening?” And what’s happening is his voice keeps fading into blurry white noise. (Telephone operators bootlegging the conversation?) As always, he speaks with an accentless clipped tone, very English but very anonymous all at the same time. The sort of voice that goes with whatever personality its owner is wearing at the time. Ziggy Stardust to Diamond Dog to Flame Flared Androgynous Dandy. But it’s weird and quite ghostly when you hear it without seeing the visual effect. What you become aware of, more than anything else, is the man’s Scarlet Pimpernel-like intelligence. They seek him here, they seek him there...
For Bowie is someone who speaks out strongly, yet won’t stay pinned down to any opinion. Or indeed lifestyle. And of late his lifestyles have undergone startling, changes. Early in the year, there was the “Young Americans” album which confirmed his flirtation with American soul; it sure was a change from the surrealistic R&B of the previous “Diamond Dogs”, anyway. About the same time as “Young Americans”, he upped and left longtime manager Tony De Fries. But soon afterwards there were rumours he was planning a concert tour of Brazil. No Brazil. But he did spend some time recording Detroit street punk artiste, lggy Pop (the midget who had inspired the Bowie song, “Jean Genie”. And the next word on Bowie was he was huddled in a room drawing pentangles, burning candles, chanting spells. And then he started work on a film “The Man Who Fell To Earth”. Definitely it was a rapid-change program. MEANWHILE.... back at the telephone receiver.... David why don’t we start talking about “Young Americans” “You know, it’s easy— all you got to do is win.” The voice fades into white noise, then comes back. “’Fascination’?... there’s not much I can say really, it’s pretty self-explanatory…” And Bowie fades away ... pauses ... comes back. “Like over here, it’s bright young Americans, you know, the lilting phrase before the crashing crescendo. In England it’s a dirge— the days are all grey over there. It’s a bit worrying.
Eeeee Dah-aaaah “Like that uncertainty stretches from where I am to where you are. There’s
literally no economic confidence in any one nation in the world. There’s not one confident central source anywhere on this whole damn planet.
44
ek! It’s h-veeeed!
never—decreasing circle. And rock and roll
And then he started work on a film “The Man Who Fell
is dead.”
To Earth”. Definitely it was a rapid-change program.
Does he really believe that? “Absolutely. It’s an woman. It’s really
MEANWHILE.... David why don’t we start talking about
embarrassing.”
“Young Americans“ You know, it’s easy — all you got to do is win.” The voice fades into white noise, and then
So what’s the next step?
comes back.
For Bowie is someone who speaks out
“’Fascination’?... there’s not much I can say really, it’s
strongly, yet won’t stay pinned down to any
pretty self-explanatory…” And Bowie fades away ...
opinion. Or indeed lifestyle, of late his life-
pauses ... comes back. “Like over here, it’s bright young
styles have undergone startling, changes.
Americans, you know, the lilting phrase before the crashing crescendo. In England it’s a dirge— the days
Early in the year, there was the “Young
are all grey over there. It’s a bit worrying.
Americans” album which confirmed his flirtation with American soul; it sure was a
“Like that uncertainty stretches from where I am to
change from the surrealistic R&B of the pre-
where you are. There’s literally no economic confidence
vious “Diamond Dogs”, anyway. About the
in any one nation in the world. There’s not one confident
same time as “Young Americans”, he upped
central source anywhere on this whole damn planet.
and left longtime manager Tony De Fries. But soon afterwards there were rumours he
“It makes you want to shoot yourself— it’s very demor-
was planning a concert tour of Brazil. No
alising. I think we should maybe strengthen up a bit.
Brazil. But he did spend some time recording Detroit street punk artiste, lggy Pop (the
“I think the morals should be straightened up for a start.
midget who had inspired the Bowie song,
They’re disgusting. This whole particular period of ci-
“Jean Genie”. And the next word on Bowie
vilisation... it’s not even decadent. We’ve never had true
was he was huddled in a room drawing pen-
decadence yet. It borders on Philistine really.
tangles, burning candles, chanting spells.
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“If you, like me, believe the current morality … or the signals for each morality really … are pushed by an established power or, media … well, it’s really just another way of suppressing or ridiculing the working man, so he has less to look up to in his own life. “I mean, to put on pornographic movies in a truly free society is one thing; to put on pornographic movies in America is very dangerous because it intimidates and ridicules the average family man. He watches himself being portrayed six inches tall on TV every night, and he wakes up the next morning and he feels six inches tall, he thinks he is six inches tall. “There’s a continual dirge of music on radio. I like music, but... conversation on radio is totally missing, there’s no gambit no motivation on the radio any more. It used to happen some years ago on FM radio but it’s totally lacking now. With the FM stations in America. If they don’t start slipping into a Top 40 format, they go broke, and are then bought by the Church. I think over 45% of the older FM stations are now owned. “It makes you want to shoot yourself— it’s very demoralising. I think we should maybe strengthen up a bit. “I think the morals should be straightened up for a start. They’re disgusting. This whole particular period of civilisation... it’s not even decadent. We’ve never had true decadence yet. It borders on Philistine really. “If you, like me, believe the current morality … or the signals for each morality really … are pushed by an established power or, media … well, it’s really just another way of suppressing or ridiculing the working man, so he has less to look up to in his own life. “It’s absolutely incredible the way media is used over here. With all it’s potential power and the vast implications of what could happen, it is’ confounding. It just repads what is padded. You have absolutely no feedback in America as to what the real situation is by listening to TV, radio, reading newspapers.
“And unfortunately, at this moment, listening to music as well. It’s a pretty sorry state.” This is somewhat stunning from a man who has manipulated the media significantly himself. Like many years ago, there was his coy admission of bisexuality that set English newspapers screaming— a story by the way that probably had little basis— Bowie has certainly denied any bisexual leanings since. Then there was his prediction that a major rock star, maybe himself would certainly die on stage within the next few years. And yet, after a year’s retirement from stage performances he returned with a wilder more frantic act yet. Scalding audiences into a frenzy. Now, David the Guardian of Morality. One thing for sure, or rather, four or five things for sure — Bowie is a rapid change chameleon. It’s always been part of his appeal. The new Bowie though is more than a little startling. It’s almost a Saul/St. Paul type change... “I just want to do some things I want to do,” he says. “I’ve recently gone through some pretty interesting changes” “It makes you want to shoot yourself— it’s very demoralising. I think we should maybe strengthen up a bit. “I think the morals should be straightened up for a start. They’re disgusting. This whole particular period of civilisation... it’s not even decadent. We’ve never had true decadence yet. It borders on Philistine really. “If you, like me, believe the current morality … or the signals for each morality really … are pushed by an established power or, media … well, it’s really just another way of suppressing or ridiculing the working man, so he has less to look up to in his own life. “I’d like to do something that’s actively concerned with trying to clear up the mess. I have an idea, but I’d rather do it than say it. But as it is, the situation’s just nonsensical, it goes round in never decreasing. With trying to clear up the But as it is, the situation’s just nonsensical, it goes round in never decreasing. so he has less to look up to in his own life.
48
50
So what’s the next step? “Dictatorship,”