1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974
1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD • HUNKY DORY
THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST
AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
ALADDIN SANE • PINUPS • DIAMOND DOGS
YOUNG AMERICANS • STATION TO STATION
LOW • HEROES • LODGER • SCARY MONSTERS
ZIGGY STARDUST THE MOTION PICTURE
THE 1980 FLOOR SHOW • CRACKED ACTOR
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH • THE ELEPHANT MAN
FEATURES • PRESS ARCHIVE
BOWIEGOLDENYEARS is currently being expanded and redesigned
gold page links are live
JANUARY 1973
Space Oddity 5:05 • The Man Who Sold The World 3:53 single released in US Wednesday January 3 Top Of The Pops The Jean Genie Bowie played maracas and harmonica while Ronson cranked up the volume, deafening the sound engineers. The third take was chosen for broadcast. Dr Who was being filmed in another studio. Downstairs in the canteen, the Spiders were asked what characters they were playing in it.
RCA presented Bowie with his first gold record for The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, for over 100,000 sales in the UK. After the broadcast the BBC repurposed the tape so the performance was presumed lost until 2011, when John Henshall, a cameraman on the show, revealed that he had 2-inch tape copy of broadcast quality. Shortly after the taping, Henshall had asked TOTP producer Johnnie Stewart for a copy to include in his company’s show reel. Henshall's company Telefex specialised in visual effects, including the fisheye effect he used on the The Jean Genie.
Friday January 5 Green's Playhouse, Glasgow (two shows) Saturday January 6 Empire Theatre, Edinburgh Sunday January 7 City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne
City Hall, Newcastle • photos © Ian Dickson Monday January 8 Bowie spent his birthday with the band at RCA’s pressing plant in County Durham with a tour of the production line and a cake. Tuesday January 9 Guildhall, Preston Wednesday January 17 Russell Harty Plus Pop Studio 3, South Bank Television Centre, London Drive-In Saturday
My Death • photo © Joe Stevens Bowie appeared on Harty’s chat show to perform the new single Drive-In Saturday, promote the new album and to satisfy the curiosity of mainstream Britain, answering Harty’s frank questions with candour. Friday January 19 Aladdin Sane recording sessions Trident Studios, St. Anne’s Court, Wardour Steet, London Cracked Actor
NME's Charles Shaar Murray reported the progress of the new tracks, including a new version of John I'm Only Dancing, which was eventually held over and released as a single:
Charles Shaar Murray's report in NME that an "incomplete track called Zion has been replaced by Lady Grinning Soul" led to years of speculation about Zion, generally thought to be a seven-minute piece that Bowie played to writer Martin Hayman during July's Pinups sessions in France.
Bowie has said that Lady Grinning Soul was about “someone I met, that I found enchanting. It was a London song.” The lady in question was American singer Claudia Lennear, who had sung with Delaney and Bonnie, been an Ikette for Tina Turner and appeared in the films The Concert For Bangladesh and Mad Dogs And Englishmen.
Claudia Lennear, 1973 • photo © Norman Seeff They met in Detroit when Bowie was passing through on tour, and Bowie had asked her to join the US tour in New York to sing the Juanita Franklin and Linda Lewis vocal parts.
Eventually the idea was dropped in favour of having musicians doubling up on backing vocals. Geoff MacCormack had worked sporadically in music – at one stage singing jingles for radio DJ Emperor Rosko’s show – and was now selling advertising space for Construction News.
MacCormack also appeared on Panic In Detroit – one of the last tracks completed – on backing vocals and congas. John ‘Hutch’ John Hutchinson had played with Bowie in 1968/69 and was now based in Scarborough. He heard that Bowie was looking for a guitarist for the US tour and got in touch.
RCA and Tony DeFries restructured the tour, with more dates in fewer, larger cities. He trimmed the entourage down to the band, road crew, Suzi Fussey (wardrobe, hairdresser and PA), Pierre Laroche (make-up) and Stuart George and Tony Frost (security). Saturday January 20
Thursday January 25 Southampton to New York Mick Rock accompanied Bowie and MacCormack to Southampton and photographed them in their cabin on SS Canberra.
Tuesday January 30 Bowie and MacCormack arrived in New York, staying at the Gramercy Park Hotel in Lexington Avenue. Wednesday January 31 Ken Scott made an Aladdin Sane master tape comprising eleven tracks, ending with the new 'sax' version of John, I'm Only Dancing. FEBRUARY 1973
Walk On The Wild Side (Reed) 3:37 • Perfect Day (Reed) 3:42 Lou Reed single released in US Lou Reed's first US hit. Like the BBC, US censors missed the reference to “giving head” but replaced “the coloured girls” with “all the girls”. Sunday February 4 - Tuesday February 13 Tour rehearsals
RCA Studios, New York • photo © David Gahr Studio A was favoured by Elvis Presley and was used for recording movie soundtracks. Cherry Vanilla interviewed Bowie there for tour publicity.
Yasuko ‘Yacco’ Takahashi contacted Kansai in Japan, advising him to come to New York to meet Bowie. Sunday February 4 Charles Mingus at The Village Gate Monday February 5
Bowie, MacCormack and Hutchinson spent several evenings that week at Max’s Kansas City, socialising with Todd Rundgren, Allen Ginsberg and the New York Dolls.
Springsteen at Max's © Lily Hou Bowie was so impressed by Greetings From Asbury Park NJ, he later covered three of the tracks – Growin’ Up, Spirit In The Night and It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City. Wednesday February 7 Stevie Wonder party, Genesis club, New York Stevie Wonder performed at Carnegie Hall supported by The Main Ingredient, which featured future Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar and Emir Ksasan. That night Bowie met singer/model Ava Cherry.
Bowie and Stevie Wonder at Genesis Thursday February 8 A full page ad in Village Voice announces the upcoming show at Radio City Music Hall is “SOLD OUT so he will do it there again.” Monday February 12 At Max’s Kansas City, Bowie and Angie spotted Todd Rundgren and Bebe Buell and introduced themselves.
Bebe Buell and Todd Rundgren at Max's © Anton Perich
That week, Mike Garson told Trevor Bolder that he was on $800 a week and was shocked to learn that the Spiders were still on only $80.
US Tour II 1973 David Bowie: vocals, guitar, Minimoog, percussion
Wednesday February 14 Radio City Music Hall, New York
Bowie and Yasuko 'Yacco' Takahashi • photo © Sukita New York's A-list turned out for the opening of US Tour II. The packed house watched Bowie’s descent on the gyroscope as Wendy Carlos’s Beethoven’s Ninth boomed through the speakers.
Angie and Cyrinda Foxe (obscured) • photo © Lynn Goldsmith
Bowie meets fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto • photo © Sukita
Thursday February 15 Radio City Music Hall, New York Friday February 16 Tower Theatre, Philadelphia Saturday February 17 Tower Theatre, Philadelphia (two shows) Sunday February 18 Tower Theatre, Philadelphia (two shows) The Mike Douglas Show Monday February 19 Tower Theatre, Philadelphia (two shows) Friday February 23 War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville Sunday February 25 Ellis Auditorium (North Hall), Memphis (two shows) Monday February 26 Dolph Smith exhibition, Memphis Academy of Art
Local art teacher Dolph Smith and son Tim present Bowie with a work titled A Paper Airplane Having Just Spotted a Fallen Comrade • photo © Cherry Vanilla
A Paper Airplane Having Just Spotted a Fallen Comrade © Dolph Smith
March 1973 Thursday March 1 Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit Friday March 2 Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit Sunday March 4 Aragon Ballroom, Chicago (advertised but unconfirmed) Monday March 5 Aragon Ballroom, Chicago (advertised but unconfirmed) Friday March 9 Chicago to Los Angeles
Star magazine's Patty Clark meets Bowie at Union Station, Los Angeles
Saturday March 10 Long Beach Auditorium, Long Beach Monday March 12 Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood After the sold-out concert Bowie hosted an end of tour party at the Lost On Larrabee organic restaurant. Tuesday March 13 Bette Midler at Music Centre, Long Beach Bowie and Claudia Lennear had a standing ovation as they entered. Monday March 19
Wednesday March 21 San Francisco to Vancouver Friday March 23 Vancouver Wednesday March 28 Honolulu April 1973 John, I'm Only Dancing 2:41 • Hang On To Yourself 2:38
Rock ’n’ Roll Now
Aladdin Sane Thursday April 5 Arrival at Yokohama, Japan
Bowie arrives to a royal reception from fans and RCA • photos © Sukita
View from the deck • photos © Geoff MacCormack
Kansai Yamamoto presented Bowie with nine new costumes to add to the five he had given him in New York.
Kansai in his studio with Bowie and Yacco Takahashi • photo © Sukita Friday April 6
Drive-In Saturday 4:30 • Round And Round* (Berry) 2:39 single released in UK
Press conference at Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
Photos © Koh Hasebe / Shinko Music Archive
Zowie and Angie • photo © Midori Natsukawa Saturday April 7 Rehearsals at RCA Nippon Victor Studios, Tokyo Sunday April 8 Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan, Tokyo
Monday April 9 The Bowies and Mick Ronson attended a tea ceremony in the Imperial Gardens. Later everyone watched a performance by kabuki star Tomasa Boru who later showed Bowie the techniques of applying kabuki make-up.
Tuesday April 10 Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan, Tokyo Bowie’s record sales in America were low so RCA were refusing to underwrite the US arena tour planned for later in the year. Bowie decided to retire the Ziggy character at the end of the UK tour, dispense with Bolder and Woodmansey and avoid the ignominy of a cancelled tour. MainMan would focus on Ronson as a solo artist.
Wednesday April 11 Shinjuku Koseinenkin Kaikan, Tokyo Thursday April 12 Kokaido, Nagoya Saturday April 14 Yuubin Chokin Kaikan, Hiroshima Monday April 16 Kokusai Kaikan, Kobe Tuesday April 17 Koseinenkin Kaikan, Osaka Wednesday April 18 Shibuya Kokaido, Tokyo Thursday April 19
Aladdin Sane album released in UK Side one Side two The LP went gold on advance orders of 100,000 in UK, • Aladdin Sane album production and release details • Friday April 20 Shibuya Kokaido, Tokyo Angie and Zanetta started screaming and swinging chairs around to create hysteria which caused structural damage to the venue. Police demanded that RCA hand them over. Police were watching flights to London and San Francisco so Leee Black Childers got them on a plane to Honolulu. Saturday April 21 – Tuesday April 24 Yokahama to Nakhodka (aboard Felix Dzerjinsky)
Bowie plays a short acoustic set with MacCormack on bongos
Nakhodka, the eastern terminus for the Trans-Siberian Railway was the only port in the Russian Far East open to foreigners. Tuesday April 24 – Monday April 30 Nakhodka - Vladivostok - Khabarovsk Khabarovsk - Irkutsk - Krasnoyarsk - Novosibirsk - Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) - Moscow From Nakhodka they took the boat train to Khabarovsk to board the Trans-Siberian Railway for the 6650-mile trip to Moscow, accompanied by UPI news correspondent Bob Musel who had arranged to cover the trip as part of his Great Train Journeys series. "I won't fly,” Bowie told him, "because I've had a premonition I'll be killed in a plane crash if I do. If nothing happens by 1976 I'll start to fly again.* But I love trains and I'd probably take this ride anyway, it's supposed to be the greatest of them all." [225][Musel, Bob. ‘Rail Journey Through Siberia’ (UPI, 1973)] Bowie shot footage of the trip on a 16mm camera that he picked up in Japan. Years later he edited it together using his ambient pieces as soundtracks. Leee Black Childers finally got his Russian visa and flew from Japan to Russia, joining Bowie on the train at Irkutsk.
MacCormack and Bowie go deluxe • photo © Leee Black Childers
Photo © Leee Black Childers At Sverdlovsk, Childers suggested they stretch their legs on the platform.
Two burly female train attendants intervened and carried them back onto the train while fending off the guards.
Photos © Leee Black Childers Monday April 30 Moscow On their arrival, guides escorted Bowie and MacCormack to the Intourist Hotel (a high-rise hotel on Tverskaya Ulitsa built in 1970, since demolished) where they checked in, then went sightseeing.
Bowie and Bob Musel in Red Square, Moscow
Photo © Geoff MacCormack Bowie asked that they eat ‘like the Russians’ so Musel took them to GUM department store cafeteria and was unsurprised when Bowie found the food inedible. They moved on to the National Hotel and dined on smoked salmon, caviar and fresh sturgeon. May 1973
Aladdin Sane album released in US
Satellite Of Love (Reed) 2:53 • Walk And Talk It (Reed) 3:24 Raw Power Iggy & the Stooges album released in US
Tuesday May 1 Moscow
Bowie filming from his room at the National Hotel Bowie, MacCormack and Musel attended the May Day parade. Wednesday May 2 Moscow – Poland – Berlin – Paris on Orient Express Thursday May 3 In Paris they met up with Angie, Cherry Vanilla and RCA Press Officer Andrew Hoy at the George V Hotel, where a press conference was held in the Rouge Room.
Photo © Claude Gassian Friday May 4 Paris – Boulogne – Dover – London
Photo © Barrie Wentzell Bowie and entourage (Angie, MacCormack, Childers, Vanilla and Hoy) arrived late at the Gard du Nord to find the 12.30 boat train to Calais had left. "Seven thousand miles, and we miss the bleedin' train on the last leg,” Bowie groaned. They would have to take the hovercraft from Boulogne to Dover which, to Bowie, was as bad as a plane. "It flies – it's death," he groaned.
Photo © Joe Stevens They whiled away the wait for the train to Boulogne at the Cafe du Nord Brasserie with NME's Charles Shaar Murray and Joe Stevens, Melody Maker's Roy Hollingworth and Barrie Wentzell.
With Roy Hollingworth • photo © Barrie Wentzell Bowie told Hollingworth, “I'm sick of being Gulliver. You know, after America, Moscow, Siberia, Japan. I just want to bloody well go home to Beckenham, and watch the telly. I've got to work harder this year than I've ever worked in my life. You know that? We're going to do a 79-date tour of America this year in about as many days. I might die. But I have to do it."
Photo © Barrie Wentzell
Photo © Barrie Wentzell
Photo © Barrie Wentzell Following the hovercraft ordeal, he regained his composure at Dover with a cup of tea and a British Rail sausage roll. Meanwhile fans were gathering to welcome him home at Charing Cross station. The train finally rolled in to the sound of a high-pitched howl from the mass of teenage girls who mobbed Bowie as he stepped from the train.
Photo © Barrie Wentzell
Saturday May 5 Bowie was welcomed home with a party at Haddon Hall. Among the friends were Tony Visconti with Mary Hopkin, Lindsay Kemp, Mick Ronson, Chelita Secunda, Ken Scott, Freddie Burretti, George and Birgit Underwood and Charles Shaar Murray. Suzi Fussey made a cake with red and blue streaks and 'Welcome Home Aladdin Sane' written across the top. Also there from MainMan were Andrea (fan club assistant) and Corinne Schwab.
Life at Haddon Hall by this time had become impossible, with fans camping outside day and night. Angie arranged to rent Diana Rigg’s apartment in Vale Court on Hall Road, Maida Vale. During the week Bowie and the band rehearsed for the last leg of the tour at Manticore, a converted Odeon cinema in Fulham owned by Emerson Lake & Palmer. Monday May 7 Hitler: The Last 10 Days premiere at Empire Cinema
Tuesday May 8 Behind The Fridge at Cambridge Theatre, Camden Having renewed his friendship with Tony Visconti, Bowie suggested they go out to see Peter Cook and Dudley Moore’s show. Bowie and Angie picked up Visconti and his wife Mary Hopkin from their flat in Courtfield Gardens, Kensington.
The Bowies and Viscontis arrived at the theatre in Bowie’s limo, which was so large it became wedged between the cars on either side of the street.
Backstage with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore UK Tour II 1973 Saturday May 12 Earl's Court, London
Angie arrives at Earl's Court • photo © Mick Gold
John Ritchie (later known as Sid Vicious) in Earl's Court car park The opening concert of the tour was a disaster after DeFries booked the 18,000 seat Earl's Court – more than twice the size of anywhere Bowie had played before. Tickets sold out in the first three hours, but the arena was not yet ready for rock concerts – the acoustics were terrible and the stage was too low, resulting in a crush at the front as fans attempted to get a better view. The music press had a field day the following Saturday, with headlines like “Bowie Fiasco - What Went Wrong?” and “Aladdin Distress”.
Tuesday May 15 Bowie and the Spiders took the train from Charing Cross to Aberdeen and checked into the Imperial Hotel, where Martin Hayman (Sounds) and Ray Fox-Cumming (Disc) interviewed Bowie.
Bowie and Ronson on the train to Aberdeen • photo © Mick Rock Wednesday May 16 Aberdeen Music Hall, Aberdeen (two shows) Despite a day of preparation, both shows suffered from sound problems. Thursday May 17 Caird Hall, Dundee The tour coach stopped by the side of the A92 for a band photo opportunity before travelling on to Dundee, where they checked in to the Angus Hotel. Friday May 18 Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow (two shows)
Saturday May 19 Empire Theatre, Edinburgh The Monty Python troupe was in Edinburgh for their First Farewell Tour, sharing the Post House Hotel with Bowie’s people who partied late.
Monday May 21 Theatre Royal, Norwich (two shows) Tuesday May 22 Odeon Theatre, Romford Wednesday May 23 Brighton Dome, Brighton filmed by Nationwide (BBC) Bernard Falk and a BBC film crew shot a short segment on the Bowie phenomenon for Nationwide.
They interviewed fans outside his Bedford Hotel room, filmed the performance and the ensuing mayhem at the Brighton Dome, his return from the venue – still in full stage costume – and his departure the next morning for Lewisham, home of teenage Bowie fan 'Boy' George O’Dowd. Thursday May 24 Lewisham Odeon, Lewisham
Friday May 25 Bournemouth Winter Gardens, Bournemouth Watch That Man, Hang On To Yourself and Time Sunday May 27 Civic Hall, Guildford (two shows) Monday May 28 Civic Hall, Wolverhampton Tuesday May 29 Victoria Hall, Hanley Wednesday May 30 New Theatre, Oxford Thursday May 31 King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn June 1973 Time 3:38 • The Prettiest Star 3:25 single released in US Raw Power Iggy & the Stooges album released in UK Friday June 1 St George’s Hall, Bradford Saturday June 2 University of Leeds, West Yorkshire (cancelled) The matinee and evening shows were cancelled because the stage was too small and backstage was unsuitable for a dressing room. “It would have meant David walking through the audience to get to the stage which is out of the question.” The shows were moved to June 29 at the Rolarena. Sunday June 3 New Theatre, Coventry Monday June 4 Gaumont, Worcester Tuesday June 5 Nationwide broadcast (BBC) The program included the ten-minute feature on Bowie’s UK tour, filmed in Brighton and Bournemouth. Wednesday June 6 City Hall, Sheffield (two shows) Afterwards Bowie and the entourage partied in the bar at the Hallam Tower hotel. Lulu and Labi Siffre were also in town and put on an impromptu show.
Thursday June 7 Free Trade Hall, Manchester (two shows)
Photo by Kevin Cummins/Getty Images
Friday June 8 Newcastle City Hall, Tyne and Wear (two shows)
Saturday June 9 Guild Hall, Preston Sunday June 10 Empire Theatre, Liverpool (two shows)
Photo by Mick Rock Other future pop stars were in the Liverpool audience – Ian McCulloch and Marc Almond, who had been ‘bottled’ by thugs on the way to the show. All was forgotten when Bowie reached out and took Almond’s hand in the finale of Rock 'N' Roll Suicide.
Bowie had called off security and the crowd surged forward. Melody Maker reported, “Liverpool won’t forget David Bowie in a hurry. There’s a couple of dozen smashed seats, two broken crash barriers, and one young kid in hospital after Sunday night.” Also in town was Fanny, who were touring UK.
Bowie and Millington began a relationship that continued for the next year and a half. Both she and her sister June ended up singing on the Young Americans album. Monday June 11 De Montfort Hall, Leicester Tuesday June 12 Central Hall Theatre, Chatham (two shows) Wednesday June 13 Life On Mars video shoot Director: Mick Rock
Bowie in Freddi Burretti suit with make-up artist Pierre Laroche • photos Mick Rock
The Gaumont State, London Thursday June 14 City Hall, Salisbury Bowie was injured in a stage dive from the PA stack and performed the encore in a chair.
Friday June 15 Odeon, Taunton (two shows) Bowie ignored doctor’s advice and soldiered on, sitting through the performance, falling into the audience and eventually being carried off. Saturday June 16 Town Hall, Torquay Monday June 18 Colston Hall, Bristol (two shows) Tuesday June 19 Guild Hall, Southampton Thursday June 21 Birmingham Town Hall (two shows) Friday June 22 Birmingham Town Hall (two shows)
Life On Mars? 3:48
The Prettiest Star 2:42 Turner was a child actor then aspiring singer who had became friends with Angie Bowie, for whom The Prettiest Star was originally written. Johnny Arthey was credited with the arrangement, despite it being identical to Tony Visconti’s on Bowie’s original 1970 single. Later in the year, DeFries signed Turner to MainMan but nothing came of it. • Reissued: Oh! You Pretty Things : The Songs Of David Bowie Saturday June 23 Gliderdrome, Boston Sunday June 24 Fairfield Halls, Croydon (two shows) Monday June 25 New Theatre, Oxford (two shows) Tuesday June 26 New Theatre, Oxford Wednesday June 27 Top Rank Suite, Doncaster Thursday June 28 Bridlington Spa Ballroom, Bridlington Friday June 29 Leeds Rolarena, Leeds (two shows) Saturday June 30 City Hall, Newcastle (two shows) Life On Mars? enters the UK Top 30, charting for 13 weeks July 1973
Vicious (Reed) 2:55 • Goodnight Ladies (Reed) 4:18 Lou Reed single released in US Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson Monday July 2 Hammersmith Odeon, London Celebrated filmmaker DA Pennebaker and his crew arrived in London at RCA’s behest to film the concert the following night. After the show Woodmansey told Peter Harvey (Record Mirror), “You don’t know what is going to come up next or what you might fancy doing next; whether it’s to do with music or what.” [138] Tuesday July 3 Hammersmith Odeon, London
The dash to the stage door behind Hammersmith Odeon
My Death - Jacques Brel via Scott Walker
Bowie: “No, it’s not Suzi Quatro on lead guitar”
Photo by Debi Doss
White Light/White Heat: “I’d like to do a number by a guy who tonight is in London somewhere making an album and I think he’s a friend of mine… anyway, he’s one of the best songwriters around today. His name’s Lou Reed!” • photo by Debi Doss
A guest appearance by Jeff Beck
After Round And Round, Bowie stepped up to the microphone: "Of all of the shows on this tour, this particular show will remain with us the longest because not only is it the last show of the tour, but it’s the last show that we'll ever do. Thank you."
Kid Jensen was the first to break the news at 10pm that David Bowie had retired on stage that night. Wednesday July 4 The Last Supper, Café Royal, Piccadilly Celebrity guests included Ringo and Maureen Starr, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Lou Reed, Lulu, Keith Moon, Edgar Broughton, Spike Milligan, Elliot Gould, Tony Curtis, Britt Ekland and Barbra Streisand.
Stuart George arrives with the Bowies • photo by John Rodgers
Bianca and Angie • photo © Mick Rock
Reed, Jagger, Lulu, Bowie and MacCormack (standing)
Bowie told Peter Harvey, “It’s been a great run, but this scene is all finished for me now. It’s time I moved on. I’ve had lots of film offers and will probably take one of them up.” [140] He told Ray Fox-Cumming he didn’t want to do any concerts again “for a long, long time – not for two or three years at least.”
In Chicago, Ava Cherry received a telegram from MainMan saying that the tour was off so her services were not required.
Thursday July 5 Confirmation of Woodmansey’s sacking came on the morning of his wedding to girlfriend June. MainMan called Mike Garson who was presiding over the ceremony as an official of the British Church of Scientology. Garson waited until after the wedding to tell him.
At Hyde Park Hotel, Bowie began planning the Pinups album, working through a pile of 60s singles. They picked 12 to record, including two apiece from favourites The Who, Yardbirds and The Pretty Things. Lulu came and listened to a few Bowie tracks to record as a single, settling on The Man Who Sold The World and Watch That Man.
Bowie visited Reed at Morgan Studios to ask Aynsley Dunbar and Jack Bruce to join the sessions in France. Dunbar accepted – he had even played in the Mojos, whose 1964 hit Everything's Alright was chosen for Pinups.
Jack Bruce was committed to West, Bruce & Laing so Bowie offered the spot to Trevor Bolder.
Live And Let Die premiere, Odeon Leicester Square
Saturday July 7 Charles Shaar Murray’s interviews with Garson and Ronson “Say Hello to Weird and Gilly” published in NME. Monday July 9 London to Paris Bowie arrived in a white Rolls Royce at Victoria Station with Angie, who saw him onto the 10.30am boat train for the trip to Dover and Calais and on to the Château d’Hérouville studio complex, north-east of Paris.
Tuesday July 10 Life On Mars? peaks at number 3 in the UK chart Tuesday July 10 – Tuesday July 31 Pinups recording sessions
Wednesday July 11 Interviewed by Kid Jensen • Broadcast July 14 (Radio Luxembourg)
Monday July 16 Lulu recording sessions Strawberry Studio, Château d’Hérouville, Pontoise The Man Who Sold The World Bowie called a break in the Pinups sessions to make the record he'd promised Lulu. They recorded one take of The Man Who Sold The World with Bowie providing a guide vocal for her then two takes of Watch That Man.
Photos © Mick Rock
Over the week of sessions lasting up to 12 hours, they completed the Pinups tracks and Lulu backing tracks. Trevor Bolder returned to England.
Wednesday July 18 British Vogue cover / Pinups photo shoot Photographer: Justin de Villeneuve The photo session was originally a Vogue cover idea that Twiggy and her manager Justin de Villeneuve successfully pitched to the editor.
Monday July 23 Terry O’Neill photo session for Daily Mirror Angie debuts as model Jipp Jones in a Daily Mirror fashion spread
Photos © Terry O’Neill Bowie became the first solo artist to have all five of his RCA albums in the UK top 40, three of them in the top 15.
Tragic Moments When Martin Hayman visited, Bowie had played him a rough working mix of another new project. “It’s going to be a musical in one act called Tragic Moments, probably running straight through two sides. This is something I've always wanted to do."
Ken Scott was back for the last week at the Château. Bowie and Ronson worked on vocals and various overdubs. Ronson spent any spare time with his manuscript paper, writing string arrangements. Bowie-ing Out Bowie and Ronson also began remixing the tapes of the 'retirement' concert for a planned live album, provisionally titled Bowie-ing Out. Ronson told Charles Shaar Murray, “It really is live. There's been no going back and redoing it in the studio. A lot of groups take the tapes into the studio and then strip it and start correcting the mistakes. They might put a fresh guitar solo on or something.” [222] Ava Cherry was in Paris when she heard Bowie on the radio. “I was supposed to work with this man,” she told a friend, who replied, “His friend is staying at my house.” The friend – Geoff MacCormack – took Cherry out to the Château where she resumed her relationship with Bowie. They worked on demos and planned to have her signed as 'a MainMan artiste'. August 1973 Let's Spend The Night Together (Jagger-Richards) 3:01 single released in US Time 3:38 • Panic In Detroit 4:27 single released in Japan Wednesday August 1 Paris to Rome The Bowies, Mick Ronson, Suzi Fussey and Stuart George spent a week at Villa Ofmilla in Tenuta San Nicola. They were joined by Zowie, Daniella Parmar and Bowie’s personal assistant Gloria Harris. Tuesday August 7 The Bowies and Stuart George returned to London, where Ken Scott was mixing Pinups at Trident. Ronson stayed there with Suzi Fussey at the villa and started planning Slaughter On 10th Avenue.
Wednesday August 22 Mad Dog, starring Marianne Faithfull at Hampstead Theatre
September 1973 Slaughter On 10th Avenue sessions Bowie returned to the Château to help Ronson, contributing Growing Up And I’m Fine, lyrics for Ronson’s Hey Ma Get Papa and English lyrics for Italian song Music Is Lethal. Friday September 7 The Rolling Stones at Empire Pool, Wembley Thursday September 13 The Rolling Stones at City Hall, Newcastle Bowie's presence sidestage was distracting the audience. Jagger noticed and glared at Bowie who withdrew further into the wings. After the show the Jaggers took Bowie and Scott Richardson to a casino where Bowie and Jagger competed to lose the most money. October 1973
Best Deluxe compilation album released in Japan Tuesday October 9
NBC-TV announces the Midnight Special will feature Bowie's upcoming 1980 Floor Show. Friday October 12 • Sorrow (Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer) 2:53 single released in UK US RCA APBO-0160 Sunday October 14 Angie featured in Sunday Times Arts and Review fashion section Wednesday October 17 The 1980 Floor Show rehearsals Thursday October 18 The 1980 Floor Show production • 1980 Floor Show feature page •
Friday October 19
Pinups album
released in UK Side one
Side two
Late October 1984/Dodo recording sessions Producer: Ken Scott The session was Bowie’s last recording with his two most significant collaborators of the past three years, Mick Ronson and Ken Scott.
Diamond Dogs recording sessions Producer: David Bowie Bowie moved from Trident (and its Ziggy associations) to Olympic Studios, favoured by The Rolling Stones. He retained only Mike Garson on piano, Herbie Flowers replaced Trevor Bolder on bass and the drumming was shared between Aynsley Dunbar and Tony Newman. Bowie decided (initially) to play most of the guitar and saxophone parts himself.
A more proficient guitarist was needed for a new version of 1984 without the Dodo section. He called in Alan Parker who played a wah-wah guitar part à la Theme From Shaft and Tony Visconti whom he asked to write some sort of 'Barry White strings’ for it. Saturday October 27 Disc reported that Bowie had completed six songs including 1984. Tony Ingrassia was working with Bowie on a script for a stage musical based on George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. “We have not fully acquired the rights to the book yet and it is still possible we will have to call it Nineteen Eighty-Three, or something like that!”
November 1973 Saturday November 3 Sorrow peaks at number 3 in the UK chart Friday November 16
The 1980 Floor Show broadcast Despite NME's later report that ITV had secured the British screening rights, it was never broadcast in the UK. Saturday November 17 Rolling Stone interview
They had expressed an interest in meeting each other and in the weeks leading up to the interview Bowie found time to read Burroughs's Nova Express and was already familiar with his cut-up writing methodology.
Bowie and Burroughs, photographed for Rolling Stone by Terry O'Neill • Read article: Beat Godfather Meets Glitter Mainman • Late November Recording session Growin' Up Ron Wood dropped in and played guitar on this, one of three Springsteen covers recorded during the Olympic sessions. It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City was begun (left unfinished until 1975) and he produced Spirits In The Night for the Astronettes. December 1973 Monday December 3 Astronettes recording sessions Producer: David Bowie The Astronettes project was a dry run for his next project – a fusion of Afro-American soul music with Latin rhythms and Springsteen. Ava Cherry, MacCormack and Jason Guess took turns on vocal with Mark Pritchett, Herbie Flowers, Mike Garson and Aynsley Dunbar providing the backing. Songs recorded over the next few weeks included Bowie compositions I Am Divine, I Am A Laser, People From Bad Homes and Things To Do.
Lulu recording sessions Producer: David Bowie Dodo Bowie and Lulu worked on this version of Dodo (detached from 1984) as a possible follow up single. • Released: Tuesday December 4 A Patriot For Me, Palace Theatre, Watford Bowie and Amanda Lear visited lead actress Marianne Faithfull backstage for the afterparty. Leslie Watford interviewed Bowie for local radio.
Wednesday December 5
Recording session It's Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (with The Rolling Stones) Mick Jagger was at Ron Wood’s house – The Wick – where Wood was recording I’ve Got My Own Album To Do in his home studio. Bowie dropped in and jammed with Jagger and Wood and Faces drummer Kenney Jones on a new song It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll. Bowie joined in on backing vocals and handclaps. Keith Richards later worked on the song for the new Stones album and next single. Several overdubs later rendered Bowie’s vocal contribution on the finished version inaudible. Friday December 14 Mott The Hoople at the Hammersmith Odeon Bowie and Jagger watched from behind Morgan Fisher's piano. Ian Hunter led the group back on for the encore and announced: "Three things made tonight so enjoyable: David Bowie, Mick Jagger and you." Tuesday December 25 Christmas with Mick and Bianca Jagger at home in Chelsea. Bowie gave Jagger a video recorder, a luxury item at the time (about £500). Thursday December 27 Recording session Rebel Rebel
Friday December 28 “The Odd Couple: Lulu teams up with Bowie” by Deborah Thomas published in the Daily Mirror.
Photo © Kent Gavin Saturday December 29 The Astronettes recording sessions Monday December 31 Rules, Covent Garden, London RCA Records gave a lunch at the prestigious restaurant in Bowie’s honour, for having six different albums in the charts for five weeks in 1973 and five in the Top 50 for 19 consecutive weeks. Bowie responded, “I don’t know what to say, I feel like a rock'n'roll star. At least it keeps the kids on the streets. Thanks to everyone who bought or were given the albums.” His framed album presentation, inscribed “Awarded to David Bowie for outstanding musical achievements. From your friends at RCA”, took pride of place in Bowie's Oakley Street house.
Photo © Michael Putland/Getty Images |
Bowie Golden Years v1.0 created and designed by Roger Griffin 2000
Bowie Golden Years v2.0 2017-2020
Photographs and texts have been credited wherever possible
this page updated February 19, 2022