Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Bowie, David
Label: RCA Records
Release: 1972
Length: 38:37
Rating: 5/5
In 1972, the single »Starman« hit the music scene like a bolt from the blue. It became a huge success overnight, officially kicked off the glam rock era and announced the arrival of the androgynous, bisexual alien Ziggy Stardust, a rising rock star by trade with a very special mission on planet Earth. Of all the alter egos of the legendary British artist David Bowie, who with his backing band the Spiders From Mars (guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey) finally stepped up into the ‘top league’ of the biggest music stars of the 20th and 21st centuries, Ziggy Stardust was the most beloved, even though he existed for less than two years. ‘Ziggymania’, or ‘Bowiemania’, drove the youth of the day wild in 1972 like few comparable music phenomena, and shaped a few cultural trends along the way.
Before his fifth studio album, the concept masterpiece »The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars«, Bowie was a fast-rising name who, despite plenty of excellent musical achievements, still hadn’t hit star status. The outstanding predecessor »Hunky Dory« (1971) hinted that something truly magnificent was coming that would thoroughly shake up the music scene of the time, but nobody expected Bowie to become a global phenomenon with Ziggy, or a whole generation of teenagers to imitate his new persona. With his androgynous look, bisexual hints, controversial messages and wild red glam rock haircut (which also influenced the later punk scene), Ziggy shocked the self-appointed guardians of public morality. Bowie’s statement about his own sexual orientation, hugely controversial for those days and later revealed as a deliberate provocation, added fuel to the fire.
Musically, Bowie completed his mutation into a glam rock star with Ziggy, while his take on glam rock also carried plenty of art rock and hard rock elements from his earlier albums. Guitar wizard Ronson played a key role here, not only with his trademark riffs but also in writing the arrangements, while Ken Scott once again helped David with the splendid production.
»Ziggy Stardust« had an enviable number of songs that went on to become Bowie evergreens, tied together by a seemingly simple but actually fairly complex, socially critical concept about the rapid rise and fall of a glamorous rock musician from another planet, who came to Earth to pass on his philosophical beliefs about love and peace through music. After a quick rise on the wings of a revolutionary youth, Ziggy’s mission fell apart and led to his tragic end at the hands of the very people who worshipped him most. Bowie reportedly took part of the inspiration for Ziggy (especially the name) from the British singer Vince Taylor and from The Stooges frontman Iggy Pop, with whom he would collaborate several more times later on. Ziggy was also Bowie’s semi-autobiographical character, with one important difference: Ziggy gets torn apart by his own fans in the end, committing ‘rock’n’roll suicide’, while David managed to claw his way out of the decadent life of a freshly minted rock star, even though the situation (especially in the mid-seventies) was already pretty critical.
Lubricated by a slow tempo, »Five Years« is still one of the best openers of any (cult) rock album to this day. It’s a confession about the five years left before the final destruction of planet Earth, when a revolution-minded youth, unlike the apathetic ‘old folks’, awaits the arrival of its messiah, who will prevent the cataclysm. They recognize him in the androgynous space musician Ziggy, who becomes their idol overnight. The rhythm is built up by dramatic piano arrangements and David’s remarkably emotive, chameleon-like singing, which peaks in a rebellion-spiced chorus. »Soul Love« is an exceptionally tasty glam rocker with slight soul tendencies, thanks to seductive vocal harmonies and playful sax passages, while a punchy guitar riff makes sure the half-fatalistic, half-glamorous atmosphere comes through even better.
»Moonage Daydream«, which carries a similarly surreal message to »Life On Mars?«, soon became a big hit and one of Bowie’s most beloved songs from his glam rock era. The main riff, paired with a refined piano arrangement, introduces the space rock star Ziggy, who landed on Earth full of confidence, rebelliousness and showmanship. He delivers all of it rather brazenly and drives the youth completely wild with his deeds, as they expect him to somehow stop the approaching cataclysm. The phenomenal chorus with its layered vocals deepens the overall ethereal, mysterious and futuristic atmosphere even further.
A huge fan of science fiction, Nietzsche’s writings and glamour, Bowie reveals himself in all his glory on the mega hit »Starman«, the embodiment of Ziggy, which quickly took its place among the immortal classics of David’s career. It also has one of the most upbeat choruses he ever created. In an interview, Bowie mentioned that, contrary to popular belief, Starman and Ziggy are not the same character. Ziggy, who in this case isn’t an alien, is more of a go-between for the spaceman Starman and Earth’s youth. »It Ain’t Easy«, a cover of the American musician Ron Davies, where Ziggy already begins to give in to the decadence of the typical rock star (sex, drugs and rock’n’roll), features a simple but highly effective harmony-laden chorus and a bluesy guitar riff.
Set to a gorgeous piano arrangement, the romantic, epic confession »Lady Stardust« indirectly presents Ziggy’s weak spot, the fatal woman who speeds up his decline and farewell. It’s also a nostalgic tale of a time when the star’s backing band was still solid, as if David already knew his time with the Spiders From Mars would be short-lived. The song is also said to be dedicated to Bowie’s glam rock contemporary Marc Bolan. On the up-tempo »Star«, David deliberately takes on a rather arrogant, almost unrecognizable and borderline cocky vocal approach, since Ziggy has become selfish at this point and bristles at the very thought of anyone else overshadowing him as the biggest rock star of his time. Ziggy’s ego doesn’t calm down even on the dance-oriented »Hang On to Yourself«, an interesting cross between glam rock and proto-punk that had considerable influence on the later punk scene.
The title track, which blends elements of glam rock and hard rock, is yet another unforgettable classic, distinguished after the main bridge by Ronson’s trademark guitar riff, from which the nostalgic central motif is cleverly derived. »Suffragette City« has a rock’n’roll pulse in the style of a ‘post-apocalyptic’ Little Richard, thanks to its driving piano riff. Bowie reportedly offered this song to Mott the Hopple, who turned it down, but they later recorded David’s »All the Young Dudes« anyway. Ziggy’s dramatic story ends with the melancholic »Rock’n’Roll Suicide«, as the would-be savior is torn apart on stage by his own followers, who realize in the middle of the frenzy that he’s not the messiah who will save them from the impending cataclysm. Here Bowie cleverly combined elements of chanson and avant-garde, creating a superb finale to the whole concept.
The concept-album classic »The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars« wasn’t just the record that defined the glam rock era. It was also the pivotal work of Bowie’s career, turning him into a global phenomenon of staggering artistic proportions. Simply put, »Ziggy Stardust« is one of the best records in human history, one that had a very special cultural impact when it came out, while the whole concept mocked the entire music industry and its manufacturing of instant stars who burn out fast. David’s long-held dream of becoming a rock star in his own utterly unique way came true, though at a high price, because Bowie, much like Ziggy, had to face all the consequences of his star status. Another problem that began to surface in the middle of ‘Ziggymania’ was that Bowie had become so tightly entwined with his alter ego even off stage that there was a serious danger of schizophrenia. That was one of the reasons Bowie ‘retired’ Ziggy so quickly and replaced him the very next year with another, somewhat more ‘composed’ and empathetic alien, who became known as Aladdin Sane.
This review is dedicated to the memory of David Bowie (1947-2016).
Line-up
David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone, piano, arrangements
Mick Ronson – electric guitar, piano, keyboards, backing vocals
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar, trumpet
Mick Woodmansey – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Rick Wakeman – harpsichord on “It Ain’t Easy”
Dana Gillespie – backing vocals on “It Ain’t Easy”
Production
David Bowie and Ken Scott
Track list
1. Five Years (4:43)
2. Soul Love (3:33)
3. Moonage Daydream (4:35)
4. Starman (4:02)
5. It Ain’t Easy (Ron Davies) (2:56)
6. Lady Stardust (3:20)
7. Star (2:47)
8. Hang On To Yourself (2:37)
9. Ziggy Stardust (3:05)
10. Suffragette City (3:19)
11. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide (2:57)
