Isabella McMichael
aged 13
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album, released mid June 1972, is said to play a huge part over the Glam Rock movement. The album includes catchy, theatrical, guitar and rock music. With this in mind, the first time I heard it I was expecting something much more upbeat and far less theatrical. After listening to multiple songs from the album in my perspective the song “Starman” is my favourite as I do like the dominant powerful chorus it has, despite the powerful repetitive verses, its clear how the song has claimed the title of top 70’s music.
However, having been born in 2010 I grew up listening heavily to modern pop music leaving out all ideas of the rock punk genre. So contributing that to my overall view on Bowie’s album it may appear that I’m slightly negative. Moreover, in comparison to other music of the time, alongside Bowie, I would say there are many other classic songs which I prefer. However there is no denying that David Bowie is a legend as many of his songs are still being played to this day and his music will continue to live forever.
Pete McSweeney
Retired from World-wide Sales and Marketing at Barclays bank, aged 70
Wow Bought this album on the day it was released and, buying the album, taking it home, and putting it on the record player was magical. I’d heard some of the songs at the Toby Jug (Tolworth) concert in February 1972 and had been looking forward to hearing the new album for a few months and I wasn’t disappointed, it was revolutionary at the time.
I think the thing that made the album special was the title track “Ziggy Stardust” mixed in with a hit single (Starman) and other songs with real drive and space references. It was a new sound, a new look and something completely different for the seventies
I went to see David perform as “Ziggy Stardust” three times in London and I just loved the excitement the show produced. At one show “Roxy Music” were the support band and Elton John also came along to hear what all the “fuss” was about.
Give the album a listen, it may have dated in style but still has a real drive in several songs. My lasting memory from the “Ziggy Stardust” concerts was right at the beginning when Bowie and Mick Ronson peeked from behind the Stage Curtain, and you could see that they were both shocked and excited to see the hysteria the show had created.
Kingston link:
David Bowie performed at The Toby Jug (February 1972) and Kingston Polytechnic (May 1972) as part of his Ziggy Stardust Tour.
