Ziggy Stardust Ziggy is most popular with those who were there to ingest it as part of a whole scene. It's a good album but after hearing all the hoopla about this album I was disappointed. When I finally bought Ziggy in '76 I thought it sounded creaky and dated, not as sophisticated as its successors Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans or Station to Station. For all its glam trappings and shock-rock gimmicks, Ziggy bears the heaviest debt to Bowie's 1966-67 music hall schtick of any pose in his catalog. With the histrionic wind up Rock n Roll Suicide, Bowie in greasepaint cries out over and over, "You're not alone! Gimme your hands!" One can almost hear echoes of Al Jolson in blackface, hands outstretched, on his knees, belting out Mammy one more time for the swooning bobbysoxers. Crescendo, resolution, and Elvis has left the building. Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed I'd still recommend it with the precaution that you might like other Bowie albums a whole lot more. It's got a good appeal for folks who like basic git-tar, bass, drums rock with no elaboration, nothing fancy, nothing weird. Except for martians playing guitar. Historical Footnote: The cover photo was taken on Heddon Street, Picadilly, London. K. West and its sign are now gone, replaced by the Zinc Bar / Grill. Update: The 30th Anniversary edition of Ziggy, released summer of 2002, is a two CD set. The second CD includes a dozen bonus tracks that were previously issued as bonus tracks on the Ryko editions of Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, The Man Who Sold The World and Pin Ups. The only "new" track is the Alan Moulder mix of Moonage Daydream. Since I've already got most of these tracks several times over I'm not about to buy the 2CD edition just to hear a remix of a song that's never been one of my favorites. "I'm an alligator" my ass. If you like the style of the Ziggy album then the two CD version is definitely recommended. All five bonus tracks from the Ryko edition are included, with another seven tracks to boot. As with the Ryko deluxe edition, this too comes with a booklet. Personally I'm wondering why they didn't turn this into a three CD Ziggy box set by adding either Santa Monica '72 or the Ziggy Stardust Soundtrack (that was the film of the last Ziggy Stardust shows which included the famous retirement announcement). Yeah, a four CD Ziggy box set, that woulda done it!   The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars Five Years Soul Love Moonage Daydream Starman It Ain't Easy Lady Stardust Star Hang Onto Yourself Ziggy Stardust Suffragette City Rock 'N' Roll Suicide   2002 30th Anniversary edition CD 2: Moonage Daydream (1971, single as "Arnold Corns") Hang Onto Yourself (1971, single as "Arnold Corns") Lady Stardust (demo version) Ziggy Stardust (demo version) John, I'm Only Dancing Velvet Goldmine (single b-side) (Hunky Dory outtake) Holy Holy (1970, single a-side) Port Of Amsterdam (1973, b-side of Sorrow) The Supermen (1971, alternate version) Round And Round (1971, single b-side) Sweet Head (take 4, Outtake) Moonage Daydream (Alan Moulder mix)     Ziggy Stardust [Limited Edition] This Ryko limited edition came with a booklet and is out of print. You'll do better to grab the 2002 30th anniversary 2 CD reissue of Ziggy anyway. It's got all five bonus tracks from Ryko edition of Ziggy and another seven more. Hopefully the copy in the 2002 booklet doesn't make tacky references to flinging gobs like the Ryko one did.     Out of print Ryko edition included these bonus tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing (previously unreleased mix) Velvet Goldmine (single b-side) (Hunky Dory outtake) Sweet Head (previously unreleased) Ziggy Stardust (demo version) Lady Stardust (demo version)                     Links             Bowie Music Question?                             Home     Designed for viewing with Netscape Navigator 3.0 Copyright © 1996-2004, Philip Drenth. All rights reserved.