By: David Bowie Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Limited Edition, Live, Original recording remastered Label: Virgin Records US Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: July 22, 2008
Album Description: In 1972, David Bowie set out on his first US tour. He'd recently introduced the world to his Ziggy Stardust persona with his top 5 album 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' and had completed a hugely successful UK tour. The Santa Monica concert, David's first live US radio broadcast, was aired live on KMET in L.A. Over the last 36 years this historic recording has only been occasionally available as a bootleg. For many, ownership of this concert was regarded as a true test of being a 'proper Bowie fan'. This powerful, galvanizing show allows a more than 70 minute glimpse into the earliest nationwide live radio exposure granted David and the Spiders. The set list is compiled primarily from the 'Hunky Dory' and 'Ziggy Stardust' albums and features two covers, Jacques Brel's "My Death" and the Velvet Underground's "Waiting for the Man," alongside the awesome power of 'The Man Who Sold The World' centrepiece "The Width Of A Circle" (this version is a ten and a half minute sonic assault) and an 'Aladdin Sane' previewing "The Jean Genie." The set list is also quite different from the Ziggy terminating 'Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture Soundtrack. Accompanying David was The Spiders From Mars: Mick Ronson - guitar, vocals, Trevor Bolder - bass, Mick "Woody" Woodmansey - drums and Mike Garson - piano. This is David Bowie at the pinnacle of his creative power - in 1981 NME critics called it, "(quite simply) ... the performer's, and one of rock's, best ever bootlegs". The CD will be released as a limited edition with special packaging featuring shots taken at the actual gig for the first time. The double LP will be a heavyweight vinyl one off run. David says:- "I can tell that I'm totally into being Ziggy by this stage of our touring. It's no longer an act; I am him. This would be around the tenth American show for us and you can hear that we are all pretty high on ourselves. We train wreck a couple of things, I miss some words and sometimes you wouldn't know that pianist Mike Garson was onstage with us but overall I really treasure this bootleg. Mick Ronson is at his blistering best."
David Bowie Live Santa Monica '72 Punky. A great contrast to the Tower recording and to the studio tracks. His vocals are often overshadowed by his theatrics. I can't think of anyone in the rock genre who had such a range. Even my swing-loving mother thinks he's great.
Classic 1972 Back when I was still in high school David Bowie played at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (California) and the concert was broadcast live on Los Angeles radio station KMET FM 94.7 (now defunct). There were a lot fewer "rock" stars back in 1972 than today. Even though Bowie's first album came out in 1967, there was still a bit of a mystery or mystique about him and his sexuality back then. There was a buzz in town about the concert -- his first in the area, hard to imagine now.
I set up my stereo receiver and reel-to-reel tape deck and recorded the concert off-the-air. It turned out to be a really great performance and from what I've read, one of his best ever. Years later all the belts in my old reel-to-reel streched out so the deck no longer worked. So I never got around to copying the show to a cassette tape. A few months ago (November 2008), I had a musician friend copy my old tape to a CD-R for me. For some technical reason the second side of my original tape did not correctly copy. So I ended up with about 2/3 of the concert.
I then started searching through Amazon.com for "David Bowie Santa Monica" and was surprised to find that there have been commercial CD's of this concert put out. I was also glad to find that at least a couple versions (releases) were still available. So I purchased the "boxed" version. It is a great CD for an older live recording. I gave it an over all rating of 4 stars, but I feel the performance itself rates 4 & a half stars. But since the live recording techniques of the early 1970's were not what they are today, I would give it 3 & a half for sound or fidelity. It is still a pretty good live recording. And I really have been enjoying the CD album.
Official at last I second most reviews about this famous and important live recording by Bowie & Spiders.
Just a note: Some Bowie talking between songs are cut out, compared to the Golden Years release some years ago. Compare for instance the intro to "Andy Warhol".
Ziggy Plays Guitar Much better than the soundtrack live album from Ziggy Stardust The motion Picture, the band sounds raw and rocking. Mick Ronson was brilliant of course. I used to have the widely available bootleg of this on LP. This package comes with some great pictures and notes in a box and of course sounds much better than my well-worn record.
Ziggy Live A wonderful performance by the Spiders from Mars. It showcases, Bowie and Ronson in the early years Ronson's back up vocals, blend well with Bowie's early sound. Wish I could have been there!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
