The painting is all your own…
We’ve featured the work of photographer Michael Putland on these pages before, albeit more than five years ago. (03.21.05 REMINDER: LAST WEEK OF MICHAEL PUTLAND EXHIBITION)
I recently stumbled upon a site where Michael explains (via a short video snippet) how those early 1972 shots of David came about.
In a nutshell, Michael supplied pictures to various publications, but having done such a good job of capturing David’s first ever Ziggy Stardust show on Saturday, January 29th, 1972, at Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, he was contacted some time later with a new assignment.
Along with music journalist Rosalind Russell, Michael was despatched to Haddon Hall for an interview/feature on David for Disc magazine.
However, upon their arrival David apparently asked if he could just finish off a bit of decorating before they started. Seizing on the opportunity, the photographer knocked off a few shots of David with brush in hand up a stepladder…all while kitted out in the same outfit Ziggy had worn at the Aylesbury show some weeks earlier.
Obviously I feel the need to point out that Bowie was wearing his white boots for the photo shoot, not the red ones he wore for the gig.
Above is the feature that appeared in Disc in May 1972…it’s a fascinating glimpse at where Bowie’s head was at just before everything took off.
Beneath the feature I’ve inset two early colour posters…one of a shot from the Aylesbury show, the other from the Haddon Hall shoot.
Finally, in the bottom right hand corner is one of Michael’s rarely seen Ziggy up a stepladder shots…of course, this was all handy training for getting David accustomed to heights, as he would be clambering over scaffolding as part of his Rainbow multi-media experience a few months later…not to mention that scene in the full length Blue Jean film.
You can view aforementioned video snippet of Michael over at