Half-page ‘Starman’ ad in Melody Maker, still plugging ‘Hunky Dory’, April 29th, 1972.
He’d like to come and meet us…
Anybody who visits these pages on a regular basis will know how I witter on about the importance of the release of ‘Starman’ (01/02/01 NEWS: SECOND TOTP APPEARANCE IN THREE DAYS FOR STARMAN? – 10/06/01 NEWS: WILL STARMAN BE A WINNER FOR GEORGE? – 01/08/02 NEWS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU… – 04/02/02 SNIPPET: LIFE-CHANGING STUFF ON BBC 2 TONIGHT – 03/29/02 SNIPPET: BOWIEPHILES – 04/14/02 NEWS: STARMAN RELEASED THIRTY YEARS AGO TODAY…NOT!) …Well, rather than bore you yet again with my own feelings about the record, I thought I’d leave it to the ‘professionals this time.
The single was released on April 28th 1972, (backed with the as yet unissued ‘Suffragette City’) in a variety of different picture sleeves around the world, most of which were variations of the shot in the advert above from the brilliant Brian Ward session. You will have noticed that the reissued sleeve of the 1972 RCA release of ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ (black and white high-kick shot) was taken from this same session. Obviously it was Brian who was also responsible for the ‘Ziggy Stardust’ album cover shots, of which more later.
Anyway, on to our professionals. I’ve taken a couple of reviews from the better known music weeklies of the time in which ‘Starman’ was single of the week. First up is a review from the now defunct Melody Maker, (complete with Chris Welch’s mistakes, not mine!) which had carried adverts for ‘Starman’ two weeks in a row.
The second review is taken from New Musical Express, which would have sold well that week as it had taken the unusual step of including a free Rolling Stones preview flexi-disc of ‘Exile On Main Street’. The review was accompanied by yet another shot from the Brian Ward session and the wonderful headline, BI-GUY DAVID BOWIE SCORES …Oh, doesn’t it just take you back!?
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Melody Maker – April 29th, 1972
NEW POP SINGLES BY CHRIS WELCH
DAVID BOWIE: “Starman” (RCA)
“There’s a star man, waiting in the sky,” says David in that strange voice filled with premonitions of doom. “He’d like to come and meet us, but he’s afraid he’d blow our minds.”
Fascinating lyrics as usual and a space truckin’ tune that should appeal to all at Mission Control and points west. David is taking longer than most to become a super star, but he should catch up with Rod and Marc soon. There was a lot of talent wandering loose in the mid-sixties. Who’s left from those days that hasn’t made it yet? George Catsmeat – of course!
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New Musical Express – April 29th, 1972
SINGLES – REVIEWER: DANNY HOLLOWAY
BI-GUY DAVID BOWIE SCORES
DAVID BOWIE: “Starman” (RCA)
David proves he’s not just a pretty face on this cosmic 45. This is quite an elevating and energetic song with some super “teenage” lyrics. It takes a few listens to do it to ya, but “Starman” is obviously single of the week. The B side, “Suffragette City”, is one of the many highlights of David’s monumental live performances.
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