It’s happening now, Not tomorrow…
The Uncut magazine special focusing on the Ziggy/Aladdin Sane era that we told you about last month, (01/09/03 NEWS: UNCUT ZIGGY SPECIAL CD TRACKLISTING) has slipped out a day earlier than advertised. Not that anyone is complaining of course.
The 21-page special includes a free 18-track CD of Bowie cover versions that has changed slightly from the provisional listing we gave you last month. But more of that in a moment.
Apart from the 21-page feature that starts on page 42, a beautiful Sukita portrait of Ziggy graces the front cover (see above) and there are other Bowie-related items inside. They are:
Page 3 – A half-page Sukita pic on the contents page.
Pages 8-9 – A track-by-track breakdown of the cover-mounted CD.
Page 11 – A full page feature on Mick Rock’s Moonage Daydream book.
Page 86 – 4-page Lou Reed feature/interview that includes a shot of David and Lou onstage at the RFH in 1972.
Page 144 – The Best of Bowie DVD is one of the nine recommended DVDs and videos released in the last three months.
Page 162 – Uncut Editor, Allan Jones, revisits a Melody Maker article he wrote in 1976, regarding Bowie look-a-like fans who had converged on Wembley Empire Pool for a string of dates by The Thin White Duke.
The Ziggy feature is jam-packed with great period shots, many of which appear in Moonage Daydream, but there are plenty of others too that many of you may not have seen. The piece is written by Chris Roberts, and includes contributions from many eye-witnesses around at the time, all of whom are more than qualified to have a some sort of say.
Recollections via new and archive interviews come from fans and associates alike, including: DA Pennebaker, Tony Visconti, (you’re going to love their commentary on the Ziggy Motion Picture soundtrack DVD btw) Ken Scott, Mick Rock, Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey, Trevor Bolder, Iggy Pop, Ian Hunter, Ian McCulloch, Boy George, Allan Jones, Ian Macdonald, a couple I’ve probably missed, and, of course, David himself.
For a magazine feature, it’s remarkably thorough and very entertaining stuff, and it only serves to show the enduring legend that was Ziggy Stardust, is bigger now than ever it was.
The piece ends with the news that the 30th anniversary reissue of Aladdin Sane is scheduled for a May release through EMI. This is a bit of a leak, but I guess the cat’s out of the bag now… We’ll tell you a bit more about this release, and some other Ziggy related stuff on the horizon shortly.
Now, onto that cover-mounted tribute CD of David Bowie songs, STARMAN. The line-up has changed slightly, with three tracks being dropped, (Duran Duran: Diamond Dogs – Six by Seven: “Helden” – Billy Mackenzie: The Secret Life Of Arabia) and four others being added (highlighted in red). Here’s the final tracklisting:
01. Ian McCulloch: The Prettiest Star (exclusive to Uncut)
02. Culture Club: Starman
03. Guy Chadwick: Fall In Love With Me
04. Edwyn Collins: The Gospel According To Tony Day (exclusive to Uncut)
05. The Divine Comedy: Life On Mars?
06. Alejandro Escovedo: All The Young Dudes (exclusive to Uncut)
07. Midge Ure: The Man Who Sold The World
08. Associates: Boys Keep Swinging
09. Big Country: Cracked Actor
10. Peter Murphy: Funtime
11.The Polecats: John, I’m Only Dancing
12. Blondie (with Robert Fripp): “Heroes”
13. Sigue Sigue Sputnik: Rebel Rebel
14. Duran Duran: Fame
15. The Gourds: Ziggy Stardust
16. The Langley Schools Music Project: Space Oddity
17. Christian Death: Panic In Detroit
18. Black Box Recorder: Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
The CD contains an extra unlisted track that heralds the surprise return of an old friend… More than that I will not tell you. If this has whetted your appetite, then I suggest you go and snap up a copy fast. I can tell you from bitter experience that these tribute editions sell very quickly.