The album, to give it its full title, 'The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars' really did seem to come from outerspace in the dark and dismal days that were the UK in 1972. Strikes, power-cuts, political unrest and IRA terrorism made Great Britain a cold and cheerless place to live. Then all of a sudden, from out of nowhere the androgynous vision of Bowie and his band, The Spiders from Mars, made their first Top of The Pops appearance promoting 'Starman' the single taken from the 'Ziggy Stardust' album. There they were, all dressed in silver and gold lamé catsuits, looking like visitors from another planet and singing about it too. "There's a Starman, waiting in the sky" promised Bowie and we allwanted to believed him.
'Ziggy Stardust' the album was like nothing we had heard before, true space age rock & roll, loud, sexy and mysterious. Bowie relied heavily on sideman and guitarist Mick Ronson to add balls to the songs on 'Ziggy Stardust'. 'Moonage Daydream' is rock n roll science fiction, Ronson providing interstellar guitar on the lengthy fade. 'Lady Stardust' is Bowie's tribute to that other androgynous rock star Marc Bolan and 'Suffragette City' is flat out rock music for the new age. The standout track is 'Rock and Roll Suicide' where Bowie sings of the futility of life as a rock and roller, both artist and fan. "Oh no love, you're not alone" he promises his audience, "You're wonderful; give me your hand", he implores his adoring fans as artist and fan feed off each other in perfect symbiosis.
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