Long-circulated bootleg of Bowie as
Ziggy finally released by major label
Ever since David Bowie’s first live
U.S. radio broadcast hit the airwaves
, it’s remained a highlight of
both his discography and the bootleg circuit, appearing in convoluted
editions such as double vinyl, gold disc with keychain, CD plus
7-inch, and even in an engraved wooden box. But this CD marks its
first legitimate release on a major label. Recorded midway through
his first ever U.S. tour, this concert finds Bowie and band (or
rather Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars) to be tight, high on
their own mythos, and crackling with energy; even when Bowie strips
things to just himself and guitarist Mick Ronson on acoustic, they
perform electrifying takes on “Space Oddity” and “Andy Warhol.”
From the furious opener “Hang On To Yourself” through
Hunky
Dory classics and singles like “John, I’m Only Dancing,”
they cast an incandescent glow the exact ruby hue as Ziggy’s
mullet.