I'm trying to track down a mysterious Bowie radio interview from early 1972. He didn't do many that year. In fact, I think this may have been his only recorded audio interview. Sure he did some print interviews and some BBC sessions, but rarely did he sit down for an actual broadcast chat.

According to Nicholas Pegg, "In his first major interview about (Ziggy Stardust), for American radio in January 1972, David was eager to dispel the notion... ...that (the album) attempts a coherent narrative... ...'It's just a few little scenes from the life of a band called Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, who could feasibly be the last band on Earth, because we're living the last five years of Earth. It depends on what state you listen to it in.'"

What American radio station conducted this interview? If Pegg was able to pull quotes from it, it probably still exists in some form. Does anyone know who I could contact to search down a copy?

One more related question: There were no radio broadcasts or recordings of Bowie gigs on the first leg of the UK Ziggy tour in 1972. But there sure are a lot of bootlegs. RCA apparently was rumored to have recorded a gig that spring that it remains just that, a rumor. Being left with the audience bootlegs, which one, in your opinion, has the best sound quality? Which one is worth searching out?

If I get time, I'll digitise the interview and stick it up for download. In the meantime a transcript is here:

http://www.5years.com/radint.htm

Of the first leg of the Ziggy tour, there's not a whole lot about. The Kingston 6.5.72 is pretty good quality. A little later on, there are highly recommended recordings from Royal Festival Hall, Aylsbury and Rainbow (20.8.72).

Check your email Joe. I've just sent you something.

let me know, then I won't bother to digitise mine.

Oh i was hoping it would be shared with the group.
I sure no one would get 'struck' for putting up a 37 year old clip or audio clip ?.
Well don't quote me on that.

I only have 2 minutes of the interview so yes it was.

David and Annie...

Thank you so much. That is a fascinating two minutes of tape. I'd like to see if I could track down the rest of it, clean up the audio and perhaps even interview the host for this little project I'm working on. Do either of you know what American radio station he was talking to? I work in the radio industry, so even if the station has long since left the airwaves, I think I can track down the station owner and maybe even the interviewer. I just have to know what the call letters were or perhaps just the city it was in.

It sounds like it's somewhere in the southern U.S. Which is weird, he didn't have many fans there at the time. Cleveland and Philly perhaps, but not the south.

What blows my mind most is that, by all accounts, the album was not entirely in the can at that point. "Starman" was still being finished off (it was completed in early February '72 according to biographers.) "Suffragette City" and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" had just been committed to tape. How did this guy know so much? Even that early on, Bowie seemed to have a very strong idea of how he wanted to position the album and how much "concept" he wanted to pack in. Curious stuff.

that you're working on?

I've been collecting lots of Bowie over the past few years, completing my collection for the most part, at least in terms of official studio recordings. I initially wanted to make a revamped Sound and Vision box set for the enjoyment of myself and a few Bowie-loving friends, with a nice mix of hits, live tracks, rare recordings, significant quotes and so on. An audio biography that sums up his entire career, since it seems to sadly be near the end.

But lately I've been thinking I should share all this lovely stuff and turn it into a radio show. I work in American public radio, so perhaps a series on Bowie's career, an audio biography that focuses on his work (as opposed to his fame) that I can post for other radio stations to download and air. With most of the songs selected, I've now turned my attention to finding period soundbites that would round out the songs and the stories. People on this board have been extremely valuable in that sense. It's been like producing a radio show with a host of qualified researchers on hand. Ultimately, the project would require a lot of hunting and, once produced, some clearances, but I believe that now is probably the best time to do this.

It could take a couple of years, as I've only got so much time in between my radio career, my music-making and my family. But I think I could garner some new interviews with the principle players and make a nice, thorough career retrospective.

OK, enough, I'm rambling. Anyone want to help?!

Is this the interview where Bowie is suprised the interviewer knows about Velvet Goldmine ??

Love On.
Craig

Is this a private club ?.
Some one please put it up !.
Sharing is caring.

Amsterdam, Holy Holy and Round and Round are the ones that raise the eyebrows, but Bowie talks about He's A Goldmine in it.