David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust Era Rock ‘n’ Roll Star Box Set Review
David Bowie’s genius wasn’t just in his constant reinvention but in how he kept the process hidden. Within a few years, he transformed from Marc Bolan’s mime to a coffeehouse oddity, and finally to Ziggy Stardust, the alien hero of his 1972 classic album. Ziggy was sent from Mars to free Earth from its hangups. Bowie’s changes were rapid, and he adopted several more personas before the 1970s ended. The new box set, Rock ‘n’ Roll Star!, pulls back the curtain on Ziggy Stardust’s creation with unreleased demos, outtakes, and Bowie’s handwritten notes, offering a fascinating glimpse into his creative process.
The five CDs and Blu-ray in the collection trace Bowie’s journey to stardom. It starts with “So Long 60s,” a lackluster demo recorded in early 1971. The lyrics are mundane, but the vocal melody hints at “Moonage Daydream,” one of Ziggy Stardust’s standout tracks. An acoustic demo of “Hang On to Yourself” lacks the album’s punk energy but retains its melodic tension. The “Soul Love” demo includes Bowie’s spoken notes about adding horns and strings, and an early take of “Starman” has a country vibe. Hearing Bowie play the grungy riff of “Ziggy Stardust” on an acoustic guitar is a hint of the greatness to come.
The most revealing tracks are the early versions of “Stars” (later “Star”). Initially, Bowie dreamt of the good he could do as a rock star. The demo features him pounding optimistic quarter notes on a piano, singing about the power of rock stars. On the album version, he updated the verses to reference political issues, showing his evolving perspective. Bowie’s early draft of “Ziggy Stardust” described Ziggy as a Nietzschean “superman,” but he wisely revised it to “Ziggy became the special man.” The notebook also features a doodle of a flag with a lightning-bolt S, reminiscent of the Schutzstaffel insignia, reflecting Bowie’s brief flirtation with controversial ideologies.
The collection doesn’t explain how Bowie fought these dark impulses. Angela Bowie, in her tell-all book, mentioned that his main interest was causing a stir. This explains the racial and homophobic slurs in “Sweet Head” and the gayer draft of “Velvet Goldmine.” These instances raise more questions than answers.
The box set chronicles Bowie’s vision of the Ziggy Stardust album, transforming it from a concept album about a “messiah rock star” into an inclusive androgynous icon. Discs Two and Three feature many radio recordings, some previously released on Bowie at the Beeb. In the context of Ziggy’s transformation, it’s interesting to hear how “Queen Bitch” from Hunky Dory blends into a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Waiting for the Man” and then into “Lady Stardust.” A previously unreleased live rendition of Jacques Brel’s “My Death” recorded in Boston is particularly moving.
The final disc’s outtakes are the highlight. Bowie’s excitement is palpable in the band’s recording of “Hang On to Yourself,” which includes alternate lyrics about a woman guiding the Spiders From Mars. An intimate version of “Lady Stardust” features Bowie’s reserved guide vocal, making it feel personal. A harder-hitting rendition of “Looking for a Friend,” originally given to the Arnold Corns, and the introspective “Shadow Man” should have made the Ziggy Stardust cut. The Buddy Holly-esque “It’s Gonna Rain Again” is just plain fun.
While the Hunky Dory box set Divine Symmetry had more curiosities, Rock ‘n’ Roll Star! offers a sharper look at how Bowie created something bigger than himself. The set includes 29 unreleased tracks, covering early demos, studio recordings, rehearsals, BBC sessions, singles, live performances, and outtakes. Highlights include an alternative version of “Lady Stardust,” a version of “Shadow Man,” and an up-tempo take of The Who’s “I Can’t Explain.”
The Blu-ray features the 2012 remaster of the original Ziggy Stardust album in high-resolution stereo, plus the album and additional mixes from 2003 in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It also includes a version of the album called Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth), featuring an alternative running order and four songs that didn’t make the final album. This will also be available as a limited vinyl LP for Record Store Day.
The set comes with two books. The first is a 112-page book with detailed liner notes, memorabilia, contemporary reviews, rare photographs, and new notes and interviews. The second is a 36-page reproduction of Bowie’s personal Ziggy Stardust era notebooks.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star! is a treasure trove for Bowie fans, offering a deeper understanding of how he created one of rock’s most legendary characters. The set will be released on June 14, 2024, via Parlophone.
