Actor, The: Bowie's pseudonym on the HUNKY DORY
(1971) album notes.
Aladdin Sane: A Ziggy Stardust sub-character
adopted by Bowie to promote the ALADDIN SANE (1973) album. Aladdin
Sane was the American "Ziggy Stardust" who explored his nightmare visions of
America on the ALADDIN SANE (1973) album.
"Aladdin was really Ziggy in America. Again, it was
just looking around, seeing what's in my head"-
Bowie
"Aladdin Sane" (1913-1938-197?)
(Bowie): Title song from ALADDIN SANE (1973) written by
Bowie on board the R.H.M.S Ellinis on the way back to the UK from the 1st
US Tour - and a song said to be inspired by Evelyn Waugh's novel Vile Bodies where
the young party through the night while the threat of war looms. The first two dates after the song title refer to the years before the beginnings
of World War 1 and World War 2 and the third 197? suggested that there may be a World War
3 in the Seventies. The
song also may have referred to his half-brother Terry who at this time was in the
Cane Hill Insitution for the mentally ill. The song was performed on both the 2nd
US and the 3rd UK Tour.
"I've had more communication in the last 26 years
about that one [piano] solo [at the beginning of 'Aladdin Sane'] than the eleven solo
albums I've done on my own, the six that I've done with another group that I'm a co-leader
of, hundreds of pieces I've done with other people and the 3,000 pieces of music I've
written to date. I don't think there's been a week in those 26 years that have gone
by without someone, somewhere, asking me about it!" - Mike Garson (1999)
ALADDIN SANE (1973)
Aladdin Sane Retirement Tour of Great Britain: Another
name for the 3rd UK Ziggy Stardust Tour which began in May 1973 and ended on 3
July 1973. On this tour an increasing number of songs from ALADDIN
SANE (1973) were performed to promote the album. Bowie also began wearing more of his
Japanese costumes and wearing an astral sphere on his forehead.
"A Lad In Vien" (also variously listed as A Lad in
Vein/Vain) (Bowie): A seven-minute instrumental outtake track like
"Aladdin Sane" and "Sweet Thing" (the latter from DIAMOND DOGS (1973))
that was recorded for possible inclusion on ALADDIN SANE (1973)
but was not used.
Alexander, Geoffrey (aka Geoffrey MacCormack & Warren
Peace and credited on Ziggy era albums as Mac Cormack): Long-time Bowie
friend and vocalist on the 2nd US Tour, the Japanese Tour, the 3rd
UK Tour and an Astronette for The 1980 Floor Show.
"All the Young Dudes" (Bowie): Classic youth
anthem that Bowie wrote and gave to Mott the Hoople. Bowie had first offered his
song "Suffragette City" to Mott The Hoople to use but was told that this was
impossible as they were about to break up over bad debts. Shocked, Bowie told them
not to do anything and come over to his managers office. There he played them
"All The Young Dudes" on acoustic guitar and offered it to them. They recorded
it on their Bowie-produced album of the same name and released it as the single "All
the Young Dudes/One of the Boys" on 28 July 1972 (CBS S.8271). There are two verisons
of the song. The first uses the lyric "Wendy stealing clothes from Marks &
Sparks" and the other "..stealing clothes from unlocked cars".
"Marks & Sparks" is a slang British term for the famous British store called
Marks and Spencer, but was reportedly not used in the UK due to the BBC's
anti-advertisement rule. Bowie performed it live with Mott the Hoople in Guildford
in the UK and at the Tower Theatre, Philadelphia. ATYD's was also performed live by Bowie
on 3 July 1973 at the Retirement concert as part of a medley with "Oh You Pretty
Things" and "The Wild-Eyed Boy From FreeCloud."
A Bowie version of the song was also one of seven tracks recorded at
Trident studios in May 1972 by himself, Lou Reed and Mott The Hoople. Another version was
recorded during the ALADDIN SANE (1973) sessions and is included
on the compilation album RARESTONEBOWIE (1995) and THE BEST OF BOWIE - 1969/1974 (1997). The Bowie versions are
different mixes of the same take. They are on CD slightly slowed down and sound sluggish
compared to the original 7" acetates (Bowie and Ken Scott would sometimes record
backing tracks then speed them up slightly so they sounded 'crisp', then Bowie sung over
them.. when remastered they played it at the correct 'backing track' speed, hence Bowie is
slowed down). The original 7" acetates of this version (done at the time) are correct
and the best versions of Bowie's take.
The middle section of one of Bowie's later songs - "Move On"
from LODGER (1979) - is actually "All The Young Dudes" played backwards:
"I was playing through some old tapes of mine
on a Revox and accidentally played one backwards and thought it was beautiful. Without
listening to what it was originally we recorded it note for note backwards and then I
added some vocal harmonies with Tony Visconti" - Bowie (1979)
ALL THE YOUNG DUDES (1972):
 |
Mott the Hoople album produced and co-arranged by
Bowie and Mick Ronson. Tracks: Sweet Jane / Momma's
Little Jewel / All the Young Dudes / Sucker / Jerkin Crocus / One of the Boys / Soft
Ground / Ready For Love-After Lights / Sea Diver (CBS 65184 - released 8 September 1972) |
Andrews, Jamie: Former Andy Warhol Pork
star who became a MainMan employee who oversaw general Bowie administration.
"Andy Warhol" (Bowie): Song from HUNKY DORY
(1971) which was a tribute to New York pop artist Andy Warhol. Originally, the song was
written for Bowie's friend Dana Gillespie to record. Bowie played it to Warhol at their
first meeting in 1971 but Warhol apparently disliked it (he was overly sensitive to the
lyric "Andy Warhol looks a scream") and left the room. Later he was to return
and thank Bowie and then praise Bowie's shoes! It was released as the B-side on
"Changes/Andy Warhol" (RCA 2160 - 7 January 1972) and performed on the 1st
UK Tour and the 1st US Tour. Bowie later played Warhol in the film Basquiet.
"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" (Pete Townshend/Roger
Daltrey): Who song recorded by Bowie on his PIN-UPS
(1973) tribute album to British Sixties groups.
Amadeus, Kristine/Kristina: Bowie's cousin in New York who Bowie
visited during his US Ziggy Stardust Tours.
Arnold Corns: 1971 band consisting of Bowie on guitar and vocals,
his costume designer Freddi Burretti (his stage name was Rudi Valentino) as lead vocalist,
Mick Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass, Mick Woodmansey on drums and Mark Carr
Pritchard on guitar. An earlier version also had another two of Burretti's friends, Polak
De Somogyl (bass) and St. Laurent Ralph Broadbent (drums) from Dulwich College who played
in a college band called Runk. This collaboration released three tracks - early
versions of "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang Onto Yourself" and the song "Man in the Middle"
(written by Mark Carr Pritchard) while a fourth track "Looking for a Friend"
was unreleased until 1986 where it appeared on a semi-legal 12". While
Burretti is credited as lead vocalist, his contribution is barely audible with Bowie's
vocals dominating on all tracks. The name Arnold Corns was inspired by Bowie's
favourite Pink Floyd song "Arnold Layne" and was necessary because
as Bowie could not use his own name (being contracted to Mercury at the time).
Ultimately, aside from trialling two eventual Ziggy songs, the band Arnold Corns
came to nothing, although at one stage an album titled LOOKING FOR RUDI was planned.
Around and Around: See Round and Round.
Astronettes, The: There were two uses of this name which has lead
to some confusion. The first was of dancers at the Ziggy Stardust concert at the Rainbow Theatre on 19 August 1972. They were Annie Stainer, Ian
Oliver, Barbara Ella and Carling Patton. The second was the backing vocalists at The 1980 Floor Show on 18-20 October 1973 consisting of Geoffrey
MacCormack, Jason Guess and Ava Cherry. Bowie worked on producing an LP for the latter
group but the project was eventually dropped. It has recently resurfaced as an album by
Ava Cherry called PEOPLE FROM BAD HOMES (1995) and includes four Bowie songs: "I Am
Devine" (from PINUPS sessions), "I Am A Laser", "People From
Bad Homes" and "Things To Do." Musicians on the album are: Ava Cherry
(vocals), Geoff MacCormack (vocals), Jason Guess (vocals), David Bowie (vocals, producer),
Mike Garson (keyboards), Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Herbie Flowers (bass), Mark Pritchard
(guitar) and Luis Ramirez. Bowie mentions The Astronettes in his single
"Drive-In Saturday" (...cursing at The Astronette....).
Ayres, Tom: RCA executive/record producer who is credited with
signing Bowie to RCA Records and it was at his luxury Los Angeles home that Bowie stayed
in February 1971 on his first trip to the US. At that time both Ayres and DJ Rodney
Bingenheimer recalled watching Bowie scribbling lyrics to a new song of his called
"Hang Onto Yourself". Bowie explained that he was writing about an imaginary
character called "Ziggy Stardust". Tom was also the co. founder of Rodney
Bingenheimer's English Disco in Hollywood. Sadly Tom died at his home in Louisiana
on 31 May 2000 Tom Ayres
The 
Companion
