Here comes the Starman!

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It is an iconic cover of an album, from one of the most prestigious albums of the 70s. David Bowie, glimmered as his transcendental alter ego Ziggy Stardust, gazes at the camera from a palely lit doorstep on a quite small side-street off Regent Street, London.

After 40 years, this place where Ziggy Stardust first came – Number twenty-three, Heddon Street – is a part of hustling pedestrian spots of restaurants and bars. At present, for the very first time, the role of the street in the history of music has been spotlit with a plaque remembering the meteorologic launch of the Ziggy Starman .

The Crown Estate that operates a seven billion pound property part on the Queen’s behalf as well as public estate put in the plaque.

The honor of introduction fell to the guitarist of Spandau Ballet and Gary Kemp (superfan of Bowie) who found his idol when he watched him in a Ziggy guise. He depicted avid Bowie as a ‘Messianic rock star’ as he was brought together by Spiders from Mick Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder, the band members of Mars.

Since a plaque was not established by either Westminster Council or English Heritage, it is black in color, rather than green or blue applied by other organizations to remember notable landmarks as well as people. When the album – The Spiders from Mars and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust – was unveiled in the year 1972, David Bowie was slung to international fame. The popular album cover was caught by Brian Ward on a wet and cold evening in A January evening.

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ZIGGY

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Ziggy Stardust, the Starman with crimson red hair and a dashing costume, was one of David Bowie’s most well known personas. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the birth of Ziggy Stardust and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars. To commemorate the 40th anniversary, Ziggy and David Bowie will be immortalized with his own plaque on Heddon Street in London.

Diehard fans of David Bowie are well aware of the fact that it was at this place where the image for the front cover of the album was shot. On a cold and moist evening of January 1972, David as Ziggy Stardust is seen with his foot atop a step outside the 23 Heddon Street building. This building is currently used for official purposes.

However during that time, Brian Ward, the late photographer had built a makeshift photographic studio in a rented space upstairs in that building. He had already taken 17 photographs when he convinced David Bowie to pose for the famous cover on Heddon Street. Bowie had to stand for the picture shoot alone as his band mates thought the weather was too chilly on that day. He took the photograph wearing the famous green jumpsuit that was also featured on the BBC 2 TV show ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test.’

Bowie later spoke about that memorable day saying that it was a very cold and rainy day. Appearing to shoot for the album cover on that weather actually made him feel like an actor. They shot for the cover outside on the street and then upstairs they shot for the images that later were to become the inner sleeve of the album.

David however remarks that the Heddon Street and its surrounding areas have changed a lot over the years and look a lot different today than it used to.

David Bowie Turns 65

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Rock sensation David Bowie has hit the retirement age as he turned 65 this January. The British singer – songwriter celebrated his 65th birthday on the 8th of this month. Although, he kept away from limelight on this special day, his fans from all over the world flooded him with wishes on his birthday through social networking site Twitter. Despite the fact that the performer has been in an unannounced semi- retirement state since the early 2000s, his fans are still hopeful of seeing him returning to the world of music.

Bowie first came in limelight in 1969, after the release of his song “Space Oddity” which went on to reach the top five in the UK Singles Chart. The artist took a three year break after the great success of “Space Oddity” to do some experiments with music. In 1972, he re-emerged as Ziggy Stardust and released the album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. Ziggy became one of the most famous fictional characters in rock music. According to some, Bowie challenged the contemporary ideas about rock music. He became one of the pioneers of the glam rock era.

In 1975, the British rock star achieved major success in America where his album “Young Americans” became a major success with the single “Fame” reaching the top of Billboard. Other famous albums of Bowie include “The Man Who Sold the World”, “Hunky Dory”, “Aladdin Sane”, “Heroes” and “Let’s Dance”. “Reality” was the last official record released by this artist in 2003.

Bowie has gone into an unannounced semi- retirement since 2004 when he collapsed backstage during his concert at the Hurricane Festival in Germany. Since then, his stage appearances have reduced to occasional guest spots. Two albums called “Club Bowie” and “Outside” were released in 2003 and 2004. These albums featured some new songs alongside fresh versions of some previously released songs.

Admirers are still expecting a stage comeback from the rock legend in a near future. They are hopeful that Bowie will come back again and create many more masterpieces with his amazing talent.