David Bowie is (part 11): 'Battle cries and champagne'

Recorded in December 1972 and January 1973 between legs of his American tour, David Bowie's next album featured the same line-up as 'Ziggy'. Despite not having the same conceptual cohesiveness and having been written on tour, 'Aladdin Sane' nevertheless boasts some wonderful songs and some great playing. Mike Garson's avant garde and sometimes atonal jazz piano lends an amazing quality to many of the tracks on the album, not least the title track. Bowie himself described the album simply as "Ziggy goes to America". When it was released in April 1973 it entered the British charts at number 1.

Aladdin Sane
All songs written and composed by David Bowie, except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	'Watch That Man'	4:30
2.	'Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)'	5:06
3.	'Drive-In Saturday'	4:33
4.	'Panic in Detroit'	4:25
5.	'Cracked Actor'	3:01

Side two
No.	Title	Length
6.	'Time'	5:15
7.	'The Prettiest Star'	3:31
8.	'Let's Spend the Night Together (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)	3:10
9.	'The Jean Genie'	4:07
10.	'Lady Grinning Soul'	3:54

On 14 February 1973 Bowie embarked on another US tour, this time on a much bigger scale, in bigger venues and with five costume changes. Salvador Dali came on the opening night. The next night Bowie met Ava Cherry who would later become his 'official girlfriend'. On this tour Bowie spent less time with the band. However whenever Ronson, Bolder or Woodmansey mentioned money Bowie would say, 'don't worry we're all going to be rich'. When they spoke to the manger Tony Defries he would say 'never mind what Bowie told you you're getting, its what I tell you you're getting'. As a result the three Spiders tried to secure a record deal with CBS without Bowie. When Defries found out he offered them a bit more money and secretly told Ronson he would be Mainman's next big star. Satisfied for the moment they finished the American tour and then went to Japan for ten dates there in April.

Bowie was adored in Japan, mobbed at the stage door every night. 'Aladdin Sane' debuted at number one in Britain but sales were disappointing in the US. It was in Japan, with the Spiders wage rise still not putting in an appearance that Woodmansey (a recent recruit to scientology) in paticular had it out with Defries when he found out the roadies were being paid more than him. Defries replied 'I'd rather give the money to the road crew than to you'. Bolder and Woodmansey went on strike. Ronson talked them round, however, and they finished the Japanese leg of the tour before heading back to Britain.

After a brief rest the shows continued, the first in Britain at Earl's Court in May. The schedule was just as gruelling as before. By the last show at the Hammersmith Odeon on 3 July the outfits were falling apart, everyone was exhausted and Bowie was having psychological problems dealing with the stress and exhaustion from the schedule and from being 'in character' for so long. Defries realised that the planned further tour back in America could cause catastrophic losses for the organisation, Bowie realised that his creative run was coming to and end and so they decided to cancel the final American leg of the tour so Mainman's finance could recover, Bowie could recover from exhaustion and find himself creatively and the Spiders could be 'let go'.

Woodmansey and Bolder had no idea they were being sacked until Bowie made that announcement at the Hammersmith show. Ronson and the others, however had been told. Shortly after Bolder was invited to be on the next album along with Ronson and Garson but not Woodmansey the troublemaker, who would be replaced by Aynsley Dunbar. Bolder agreed.

Post Script
Here is Bowie performing 'Jean Genie' on Top Of The Pops in 1973.

Here is Bowie performing 'Drive In Saturday' on the Russell Harty Show in 1973.

Next time: Nuns, dodos and sorrow