Listing Template 2018

This listing is for one copy of Lady Stardust (7" Picture Disc). Item is in hand in the UK and will be shipped in protective packaging by a next day trackable courier service.

If comparing prices please take into account import duties and taxes are included in the price and there will be no additional taxes or duties to pay on the item if you are a UK or EU customer.

“I smiled sadly, for a love I could not obey”

The disc was available exclusively at the DAVID BOWIE is official shop during the exhibition run from 8 January to 9 April, 2017 and features the following two tracks:

 

A SIDE

LADY STARDUST [4-TRACK DEMO – STEREO]

 

AA SIDE

CRYSTAL JAPAN

 

Lady Stardust (David’s ode to Marc Bolan), is the original solo piano and voice, 4-track demo, recorded at the same time as Right On Mother at Radio Luxembourg Studios in London, on 9th March, 1971. The version on this disc was mixed properly and officially to stereo for the first time from the original 4-track tape in July 2016 at AIR Studios in London.

 

Most people are more familiar with the song in its finished form after it was re-recorded by Bowie and The Spiders and released over a year later on the 1972 Ziggy Stardust album.

 

Crystal Japan (originally titled Fuji Moto San) is a haunting instrumental track first released as a single in Japan in July 1980. The track was used for a TV advert for the Japanese sake Crystal Jun Rock by Takara Shuzo. The adverts (there were two of them), featured Bowie in a Zen temple in Kyoto, a location he personally selected, being so moved by the beautiful Karesansui Zen Garden.

 

While in Japan David spoke briefly about his reasons for agreeing to do the commercials:

 

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Q. Why did you agree to do the commercial?

DB: There are three reasons. The first one being that no one has ever asked me to do it before. And the money is a very useful thing [spoken in Japanese]. And the third, I think it's very effective that my music is on television twenty times a day. I think my music isn't for radio.

 

Q. So did you write the music for the commercial?

DB: Yes, this is the important point and the reason I agreed to do the commercial. It's a very slow one. I didn't use bass or drums so it's very different from anything I have done before. It will be included in my next album. I don't drink while I work so I didn't drink while I wrote this one, of course.

 

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In the event, Crystal Japan didn’t appear on the next album (Scary Monsters) and the Japanese got an exclusive single instead.

 

As previously mentioned, both sides of the picture disc have photographs taken by Japanese photographer, Masayoshi Sukita.

 

The A side features a shot taken from a session in February 1973, at RCA Studios in New York. Bowie is wearing a costume by Japanese designer, Kansai Yamamoto, and Kabuki inspired make-up. Under Japanese influence, indeed.

 

The Sukita photograph on the AA side was taken in Tokyo in 1980. Bowie had this to say about the session in the Genesis Editions book of Sukita’s Bowie photographs, Speed Of Life...

 

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Here I am beginning another long day at the photo studio. Clock in, take my coat off and thrust my arms up to the elbows in glamour and style. Here I’m going for a combined Jacques Tati, Anthony Newley look.

 

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