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To Be Played At Maximum Volume

Oh my god, No way! Recently, while rifling through a box of old dollar records, I was caught off guard by one in particular. In this glorious box of deals was one of my top ten albums in existence. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie in a dollar bin, at a random record store.

Known by most people by its shorter title, Ziggy Stardust is an album everyone needs to hear at least once all the way through. Released in 1972, Ziggy Stardust was a rock opera based on an androgynous alien character developed by David Bowie named Ziggy Stardust

Often over-looked is the courage it took to create a character like Ziggy Stardust in the early ’70s. The ideas of being androgynous or bi-sexual were not as acceptable at the time. Although I believe being a rock star sometimes gives you a “pass” on being different. 

I love this album from beginning to end. It’s a record you can just put on and let it play because all the tracks are that good. Lyrically and musically, the album has the ability to bring the listener into the character’s world.

Ziggy Stardust was my introduction to David Bowie and began my obsession. For those who have never listened to Bowie, I highly recommend it. It’s very easy to put on and just vibe out to, no matter your music taste. A skill that comes naturally to Bowie with many of his records.  

Some of my favorite songs include Five Years, Star Man, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. These are the “popular” songs casual music listeners may know. A deeper track like Rock’n’Roll Suicide has more of an emotional side, which is great too.

One of my favorite lines comes from this song. It says “Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth. You pull on your finger, then another finger, then cigarette.” Which is just classic Bowie writing.  

The copy I was able to buy for a dollar at a local record store, was a little rough. Being that the record is from the ’70s this can happen. For me, the pops and cracks add to the experience of listening to records. I was able to clean the record off with some dawn dish soap and the quality was a lot better.

David Bowie and his personas, in general, were ahead of their time. Though this record was made in the early ’70s and is covered in decades of dust. Ziggy Stardust is still a relevant character and album. Great for teenagers who are trying to find themselves. If you’re a fan of classic rock and you don’t know this record, what are you waiting for?

Links to check out

https://www.biography.com/musician/david-bowie

https://spaceoddity.davidbowie.com/