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David Bowie / Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture 50th anniversary edition

“The last reissue we’ll ever do…”

David Bowie / Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture 50th anniversary

The ‘Motion Picture Soundtrack’ to David Bowie’s last gig as Ziggy Stardust will be reissued for the 50th anniversary in July.

Bowie retired his alter-ego on 3 July 1973, at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, and the show was filmed by D.A. Pennebaker who captured the evening’s events, including Bowie’s famous speech just before the final encore, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’, where he revealed that he was retiring the Ziggy Stardust persona. The announcement shocked and surprised everyone, including members of his own band!

The film and the audio recording were mothballed for a decade as Bowie was keen to leave Ziggy behind, but once he left RCA for EMI in 1982 the label (RCA) were free to release it without worrying about was David did or didn’t want to do, and that’s exactly what happened in 1983. Suspecting this would happen, Tony Visconti and Bowie mixed the audio in 1981 so they at least had some input on how it would sound when released.

David Bowie / Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture 50th anniversary
2CD+blu-ray edition for 2023 (click image to enlarge)

It took almost another decade for this live album to be released on CD, when Rykodisc issued it towards the end of their Sound + Vision reissue campaign of the early Nineties. Unlike most of Ryko’s other Bowie reissues, there were no bonus tracks.

Ten years after that EMI released what was then a 30th anniversary 2CD set, with audio newly mixed by Visconti. The concert film was also issued on DVD with a 5.1 surround sound mix.

For this new 50th anniversary reissue, the soundtrack has been newly remastered and finally includes the medley of ‘The Jean Genie/Love Me Do’ and ‘Round And Round’ featuring Jeff Beck. These additions have been newly mixed by Tony Visconti. The film has also been digitally restored by D.A.’s son, Frazer Pennebaker and will be issued on blu-ray and will be shown at over 1000 cinemas worldwide during July 2023.

2LP pressed on gold-coloured vinyl (click image to enlarge)

In terms of formats, a 2CD+blu-ray edition brings together film and audio, while a 2LP set is pressed on gold-coloured vinyl. There’s a 2CD set (without the blu-ray) as well. The 5.1 mix on the blu-ray is the same as the 2003 DVD except for the two new tracks which are obviously newly mixed.

Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture will be reissued on 11 August 2023.

Tracklisting

David Bowie / Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture 50th anniversary

Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture Soundtrack David Bowie /

    • CD 1
      1. Introduction Part 1
      2. Hang On To Yourself
      3. Ziggy Stardust
      4. Watch That Man
      5. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
      6. All The Young Dudes
      7. Oh! You Pretty Things
      8. Moonage Daydream
      9. Changes
      10. Space Oddity
      11. My Death
    • CD 2
      1. Cracked Actor 
      2. Time
      3. The Width Of A Circle
      4. Let’s Spend the Night Together
      5. Suffragette City
      6. White Light/White Heat
      7. Medley: The Jean Genie / Love Me Do / The Jean Genie (feat. Jeff Beck)
      8. Round And Round (feat. Jeff Beck)
      9. Farewell Speech
      10. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide 
    • blu-ray
      1. Opening Credits/Introduction 
      2. Hang On To Yourself
      3. Ziggy Stardust
      4. Watch That Man
      5. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
      6. All The Young Dudes
      7. Oh! You Pretty Things
      8. Moonage Daydream
      9. Changes
      10. Space Oddity
      11. My Death 
      12. Cracked Actor 
      13. Time
      14. The Width Of A Circle
      15. Let’s Spend the Night Together
      16. Suffragette City
      17. White Light/White Heat
      18. Medley: The Jean Genie / Love Me Do / The Jean Genie (feat. Jeff Beck)
      19. Round And Round (feat. Jeff Beck)
      20. Farewell Speech
      21. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide 
      22. End Credits

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