Aladdin Sane

''Aladdin Sane'' is the sixth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 20April 1973 through RCA Records. The follow-up to his breakthrough '' The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' (1972), it was the first album he wrote and released from a position of stardom. It was produced by Bowie and Ken Scott and features contributions from Bowie's backing band the Spiders from Mars — Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey — as well as pianist Mike Garson, two saxophonists and three backing vocalists. Recorded at Trident Studios in London and RCA Studios in New York City between legs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, the record was Bowie's final album with the full Spiders lineup.

Bowie wrote most of the tracks on the road in the US between shows. Because of this, many of the tracks are greatly influenced by America and Bowie's perceptions of the country. Due to the American influence and the fast-paced songwriting, the record features a tougher and raunchier glam rock sound than its predecessor. The lyrics reflect the pros of Bowie's newfound stardom and the cons of touring and paint pictures of urban decay, drugs, sex, violence and death. Some of the songs are influenced by the Rolling Stones, and a cover of their song " Let's Spend the Night Together" is included. The album features a new character called Aladdin Sane, a pun on "A Lad Insane", whom Bowie described as "Ziggy Stardust goes to America". The cover artwork, shot by Brian Duffy and featuring a lightning bolt across Bowie's face, was the most expensive cover ever made at the time and represents the split personality of the Aladdin Sane character and Bowie's mixed feelings of the tour and stardom. It is regarded as one of his most iconic images.

Preceded by the singles " The Jean Genie" and " Drive-In Saturday", ''Aladdin Sane'' was Bowie's most commercially successful record up to that point, topping the UK Albums Chart and helped garner immense popularity for the artist there. It also received positive reviews from music critics, although many found it inferior to its predecessor. The popularity continued throughout the latter half of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, which featured various setlist and stage production changes. In later decades, ''Aladdin Sane'' has appeared on several best-of lists and is viewed by Bowie's biographers as one of his essential releases. It has been reissued several times and was remastered in 2013 for its 40th anniversary, which was included on the 2015 box set '' Five Years (1969–1973)''.

Background and writing

David Bowie was launched to stardom through the release of '' The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' and his performance of " Starman" on the BBC television programme '' Top of the Pops'' in early July 1972. The television performance helped propel ''Ziggy Stardust'' to No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart, remaining on the chart for two years. Although not as successful in the United States, peaking at only No. 75 on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape chart, Bowie nevertheless became one of the most important glam rock artists. To promote the record, Bowie undertook the Ziggy Stardust Tour in both the UK and the US, the latter ultimately becoming a major influence for his next album.

''Aladdin Sane'' was the first album Bowie wrote and released from a position of stardom. He composed most of the tracks on the road during the US tour in late 1972. Because of this, many of the tracks were influenced by America and his perceptions of the country. Biographer Christopher Sandford believes the album showed that Bowie "was simultaneously appalled and fixated by America". The tour also took a toll on Bowie's mental health, which further influenced his writing; it marked the beginning of his longtime cocaine addiction. He co-produced Lou Reed's '' Transformer'' and mixed the Stooges' '' Raw Power'' the same year, adding to his exhaustion. His mixed feelings about the journey stemmed, in Bowie's words, from "wanting to be up on the stage performing my songs, but on the other hand not really wanting to be on those buses with all those strange people ... So ''Aladdin Sane'' was split down the middle." Bowie would later say that due to being on the road, he was unsure of the direction to take for the record. While he felt that he had said as much as he wanted to say about Ziggy Stardust, he knew he'd "end up doing...'Ziggy Part 2'". He stated: "There was a point in '73 where I knew it was all over. I didn't want to be trapped in this Ziggy character all my life. And I guess what I was doing on ''Aladdin Sane'', I was trying to move into the next area – but using a rather pale imitation of Ziggy as a secondary device. In my mind, it was Ziggy Goes to Washington: Ziggy under the influence of America."

Rather than continue the Ziggy Stardust character directly, Bowie decided he would create a new persona, Aladdin Sane. The character reflected the theme of "Ziggy goes to America" and, according to Bowie, was less defined and "clear cut" than Ziggy Stardust, and "pretty ephemeral". According to biographer David Buckley, the character was a " schizoid amalgamation" that was reflected in the music.

Recording

''Aladdin Sane'' was mainly recorded between December 1972 and January 1973, between legs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour. Like his two previous records, it was co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott and featured Bowie's backing band the Spiders from Mars – comprising Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey. Also in the lineup was American pianist Mike Garson, who was hired by Bowie at the suggestion of RCA executive Ken Glancey and singer-songwriter Annette Peacock. The pianist came from a jazz and blues background, which biographer Nicholas Pegg believes veered the album from pure rock 'n' roll and expanded Bowie's experimental horizons. Buckley called ''Aladdin Sane'' the beginning of Bowie's "experimental phase" and cited Garson's presence as "revolutionary". Scott noted that Garson added elements to the arrangements that were not there before, including more keyboards and synthesisers. Garson later said that Scott as producer "got the best piano sound out of any of his performances for Bowie." Garson remembered being given a lot of attention from Bowie in the studio, who mainly wanted to see what Garson could do. He remained with Bowie's entourage for the next three years. Along with Garson, others added to the lineup for the album and tour included saxophonists Ken Fordham and Brian "Bux" Wilshaw and backing vocalists Juanita Franklin, Linda Lewis and longtime friend Geoffrey MacCormack (later known as Warren Peace); MacCormack would subsequently appear on numerous records by Bowie throughout the remainder of the 1970s.

" The Jean Genie" was the first song recorded on 6October 1972 at RCA Studios in New York City; it was mixed at RCA Studios in Nashville a week later. With Bowie producing himself, the song was recorded rather quickly, in about 90 minutes and in only one take, other than a few overdubs, according to Bolder. After the session, the band and crew left New York to continue the tour in Chicago. Bowie's manager Tony Defries originally wanted to enlist Phil Spector to produce the album, but after receiving no response from Spector, Bowie invited Scott back to co-produce. Two months later on 9December, the band reconvened in New York with Scott and recorded " Drive-In Saturday" and the Bowie-penned Mott the Hoople-track " All the Young Dudes". The American tour concluded later that month, after which the band returned overseas to perform a series of Christmas concerts in England and Scotland. Following these concerts, the band regrouped at Trident Studios in London on 19January 1973 to record the remainder of the album. On this day, the band recorded " 1984", which, while left off ''Aladdin Sane'', became an important track thematically for Bowie's '' Diamond Dogs'' (1974). The following day, the band taped the backing tracks for " Panic in Detroit", the title track and the "sax version" of the non-album single "John, I'm Only Dancing". A provisional running order was compiled the same day, including "John, I'm Only Dancing" and an unknown track titled "Zion". Vocals were added to "Panic in Detroit" and the title track four days later, marking the end of the sessions. O'Leary and author Peter Doggett state that the remaining songs were recorded during the Trident sessions in January.

Music and lyrics

Like its predecessor ''Ziggy Stardust'', ''Aladdin Sane'' is predominantly glam rock, with elements of hard rock. ''Aladdin Sane''s American influence and the album's fast-paced development helped add a tougher, rawer and edgier rock sound. Some of the songs, including "Watch That Man", "Drive-In Saturday" and "Lady Grinning Soul" are influenced by the English rock band the Rolling Stones; a cover of their song "Let's Spend the Night Together" is included. Each track was ascribed a location on the LP label to indicate where it was written or took its inspiration: New York ("Watch That Man"), Seattle– Phoenix ("Drive-In Saturday"), Detroit ("Panic in Detroit"), Los Angeles ("Cracked Actor"), New Orleans