An official music video for David Bowie’s classic 1972 song “Starman” has premiered online, featuring previously unseen performance footage of the legendary and influential artist shot in 1972 and ’73 by famed photographer Mick Rock.
The debut of the video coincides with the news that the first-ever Dolby Atmos spatial-audio mix of Bowie’s landmark 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars will be available soon. A Blu-ray Audio disc featuring the Dolby Atmos mix will be released on Friday, September 6.
[RELATED: Behind the Album: Hunky Dory, David Bowie’s Artistic Masterwork and Commercial Flop]
The Blu-ray, which can be pre-ordered now, also will feature three other mixes of the Ziggy Stardust album: a 2024 stereo mix and two different versions of a 2012 remaster of the original 1972 stereo mix.
The Dolby Atmos version of Ziggy Stardust was mixed by Ken Scott and Emre Ramazanoglu at RAK Studios in London. Scott co-produced the original album with Bowie.
Scott’s Comments About the New Dolby Atmos Mix
In a statement, Scott shares his opinion about the Dolby Atmos mix of Ziggy Stardust.
“You’re in there with the act, with David,” the producer said. “He was so theatrical I think being able to put him into an immersive place makes this a really good choice for an Atmos mix. My whole philosophy with this has been to make it more like a live experience. And I’ve even got him moving about the stage a little towards the end, the way he would have in real life. Hopefully it just feels as if you’re in the theatre with this amazing show going on.”
About the “Starman” Video
The new “Starman” video features a montage of color and black-and-white films clips of Bowie performing with his backing band The Spiders from Mars during his 1972-1973 U.K. tour in support of the Ziggy Stardust album. The visual includes clips of David dressed as his flamboyant Ziggy Stardust persona strumming an acoustic 12-string guitar and donning various outlandish outfits.
All of The Spiders from Mars—guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolden, and drummer Mick “Woody” Woodmansey—also appear in the video. In addition, footage of Bowie’s rapid fans in the audience of various concerts are featured in the clip as well.
“Starman” was the most successful single released from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars. It peaked at No. 10 on the U.K. chart.
More About the Ziggy Stardust Album
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars is considered one of the quintessential albums of the glam-rock era. Besides “Starman,” it featured such classic Bowie songs as “Moonage Daydream,” “Ziggy Stardust,” and “Suffragette City.”
The album peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the U.K. chart. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Ziggy Stardust No. 40 on its latest list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars Track List:
- “Five Years”
- “Soul Love”
- “Moonage Daydream”
- “Starman”
- “It Ain’t Easy”
- “Lady Stardust”
- “Star”
- “Hang On to Yourself”
- “Ziggy Stardust”
- “Suffragette City”
- “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”
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