(Gibson) Hard to believe, but this month marks the 40th anniversary of David Bowie's glam rock masterpiece, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Powered by one of rock's tightest-ever ensembles – Trevor Bolder on bass, Woody Woodmansey on drums, Mick Ronson on guitar and Bowie himself of rhythm acoustic – Ziggy Stardust remains an essential touchstone for any up-and-coming four-piece rock band.To commemorate the album's 40th year, EMI has just released a special newly-remastered edition of the disc, with a 5.1 mix. The release is available on CD, on limited edition vinyl and on high-resolution DVD, with bonus tracks.
Producer-engineer Ken Scott, who produced the Ziggy Stardust album alongside Bowie, has also just published a remarkable book detailing his experiences recording Bowie and other rock greats. Titled Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust: Off-the-record with The Beatles, Bowie, Elton, and So Much More, the book offers behind-the-scenes looks at the making of The Beatles' White Album, Elton John's Honky Chateau, Jeff Beck's Truth and many other classics.
From his home in Los Angeles, Scott spoke with Gibson about Bowie's work methods, how Mick Ronson achieved his distinctive glam-era tone and why pressure in the recording studio can be a good thing. Check it out here.
