“Beware the savage jaw”
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the broadcast of David Bowie’s The 1980 Floor Show, which was used as both a promotional tool for Pin Ups and to further break into the American market.
It would be Bowie’s last performance as the Ziggy Stardust persona with The Spiders From Mars, though drummer Woody Woodmansey was no longer a part of the band line up.
The 1980 Floor Show was a lavish stage production filmed over three days at The Marquee Club in London’s Soho, in front of members of Bowie’s fan club, exclusively for the American NBC TV late night show, The Midnight Special.
The show was heavily advertised in the US press in the run up to the broadcast but has never been shown outside of the US or officially released. Only one track, Space Oddity, has ever received an official DVD release and though many fans have found their own way of finding the complete show, most still hanker after a full official release.
Meanwhile, don't forget the Pin Ups Radio Show on Spotify with exclusive recollections from Bowie made in 1973.
The current issue of Record Collector (December 2018) celebrates 1973, and among other Bowie-related bits, has a great piece by Kris Needs regarding his close encounters with Ziggy, including witnessing the taping of The 1980 Floor Show.
#BowiePinUps #1980FloorShow