portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Tuesday, December 18, 2018


B ★ O  W  I  E 

Bit early for me but it's kinda like in the public domain now yes? Do you think there is anyone now who wouldn't recognise this like it or nay?

                 we still miss David . . . . . . 




On this day in music history: December 17, 1971 - “Hunky Dory”, the fourth album by David Bowie is released. Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott, it is recorded at Trident Studios in London in April 1971. Work on the album begins while Bowie is without record contract, having recently cut ties to his previous label Mercury Records. To help handle the production duties, Bowie hires former Abbey Road and Trident staff recording engineer Ken Scott (The Beatles, Supertramp, Missing Persons) to assist in the production. Executives from the US division of RCA Records hear the completed album, and sign him to a three album deal in September of 1971. It is also the first album to introduce new bassist Trevor Bolder (taking the place of bassist/producer Tony Visconti), and also features Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman on several tracks. The album features several classics including “Changes” (#66 Pop), “Queen Bitch” (written in tribute to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground), “Life On Mars?” (#3 UK Pop), and “Oh You Pretty Things”. It receives significant critical praise from the British and US rock press upon its release, and is regarded as a pivotal recording in David Bowie’s career. The albums’ cover photo is inspired by a picture of actress Marlene Dietrich that the singer sees of her in a photo book, with him striking a similar pose. Reissued a number of times since its original 1971 release, the album is most recently remastered and reissued on CD in 2014 and as a 180 gram vinyl LP in 2015. It is also issued as a limited edition pressing on 180 gram gold vinyl. In 2017, David Bowie’s original recording of “Changes” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame. “Hunky Dory” peaks at number three on the UK album chart, and number ninety three on the Billboard Top 200.

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