David Bowie's Aladdin Sane Turns 40
. "It's almost like the treading-water album," David Bowie said in 1993 of his 1973 classic, Aladdin Sane. It's a surprising admission from an artist who seems to have a vision for every project he is a part of. If he was, in fact, treading water in the months following his breakthrough album, 1972′s The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, never has treading water sounded so good. The album's producer, Ken Scott, who also produced Ziggy, recalls the recording of the album very differently than Bowie. "My remembrance is of David being as professional and committed as he had been for the previous two albums," Scott told Radio.com. "I'd have to say that, at least for me, Pin Ups was the treading-water album." (Scott also produced 1971′s Hunky Dory and 1973′s covers album, Pin Ups.) Indeed, Aladdin Sane featured one of Bowie's biggest rock radio hits, "The Jean Genie." Somewhat ironically, that song was an ode to former Stooges frontman Iggy Pop, a huge influence on Bowie, but someone who was never able to get much play on rock radio. A night out with Iggy was reportedly the inspiration behind another rocker, "Panic In Detroit," featuring a Bo Diddley-ish beat. The album also featured fan favorites "Watch That Man," "Drive-In Saturday" and "Cracked Actor." The latter song, expressing a cynicism for Hollywood stars ("You sold me illusions for a sack full of cheques") is a theme he returned to on his recent album, The Next Day; on "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)," he sings of "satyrs and their child wives" (ouch). more on this story Radio.com is an official news provider for antiMusic.com.
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