DAVID BOWIE: The 1980 Floor Show (CD)

We are told:

  • THE COMPLETE SHOW RECORDED AT THE MARQUEE LONDON IN 1973
  • The 1980 Floor Show (a pun on the song ‘1984’) was the first appearance by David Bowie since his much publicized retirement on 3rdJuly 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon. It was also to be his last appearance as Ziggy Stardust
  • The show itself was a spectacular stage production that was filmed over three days, mostly at The Marquee Club, Soho, London, for the American NBC TV late night show The Midnight Special.
  • The idea for the show came when Bowie was approached by Burt Sugarman to create something for The Midnight Special rock series.
  • Bowie's idea was a highly theatrical cabaret extravaganza featuring him and various rock groups and artists, performing in a futuristic setting.
  • The result was edited down to fit the one-hour rock series slot and was shown on American NBC-TV on 16th November 1973. Apart from a short segment used on Top Of The Pops, it has never been fully screened in the UK, while still being regularly shown on US TV.
  • Filming at the Marquee was carried out on the 18th, 19th and 20th October, with Bowie personally choosing the setting for the show, after first considering the possibility of a full-scale live concert (rejected by the NBC as too expensive).
  • This release feature the entire broadcast on CD for the first time , with, alongside Bowie and the Spiders, The Troggs, Marianne Faithful, and the today little known Carmen, a Brit/American ‘flamenco/rock’ ensemble, rarely heard of since.

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