Magical Music Tours

CHAPTER SIX ZIGGY STARDUST | THE CREATION OF A ROCK & ROLL MESSIAH 1972 — THE YEAR DAVID JONES BECAME A STAR FROM ANOTHER PLANET London was about to meet a visitor from the stars. He had flaming red hair a guitar slung across his body, and a message for a generation that no longer knew quite what to believe in. His name was Ziggy Stardust. But Ziggy was more than a character. He was a calculated collision of rock and roll, science fiction, sexual ambiguity, Japanese avant-gar

On this day in Music History 15 October 1966 On this day in Music History legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix signed his first recording contract with PPX Productions, a deal that would lead to years of legal disputes over his early recordings. Although Hendrix was still establishing himself in the music industry, he was on the path to becoming one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Jimi Hendrix’s First Recording Contract Before Jimi Hendrix became an internatio

CHAPTER SIX ZIGGY STARDUST | THE CREATION OF A ROCK & ROLL MESSIAH 1972 By the beginning of 1972, David Bowie had something he had never really possessed before. A plan. The songs were there. The musicians were there. The manager was there. The clothes were getting stranger. The hair was about to get red. And London was about to meet Ziggy Stardust. Bowie had spent years searching for an identity. Now he was going to create one. Not a disguise. Not simply a stage name. A comp

On this day in Music History 6th October 1972. On this day in Music History, David Bowie recorded “The Jean Genie” at RCA Studios in New York City, creating one of the most recognisable songs of his extraordinary career. The energetic, blues-influenced track became the lead single from David Bowie's 1973 album Aladdin Sane and introduced another unforgettable character into Bowie's ever-expanding musical universe. “The Jean Genie” was released in November 1972 and became a ma

Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse On this day in Musical History 4 October 1970 This day in Musical History is forever etched into rock music history. On this day, Janis Joplin, one of the most powerful and distinctive voices of the 1960s, died aged just 27. Her death added another legendary name to what would become known as The 27 Club – the group of famous musicians who died at the age of 27. For rock music fans, The 27 C

CHAPTER FIVE LONDON CALLING "THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD" 1970–1971 David Bowie had finally achieved something he had been chasing for years. A hit record. “Space Oddity” had reached the British Top Five and introduced the world to the strange young man from Brixton with the extraordinary imagination. But Bowie wasn't about to settle down. Instead, London became his laboratory. From the pubs and rehearsal rooms of Beckenham to the clubs of Soho, the studios of West London and

The Rolling Stones' London Although The Rolling Stones became one of the biggest bands on Earth, their remarkable journey began on the streets of London. From tiny blues clubs and smoky pubs to world-famous recording studios and iconic concert venues, London shaped the sound, style and attitude of the band that would become The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band. Many of these places still exist today, while others have disappeared beneath modern developments. Together they

On This Day in Music History 27 September 1980 On this day in Music History, David Bowie scored his fourth UK No.1 album with Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), his fourteenth studio album and one of the most significant records of his career. Released in September 1980, Scary Monsters marked another fascinating chapter in David Bowie’s musical evolution. Following the experimental Berlin trilogy of Low, “Heroes” and Lodger, Bowie returned with a record that combined his adve

CHAPTER FOUR THE SEARCH FOR BOWIE PART FOUR MARY, HERMIONE, THE FEATHERS & THE ARTS LAB By 1968, David Bowie was still a long way from becoming David Bowie. The Mod suits had gone. The blues bands had come and gone. The stage name had arrived, but the character behind it was still searching for somewhere to belong. He had recorded songs, appeared on television, experimented with mime and theatre, and begun to understand that becoming an artist was about far more than simply w

The Rolling Stones Enter a New Era By the early 1980s, The Rolling Stones had achieved almost everything imaginable. They had sold tens of millions of records, released a string of classic albums and become the benchmark for live rock performance. Yet, after more than twenty years together, new challenges emerged. Changing musical tastes, individual ambitions and the pressures of maintaining one of the world's biggest bands began to test relationships within the group. Despit

On this day in music history, 20 September 1975 On this day in music history David Bowie reached No.1 in the US for the first time with ‘Fame’ a groundbreaking funk-rock classic born from a studio jam involving Bowie, John Lennon and guitarist Carlos Alomar. But the story behind ‘Fame’ is every bit as fascinating as the record itself. It involves a killer guitar riff, a disco hit called ‘Shame, Shame, Shame’, John Lennon singing along in the studio and Bowie turning an unexp

CHAPTER FOUR THE SEARCH FOR DAVID BOWIE PART THREE LINDSAY KEMP, MIME & THE THEATRE OF TRANSFORMATION The failure of David Bowie's first album in 1967 might, in another young musician, have represented the end of an experiment. For Bowie, it became something more useful: a reason to look elsewhere. The record had failed to establish him as a commercially viable pop artist, and the musical identity he had constructed during the preceding years was beginning to feel increasingl

On This Day in Music History September 1956 On this day in music history, rock & roll was causing a stir in Britain. Bill Haley and His Comets were already riding high in the UK charts when the BBC decided to remove their song ‘Rockin’ Through The Rye’ from its playlist. The reason? The BBC felt the record did not fit with traditional British broadcasting standards. The controversy centred partly on the song's lyrics, including the line about the lassies rocking along with Ha

Rock's Greatest Survivors By the mid-1970s, The Rolling Stones had already enjoyed a career that most bands could only dream of. They had sold millions of records, conquered America, survived tragedy, weathered changing musical fashions and released some of the greatest albums ever recorded. Yet rock music was changing once again. New artists were emerging. Progressive rock dominated stadiums. Disco filled dance floors. Within a few years, Punk Rock would explode across Brita

On This Day in Music History 15 September 1966 On this day in music history, The Small Faces reached No.1 on the UK Singles Chart with ‘All or Nothing’, giving the London band their only UK No.1 single. Fronted by the charismatic and hugely talented Steve Marriott, The Small Faces had become one of the defining bands of the British Mod movement. Their distinctive blend of rock, rhythm and blues, soul and pop perfectly captured the energy of 1960s London, and ‘All or Nothing’

CHAPTER FOUR 1966–1967 The Artist Awakens Deram Records, the First Album and the Search for Originality Part Two Recording David Bowie (1967) Introduction By the beginning of 1967, David Bowie had been pursuing a professional music career for almost four years. He had fronted several bands. Recorded a succession of unsuccessful singles. Performed throughout London's club circuit. Changed his professional name. Secured experienced management. Yet commercial success remained el

On this day in Music history 10 September 2005 On This Day in Rock & Roll History, A Day in the Life, the legendary closing track from The Beatles' 1967 masterpiece Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, was voted the best British song of all time in a poll conducted by Q magazine. The song was described by the magazine as “the ultimate sonic rendition of what it means to be British” an extraordinary accolade for a recording that had already become one of the defining moments

A New Decade, A New Beginning As the 1970s began, The Rolling Stones stood at the peak of their powers. They had survived the loss of Brian Jones, weathered the controversy surrounding Altamont, and released a succession of critically acclaimed albums. Yet the band refused to stand still. Instead, they embarked on one of the most extraordinary creative runs in the history of popular music. Between 1971 and 1974, The Rolling Stones produced a remarkable series of albums, launc

On This Day in Music History 7 September 1968 On this day in music history, Led Zeppelin played their first ever concert although they weren't called Led Zeppelin yet! At the Gladsaxe Teen Club in Denmark, four musicians who would go on to change the sound of rock music forever stepped onto a makeshift stage inside a school gymnasium. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham were performing as The New Yardbirds, continuing the legacy of Page's former band, Th

CHAPTER FOUR 1966–1967 The Artist Awakens Kenneth Pitt, Lindsay Kemp and the Road to the First Album Part One Introduction By the autumn of 1966, David Bowie had already spent almost three years pursuing a professional music career. He had fronted several bands, recorded a succession of commercially unsuccessful singles and become a familiar face within London's thriving music industry. Yet despite his determination and growing reputation among musicians, mainstream success r