David Bowie’s Pin Ups: The Story Behind His Iconic 1973 Covers Album

On This Day in Music History 19 October 1973

On 19 October 1973, David Bowie released Pin Ups, his seventh studio album and a nostalgic tribute to the British rock bands and musicians who had inspired him during the 1960s. Featuring an unforgettable cover image of Bowie alongside supermodel Twiggy, the album revisited classic songs by Pink Floyd, The Who, The Kinks, The Yardbirds and The Pretty Things.

Released during one of the most extraordinary periods of Bowie’s career, Pin Ups captured the spirit of a musical chameleon who was constantly reinventing himself while acknowledging the artists who had helped shape his sound, style and vision.

For Bowie fans, the album offers a fascinating glimpse into the musical influences behind one of rock music’s greatest innovators.

Pin Ups: David Bowie Looks Back to His Rock and Roll Roots

By 1973, David Bowie had transformed himself from an ambitious young musician into an international superstar. His groundbreaking The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album had established Ziggy Stardust as one of rock music’s most iconic characters, while Aladdin Sane had further cemented his reputation as an artist who refused to stand still.

Yet, beneath the theatrical costumes, striking make-up and otherworldly personas was a lifelong music fan whose own musical journey had begun in the vibrant British rhythm and blues and rock scenes of the 1960s.

Pin Ups was Bowie’s opportunity to revisit some of the songs that had excited him as a young musician. Rather than simply reproducing the original recordings, he and his musicians reinterpreted these tracks through the distinctive sound and attitude of the Bowie band.

The result was a collection that celebrated the raw energy of British beat music, psychedelic rock and the emerging hard-edged sounds that had helped inspire a new generation of performers.

The album also arrived at a pivotal moment in Bowie’s career. On 3 July 1973, at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, he had stunned audiences by announcing the retirement of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The announcement marked the end of a defining chapter in his career, although fans would soon discover that Bowie himself was far from finished.

Pin Ups therefore served as both a tribute to the music of his youth and a reminder that, even at the height of his fame, Bowie never forgot where his inspiration had begun.

The Songs and Artists Behind Pin Ups

The album features twelve cover versions, each reflecting a different strand of the British and international rock scene that Bowie admired.

The Who – I Can't Explain and Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere

The Who were among the most exciting bands to emerge from London's 1960s mod scene. Known for their explosive live performances, aggressive guitar sound and rebellious attitude, they helped redefine what a rock band could be.

Bowie's interpretations of I Can't Explain and Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere paid tribute to the band's youthful energy and uncompromising spirit.

Pink Floyd – See Emily Play

Pink Floyd's psychedelic 1967 single See Emily Play, written by Syd Barrett, represented the experimental side of the British underground music scene. Its dreamlike lyrics and colourful musical arrangements made it a natural choice for Bowie, an artist fascinated by surreal imagery and unconventional approaches to songwriting.

The Yardbirds – I Wish You Would and Shapes of Things

The Yardbirds were instrumental in developing British blues-rock and psychedelic guitar music. The band famously featured guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page at different stages of its history.

Bowie's versions of I Wish You Would and Shapes of Things celebrated the band's adventurous sound and its influence on the evolution of British rock.

The Pretty Things – Rosalyn and Don't Bring Me Down

The Pretty Things emerged from London's rhythm and blues scene in the early 1960s. Their rough-edged sound and rebellious image made them one of the era's most uncompromising groups.

Bowie included two of their songs, Rosalyn and Don't Bring Me Down, bringing the band's raw energy to a new generation of listeners.

The Kinks – Where Have All the Good Times Gone

The Kinks, led by Ray and Dave Davies, helped shape British rock with their distinctive guitar sound and sharp observations of everyday life. Their 1965 song Where Have All the Good Times Gone gave Bowie another opportunity to revisit the rebellious spirit of the decade.

The album also included songs associated with Them, The Easybeats, The Mojos and The Merseys, creating a broader snapshot of the music that had influenced Bowie before international superstardom.

The Iconic David Bowie and Twiggy Album Cover

One of the most recognisable features of Pin Ups is its striking cover photograph, featuring David Bowie alongside British supermodel Twiggy.

Photographed by Justin de Villeneuve in Paris, the image captured the glamour, artifice and visual experimentation that had become central to Bowie's identity. Twiggy was already an international fashion icon, while Bowie was redefining the relationship between pop music, fashion, gender expression and performance.

The cover perfectly reflected the era's fascination with celebrity, style and transformation. It also demonstrated that Bowie understood the importance of visual presentation as much as musical innovation.

Throughout his career, Bowie collaborated with photographers, designers, stylists and artists to create images that became inseparable from his music. From the lightning bolt associated with Aladdin Sane to the striking costumes designed for his Ziggy Stardust performances, he understood that an album could be an entire artistic statement.

Pin Ups remains an excellent example of that approach: a musical tribute wrapped in an unforgettable visual identity.

David Bowie, London and the Story of British Rock

Although Pin Ups was recorded in France, David Bowie's story is deeply connected to London. The capital shaped his early ambitions, provided the clubs and creative communities that influenced his development, and became the backdrop for some of the most important moments in his career.

Bowie's London journey began in Brixton, where he was born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947. His early years in south London preceded the remarkable transformation that would eventually make him one of the most influential performers in music history.

As his career developed, Soho and the surrounding West End became important parts of the wider musical landscape in which Bowie worked and performed. London's recording studios, fashion boutiques, music venues and creative meeting places helped foster the cultural environment that made the city's music scene so influential.

Bowie's relationship with London continued through the Ziggy Stardust era and beyond. The famous Heddon Street location used for the cover of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars remains one of the city's most recognisable Bowie landmarks.

His career also intersected with the world of London's recording studios, including Trident Studios in St Anne's Court, Soho, where important recordings from his early 1970s career were made.

These locations help tell the story of how David Bowie evolved from an ambitious young musician into a global cultural icon.

Discover David Bowie's London on a Bowie Walking Tour

For anyone fascinated by Pin Ups, Ziggy Stardust and the extraordinary story of David Bowie, exploring the streets connected to his life and career is a wonderful way to bring the music to life.

Join me on the David Bowie Walking Tour of Brixton and Soho with Magical Music Tours, a guided journey through the places associated with Bowie's London story.

Beginning in Brixton, the tour explores the area where David Robert Jones was born and spent his early years. Discover significant local landmarks, Bowie tributes and the stories behind his rise from south London schoolboy to international superstar.

The experience then continues into central London and Soho, exploring locations connected to Bowie's music, image and creative development.

Along the way, we uncover stories from the Ziggy Stardust era, revisit famous London music landmarks and discover the recording studios, fashion connections and cultural influences that helped shape his career.

Expect fascinating anecdotes, iconic locations, commemorative plaques and the hidden details that make Bowie's story so compelling.

Whether you're a lifelong Bowie fan, fascinated by the glam rock era or simply keen to discover another side of London's musical heritage, this walking tour offers a personal and passionate insight into the life of one of Britain's most influential artists.

Book your David Bowie Walking Tour:Visit www.magicalmusictours.co.uk to discover upcoming tour dates and experience the London locations behind the legend.

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🎸 Magical Music Tours David Bowie Walking Tour

Visit Brixton, discover Bowie's early story and explore the places that shaped one of Britain's greatest musical pioneers before following his journey into Soho, the West End and beyond.

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Pin Ups: A Lasting Tribute to the Music That Inspired Bowie

More than five decades after its release, Pin Ups remains an important part of David Bowie's musical story. It reminds us that even the most original artists are shaped by the music they hear, the musicians they admire and the cultural movements they experience.

Bowie's genius lay not simply in copying his influences, but in absorbing them and transforming them into something unmistakably his own.

From the psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd to the rebellious energy of The Who and The Yardbirds, Pin Ups celebrates the music that helped inspire a generation.

For Bowie fans, it offers another fascinating chapter in the story of David Robert Jones: the boy from Brixton who became a global rock icon, continually reinventing himself while remaining connected to the music that first captured his imagination.

Explore more London music history with Magical Music Tours and discover the people, places and stories behind the songs that changed the world.