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THE MAINMAN JOURNEY

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Mike Garson recalls his audition for the Ziggy Stardust US tour in the summer of '72.

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Episode 52

11 April 2022
Episode 52

Tony Defries recalls how Bowie and the band evolved during the first few months of the 1972 Ziggy...

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Episode 51

25 March 2022
Episode 51

Photographer Barrie Wentzell, the first person to photograph Bowie as Ziggy, recalls the January...

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Episode 50

11 February 2022
Episode 50

MainMan founder Tony Defries, drummer Woody Woodmansey and bass player Trevor Bolder recall the...

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“Searching for music is like searching for God. They’re very similar. There’s an effort to reclaim the unmentionable, the unsayable, the unseeable, the unspeakable - all those things comes in to being a composer and to writing music. Searching for notes and pieces of musical information that don’t exist. Taking away all the theatrics and all the costuming and all the outer layers of what it is I’m a writer, that’s what I do. I write. And I started examining the subject matter that I write about and it really only boils down to a few songs based around loneliness to a certain extent, coupled with isolation, some kind of spiritual search and a looking for a way into communicating with other people and I dressed it all in different ways throughout my life.” David Bowie (08.01.47 - 10.01.2016)
The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to reflect on the importance of ‘Changes’ - which RCA released as a single in January 1972. The moving and prophetic song set the stage for Bowie to feel confident enough to push the boundaries for the Ziggy Stardust adventure that followed. In November 2006 David and Alicia Keys sang the song together in what was to be David’s final live performance. Check the links at youtube.   Happy New Year and Thanks for Supporting Memories of MainMan at mainmanlabel.com
When David Bowie and The Spiders from Mars, accompanied by their MainMan entourage, arrived in New York for the US leg of their Ziggy Stardust Tour in the summer of ‘72 the first item on their ‘to do’ list was to find a piano player. Hear Mike Garson recall the audition that changed his life the day he walked into RCA Studios and met a bunch of Brits he’d never heard of and there and then became part of one of the most exciting tours of the year - and the decade - in episode 59 of the MainMan podcast. Hit the link in the bio #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars
It’s hard to imagine now, but when these 3 rock legends were photographed in the Dorchester Hotel in London in July 1972, they were relatively unknown. Lou and Iggy had only just arrived in the UK and performed their first gigs at King’s Cross cinema the previous day. Lou hadn’t begun Transformer yet and Iggy’s Raw Power was still several months away. The American music press were bemused by the ‘terrible trio’ having high tea in a posh hotel as part of MainMan’s efforts to promote Bowie’s forthcoming U.S. tour. Hit the link in the bio to hear Defries recall the plans that summer to unleash Ziggy, Iggy and Lou onto the unsuspecting market and the enormous success they enjoyed in episode 58 of the MainMan podcast #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #loureed #loureedforever #iggypop #iggy
Mick Ronson and Lou Reed forged a strong musical bond during the recording of Lou’s Transformer album, even though they both had problems deciphering each others accents. Hit the link in the bio to hear Tony Defries recall the adventures of Bowie, Lou & Ronno putting together one of the 70’s most acclaimed albums in the MainMan podcast episode 57 #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #loureed #loureedforever #transformeralbum #mickronson
This is the inside story of the recording of one of the most iconic albums of the 70’s - Lou Reed’s Transformer, produced by Mick Ronson and David Bowie at London’s Trident studios. This was one of a series of MainMan projects that changed the shape and sound of rock ‘n roll in the summer of 1972. Hit the link in the bio to hear Tony Defries recall how David, Ronno and Lou ended up recording this classic in episode 57 of the MainMan podcast. #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #loureed #transformer #classicalbums #rockclassics
When David Bowie flew to New York in June 1972 to see Elvis Presley play Madison Square Garden he returned to the UK to resume his Ziggy Stardust tour with a desire to emulate The King and many people involved with Bowie at the time, RCA Records in particular, were convinced that David had the potential to be his generation’s version of Elvis. To hear Tony Defries describe the importance of that trip to NYC hit the link in the bio to listen to the MainMan podcast episode 56 #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #elvis #elvispresley #elvismovie
50 years ago today MainMan was incorporated in New York. Tony Defries’ philosophy was to provide MainMan clients with the financial freedom to explore their full creative potential. David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, Mott the Hoople, Marianne Faithfull, Dana Gillespie, Amanda Lear, Mick Rock, John Mellencamp, Mick Ralphs and Cidny Bullens are some of the incredible artistes to benefit from the MainMan ethos. Hear all the stories behind Defries’s adventures in the MainMan podcast. And check out the MainMan archive at MainManlabel.com #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars
In June ‘72 David Bowie cancelled two concerts in his Ziggy tour in order to make a very quick trip to New York City with Angie and Ronno to see Elvis Presley play Madison Square Garden. When Bowie was supposedly afraid of flying, why would he suddenly make a quick trip to NYC, just to see ‘The King’? Defries explains the reasons behind the trip in Episode 56 of the MainMan podcast. Hit the link in the bio #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #elvis #elvispresley #elvismovie #elvisforever
Max’s Kansas City was a legendary night club in New York City that was the epicentre of the Downtown art scene in the 60’s and 70’s. It gained notoriety as the favourite hangout of Andy Warhol and his entourage and many now famous acts played their first New York gigs at Max’s including Bruce Springsteen, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper and Aerosmith. Due to the Warhol connection The Velvet Underground were regular acts. When Bowie visited Max’s in January 1973 to see Biff Rose perform he was impressed by the support act from New Jersey and when he recorded versions of two of their songs ‘It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City’ and ‘Growin’ Up’ Bowie became the first person to record covers of Bruce Springsteen songs. In her fantastic memoir Face It Debbie Harry evocatively recalls her experiences working at Max’s. To hear Cherry Vanilla describe the importance and influence of Max’s in Episode 55 of the MainMan podcast, hit the link in the bio. #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #newyorkcity #newyork #loureed #velvetunderground #warhol #andywarhol
Cherry Vanilla recalls her MainMan adventures in New York City where, at the epicentre of Warhol’s world, she became friends with many of the outrageous characters who inspired Lou Reed’s classic Transformer album, produced by Bowie and Ronno in the summer of ‘72. Hear Cherry’s tales of life at Max’s Kansas City and other NYC exploits in Episode 55 of the MainMan podcast. Hit the link in the bio. #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #nyc #nycforever #loureed
Cherry Vanilla, MainMan’s legendary PR Queen, recalls her adventures with Warhol and Bowie as she blazed her own unique publicity trail across the US to promote Ziggy Stardust in 1972. Hear how Cherry came to be part of Warhol’s scene and then meet with Bowie and become part of his inner circle in Episode 54 of the MainMan podcast. Hit the link in the bio. #davidbowie #bowie #70srock #ziggy #ziggystardust #tmwstw #1970s #70sclassicrock #glamrock #rock #rocknroll #glam #rocknrollmusic #davidrobertjones #davidbowiefans #starman #fame #spaceoddity #aladdinsane #majortom #dailybowie #thejeangenie #spidersfrommars #andywarhol #warholsuperstars #70snyc #70spunk

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