David Bowie - 2015 - The Last Show We'll Ever Do (with Jeff Beck)

David Bowie -

2015

The Last Show We'll Ever Do

Eat A Peach! – EAT 68/69

101. Introduction By Barry Bethal

102. Mike Garson's Medley

103. A Clockwork Orange Theme (Beethoven's 'Ode To Joy')

104. Hang On To Yourself

105. Ziggy Stardust

106. Watch That Man

107. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud / All The Young Dudes / Oh! You Pretty Things (Medley)

108. Moonage Daydream

109. Changes

110. Space Oddity

111. My Death

201. (Announcement And William Tell Overture)

202. Cracked Actor

203. Time

204. Width Of A Circle (Band Introduction)

205. Let's Spend The Night Together

206. Suffragette City

207. White Light / White Heat

208. The Jean Genie (with Jeff Beck)

209. Round And Round (with Jeff Beck)

210. Rock 'N' Roll Suicide ('Pomp And Circumstance' By Edward Elgar Playout)

David Bowie - vocals, harmonica

Mick Ronson - guitar

Trevor Bolder - bass

Mick Woodmansey - drums

Guest:

Jeff Beck

London, UK, Hammersmith Odeon, July 3rd, 1973

First ever release directly from soundboard of the complete show without overdubs and added vocals or instruments.

There are a few singular concerts considered to be famous enough outside of bootleg circles to be pinned to the mast of rock nostalgia. Concerts that the purists would love to have claimed to have attended, thousands of others who would slap their thigh and curse, “I wish I was there!”.

Of those shows, the event of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars at the Hammersmith Odeon, London on the 3rd of July, 1973 must stand at nearly the stop of the stack. As a rising star in Britain and beyond, Bowie was beyond cool for several thousand teenagers for whom Donny Osmond was too shallow and the glam craze just a little too glamorous for tastes. His career had already shot the trajectory between a hippyish troubadour to space race speaker, his eventual transformation to the alien, Ziggy Stardust had further cemented his cause and now he held pop in the palm of his hand. At the time, however, his fans wouldn’t have had so much of a clue as to how quickly boredom might set in. For that fact, neither could his band as with a brief, seemingly off the cuff, sign off towards the end of the night, Bowie would give the Spiders – Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Woody Woodmansley – their leave and as they stumbled, confused towards the dressing room, Bowie left into a car and on to his new phase.

The 3rd Ziggy Stardust UK tour finishes at the Hammersmith Odeon Theatre, London. This concert comes to be known as the “Retirement Gig.” Jeff Beck attends as special guest. Before this gig Bowie had announced that he would take a short holiday when the tour was over, before recording at the Chateau in France and then planned to return to the US for another tour.

Only Mick and Suzie (later Ronson) knew of Bowie decision to kill Ziggy persona that night. Robin Mayhew believe Suzie must have told stage manager Peter Hunsley at some point after the interval as he alerted Robin via the stage to mixer intercom giving Robin the news. It came as no real surprise to Robin and quitting while ahead seemed the perfect and logical way to end something which would soon have become repetitious

The concert is filmed by D.A Pennebaker and recorded by RCA Mobile with the intention of releasing a live double album in February 1974 provisionally tilted BOWIE-ING OUT. This eventually becomes the 1983 soundtrack album, film and video ZIGGY STARDUST – THE MOTION PICTURE minus the live performances of “Jean Genie/Love Me Do” and “Round and Round.” Just prior to the last encore number Bowie steps up to the mike and announces:

“Everybody…this has been one of the greatest tours of our lives. I would like to thank the band. I would like to thank our road crew. I would like to thank our lighting people. Of all of the shows on this tour, this particular show will remain with us the longest (cheers from the audience) because not only is it…not only is it the last show of the tour, but its the last show that we’ll ever do. Thank you”

This shocks Ziggy fans who scream “No!” Bowie then launches into “Rock n Roll Suicide” and at the finish of the song concludes:

“Thank-you very much. Bye-bye. We love you.”

Bowie’s announcement is also a major shock for The Spiders From Mars who were unaware that Bowie had also decided to retire them from ever touring again. Only Tony DeFries and Mick Rock were aware of the announcement. That night Bowie and a handful of friends hold a small party at the Inn On the Park..

This recording is a new soundboard unearthing – Originally offered via mail order on CDR from sound engineer at that very same evening, Robin Mayhew, the recording is a rather different contrast to the masses of bootlegs that have appeared before. It obviously took a long time for Bowie to release his own version of the show (10 years later) and because of the insistence of Jeff Beck – guesting guitar player on ‘Jean Genie’ / ‘Love Me Do’ and Around and Around – of having his part removed, it was down to the first selection of bootleggers to try to offer the best version of this show to cover the gaps.

The first and most notorious of these releases would have been ‘His Masters Voice’ a single LP on the TAKRL label that featured the abbreviated show with a couple of extra bonus tracks for completeness. Attempts have been made to fill the gap since, including by Mainman to present the concerts in it’s fullest but Beck’s refusal, the Earl Slick guitar and later Bowie overdubs and the fact that the extant tapes recorded at the time were bulked by Mick Ronson to improve his own sound then the original tapes, as recorded, were assumed not to exist anymore. Or rather until now when Robin’s soundboard recording brings us, unexpurgated, the complete concert as committed to tape that night.

Firstly however, the introduction by Barry Bethal, whipping excitement up with the crowd, pointing out the miscellaneous merchandise and getting the audience set is, by the tapes standards, a little hissy. this may be because the recording equipment was generally set up to withstand the electronic noise and once Mike Garson’s medley (An instrumental blend of Bowie’s greatest hits so far ) begins, the tape changes atmosphere accordingly. As anyone knows, these pieces are previously unheard and should be the jewel in the crown for this set but that we’re essentially unmixed and undoubted, several variations begin to work themselves out from other releases for instance a louder piano in the presence of ‘Jean Genie’ for one, flutes higher in the mix on the ‘Wild Eyed Boy ..’ medley.

This is a fantastic release by the Eat A Peach label, especially in lieu of a decent official release of the concert that won’t divide fan’s opinions and a rather shabby cut and paste unofficial release. This will possibly be the last word in this fantastic, classic concert. Don’t miss it!