Yes, I know, “Life on Mars” was on Hunky Dory, you don’t have to tell me. I’m a lifelong Bowie fan, and I’m currently training for a marathon so that I can slim down and give myself the nickname of The Thin White Eric. However, as we all know, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is Bowie’s definitive statement on his love of Mars.
Regardless of whenever Bowie’s love for Martian society originated, the big news today is that David Bowie and EMI have announced that they will be remastering, reissuing, and reawesomizing The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; the new version of the album has set its phasers to “purchase” for June 5, 2012. The deluxe new remaster will be available on CD, 180 gram vinyl, and DVD audio, with the DVD version featuring bonus tracks “Moonage Daydream (instrumental),” “The Supermen,” “Velvet Goldmine,” and “Sweet Head.”
As we all know, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is, without a doubt, the best David Bowie album. Yes, Hunky Dory and Low are incredible, unique masterpieces (and if you press me hard enough, I’ll even admit that I think “Life on Mars” is Bowie’s best song) that helped define their eras but neither of them are as important or as integral as Ziggy Stardust. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is an Essential Document and a full understanding of pop music in the Western World is impossible without it. Beyond its musical impact, Ziggy Stardust changed pop culture forever; it brought glam rock to the masses, made it cool to wear face paint, and set the stage for punk rock and all of its multiple sub-genres. It is a fully-realized, flawless vision of youth, escape, super-stardom, the often-harsh realities of life, and, of course, sparkly-eyed Martians who will inevitably blow your mind.
• David Bowie: http://www.davidbowie.com
• EMI: http://www.emimusic.com
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