The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders fr: David Bowie (Classic Rock Albums) [Paperback]

Mark Paytress (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 165 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Trade Books (December 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825672163
• ISBN-13: 978-0825672163
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,527,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 2 1/2 stars, January 8, 2001

By 

Gsorme "gsorme" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders fr: David Bowie (Classic Rock Albums) (Paperback)

This book was okay, but more superficial than I expected. It's advertised as getting to the heart of the writing and recording of the album itself. I was expecting details about neat studio tricks (how they got this or that sound), whose idea it was to arrange the piece this or that way, discussions about different mixes of the songs, what the different people involved with the album were like to work with, etc..., but the book isn't particularly detailed in these areas. I would wager that a lot of the people who like this album enough to buy a book about it would also want more of these esoteric details. But I guess it might be enjoyable if you're kind of a casual Bowie fan and want to get an idea of the tenor of the times during the which the album came out. Great album, okay book.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He was his own Clockwork Orange..., July 4, 2007

By 

O. Marie "Stargoddess7" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders fr: David Bowie (Classic Rock Albums) (Paperback)

I think it's okay to use books for different reasons. I have my study-books, my bonk-over-the-head-books, my fluffy-fairytale books, and my coffee books. Imagine if you can get all this in ONE book, which would be this! It's fun. You can take your time with it. Read it on the beach, the bus, in bed, in the tub, at breakfast. Aw heck, go ahead and have a cigarette when you're done! It's an inspirational book about what inspired Bowie... What it was that was making his time, speaking to him through the media, through culture and fashion, other people's music, and the collective unconscious. Bowie was able to integrate different levels of culture (American, British, Asian) into the platform of his performance style, creating a SCENE. Which means, he finally had a huge following.

Okay... Much of the scene was about sexual freedom. Funny to think back on it now, as this book will entice you to do. Now, we approach a time where many alternative groups explore things like bisexuality as a "norm". Polyamory becomes yet another freedom beyond tradition and stererotypes, an option that peaks tons of interest, whether people like it or not. Sure, people had orgies back in the '60's and '70's. But haven't we all been swinging for awhile now? Bowie was right there in the beginning... Back when there was no term like "safe sex". I also think his emotions were conflicted much of that time; in his photos, his heart and chest always seem blocked. He was pulling on the raw energy of whatever that was in his codpiece. He was his own Clockwork Orange. And as you read and learn of his life, you'll see his first and most enduring love/sex affair has been with his fans. Bowie was always more passionately involved with us than he would have led us to believe. In that regard, he hasn't changed.

Bowie, when he finally started hitting it big at the age of 24, became his own scene. This has been parodied in films like "Velvet Goldmine", but also in his own documentary "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust". Great photos, decent, informative writing, this is worth your collection if you're a fan. You'll enjoy it and get a kick out of it. You'll learn much about what makes this person, David Bowie, tick.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Full of info, and other stuff., August 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: " Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars " (Classic Rock Albums) (Paperback)

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy and the Spiders was actually not as bad as I thought it would be. "In the begining..." there was David Robert Jones. From there it progresses into Bowie's life, his music, and commentary on other "aspects". Complete with photos and LOTS of refrences, I'd say overall this is a pretty good book, but a must only if you're a die-hard Ziggy fan always on the lookout for new ideas.