David Bowie is set to release the 40th Anniversary Remaster of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars on June 5th! Oh Happy Day!

Originally released through RCA Victor on June 6, 1972, Ziggy Stardust was Davide Bowie’s fifth album, co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott. Incredibly, the album was written while Bowie was recording 1971′s Huncy Dory album, with recording beginning a couple of months before the album’s release.

Recorded at Trident Studio in London between November 1971 and February 1972 with the line up of Mick Ronson (guitar, piano, backing vocals, string arrangements), Trevoer Bolder (bass), Mick Woodmansey (drums), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and backing vocals on ‘It Ain’t Easy’ by Dana Gillespie. As well as performing vocals, Bowie also played acoustic guitar, saxophone and harpsichord on the album and was involved in the arrangements as well.

The album eventually peaked at #5 on the UK Album Chart on July 22nd, having entered the chart at #15. Key to the album’s rise in the UK were the two TV performances of “Starman” on Granada TV’s Lift Off WIth Ayshea and nationally on the BBC’s Top Of The Pops. The album’s influence is immeasurable- converting legions of fans, becoming the zeitgeist and a major influence on the net generation, particularly those who were involved in the punk movement and the subsequent re-birth of rock and pop.

Famously Bowie killed Ziggy at his peak at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, on July 3rd, 1973, though Ziggy Stardust’s influence was to redefine pop culture forever…

This 40th anniversary edition has been remastered by original Trident Studios engineer Ray Staff (at Lond’ns Air Studios), and will be available on CD and a special, limited edition format of vinyl featuring the new 2012 remaster with a 5.1 mix and high resolution audio on DVD= the DVD features previously unreleased 5.1 and stereo bonus 2003 Ken Scott mixes of Moonage Daydream (instrumental), The Supermen, Velvet Goldmine and Sweet Head.

Check out the full tracklistings below!

(more…)