Search - David Bowie :: Santa Monica 72

Standing on the shoulder of giants

Bill Woods | ROSE HILL Mauritius | 10/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have this on vinyl bootleg I acquired in the 1980's. If youngsters question why their elders claim Bowie is so influential they only have to listen to this. Apart from the duff take-off special effects noise bowie tries to conjure up in Space Oddity and the flat chorus on Five Years, this album blows away any other Bowie concert CD. The sound is incredible on the vinyl - I can't say for the CD edition as I have never heard it. I had the privelege of seeing Bowie on his STAGE tour in Sydney and was very disappointed by the concert album they released of that tour. I'm happy this 1972 performance has finally officially been released - but inexplicably it seems to have failed to make much of an impact- even with Bowie fans. Being there in 1972 must have been an incredible experience . As far as I'm concerned its the only Bowie album anyone needs to own!"

David Bowie is his own special effect

intagliosfera | California | 05/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The greatest strength of this recording is the fact that it is LIVE. One night. One continuous take. It's a testament to just how good this artist was (and is)and how his talent takes over the stage without resorting to recording tricks or artifice. It's easy to think of Bowie as an image maker, and easy to forget that he's a music maker. The Spiders prove themselves to be a white-hot, smokin' band too. This recording gives me pleasure every time I listen, and I always find something new."

Actually 4.78 stars

THE Uncle Todd | Cleveland | 01/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"OK folks-- remember this is 1972-- this is a live radio broadcast-- they are mixing on the fly
A stunning representation of the Bowie experience
Sure the levels are off from time to time i.e. Jean Genie, but look at it as a whole entity, warts and all. He flubs lyrics in Suffragette City (which he did again just recently in Cleveland 2004), the mix can be questionable from time to time BUT IT'S 1972!! A stunning collection of songs and better than the original version of the Ziggy Sardust movie S/T. Mick Ronson proved he was the next guitar god. Crank it up!"