The few cracked actor tracks considered for 1975s young americans got cut from the final release, but it could be a premonition of that album. David bowie probably doesnt want you to see this film. Absolutely cracked actor outtakes and the missing extra concert footage from those shows. Ken pitt had been bowies manager when alan yentob made his celebrated documentary, cracked actor, about bowie 3 years earlier. Director alan yentob followed david bowie around the us during the. Many years ago i spoke to a member of the crew now deceased who remembered the shoot very differently chaos, equipment failures, and not even one single show filmed in its entirety. I have been obsessed with this film ever since i first saw it in january 1975 and 2 years ago was lucky enough to attend a screening of cracked actor on the big screen at picture house central here in london. The former is the first official release of this philly dogs tour show from september 1974, some of which was featured in alan yentobs bbc documentary, cracked actor. Young americans and having charmed alomar onto its sessions further persuaded him to join a newly restructured backing band for the tours second. The ultimate goal is to make the discographies here at heavy harmonies as complete as possible. In 1974, the bbcs alan yentob produced cracked actor, a documentary.
Cracked actor 1974 ziggy acolytes have da pennebakers concert film ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars, but alan yentobs bbcsponsored documentary cracked actor is equally mandatory. Cracked actor, di david bowie pseudonimo di david robert jones, tratto dall album aladdin sane del 1973. Alan yentobs cracked actor film is 45 today david bowie. After working on arts programmes such as omnibus 1967 and arena 1975, he was made head of music and arts at the bbc 1985 1988, controller of bbc two 1988 1993, controller of bbc one 1993 1997, bbc director of programmes in production 1997 1998, bbc director of. Human, person, lighting, musician, musical instrument, and. It was the first time the bbc had ever dedicated a major arts programme to a pop star and it established yentob. Provided to youtube by parlophone uk cracked actor live david bowie cracked actor. Cracked actor 1975 alan yentobs bbc documentary of bowie on tour in america, still shocking in its candid portrait of a dazed artist lost in showbiz madness. David bowie cracked actor lp due april 22, 2017 steve. Around this time on the evening of sunday 26th january 1975, bowie fans were readying themselves for the 10. David live is david bowies first official live album, originally released by rca records in 1974. As the band arrived they noticed extra microphones, the first indicator that they were.
At the time he was a cocaine addict and the documentary has become notorious for showing bowies fragile mental state during this period. The track also gave its name to alan yentob s documentary of the tour and a 2017 posthumous live album. It was first shown on bbc1 on 26 january 1975 it was filmed in 1974 when bowie was struggling with cocaine addiction, and the documentary has become notorious for showing his mental state during this period. Cracked actor is a 1975 television documentary film about the musician david bowie made by alan yentob for the bbcs omnibus strand it was. Cracked actor lemon on your lover, released 10 october 20 1. The documentary features interviews with bowie, together with rare live concert footage of the diamond dogs show which includes the breathtaking theatrical stage scenery and special effects. If you think diamond dogs was different you should listen to the songs from the aladdin sane album, like the jean genie, panic in detroit, watch that man and cracked actor. Over the course of the tour, bowie would drive himself, his band and his.
It was subsequently performed on the 1974 diamond dogs tour, and was included on the david live album. Luther vandross featured on david bowie live album. Also titled cracked actor, the name was taken from a song on 1973s aladdin sane. Filmed on the singers 1974 diamond dogs tour, it captures the stars transition from glam rock to blueeyed soul. The track also gave its name to alan yentobs documentary of the tour. First released earlier this year on vinyl only, some of this performance was featured in alan yentobs bbc documentary also known as cracked actor the original tapes for this show were finally brought together. He has been cited as an influence by many musicians and was known for his distinctive. Cracked actor is a 1975 television documentary film about the musician david bowie, made by alan yentob for the bbcs omnibus strand. Alan yentob looking back at cracked actor by theyearofthediamonddogs.
The full concert is documented on this triple vinyl fivesided album. The tour was documented in alan yentobs cracked actor 1975. Capturing the music on tape was itself problematic. Alan yentob has held many of the most prestigious positions at the bbc. The diamond dogs riff as played on david live steve. Cracked actor is a song written by david bowie, originally released on the album aladdin. The showcase, featuring michael armstrongs the image, alan yentobs the cracked actor and julien temples jazzin for blue jean, aims to tell the story of his career, taking in three decades, from his experimental beginnings of the sixties to the golden era of the. David bowie bbc nationwide report by bernard falk 5 june 1973. The album differs greatly from bowies david live album also.
The track also gave its name to alan yentobs documentary of the tour and a 2017 posthumous live album. His drug woes of the time were front and center in alan yentobs 1975 cracked actor documentary for the british omnibus series, as well as pennebakers 1973 ziggy stardust. Nine months later he moved into tv to become an assistant director on arts programmes in 1973, he became a producer and director, working on the highprofile documentary series omnibus, for which, in 1975, he made a film called cracked actor about the musician david bowie. Forty years later its almost impossible to calculate just how important that screening was to bowiestarved fans in the uk. Cracked actor was originally a song from david bowies 1973 album, aladdin sane. Hes done a good job of making a great deal of archival material legitimately available even his infamously twitchy, sniffy 1974 interview with dick cavett but cracked actor, broadcast the following year as part of the bbcs omnibus. A film about david bowie was broadcast by the bbc in their. Cracked actor alchetron, the free social encyclopedia.
About cracked actor this track, taken from the album aladdin sane is about an aging movie stars sexual encounter with a prostitute. Legendary though it may be, alan yentobs 1975 bbc music. If you notice that a particular cracked actor cd release or compilation is missing from the list above, please submit that cd using the cd submission page. Parlophone records is prepping two limited edition david bowie albums for record store day. The album was recorded in july of that year, on the initial leg of bowies us diamond dogs tour, at the tower theater in upper darby, pa, a suburb of philadelphia. This is the first official release of this philly dogs tour show from september 1974, some of which was featured in alan yentobs bbc documentary, cracked actor.
David bowie crosses america in alan yentob s seminal documentary, first shown in 1975 as part of omnibus. Alan yentob s cracked actor film is 45 today im just the space cadet. Two limited edition david bowie albums due for record. Rock and roll suicide is the only song from david live that sounds better than the original in my opinion. Indie women artists and femalefronted bands cover david bowie 2003.
Cracked actor by alan yentob for bbc omnibus 26 january 1975. A film about david bowie is a 1975 television documentary film about the musician david bowie, made by alan yentob for the bbcs omnibus strand. Cracked actor, with bowie ethereal, fragile as glass, appeared on omnibus in 1974. Spike thompson remix lemon on your lover single with remixes. Cracked actor bbc two england 24 september 2000 bbc. Indie women artists and female fronted bands cover david bowie 2003. Mark wardels cracked actor book the biography of a. Alan yentobs cracked actor film is forty today im just the space cadet. Absolutelycracked actor outtakes and the missing extra concert footage from those shows. The music discographies on this site are works in progress. Cracked actor hooked to the silver screen with bowie. The second leg, a more souloriented affair following recording sessions in philadelphia for the bulk of young americans, would be.
Notoriously, yentobs expectations of a colourful romp through the glam subculture were confounded, and the film became a disturbing snapshot of bowies rapid descent. Davie jones with band the manish boys on bbc tonight with cliff michelmore 1964. In 1974, the bbcs alan yentob produced cracked actor, a documentary following bowies us tour in support of the diamond dogs lp, the last of his three glam rock albums. Bbc documentary showing david bowie looking back on his ziggy stardust character during his diamond dogs tour. David bowie interviewed by alan yentob for bbc arena 1978.
Yentob joined the bbc as a trainee in the bbc world service in 1968 as its only nonoxbridge graduate of that year. Active in five decades of popular music and frequently reinventing his music and image, bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. Mark plati and reeves gabrels were preparing the backingsequencer tracks before the rest of the band arrived, and the rehearsals started in earnest. Since youve been in america, the director alan yentob ventures. David bowie alan yentobs cracked actor film is forty. If the book relies mainly on yentobs views and notes, it will be highly misleading. Despite being one of the most audacious rock tours ever undertaken at that time, very little footage these shows exist outside of a rarely aired 1975 bbc documentary produced by alan yentob. After killing ziggy off in that july 1973 concert, bowie cultivated a new persona. David wanted to update some of his live show staples so they would sit well sonically with the outsideearthling material. Cracked actor is a 53minutelong bbc television documentary film about the pop star david bowie. This was at the height of bowies cocaine addiction, and it showcases his fragility alongside his dashing charisma. I have been obsessed with this film ever since i first saw it in january 1975 and 2 years ago was lucky enough to attend a screening of cracked actor on the big. Cracked actor depicts a confused artist trying to fit in somewhere he doesnt understand. The 1975 bbc documentary cracked actor captured david bowie at his.
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