{"id":481486,"date":"2019-01-29T08:32:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-29T15:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/?p=785902"},"modified":"2019-01-29T08:32:59","modified_gmt":"2019-01-29T15:32:59","slug":"david-bowies-first-televised-appearance-as-ziggy-stardust-has-been-found","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kqzr\/music-news\/david-bowies-first-televised-appearance-as-ziggy-stardust-has-been-found\/","title":{"rendered":"David Bowie\u2019s First Televised Appearance as Ziggy Stardust Has Been Found"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The moment when all of England had a chance to see Ziggy play guitar has finally been recovered. Archivists have uncovered David Bowie<\/a>\u2019s first televised appearance in his Ziggy Stardust persona \u2013 a 1972 performance for ITV\u2019s Lift Off With Ayshea<\/em> \u2013 that was thought to be long lost, according to the BBC<\/a>. The footage was thought to be lost forever since all of Lift Off\u2019s<\/em> tapes were wiped when Grenada TV had sent them to be digitized.<\/p>\n

A fan managed to tape it, but due to degradation, the tape is now being \u201cbaked\u201d so that the footage can be remastered. It may feature in next month\u2019s BBC2 documentary, David Bowie: Finding Fame<\/em>, if it is restored in time.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor fans, it is something of a Holy Grail,\u201d Francis Whately, the doc\u2019s producer and director, told the Radio Times (via the BBC). \u201cIt would fall apart if we played it, so it\u2019s had to be very carefully restored. It will be a real coup if it comes off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding Fame<\/em> is the third in a trilogy of films that Whatley has made about the singer. The 90-minute program will feature previously unheard Bowie recordings, including the singer\u2019s 1965 BBC audition with his band the Lower Third performing \u201cChim-Chim-Cheree\u201d and \u201cBaby, That\u2019s a Promise.\u201d The BBC turned down the singer at the time, saying he was a \u201ccockney chap but not outstanding enough\u201d and \u201cdevoid of personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the stepping stones that led to Ziggy, but also many of the failures that led to Ziggy,\u201d Whatley said. \u201cIt shows how Bowie embraced them and learnt from them all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previously, the earliest available Ziggy footage was Bowie\u2019s performance of \u201cStarman\u201d on Top of the Pops<\/em> a month earlier. For that show, the singer dressed himself in a snakeskin jumpsuit and poofed up his red mullet for the occasion.<\/p>\n