Glass Spider
Glass Spider | ||||
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Video by | ||||
Released | 1988 | |||
Recorded | November 1987[1] | |||
Venue | Sydney Entertainment Centre | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 110:00 | |||
Director | David Mallet | |||
Producer | Anthony Eaton | |||
David Bowie chronology | ||||
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David Bowie video chronology | ||||
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2007 Re-release | ||||
Glass Spider is a
The film stars Bowie, his band including
An edit of the film was shown on American Broadcasting Company-affiliated stations in June 1988 as a concert special. The full concert video was subsequently released in 1999 on DVD and re-released again in 2007 with a Special Edition, which peaked at number 9 on the UK Video Charts.
Background and recording
The Glass Spider Tour was a worldwide concert tour launched in May 1987 in support of Bowie's album Never Let Me Down (1987).[6] The tour was well attended[6] and profitable,[7] but was poorly received by contemporary critics.[6] His first tour since his 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour, the Glass Spider Tour was seen as a chance for Bowie to return to theatrical stage performances, the way he had in his 1974 Diamond Dogs Tour.[8] As a result, the tour incorporated dancers, music and multi-media elements such as stage projections and props.[9] The set itself was designed to look like a giant spider and stood over 60 feet (18.3m) high, and was described at the time as "the largest touring set ever".[2][10] The tour features dance choreography by Toni Basil, and Peter Frampton on guitar.[11] Charlie Sexton makes a guest appearance on vocals and guitar in the video release.[12]
Prior to the tour, Bowie stated that he did not intend to produce a live record of the show,
Releases
The film was released on VHS in 1988 by
A 1-hour edit from the original release was aired on US prime-time television in early June 1988 on American Broadcasting Company-affiliated stations.[11][18]
The video was reissued in 2007 on DVD. A regular edition includes the DVD of the same concert as released on VHS, while a special edition also includes a 2 CD live album from the same tour, recorded at
The DVD includes stereo,
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMovie | [21] |
AllMusic | [20] |
People | B+[22] |
PopMatters (2007 re-release) | [23] |
Record Collector | [24] |
The home video's original 1988 release received positive reviews from sources such as Variety magazine, the Houston Post and the Toronto Star.[25] The Chicago Tribune said the video "offers all of the excitement, spectacle and music" of one of 1987's "most visually engrossing" shows.[26] The AllMusic review called the release "brilliant" and credited the performance with "stunning" live performances that are frequently on par with their studio counterparts.[20] Some reviews were more ambivalent, such as The Boston Globe's review stating simply that "there's a lot to digest."[25] The Los Angeles Times had a mostly negative review of the 1-hour ABC special, calling the show "surprisingly lame" and the stage "silly."[27]
One critic found that the video release rendered the show's intended meaning ("rock stars vs reality") "obscured" for two reasons: First, by the time the show was recorded, Bowie had already dropped some parts of the show that elaborated the point; and second, six songs (and at least one vignette) that were performed in the show were omitted from the video itself.[19] Another critic found that the 1-hour ABC special, which showed only a small subset of the songs performed, and showed them out of order, also "obliterated" the show's meaning.[18]
Pegg said that the concert film was "hugely enjoyable" despite the show's flaws, and unless the 1974 Diamond Dogs Tour or 1990 Sound+Vision Tour videos are released, this release "leads the field for those wishing to see David Bowie delivering a rock-theatre spectacular."[5]
Track listing
All songs were written by David Bowie except where noted.[a] Although they are not mentioned on the sleeve, the original VHS edition contains the same "Intro/Up the Hill Backwards" and band introduction segments that feature on the DVD reissue.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Glass Spider" | ||
2. | " Ivan Kral | ||
4. | "Absolute Beginners" | ||
5. | "Loving the Alien" | ||
6. | "China Girl" | Bowie, Pop | |
7. | "Rebel Rebel" | ||
8. | "Fashion" | ||
9. | "Never Let Me Down" | Bowie, Carlos Alomar | |
10. | ""Heroes"" | Bowie, Brian Eno | |
11. | "Sons of the Silent Age" | ||
12. | "Young Americans/Band Introduction" | ||
13. | "The Jean Genie" | ||
14. | "Let's Dance" | ||
15. | "Time" | ||
16. | "Fame" | Bowie, John Lennon, Alomar | |
17. | "Blue Jean" | ||
18. | "I Wanna Be Your Dog" | Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, Pop | |
19. | "White Light/White Heat" | Lou Reed | |
20. | "Modern Love" |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Intro/Up the Hill Backwards" | |
2. | "Glass Spider" | |
3. | "Day-In Day-Out" | |
4. | "Bang Bang" | |
5. | "Absolute Beginners" | |
6. | "Loving the Alien" | |
7. | "China Girl" | |
8. | "Rebel Rebel" | |
9. | "Fashion" | |
10. | "Never Let Me Down" | |
11. | ""Heroes"" | |
12. | "Sons of the Silent Age" | |
13. | "Band Introduction" | |
14. | "Young Americans" | |
15. | "The Jean Genie" | |
16. | "Let's Dance" | |
17. | "Time" | |
18. | "Fame" | |
19. | "Blue Jean" | |
20. | "I Wanna Be Your Dog" | |
21. | "White Light/White Heat" | |
22. | "Modern Love" |
Special edition CD 2007
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Up the Hill Backwards" | 3:51 |
2. | "Glass Spider" | 5:55 |
3. | "Day-In Day-Out" | 4:34 |
4. | "Bang Bang" | 4:02 |
5. | "Absolute Beginners" | 7:08 |
6. | "Loving the Alien" | 7:14 |
7. | "China Girl" | 4:55 |
8. | "Rebel Rebel" | 3:30 |
9. | "Fashion" | 5:04 |
10. | "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)" | 4:52 |
11. | "All the Madmen" | 6:39 |
12. | "Never Let Me Down" | 3:56 |
Total length: | 61:40 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Big Brother" | 4:47 |
2. | "'87 And Cry" | 4:07 |
3. | ""Heroes"" | 5:10 |
4. | "Sons of the Silent Age" | 3:10 |
5. | "Time Will Crawl/Band Introduction" | 5:23 |
6. | "Young Americans" | 5:06 |
7. | "Beat of Your Drum" | 4:37 |
8. | "The Jean Genie" | 5:23 |
9. | "Let's Dance" | 5:01 |
10. | "Fame" | 7:05 |
11. | "Time" | 5:11 |
12. | "Blue Jean" | 3:26 |
13. | "Modern Love" | 4:53 |
Total length: | 63:19 (124:59) |
Personnel
Adapted from the Glass Spider liner notes.[32]
Musicians
- David Bowie – lead vocals, guitar
- Carlos Alomar – guitar, backing vocals
- Alan Childs – drums
- Richard Cottle – keyboards, saxophone, tambourine, backing vocals
- Peter Frampton – guitar, vocals
- Erdal Kızılçay – keyboards, trumpet, congas, violin, backing vocals
- Carmine Rojas – bass guitar
- Charlie Sexton – guitar, backing vocals
Dancers and performers
- Melissa Hurley
- Viktor Manoel
- Constance Marie
- Stephen Nichols
- Craig Allen Rothwell ("Spazz Attack")
Production
- David Mallet – film director
- Anthony Eaton – film producer
- Toni Basil – choreography
- David Richards – audio mixing
- Mark Ravitz – set design
- Allen Branton – lighting design
Chart performance
The 2007 re-release reached number 9 on the UK Video Charts.[5]
Notes
Bibliography
- Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie New Edition: Expanded and Updated. London: ISBN 9781785655333.
References
- ^ a b Sinclair, Paul (6 February 2013). "Record Collector: David Bowie / Never Let Me Down (1987)". SuperDeluxeEdition.com. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ a b David Bowie Glass Spider Tour (News report, New Jersey 1987).
- ^ Youngs, Ian (13 August 2009). "Stadium rock, from Beatles to Bono". BBC News. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Sandberg, Marian (1 August 2010). "David Bowie Glass Spider (1987) – Top Concert Tour Design of all time". Live Design. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Pegg 2016, p. 643.
- ^ ISBN 0-7119-1182-7.
- ^ Wyman, Bill (6 September 1991). "The Man Who Fell to Earth". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
- ^ Morse, Steve (July–August 1987). "David Bowie (Cover Story)". In Fashion Magazine. Vol. 3, no. 10. pp. 151, 153.
- ^ West, Corinthia; Stoute, Lenny (1987). "A Feast Unknown". Rock Express.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (2 August 1987). "Bowie Creates a Spectacle". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ^ a b c O'Connor, John (3 June 1988). "TV Weekend; 'David Bowie: Glass Spider Tour'". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ Pegg 2016, p. 586.
- ^ The Glass Spider Tour Press Conferences (London) (vinyl). 20 March 1987.
- ^ The Glass Spider Tour Press Conferences (Sydney) (vinyl). 27 October 1987.
- ^ a b Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 030306009636). 1988.
- Video Collection International(Barcode: 5 014138 040437). 1988.
- ^ a b "EMI to Release Glass Spider DVD". David Bowie Official Website. 18 July 2006. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Special: David Bowie: Glass Spider Tour". TV Guide. 1987.
- ^ a b Jacobson, Colin. "David Bowie Glass Spider (1987)". Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ AllMusic. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Barber, Sally. "David Bowie: The Glass Spider Tour (1987)". Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ Jarvis, Jeff (6 June 1988). "Picks and Pans Review: David Bowie: Glass Spider". People. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ^ O'Neil, Tim (27 August 2007). "David Bowie: Glass Spider Tour (Special Edition DVD)". PopMatters. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ^ Draper, Jason. "David Bowie: Glass Spider (review)". Record Collector. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ MPI Home Video
- ^ Van Matre, Lynn (21 August 1988). ""Spider" Tour Spins a Web". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ Willman, Chris (3 June 1988). "TV Review : 'Glass Spider': A Glitzy Special From David Bowie and Friends". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 4011778979524). 1999.
- ^ Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 0094639126293). 2007.
- ^ Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 0094639126224). 2007.
- ^ Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 0094639126323). 2007.
- ^ Glass Spider (DVD booklet). David Bowie. EMI America Records (Barcode: 0094639100224). 2007.
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External links
- Glass Spider at IMDb