Stage (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stage
Live album by David Bowie
Released	September 8, 1978
Recorded	The Spectrum, Philadelphia, 28 April-29 April 1978 Providence Civic Center, Providence, 5 May 1978 Boston Garden, Boston, 6 May 1978
Genre	Rock, Krautrock
Length	71:57
Label	RCA Records (1978) (1984) Rykodisc (1992) EMI (2005)
Producer	David Bowie, Tony Visconti
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone (not rated) link Pitchfork Media (7.9/10) link
David Bowie chronology
"Heroes" (1977) Stage (1978) Lodger (1979)

Stage is David Bowie's second live album, released by RCA in 1978. Though it was rumoured at the time that this would be his final outing with the label, following dissatisfaction over the promotion of Low and "Heroes", Bowie would in fact remain with RCA until 1982.

The recording was culled from concerts in Philadelphia, Providence and Boston, USA. It primarily included material from Bowie's most recent studio albums to that date, Station to Station, Low and "Heroes" but, in a surprise show of nostalgia, also featured five songs from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Aside from Bowie's core team of Carlos Alomar, Dennis Davis and George Murray, band members included ex Frank Zappa sideman Adrian Belew on guitar, Simon House from Hawkwind on electric violin, and Roger Powell, best known for his work with Todd Rundgren in the group Utopia, on keyboards. All would reunite the following year on Bowie's next studio LP, Lodger.

Generally considered more relaxed than Bowie's previous live album, David Live (1974), Stage was praised on its initial vinyl release for the fidelity with which the band was able to emulate in concert the electronic and effects-filled numbers from Low and "Heroes", as well as for the singer's vocal performance. However it was criticised for lacking a 'live' atmosphere, thanks to the recording being largely taken from direct instrument and microphone feeds which increased sound quality but minimised crowd noise. The original concert running order was also changed, with fades between tracks similar to a studio album.

As Bowie rarely tampered with the arrangements - in contrast to his method on David Live - Stage added little to what was available on the original albums, and hence was seen by some commentators as simply a marketing exercise that did not do justice to a memorable series of live concerts. Even the cover picture came in for criticism, more so because the rest of the package contained only variations of the same shot.

Stage reached #5 in the UK album charts but only #44 in the US. "Breaking Glass", which originally appeared in shorter form on Low, was released as a single.

A 2005 reissue saw most of the criticisms of the original LP addressed, and the new version garnered some favourable reviews.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Original LP 1.1.1 Side one 1.1.2 Side two 1.1.3 Side three 1.1.4 Side four 2 Rereleases 2.1 1984 rerelease notes 2.2 1991 rerelease bonus track 2.3 2005 rerelease track listing 2.3.1 Disc one 2.3.2 Disc two 3 Personnel 3.1 Additional personnel 4 Charts 5 Certifications 6 References

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by David Bowie except where noted.

[edit] Original LP

[edit] Side one

1. "Hang on to Yourself" – 3:26
2. "Ziggy Stardust" – 3:32
3. "Five Years" – 3:58
4. "Soul Love" – 2:55
5. "Star" – 2:31

[edit] Side two

1. "Station to Station" – 8:55
2. "Fame" (Bowie, Carlos Alomar, John Lennon) – 4:06
3. "TVC 15" – 4:37

[edit] Side three

1. "Warszawa" (Bowie, Brian Eno) – 6:50
2. "Speed of Life" – 2:44
3. "Art Decade" – 3:10
4. "Sense of Doubt" – 3:13
5. "Breaking Glass" (Bowie, Dennis Davis, George Murray) – 3:28

[edit] Side four

1. ""Heroes"" (Bowie, Eno) – 6:19
2. "What in the World" – 4:24
3. "Blackout" – 4:01
4. "Beauty and the Beast" – 5:08

[edit] Rereleases

Stage has been rereleased on CD three times to date, the first being in 1984 by RCA Records, then in 1991 by Rykodisc (containing a bonus track) and most recently in 2005 by EMI. The latter edition received a different running order of songs to reflect the actual performance, removed fades between tracks, and included two additional bonus tracks.

The 2005 EMI release of this album has been copy protected with CDS 200 in the EU.

[edit] 1984 rerelease notes

The 1984 rerelease on CD (catalog number PD89002, Made in Germany or Japan) contains the same running order as the original LP, and comes on two discs. The European edition has a blue rainbow spine while the Japanese edition is red. The US edition is both blue and red and the discs themselves have a blue rim. Some of the European CDs were manufactured in Japan, but cover and assembling were made in Europe (blue spine). Most of the CDs were made in Germany.

[edit] 1991 rerelease bonus track

1. "Alabama Song" (Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill) – 4:00

[edit] 2005 rerelease track listing

[edit] Disc one

1. "Warszawa" (Bowie, Eno) – 6:50
2. ""Heroes"" (Bowie, Eno) – 6:19
3. "What in the World" – 4:24
4. "Be My Wife" (bonus track) – 2:35
5. "Blackout" – 4:01
6. "Sense of Doubt" – 3:13
7. "Speed of Life" – 3:44
8. "Breaking Glass" (Bowie, Davis, Murray) – 3:28
9. "Beauty and the Beast" – 5:08
10. "Fame" (Bowie, Lennon, Alomar) – 4:06

[edit] Disc two

1. "Five Years" – 3:58
2. "Soul Love" – 2:55
3. "Star" – 2:31
4. "Hang on to Yourself" – 3:26
5. "Ziggy Stardust" – 3:32
6. "Art Decade" (Bowie, Eno) – 3:10
7. "Alabama Song" (Brecht, Weill) – 4:00
8. "Station to Station" – 8:55
9. "Stay" (bonus track) – 7:17
10. "TVC 15" – 4:37

[edit] Personnel

• David Bowie – vocals, keyboards
• Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• George Murray – bass, backing vocals
• Dennis Davis – drums, percussion
• Adrian Belew – lead guitar, backing vocals

[edit] Additional personnel

• Simon House – violin
• Sean Mayes – piano, strings, backing vocals
• Roger Powell – synthesizer, keyboards, backing vocals

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1978	UK Albums Chart	5
1978	Billboard Pop Albums	44
1978	Norway	18

Single

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	"Breaking Glass"	UK Singles Chart	54

[edit] Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
BPI – UK	Gold	1978

[edit] References

• Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record
• David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story
• Nicholas Pegg (2000). The Complete David Bowie

v • d • e David Bowie Studio albums David Bowie • Space Oddity • The Man Who Sold the World • Hunky Dory • The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars • Aladdin Sane • Pin Ups • Diamond Dogs • Young Americans • Station to Station • Low • "Heroes" • Lodger • Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) • Let's Dance • Tonight • Never Let Me Down • Black Tie White Noise • Outside • Earthling • 'hours...' • Heathen • Reality With Tin Machine Tin Machine • Tin Machine II Live albums David Live • Stage • Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture • Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby • Santa Monica '72 • LiveAndWell.com • Bowie at the Beeb • Live Santa Monica '72 Soundtracks Christiane F. • Love You Till Tuesday • Labyrinth • The Buddha of Suburbia Compilations The World of David Bowie • Images 1966-1967 • ChangesOneBowie • ChangesTwoBowie • The Best of Bowie • Rare • Golden Years • Fame and Fashion • Sound + Vision • Changesbowie • Early On (1964-1966) • The Singles Collection • The Deram Anthology 1966–1968 • The Best of 1969/1974 • The Best of 1974/1979 • All Saints • Best of Bowie • The Collection • The Platinum Collection • The Best of 1980/1987 • Bowie Box Set (Outside, Earthling, Hours, Heathen, Reality- 10CD) Concert videos Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars • Serious Moonlight • Glass Spider • A Reality Tour Promotional films and compilations Love You Till Tuesday • Bowie – The Video Collection • Black Tie White Noise • Best of Bowie Tours Ziggy Stardust Tour • Diamond Dogs Tour • Isolar • Isolar II • Serious Moonlight Tour • Glass Spider Tour • Tin Machine Tour • Sound and Vision Tour • It's My Life Tour • Outside Tour • Outside Summer Festivals Tour • Earthling Tour • The 'hours...' Tour • Mini Tour • Heathen Tour • A Reality Tour Related articles Discography • Filmography • Tony Visconti • Brian Eno • Mick Ronson • Mick Woodmansey • Trevor Bolder • Iggy Pop • Mike Garson • Reeves Gabrels • Earl Slick • Major Tom • "Bowie"