Diamond Dogs

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The source does not mention 'Hunger City', 'The Hole', or 'The Thin White Duke' in connection with this album. Conceived during a period of uncertainty over where his career was headed, Diamond Dogs is the result of multiple projects Bowie envisaged at the time: a scrapped musical based on Ziggy Stardust (1972); an adaptation of George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which was denied by Orwell's widow Sonia Orwell at the end of 1973; and an urban apocalyptic scenario based on the writings of William S. Burroughs. The title track introduces a new persona named Halloween Jack. The Belgian artist Guy Peellaert painted the controversial cover artwork depicting Bowie as a half-man, half-dog hybrid, based on photos taken by the photographer Terry O'Neill.

In Their Own Story

The source does not describe a narrative scene with 'Hunger City', 'Diamond Dogs' as characters, or a 'sequined suit'. The album's songs from the Burroughs-inspired apocalyptic scenario included what would become the album's title track and 'Future Legend'. Bowie salvaged two songs from the abandoned Ziggy Stardust musical for Diamond Dogs: 'Rebel Rebel' and 'Rock 'n' Roll with Me'. Unable to adapt Nineteen Eighty-Four, Bowie created his own apocalyptic scenario. The album was preceded by the lead single 'Rebel Rebel' and was a commercial success, peaking at number one in the UK and number five in the US.

Reader's Guide

Diamond Dogs was recorded after Bowie disbanded the Spiders from Mars and parted ways with producer Ken Scott. Recording began in late October 1973 at Trident Studios in London, where Bowie and Scott recorded '1984/Dodo' — the last time the two worked together, and also the last time Bowie worked with Ronson and Bolder. Recording at Olympic officially began at the start of 1974. On New Year's Day, the group recorded 'Candidate' and 'Take It In Right'. Recording continued from 14 to 15 January, with the group recording 'Rock 'n' Roll with Me', 'Candidate', 'Big Brother', 'Take It In Right' and the title track. The following day, Bowie recorded 'We Are the Dead', after which he contacted Visconti for mixing advice. Recording was finished at Ludolph Studios in the Netherlands. Key musicians included pianist Mike Garson, drummer Aynsley Dunbar, Tony Newman on drums, Herbie Flowers on bass, and Alan Parker on guest guitar for '1984'. Bowie's longtime friend Geoff MacCormack (credited as Warren Peace) sang backing vocals. The album has received mixed reviews since its release, many criticising its lack of cohesion; Bowie's biographers consider it one of his best works. In 2013, NME ranked it one of the greatest albums of all time. It has been cited as an influence on the punk revolution in the years following its release.

Did You Know?

• Bowie played lead guitar on Diamond Dogs because Mick Ronson had left; he practised every day knowing 'the guitar playing had to be more than okay'.
• The album was originally conceived partly as an adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, but Orwell's widow Sonia denied the rights at the end of 1973.
• Tony Visconti returned to work with Bowie on Diamond Dogs after a four-year absence; the two would collaborate for the rest of the decade.
• The cover artwork by Guy Peellaert depicts Bowie as a half-man, half-dog hybrid, based on photos by Terry O'Neill.
• Diamond Dogs was Bowie's final album in the glam rock genre, though some songs were influenced by funk and soul.