"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" is one of those records generally regarded as stunningly brilliant, critically acclaimed, commercially successful, everything comes together, blah blah.

Of course, in this case, they're pretty much right.

David Bowie was peaking-- he'd explored a number of different styles and suddenly found himself knee-deep in the glam movement with a backing band featuring guitarist Mick Ronson that had been together for several years, and a string of largely unsuccessful but unnervingly daring (and at times brilliant) albums behind him. 'Ziggy Stardust' is a concept album of sorts, about the (for that of better term) rise and fall of a brilliant musician from space named Ziggy Stardust. Remarkably, it's not nearly as goofy as it sounds.

Instead, it ends up being a remarkably well performed and diverse album-- Bowie's vocals have developed a depth and a swagger and an utter lack of fear of styles and in Ronson, he had a lead guitarist capable of matching him in personality. As a songwriter, Bowie had found his niche-- whether it was picking the far corners of exotica ("Soul Love") or embracing the new glam sounds ("Suffragette City"), he was able to pull off something powerful and convincing throughout. The album is pretty much one long highlight, depending on your point of view-- at any given time I find myself in love with impassioned ballad "Five Years", glam masterpiece ("Moonage Daydream") or the hook laden "Ziggy Stardust", but there's not a bad song here, freom the rolling introductory drum beats to Bowie's impassioned screams on "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide".

The reality is, as far as early '70s rock goes, it really doesn't get any better than this. The second disc is nearly as essential-- non-LP tracks (including ecstatic single "John, I'm Only Dancing"), demos, alternate takes... it's all stuff you'll probably want once you fall in loe with the album. Essential listening.

I never realized, until a few days ago, "This album is amazing. I haven't gave it enough credit. It's just genius." These words are true. No song on here is bad, except for IT AIN'T EASY. All the rest are just genius. Bowie's ZIGGY STARDUST is probably the best rock creation of all time. This should be the #1 album of all time. I would have loved to live in this era & see all of the Ziggy shows. Buy this album, it's f**king genius!
Songs:
1. Five Years 5/5 (Great Opener, Starts with a bang!!)
2. Soul Love 5/5 (Always my favorite song, love the sax)
3. Moonage Daydream 5/5 (Guitar)
4. Starman 5/5 (The classic song everyone knows)
5. It Ain't Easy 1/5 (Ugghhhhhhhh)
6. Lady Stardust 5/5 (Beautiful song about Marc Bolan)
7. Star 5/5 (One word, AWESOME!)
8. Hang On To Yourself 5/5 (Is it about masturbation?)
9. Ziggy Stardust 5/5 (Funny song)
10. Suffergate City 5/5 (Another classic song)
11. Rock 'N' Roll Suicide 5/5 (The best ending to an album, BRAVO, BRAVO!)
Buy this album! Alex (a bowie fan)

Not only is Ziggy Stardust among the best rock albums ever made and a work of art to last the ages it is also one of my desert-island discs.

I actually am not too bothered about there being 2 discs and I actually wouldn't mind paying a bit more for a well-designed and well-packaged overall cd. Although I like the overall design concept of a booklet the way it's done here, they totally screwed up when they tried to execute the plan.

Firstly, they have to redo this with more hardy cardboard or paper as it's really easy to tear this package apart. I'm actually afraid to read the liner notes for fear the whole thing will fall apart. Secondly, they have to make it easier to remove the cds without scratching them. Otherwise, the liner notes in booklet form is actually quite good.

Now for the really bad news: they have to do a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BETTER job of remastering the first disc. The first track starts out very soft and actually sounds muddy with each passing track until it reaches the tour de force and my favourite track, "Ziggy Stardust" where it sounds like it could actually have been remastered before ending with a whimper. What a shame and to actually call this a 30th anniversary edition!

Ironically, the 2nd disc is much more interesting and actually some of the tracks sound like they had been really well remastered. So what if you can get some of the tracks on the Ryko Disc version which I fortunately also own, the other tracks are quite good and it was nice to hear Bowie do a version of the old Chuck Berry standard, "Reelin' and Rockin'".

Perhaps they should have let the guy who remastered disc 2 do disc 1 as well. Actually, the Ryko disc version which isn't advertised as a remastered disc sounds a whole lot better than disc 1. Perhaps they should have designed a more robust packaging and let Ryko do the cds.

I'd really like to see them try again with my above suggestions. Of all the "sins" they've done, surely the mediocre quality of disc 1, the main course, has to be the most mortal. What a shame!

Could The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars be the very best album of all time. Does the legendary album live up to all the extravagent hype, or does the album just fall short at the finish line? Well I personaly think Ziggy Stardust is one of the top three albums of all time along with Aerosmith's Get Your Wings, and The Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street. Released in 1972 David Bowie created a spaceage creature who fell to earth with his band and became the biggest rock star the world had ever seen, bigger then Elvis and The Beatles. Ziggy Stardust takes you on an apocalyptic journey through exactly what the title suggests, the rise and fall of him and his amazing band. The album also shows what an ego-maniac Bowie was in the 1970's as been quoted as saying, "Thats truly what I though was going to happen to me!"

The album opens with the beautiful 'Five Years' which is truly one of the best songs David Bowie ever composed. The wonderfull lyrics and perfectly complamenting piano tell the story of Ziggy being and outcast on his home planet of Mars and him knowing that he was something special. Next is the saxaphone heavy 'Soul Love' which is another nice ballad with a great chorus that is sure to have you singing along, this song is about how even though Ziggy knew he would become the biggest rock star in the world he was still a person searching for love and exceptence. 'Moonage Daydream' is quite possabley the best song David Bowie ever recorded. This is one of those songs where every little detail came together perfectly creating something so special and fantastic that words themselfs can't begin to describe. I mean where would you start, the powerful vocals and production, The amazing lyrics, or how about that legendary guitar solo that Mick Ronson plays at the end of the song. All who have hear this song know what I am taking about and those who havent should do themselfs a favor and pick this up for 'Moonage Daydream' alone! The next song was David Bowies biggest hit to this point, 'Starman' is a beautiful ballad about the people on earth who knew Ziggy was coming and the song is not one you can really describe it's one that has to be listened to, to be fully appreciated. 'It Aint Easy' is a cover song that unless you had heard the original you wouldnt know it was a cover. Bowie takes this song and makes it all his own, and takes the chorus to a whole new world. 'Lady Stardust' is a beautiful ballad from the point of view of who else, Lady Stardust, Ziggy's wife. It tells of how she first saw the band perform and how she fell in love with Ziggy. The next two songs 'Star' and 'Hang On To Yourself' seem to be the blue-print for late 1970's punk, proving once againt the Bowie was ahead of his time and is post-modern in all the terms glory. 'Ziggy Stardust' the title track shows the demise of the band as Ziggy over indulges in drugs and booze. The title track is one of rocks most legendary songs, as it is still played on the radio today some 30 years later. The legendary 'Suffragett City' is next with it's classic guitar riff and "hey-man" lyrics. This song as well as many of the other on the album is still to this day played on the radio. This song shows how Ziggy went solo only to find he was nothing with out the band and he becomes a brok burn-out. The last song on the album aside from being one of Bowie most heartfelt and best songs is also the perfect end to the legendary album. 'Rock N' Roll Suicide' ends the story with Ziggy killing his carear as well as himself. This song is a mini-epic in all the terms glory, it starts with a beautiful acoustic start and slowly builds to a hard rocker and leaves you wanting more.

Disc to of this cd is out takes and tracks that were recorded for the album but were never used all of the demos and outtakes are nice but it's amazing to see how Bowie went from that to what he put on the album. 'John, I'm Only Dancing' was a Bowie single and is concidered a Bowie classic. 'Velvet Goldmine' is a great Bowie song and I dont knwo why it was left off the album it is just as good as all the other songs. 'Holy Holy' and Amsterdamn are both very good songs that also could have been on the album. 'The Supermen' here isnt as good as the one on The Man Who Sold The World. 'Round And Round' is a great Chuck Berry cover. 'Sweet Head' is just pure amazing, there is no other way to say it just amazing!

The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars is with out a doubt one of the all time greatest rock and roll and pop albums of all time, do yourself a favor and pick up this amazing classic!

I give this edition the same "score" as I do the original album. I think the extra disc neither adds to nor detracts from the presentation of the original.

I do wish that "Sweet Head" had made the original cut. It is so much rawer than anything that wound up on the album (not that ...Ziggy Stardust... was ever intended to be raw).

Holy Holy is also quite pleasing and contains an unmistakable, dramatic Bowie chord sequence.