SANTA MONICA '72 (GOLDEN YEARS)Rescued from the vaults and given its first official airing, Santa Monica '72 is a straightforward live recording of a radio broadcast during David Bowie's first US tour. That was the year, of course, when he famously announced his bisexuality to the press, adopted the full tufty-haired, jump-suited David Bowie persona and finally became a star. Changes, Space Oddity, Jean Genie, Life On Mars, they're all here, as are the famously lumpen Spiders From Mars. Yet when Mick Ronson cracks the whip, it's not hard to recall what all the fuss was about. Even without any visual distraction or the benefit of any production niceties, this is still a tangible slice of rock history.
Q Rating: ***