In 1976, the singer participated in the Isolar – Tour 1976 to promote the tenth album of his career
49 years ago, David Bowie performed at the first of six shows a Isolate – 1976 tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The tour promoted the singer’s tenth album, From station to station (1976), considered one of the most important works of his career.
It was an intense phase in the life of Bowie. The previous year he had been involved in several problems due to drug use, mainly cocaine. In addition to going without sleep for days, he survived on a diet of pepper and milk.
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Locked in a house in Bel Air, Los Angeles, he became obsessed with the occult and even saw bodies falling from the window, as reported by Rolling Stone. After, Bowie he called this period “the darkest days of my life”.
It was in this chaotic scenario that From station to station. Considered a transitional album, it is influenced by electronic music, different from the previous album, Young Americans (1975), focused on funk and soul.
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Less than two weeks after launch, Bowie went on tour. THE Isolate – 1976 tour it started in the United States and Canada and ended in Europe. In May he performed in his hometown of London for six nights in a row.
The shows began with images from the surrealist film An Andalusian dog (1929), with music “Radioactivity” from the Kraftwerk background. This tour was also responsible for the last major character of BowieTHE Skinny White Dukea man with a white shirt, black pants, vest and a personality darker than ever.
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On May 3, 1976, Bowie presented four songs from the new album: “Station to Station”, “Word on a Wing”, “Stay” AND “TVC15.” Songs from other albums like Hunky Dory (1971), Healthy Aladdin (1973) e The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders of Mars (1972) were also in ladder.
Despite being one of the singer’s most memorable works, it was also one of the most controversial periods of his life. During the 1970s, Bowie he was heavily criticized for declaring support for pro-fascist movements. In interviews, he even told how Adolf Hitler was one of the first rock stars, “good as Mick Jagger.”
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The day before the first performance at Wembley, Bowie he arrived in London in a Mercedes-Benz convertible and reportedly gave the Nazi salute to the public. The gesture was captured by a photographer and published on NME. The situation became known as the “Victoria Station incident”.
The singer claimed he was simply waving when the photo was taken. After, Bowie he regretted his position at the time, saying he was out of his mind. THE Isolate – 1976 tour it concluded in the same month, on May 18, in Paris, France.
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Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
