Music 49 years ago, Bowie exploded fascist and drug controversy with Station to Station

49 years ago, David Bowie performed at the first of six shows at Isolate – 1976 Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The tour promoted the singer’s tenth album, Station to Station (1976), considered one of the most important works of his career.

It was an intense phase in the life of Bowie. In the previous year, he became involved in several problems due to drug use, mainly cocaine. In addition to remaining without sleep for days, he survived on a diet based on pepper and milk.

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. Afterwards, Bowie referred to this period as “the darkest days of my life.”

It was in this chaotic scenario that Station to Station. Considered a transitional album, it is influenced by electronic music, different from the previous album, Young Americans(1975), which focuses on funk and soul.

Less than two weeks after launch, Bowie went on tour. THE Isolate – 1976 Tour 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 the music “Radioaktivität” from the Kraftwerk background. This tour was also responsible for the last great persona of Bowiethe Thin White Dukea man with a white shirt, black pants, vest and a darker personality than ever.

On May 3, 1976, Bowie presented four tracks from the new album: “Station to Station,” “Word on a Wing,” “Stay” and “TVC 15.” Songs from other albums like Hunky Dory (1971), Aladdin Sane (1973) and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars(1972) were also in the setlist.

Despite being one of the singer’s most memorable works, it was also one of the most controversial times in his life. During the 1970s, Bowie was heavily criticized for declaring support for pro-fascist movements. In interviews, he even said how Adolf Hitler was one of the first rock stars, “as good as Mick Jagger.”

The day before the first performance at Wembley, Bowie arrived in London in a Mercedes-Benz convertible and reportedly gave the audience a Nazi salute. 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 just waving when the photo was taken. Afterwards, Bowie he regretted his positions at that time, saying he was out of his mind. THE Isolate – 1976 Tour ended in the same month, on May 18, in Paris, France.