“Not only is this the last show of the tour, but it’s the last show we’ll ever do” said David Bowie, from the stage of the Hammersmith Odeon. It wasn’t David who was retiring, of course; it was his alter ego Ziggy Stardust.
It was July 1973 and it was the last gig of a 10-month world tour – across America, Japan and the UK (not quite the world as was suggested). David had created his Ziggy persona for his 1972 concept album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and now it was time to break up the band before the kids killed the man.
A couple of excellent photos of the after-party at Café Royal have been doing the rounds on social media. Taken by Mark and Colleen Hayward (GettyImages) – they show two rows of high quality guests… and that doesn’t include Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, Barbra Streisand or Lou Reed (plus Paul and Linda McCartney, Spike Milligan, Keith Moon, Cat Stevens, Sonny Bono) who were also there!
There has been much discussion regarding who is the person top right of the photo. The simple answer is it’s Bowie’s friend from schooldays and tour backing singer Geoffrey Alexander MacCormack (stage name Warren Peace). As proof here is a photo of Geoff singing at the last Ziggy gig and ‘Midnight Special’, ‘The 1980 Floor Show’, held at the Marquee, in Wardour Street, London backing Bowie during ‘Everything’s Alright’…
Who’s who (above):
Back row: Bianca Jagger, David Bowie, Angie Bowie, Geoff MacCormack
Front row: Celia Hammond, Jeff Beck, Lulu, Mick Ronson, Maureen Starkey
Back row: Edgar Broughton, David Bowie, Angie Bowie, Ossie Clark
Front row: Ringo Starr, Celia Hammond, Jeff Beck, Lulu, Mick Ronson
Photos by Mark and Colleen Hayward on GettyImages here
