Client: David Bowie

David Bowie’s 25th studio album, Blackstar (ISO Records), has become his first ever to reach no. 1 (US) on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was mixed by Tom Elmhirst in Electric Lady’s Studio C during the fall of 2015. Co-producer Tony Visconti described the album as Bowie’s intended swan song and a “parting gift” to fans before his death.

Recorded at the Tower Theater just outside Philadelphia during a six night run for Diamond Dogs in 1974, David Live catches Bowie in transition from the glam-rock era of his career to the “plastic soul” of Young Americans. This was Bowie’s biggest live show to date with a stage set designed to suggest the post-apocalyptic setting of the album.

Notable Mention: The original release of David Live was mixed at Electric Lady Studios, and is notable for containing no studio overdubs or re-recording “with the exception of several backing vocals due to loss of theatre mic contact.”

With the Young Americans sessions mostly concluded in late 1974, friends David Bowie and John Lennon met at Electric Lady Studios during January of 1975 to collaborate and finish the album.  The former Beatle contributed backing vocals to Bowie’s cover of “Across the Universe” and later bemoaned celebrity in conversation that evening at the studio.  From there, they quickly penned and recorded “Fame,” with the help of guitarist Carlos Alomar.

Notable Mention: “Fame” reached # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of September 20th, 1975.  It was his first single to reach # 1 in the US.