Classic 1974 David Bowie Interview

We once again rummaged through our dusty archives and found a real gem. This never before seen or heard interview with David Bowie was found underneath a stack of old baseball cards and nudist magazines. 

Bowie of course, was a musical genius and influenced everyone that came after him. David combined fashion, theatrics, alter egos and ground breaking music. This Bowie interview conducted by renowned rock journalist Claude Balzac, was recorded during the 1974 tour, at the height of Bowie’s fame and right after the release of Diamond Dogs. 

Madhouse Magazine: So congratulations on your new album ‘Diamond Dogs’. It is an incredible album, we love it. 

David Bowie: Thank You and we love your magazine. Me and Angie love to sit around on Sunday mornings and have a spot of tea, maybe some bangers and mash, while reading Madhouse articles to each other. My mate, Peter Frampton turned me on to it. You should interview Peter, he is going to be a huge star soon. 

Madhouse Magazine: Great. We will contact his people. Tell us about the Diamond Dogs album artwork. 

David Bowie: The artwork is by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert. He is a sick man and I love it. It is me as a half man half dog hybrid. The record company weasels went crazy when the full image on the gatefold sleeve showed the hybrid’s genitalia. One of the executives actually jumped out of his office window after seeing it. Grown men were weeping. They airbrushed the genitals out on most releases by RCA, but some original uncensored copies made their way into circulation at the time of the album’s release. I bet those copies will be worth a lot of money some day. 

Madhouse Magazine: So tell us about your metamorphosis and your progression of different personas and characters. 

David Bowie: I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. I felt very puny as a human. I thought, f**k that. I want to be a superhuman. So I created Ziggy, but with Ziggy I had doubts about my own personality. He overtook me and was threatening to cancel David Bowie, so I had to kill Ziggy and create Aladdin Sane. Mind you though, Aladdin is really just Ziggy goes to America. And now Diamond Dogs is just Ziggy goes to America and gets involved with cocaine and bestiality. 

Madhouse: So what’s next then?

Bowie: I have two ideas I am totally psyched about. One is the ‘Thin White Duke’ and the other is a ‘Chubby Asian Woman’. Either way, I plan on going to Philly, snort some cocaine and hang out with black musicians and record some plastic soul then off to Berlin, snort more Cocaine and record some of the greatest music you ever heard.

Madhouse Magazine: I noticed that you talk a lot about cocaine?

David Bowie: Oh god yes, I love cocaine. I am overdosing right now as we speak. Did you know that snorting cocaine is actually mandatory living in Los Angeles. Doctors offer it to you in waiting rooms. It’s on everyones table like it is sugar. Moms, old ladies, children, everyone does it. You Americans are insane and I have to get out of here before you bastards kill me. L.A is the worst, it should be wiped off the face of the Earth. To be anything to do with rock and roll and go and live in Los Angeles is … just heading for disaster.

Madhouse Magazine: I hope you are taking care of yourself. I am worried about you, you look a little pale. 

David Bowie: Are you kidding, I am translucent I am so white. I haven’t seen the sun in 3 years. Johnny and Edgar Winter laugh at me. I am living on nothing but red peppers, cocaine, and milk. I am down to 98 stone. Or as you say pounds. But I do store my urine in jugs so no one can get it. I am concerned that a wizard will steal my urine and enchant me. I have a big warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga where I store it. 

Madhouse Magazine: I notice your eyes are different colors. It is very striking. How did that happen? Was it the cocaine?

David Bowie: [laughs] No. I was kicked by a mule when I was a kid and it damaged my left eye. I have a permanently dilated pupil and faulty depth perception. My eyes now randomly change color like a Christmas tree. But every time I do snort a line, the eye changes a different color. Last night it was purple. 

Madhouse Magazine: I have been enjoying your dance moves on this tour.  They are really original and inventive.

David Bowie: Thanks, my choreographer is Toni Basil. She is great. I started doing this new leg kick and a move called ‘The Moonwalk’. This little black kid, Michael Jackson keeps calling me and asking me to teach him the move. He is a nice kid but he is weird. I told him to go away and don’t bother me kid. He creeps me out. 

Madhouse Magazine: So what else can we expect in the future?

David Bowie: Big things. A live album, and then this plastic soul album is going to be incredible. I will let you in on a little secret. I can tell you, you have an honest face. There may be even be a surprise guest. Possibly an ex Beatle. I will give you a hint, his initials are John Lennon!

Madhouse Magazine: Wow that is amazing. We look forward to that. Thank you so much David, we love you. Any parting words. 

David Bowie: Yes, if you ever get arrested, make sure that you take the best looking mugshot. It will last forever.