David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World

Even though it contained no hits, The Man Who Sold the World, for most intents and purposes, is the beginning of David Bowie's classic period. Working with guitarist Mick Ronson and producer Tony Visconti for the first time, Bowie developed a tight, twisted heavy guitar rock that appears simple on the surface but sounds more gnarled upon each listen. The mix is off-center, with the fuzz-bass dominating the compressed, razor-thin guitars and Bowie's strangled, affected voice. The sound of The Man Who Sold the World is odd, but the music is bizarre itself, with Bowie's bizarre, paranoid futuristic tales melded to Ronson's riffing and the band's relentless attack. Musically, there isn't much innovation on The Man Who Sold the World -- it is almost all hard blues-rock or psychedelic folk-rock -- but there's an unsettling edge to the band's performance, which makes the record one of Bowie's best albums. [Rykodisc's 1990 CD reissue includes four bonus tracks, including the previously unreleased "Lightning Frightening," and the single "Holy Holy," and both sides of the 1971 "Arnold Corns" single, "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang On to Yourself," which are early and inferior versions of songs that would later appear on Ziggy Stardust.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Brian Ward Photography David Bowie Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Keyboards, Composer, Saxophone Freddi Buretti Vocals Herbie Flowers Bass, Producer John Cambridge Drums Keef Clothing/Wardrobe, Cover Design Ken Scott Audio Engineer, Engineer Kevin Cann Design Mark Carr Prichard Guitar Mick "Woody" Woodmansey Percussion, Drums Mick Rock Photography Mick Ronson Vocals (Background), Guitar, Vocals Nigel Reeve Remastering Peter Mew Remastering Ralph Mace Synthesizer, Moog Synthesizer Robin McBride Executive Producer Tim Renwick Guitar Tony Visconti Bass, Remixing, Piano, Producer, Guitar (Bass), Bass (Electric), Audio Production, Guitar Trevor Bolder Bass Wit Hamburg Cover Design