Photo: Supplied: Ian Chapman
2024 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Diamond Dogs; one of David Bowie’s more unusual albums and a work that is widely regarded as the last of his glam rock era. While other more obviously ground/genre-breaking albums in the Bowie canon such as Low, Heroes and Blackstar rightly garner much attention – as does the breakthrough Ziggy Stardust album – Diamond Dogs tends to fly beneath the radar by comparison.
Ian Chapman shines a spotlight on this album and demonstrates how it pre-empted the artist’s seemingly radical shift to Philadelphia soul the following year with the release of the Young Americans album (1975).
Ian Chapman is honorary Senior Research Fellow in Music at the University of Otago.
