“Tonight” gets some really bad press, even at times from Bowie himself. 

I was all ready to make a controversial statement (to some) and say that I could make a case that “Tonight” is a better album than “Let’s Dance”. It does have some stinkers (two more rotten covers in “God Only Knows” and “I Keep Forgetting” and the cod-reggae takes on the title song with Tina Turner and Iggy’s “Don’t Look Down” are best glossed over) but in “Loving The Alien” and “Blue Jean” we have two winners and the other Iggy cover on here, “Neighbourhood Threat”, is better to my ears than the “Let’s Dance” take on “China Girl”. And to round it up “Tumble And Twirl” and “Dancing With The Big Boys” are VERY 80’s but they’re better songs than most of what’s on “Let’s Dance”. But having listened to the album again as a whole Bowie was right to say it’s not very good.

Much of “Tonight”'s problems stem from it sounding soooo 80’s (and did I mention the cod reggae ?) and from being somewhat lazy. If you count the previously released Iggy songs (3) and the 2 covers Bowie only wrote 4 new songs for this album, that’s less than “Station To Station” !

The video’s for the singles “Blue Jean” and “Loving The Alien” were pleasant epics and hopefully our hero made a few more quid on the sales of this one.

Loving The Alien - https://youtu.be/ns2hmyP0mGY

A slightly amended recording of the Ziggy retirement show at Hammersmith Odeon on 3rd July 1973. It was released alongside a film of the gig and a VHS video version in October 1983.

In order to fit the show onto 2 LP’s “Width Of A Circle” was edited down to under 10 minutes from it’s original 15 minutes and “Changes” position in the set was moved (both were restored to their original length and position on the 2003 re-issue). Also Jeff Beck refused to have his guest appearance on the “Jean Genie/Love Me Do” medley and cover of Chuck Berry’s “Round And Round” included, some say he wasn’t satisfied with his playing, some say he didn’t know it was being filmed and didn’t like what he was wearing ! The  “Jean Genie/Love Me Do” medley was finally included in the “Moonage Daydream” documentary in 2022. “Round And Round” remains un-issued.

During the mixing of the 1983 release Bowie and Visconti were unsatisfied with some of the (backing ?) vocals and recorded new ones. Visconti has stated that the original vocals are still there but were “embellished” with the newly recorded takes. An organ track was also added to “My Death”.

Apart from those changes the album is a fairly accurate representation of an historic night. A great chance to hear the Spiders From Mars in their pomp. A special mention for opening song “Hang On To Yourself”, those first few bars as The Spiders kick into gear, that’s Punk Rock happening right there in London in 1973.

Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/All The Young Dudes/Oh! You Pretty Things - https://youtu.be/ZPxLbMXGGBY

Contracts and agreements were ending. Bowie’s deal with RCA was at an end. Most importantly the agreement Bowie had signed in 1975 to free himself from the management deal with Tony De Fries and Mainman was at an end. That deal had given De Fries 50% of Bowie’s earnings for 7 years, until 1982 ! Bear in mind all Bowie’s expenses were coming out of his 50% and you realise he hadn’t been making much money for the past 7 years. I’ve often wondered if that’s the reason the records he made in that period were some of his most challenging, he wasn’t really bothered if they sold millions as he wasn’t making any money anyway so why not make records that he really wanted to rather than ones that would appease the record company and shift units (“Young Americans II” anyone ?).

It’s probably no surprise then that almost as soon as the Mainman agreement and the RCA contract ended Bowie signed a multi-million $$$ recording deal with EMI America and announced his most overtly commercial album and his biggest ever world tour. The opportunity now existed for him to make some Dollar.

Chic’s Nile Rodgers was hired as producer. Nile Rodgers made multi-million selling records and had done for Chic, Sister Sledge and Diana Ross. He had the touch. A band was assembled including the Chic rhythm section of Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson alongside Rodgers. Bowie found himself a new guitar slinging sidekick in Blues wonderkid Stevie Ray Vaughn. The record was mastered by Bob Ludwig (Queen, McCartney, Springsteen) and mixed by Bob Clearmountain (Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Bryan Adams). Bowie was going for it, recruiting the heavyweights to make sure this one SOLD.

I still vividly remember the press conference at Claridge’s in March 1983 to announce the album and tour. Bowie swept into the room in a fabulous suit, all blonde hair and tan, perching himself on the edge of a table as the seat supplied was too low for him to reach the microphones. He exuded cool. The lead single and title track of the album was out, the album was to be released a month later, the “Serious Moonlight” tour was set to begin in Brussels on 18th May running until December, eventually taking in 96 shows, visiting 15 countries and selling over 2.5 million tickets.

As for the album, well I can take it or leave it. The title track is something of a classic, “Modern Love”, the take on Iggy’s “China Girl” and “Without You” are nice pop songs, “Ricochet” is OK, the cover of Metro’s “Criminal World” is utterly forgettable (here we go again), the re-recording of “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” isn’t a patch on the original recorded for the “Cat People” movie soundtrack and “Shake It” is a nice dance tune. 

It’s not an album I return to often BUT, it served its purpose. “Let’s Dance” is, to this day, Bowie’s biggest selling album, the four singles taken from the album were hits, the album and “Serious Moonlight” tour were critical and financial successes. Bowie made his money.

I only saw Bowie live 3 times, 2 of those occasions on the Serious Moonlight tour. I almost left before he came on the first night. Couldn’t believe I was going to be in the same room as this guy I’d obsessed about for the past 3 or so years, I was actually shaking. He, again, swept onto the stage and looked fantastic, he looked happy. The shows were great at the time, in hindsight maybe not the greatest tour to have seen him on but it’s a gig that I still vividly remember.

Let’s Dance - https://youtu.be/VbD_kBJc_gI