Somebody once said that you can’t keep a good man down, and that certainly seems to be the case with David Bowie and his 1972 alter ego Ziggy Stardust!! They are throwing up plaques, like confetti, in a certain West End street in close proximity to Regent Street in celebration of Ziggy Stardust……But why?

Amongst others, March 2012 has seen The Crown Estate unveil a commemorative plaque to celebrate David Bowie’s iconic creation, Ziggy Stardust, in order to mark the 40th anniversary of the album, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars”. The plaque has been unveiled on Heddon Street, just off Regent Street, London W1, where the iconic photograph on the front cover of the album was taken. Richly deserved as both album content and album cover would figure in most people’s “Top 5 Greatest Albums of the 1970s”.

The Heddon Street of today bears very little resemblance or comparison with the Heddon Street of 1972, when the album cover was photographed. Today Heddon Street makes up one of Regent Street’s main Food Quarters, a pedestrianised, paved area inhabited by al fresco diners with restaurants including Momo, Aubaine, Below Zero, The Ice Bar, Strada, Piccolino’s, Strawberry Moons and The Living Room.

Back in 1972, Heddon Street was the desolate and sleazy backdrop for the classic David Bowie album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars”. The album cover depicts David Bowie “Ziggy Stardust” outside on a cold wet January night with his foot resting on a step outside No23 Heddon Street. The photographer Brian Ward, had rented a space upstairs in the building as a temporary photographic studio. However David Bowie was invited by Brian Ward to step outside into the cold January night onto Heddon Street. Apparently the other band members declined as they thought it too cold. The group aka “The Spiders” were lead guitarist Mick Ronson who sadly died of liver cancer in 1993, Trevor Bolder on bass and Mick Woodmansey on drums.

David Bowie’s “The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” was released on vinyl on the 6th June 1972, and to celebrate the seminal glam rock masterpiece turning 40 somewhat unsurprisingly there will be a Special 40th Anniversary edition. This 40th anniversary reissue will come out on the 5th June courtesy of EMI – the original vinyl album was released on the RCA Record label.

The reissue will be available in two different versions: a standard CD containing the remastered album and a limited-edition vinyl pressing that comes with a bonus DVD. This audio-only DVD contains the original album, plus 5.1 surround sound mixes of all 11 songs. There are also previously unreleased mixes of non-LP cuts “The Superman”, “Velvet Goldmine” and “Sweet Head,” plus an instrumental version of “Moonage Daydream.”

For those Bowie fans who love vinyl, but long ago threw out their vinyl copy of “The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” OR never had a copy in the first place AND are not lucky enough to get hold of the limited-edition vinyl pressing, then MyFirstRecord.co.uk will ride to the rescue…..

You can celebrate the 40th Anniversary and immortalise David Bowie’s “The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” in your own home or workplace / office, by ordering this or any other favourite David Bowie vinyl record; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc. ORDER NOW by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding ( Wedding Song ), a 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th Birthday, a Silver or Ruby Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!