David Bowie 1976 Isolar 1 – The Chronology

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Release: ‘Sound and Vision’
Note: RCA releases ‘Sound and Vision’ as the lead single from the upcoming album ‘Low’. Despite the label’s lack of confidence, the song’s hypnotic rhythm and delayed vocals will soon make it a major hit.

📍 Paris, 🇫🇷 France
🏛️ L’Ange Bleu Nightclub

🎸 Event: 30th Birthday Celebration
Note: David celebrates his 30th birthday in Paris with Iggy Pop and friends. This brief excursion from Berlin marks a milestone in his personal recovery and professional transition.

📍 Worldwide
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Album Release: ‘Low’
Note: David’s eleventh studio album is released. Half avant-garde instrumental and half fragmented art-rock, ‘Low’ stuns critics and fans alike, marking the official beginning of the Berlin Trilogy.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Final Mixing: ‘The Idiot’
Note: David and Iggy Pop complete the final mixing sessions for ‘The Idiot’. With ‘Low’ already on the shelves, David focuses on ensuring Iggy’s solo debut has a similarly groundbreaking industrial sound.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Berlin International Film Festival

🎸 Event: Social Appearance
Note: David attends the Berlinale and meets actor Clint Eastwood. Despite his quest for anonymity, he remains a prominent figure in the city’s cultural scene.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Berlin Rehearsal Studios

🎸 Event: Tour Rehearsals: The Idiot
Note: David begins rehearsals as the keyboard player for Iggy Pop’s upcoming world tour. The band includes Ricky Gardiner on guitar and the Sales brothers (Tony and Hunt) on bass and drums.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Final Tour Preparations
Note: David and the band travel to the UK for the final technical rehearsals before the tour’s opening night in Manchester.

📍 Aylesbury, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Civic Centre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Newcastle, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ City Hall

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Manchester, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Apollo Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Birmingham, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Hippodrome

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Rainbow Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Rainbow Theatre

🎸 Event: Live Recording
Note: The performance is recorded and tracks later appear on the official live album ‘TV Eye Live 1977’.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Rainbow Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Montreal, 🇨🇦 Canada
🏛️ Plateau Hall

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Toronto, 🇨🇦 Canada
🏛️ Seneca College

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ RCA Studios

🎸 Event: Press Interviews
Note: During a tour break, David and Iggy conduct a series of interviews with the US music press to promote ‘The Idiot’.

📍 Boston, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Harvard Square Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Worldwide
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Album Release: ‘The Idiot’
Note: Official release of Iggy Pop’s solo debut album ‘The Idiot’, produced and co-written by David.

📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Palladium

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Upper Darby, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Tower Theater

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Philadelphia, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Tower Theater

🎸 Event: Radio Interview
Note: David and Iggy appear on a local Philadelphia radio station for a rare, candid interview about their collaboration.

📍 Cleveland, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Agora

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Cleveland, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Agora

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Cleveland, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Agora

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ The Factory

🎸 Event: Andy Warhol Meeting
Note: David and Iggy visit Andy Warhol at ‘The Factory’ for an interview and photoshoot for Interview Magazine.

📍 Detroit, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Masonic Temple

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Detroit, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Masonic Temple

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Los Angeles, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ CBS Television City

🎸 Event: TV Recording: Dinah!
Note: David and Iggy record an appearance for the ‘Dinah!’ show hosted by Dinah Shore, performing ‘Sister Midnight’ and ‘Funtime’.

📍 Chicago, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Riviera Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Chicago, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Riviera Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Pittsburgh, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Leona Theater

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Columbus, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Agora Ballroom

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Cincinnati, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Taft Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Milwaukee, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Oriental Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Portland, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Paramount Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Portland, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Paramount Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Portland to Vancouver 🚗
🏛️ Border Crossing

🎸 Event: Travel Day
Note: David and Iggy travel from Oregon to British Columbia, preparing for the only Canadian date on the West Coast leg of the tour.

📍 Vancouver, 🇨🇦 Canada
🏛️ PNE Garden Auditorium

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Seattle, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Paramount Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Berkeley, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Berkeley Community Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 Anaheim, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Disneyland

🎸 Event: Leisure Day
Note: On a day off between Berkeley and Santa Monica, David and Iggy Pop spend the day at Disneyland, a rare public outing during the tour.

📍 Worldwide 📺
🏛️ CBS Television Network

🎸 Event: TV Broadcast: Dinah!
Note: The ‘Dinah!’ show, recorded in March, is broadcast across the US. David and Iggy’s performances of ‘Sister Midnight’ and ‘Funtime’ reach a massive mainstream audience.

📍 Santa Monica, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Civic Auditorium

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 San Diego, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Civic Theatre

🎤 Artist: Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on keyboards)

📍 San Diego, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Departure for Europe

🎸 Event: End of The Idiot Tour
Note: Following the final performance in San Diego, David and Iggy conclude their US tour and prepare to return to Europe for further studio work.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hauptstrasse 155, Schöneberg

🎸 Event: Return to Berlin
Note: Following the conclusion of the ‘The Idiot’ tour, David returns to his apartment in Schöneberg to begin conceptualizing his next project.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Production Planning
Note: David and Tony Visconti meet to discuss the recording strategy for the next album, choosing the ‘Hansa by the Wall’ studio for its unique acoustics and atmosphere.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Start of “Heroes” Sessions
Note: David begins recording his twelfth studio album at Hansa Studio 2. The sessions involve the core team of Tony Visconti and Brian Eno, focusing on the album’s distinctive industrial and ambient textures.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Recording: Rhythm Tracks
Note: Work intensifies on the rhythm tracks for the album’s first side. David continues to utilize the ‘eventide harmonizer’ on the drums to maintain the sonic continuity with ‘Low’.

📍 Cannes, 🇫🇷 France
🏛️ Cannes Film Festival

🎸 Event: Film Festival Appearance
Note: David takes a brief break from the Hansa sessions to attend the Cannes Film Festival for a screening of ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’.

📍 Cannes, 🇫🇷 France
🏛️ Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

🎸 Event: Meeting with Mick Jagger
Note: David meets with Mick Jagger during the festival. They discuss the recording techniques David is using in Berlin, which piques Jagger’s interest in the German music scene.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Creative Experimentation
Note: Brian Eno introduces ‘Oblique Strategies’ cards to the sessions, forcing the musicians to use unconventional methods for composing the instrumental pieces on side two.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Recording: Robert Fripp’s Arrival
Note: Robert Fripp arrives from New York. At David’s request, he records his legendary guitar parts for the album in just three days, often playing along to tracks he has never heard before.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Recording: The “Heroes” Anthem
Note: Work begins on the title track ‘”Heroes”‘. Tony Visconti uses a multi-microphone technique in the Hansa hall to capture the increasing intensity of David’s vocal performance.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hauptstrasse 155, Schöneberg

🎸 Event: Legal Independence
Note: David resolves a major legal dispute with his former legal counsel. This settlement further cleanses his professional slate, allowing him to focus entirely on his artistic rebirth in Berlin.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Final Overdubs
Note: David and Brian Eno complete the synthesizer overdubs for the instrumental tracks on side two, including ‘Sons of the Silent Age’ and ‘Sense of Doubt’.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Rough Mix Playback
Note: As the month ends, David and Tony Visconti present rough mixes of the new material to RCA executives. The reaction is overwhelmingly positive, contrasting sharply with the label’s earlier rejection of ‘Low’.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Recording: Saxophone Overdubs
Note: David records his own saxophone parts for tracks like ‘Sons of the Silent Age’ and ‘Neuköln’. His distinctive, slightly dissonant playing style adds a final layer of tension to the recordings.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Final Mix: ‘”Heroes”‘
Note: David and Tony Visconti spend mid-July finalizing the mix of the title track. They carefully balance the triple-microphone vocal takes with Robert Fripp’s sustained guitar feedback.

📍 Düsseldorf, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Kling Klang Studio

🎸 Event: Meeting with Kraftwerk
Note: David visits the members of Kraftwerk at their legendary studio. This meeting solidifies the mutual respect between the artists, following Kraftwerk’s name-check of Bowie on their ‘Trans-Europe Express’ album.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Recording: Multi-language Vocals
Note: David records the German and French vocal takes for the title track. These versions, ‘Helden’ and ‘Héros’, are designed to emphasize the song’s European message.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Completion of “Heroes”
Note: The mixing process for the album is officially completed. David and the production team celebrate the end of the recording sessions at the ‘Hansa by the Wall’ studio.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hauptstrasse 155, Schöneberg

🎸 Event: Berlin Independence
Note: David spends the beginning of August living a quiet life in Schöneberg. He is frequently seen at the ‘Anderes Ufer’ café, enjoying the anonymity that Berlin provides before the next wave of fame.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Photoshoot: Masayoshi Sukita
Note: David and Iggy Pop pose for photographer Masayoshi Sukita. One of the shots, inspired by Erich Heckel’s painting ‘Roquairol’, will become the legendary cover of the ‘”Heroes”‘ album.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Final Mastering
Note: David and Tony Visconti review the final mastered tapes of the album. The production is handed over to RCA Records for the worldwide manufacturing process.

📍 Manchester, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Granada TV Studios

🎸 Event: TV Recording: “Marc”
Note: David records an appearance for Marc Bolan’s TV show. He performs ‘”Heroes”‘ and a televised duet with Bolan, which is cut short when Marc accidentally falls off the stage.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Ewart Studios

🎸 Event: Recording: “Heroes” Video
Note: David films the official music video for ‘”Heroes”‘ with director Nick Ferguson. The video features the iconic backlight effect and David in his ‘Berlin’ leather jacket.

📍 Borehamwood, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Elstree Studios

🎸 Event: TV Recording: Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas
Note: David records a surreal and now-iconic duet with Bing Crosby. They perform ‘Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy’, a track David famously agreed to only if a new counterpoint was written for him.

📍 Barnes, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Gipsy Lane

🎸 Event: Death of Marc Bolan
Note: David’s close friend and rival Marc Bolan dies in a car crash. David is devastated by the news and remains in London to support Marc’s family.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Golders Green Crematorium

🎸 Event: Funeral of Marc Bolan
Note: David attends Marc Bolan’s funeral. His presence causes a media stir, but he focuses entirely on paying his final respects to his longtime friend.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Release: ‘”Heroes”‘ Single
Note: The title track of the upcoming album is released as a single. It serves as David’s definitive statement of his Berlin era, though its chart success at the time was modest compared to its eventual legendary status.

📍 Worldwide
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Album Release: “Heroes”
Note: David’s twelfth studio album is released worldwide. It is the only installment of the Berlin Trilogy recorded entirely in Berlin and receives immediate critical acclaim for its bold, experimental sound.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ BBC Television Centre

🎸 Event: TV Appearance: Top of the Pops
Note: David makes a rare studio appearance on Top of the Pops to perform ‘”Heroes”‘. The performance is iconic, featuring David in his leather jacket against a stark, backlit set.

📍 Hilversum, 🇳🇱 Netherlands
🏛️ AVRO TV Studios

🎸 Event: TV Recording: TopPop
Note: David travels to the Netherlands to record a performance for the popular music show TopPop. He performs ‘”Heroes”‘ and receives a gold record for the album ‘Low’ during the visit.

📍 Paris, 🇫🇷 France
🏛️ Europe 1 Radio Studios

🎸 Event: Press Day: Paris
Note: David conducts a series of high-profile interviews for the French media. He discusses the artistic shift of the Berlin Trilogy and the influence of European culture on his work.

📍 Paris, 🇫🇷 France
🏛️ TF1 Television Studios

🎸 Event: TV Appearance: Le Rendez-vous du Dimanche
Note: David performs ‘”Heroes”‘ on the popular French variety show. The performance further solidifies the album’s success across continental Europe.

📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ ABC Studios

🎸 Event: TV Recording: The Dick Cavett Show
Note: David records a lengthy interview for the ‘The Dick Cavett Show’ (broadcast in early November). He discusses his recent life in Berlin and performs an acoustic-leaning version of ‘”Heroes”‘.

📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ ABC Studios

🎸 Event: TV Broadcast: The Dick Cavett Show
Note: The interview recorded in late October is broadcast. David discusses his recovery from drug addiction and his new life in Berlin in one of his most candid television appearances.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ RCA Records

🎸 Event: Release: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Single
Note: The opening track of ‘”Heroes”‘ is released as a single. Featuring Robert Fripp’s dissonant guitar work, it represents the more aggressive, avant-garde side of the album.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Berlin Film Studios

🎸 Event: Start of Filming: Just a Gigolo
Note: David begins principal photography for the film ‘Just a Gigolo’, directed by David Hemmings. He plays the role of Paul von Przygodski, a Prussian officer returning home after WWI.

📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ BBC Television Centre

🎸 Event: TV Broadcast: The Old Grey Whistle Test
Note: A filmed interview with Bob Harris is broadcast. David elaborates on the ‘three-microphone’ technique used for his vocals and the influence of Brian Eno’s electronic treatments.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hansa Tonstudio (Studio 2)

🎸 Event: Studio Visit: Devo
Note: David meets with the band Devo at Hansa. He is a vocal supporter of the band and considers producing their debut album, although the project eventually goes to Brian Eno.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Berlin Film Studios

🎸 Event: Filming: Just a Gigolo
Note: David continues his work on the set of ‘Just a Gigolo’. He spends most of the month in Berlin, balancing long days of filming with a quiet personal life in Schöneberg.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hauptstrasse 155, Schöneberg

🎸 Event: Tour Band Finalization
Note: David finalizes the line-up for his 1978 world tour. He recruits guitarist Adrian Belew, whom he famously discovered performing with Frank Zappa, to provide the avant-garde edge needed for the live shows.

📍 Worldwide 📺
🏛️ CBS / ITV Network

🎸 Event: TV Broadcast: Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas
Note: The Christmas special recorded in September is broadcast. The duet ‘Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy’ becomes an instant classic, though Bing Crosby had tragically passed away shortly after the recording.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Berlin Production Office

🎸 Event: Stage Design Approval
Note: David approves the conceptual designs for the Isolar II stage. Inspired by the stark lighting of the Berlin sessions, the stage will feature a massive cage of neon fluorescent tubes.

📍 West Berlin, 🇩🇪 Germany
🏛️ Hauptstrasse 155, Schöneberg

🎸 Event: Year-End in Berlin
Note: David celebrates the end of a pivotal year in his career. With ‘Low’ and ‘”Heroes”‘ released, he has successfully redefined himself and is preparing for a return to the world stage in 1978.