Radio: Sounds Of The 70s

David Bowie and Hype recorded a BBC radio session for Sounds Of The 70s on 25 March 1970. It was his fifth session for BBC radio.

The members of Hype were guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Tony Visconti, and drummer John Cambridge.

Bowie’s career was in a period of transition at this time. This was his final BBC session to feature Cambridge, who returned to Hull on 7 April 1970.

It was also one of the final times he saw manager Kenneth Pitt; on 31 he informed Pitt that he wished to manage his own affairs.

On March 25 David and the Hype recorded two broadcasts for the BBC’s Sounds Of The 70s. The recording took place at the Playhouse Theatre studio in Northumberland Avenue and the programmes were the Andy Ferris Show, for transmission on April 6, and the David Symonds Show, which was to be transmitted on May 11. Our old friend Bernie Andrews was the producer. When I arrived at the Playhouse I was warmly greeted by Bernie, but there was a marked drop in temperature when I walked through to the studio where the musicians were working and Angela was sitting. I sat beside her, so she couldn’t help but acknowledge my presence, but it was Mick Ronson who gave the whole thing away by the look on his face. He glanced up as I walked in, and as we looked at each other it seemed to me that he smiled knowingly, as if he knew something that I didn’t. But at that moment I did know. Something was afoot.

This edition was presented by Andy Ferris. It was produced by Bernie Andrews and engineered by Nick Gomm.

Four songs were recorded: ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’, ‘The Width Of A Circle’, ‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’, and ‘The Supermen’, the last of which was not broadcast.

‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’ was released on Bowie At The Beeb in 2000, and ‘The Supermen’ was included on the vinyl version in 2016. The entire session was released on The Width Of A Circle in 2021.