David Bowie was one of the first artists to truly understand the potential power of a good music video and, as can be seen in this video for Ashes to Ashes, he was an early pioneer of the form.  At a time when most music videos were just performance clips, Bowie put together a narrative that offered an artistic interpretation of the song’s lyrics and themes and which invited viewers to interpret the song on their own.

The video was largely shot on two beaches in the UK, at Beachy Head and Hastings.  Interior scenes were filmed on the set of the Kenny Everett Show.  Bowie’s followers were played by the Blitz kids, who were known for frequenting the Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden.

Bowie said that the video was meant to combine the past and the future, which is why Bowie not only appears as an astronaut but also as an Edwardian clown.  The scenes with Bowie as an astronaut are, as the lyrics make clear, a reference to Major Tom.  The look of the scenes was heavily influenced by H.R. Giger’s work on Alien.

David Mallet would go on to become one of busiest directors of music videos of the 80s, directing videos for Queen, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, and others.  David Bowie would also go on to play a huge role in MTV’s history, due to both his videos and his willingness to call out that station’s initial refusal to feature videos from black artists.

Enjoy!