How Vince Taylor Became The Inspiration for Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie [mini-documentary]

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10 ай бұрын

According to David Bowie himself, Vince Taylor was the inspiration behind Ziggy Stardust. Vince Taylor was a British rocker who had a rather tragic and surreal short-lived career in the late 50s and early 60s. Even though he never became a household name in the UK, he enjoyed huge popularity in several European countries. His live performances were so wild and exciting that many of his concerts ended up with the crowd rioting. By 1965, he took a liking to LSD and both his career and his mental health went down the drain. Taylor would appear on stage proclaiming he was the coming messiah. This mini-documentary takes a look at his life and career as well as exploring his influence on the Ziggy Stardust character.

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@capriwise7507 9 ай бұрын

He looked much alike Elvis, lived like Jim Morrison and finished as Syd Barret... a real Rolling Stone.

@willminkorea2010 10 ай бұрын

Ziggy Stardust makes a lot more sense, now. It was a brilliant album. Starman, Hang on to Yourself, Suffragette City- some of the best music ever made.

@daveadam435 9 ай бұрын

Some say Ziggy was about Jimi Hendrix.

@michaelward9880 9 ай бұрын

@@daveadam435or a combination of Hendrix and Iggy Pop

@daveadam435 9 ай бұрын

@@michaelward9880 Some even say it's about Marc Bolan, & that Bowie had a prediction about Marc Bolans future,,,,.or lack of future......Screwed down hair do, & all that.......Rock & roll suicide !!

@michaelward9880 9 ай бұрын

@daveadam435 yes. Hendrix played it left hand and wore kimonos "like some cat from. Japan" . Screwed down hairdo could be his process that he had in the early days. Ziggy, Iggy. Iggy Pop was a total debauched rock star at the time and he and Bowie were friends.

@daveadam435 9 ай бұрын

@@michaelward9880 Don't like being Contradictory, but Ziggy was writing in 1970 before he met Iggy in 71. In fact Ziggy & Lady stardust were both written before Hunky Dory album was even recorded. . But it's about Vince Taylor anyway .

@Romalvx 10 ай бұрын

How interesting, I am bewildered that this figure went so forgotten throughout the years. Bowie’s voice, enthusiastically presenting this guy, shows that this topic is to be taken into serious account.

@pcno2832 10 ай бұрын

What a gripping story. I'll bet most of the people who were saying "Who the hell was Vince Taylor?" at the start of this video won't be asking that again. Thanks for posting!

@Sneakycat1971 10 ай бұрын

Bowie also mentioned that label mate The legendary stardust cowboy is where he got the name

@muldoon67 10 ай бұрын

The first thing that came to mind when I saw that Paris show was Jim Morrison and The Doors.

@paulgoldstein2569 10 ай бұрын

He made three great singles, the second for Parlophone, Brand New Cadillac, and both sides of his two Palette singles. But apart from that, he recorded virtually all covers of well known hits from other artists. But on stage, he put his own stamp into them, and made them sound wild, which is obviously what excited his fans. His most intelligent compilation is the one on the Ace label, but he also has compilations on Bear Family and Universal/Palette.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Agreed, his early British singles are his best, although I own several of his French EPs and, while not as good, they're still a lot of fun to listen to.

@paulgoldstein2569 10 ай бұрын

@@YesterdaysPapers But even during his early better, but brief British recording days, he couldn't resist a few U.S. covers. Both sides of his first UK Parlophone single were U.S. Sun label covers of which he may have heard in the States before returning to the UK, I Like Love, originally recorded in the States by Roy Orbison, and Right Behind You Baby, originally released in the States by Ray Smith, but written by then-labelmate Charlie Rich who eventually recorded his own version. The B side of Vince's second UK Parlophone single was his version of the Johnny Ace U.S. hit Pledging My Love, but already covered by a number of U.S. artists, and of which the tune was borrowed from a standard song, Stewball, and of which John Lennon borrowed again for his classic hit Happy Christmas, War Is Over. The A side of Vince's second Palette single was his cover of Ronnie Hawkins' Watcha Gonna Do, but Vince's version was more moving.

@Moonie804 10 ай бұрын

This was a fantastic episode, it really is... bloody brilliant. Also a sad story, in a sense, beautifully explained. It easily deserves a place in the Top 3 of your videos! Did I tell you I *adore* your channel? 💖

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@oleggorky906 10 ай бұрын

What a fabulous rockumentary! You’ve really excelled yourself this time. To see London and other places like that, with the cars and fashions of those times, with a great story to tell as well, made this an unexpected joy and a first class treat. I had heard Vince Taylor mentioned by Bowie and others and heard he was crazy, but you joined all the dots together that I had had as a brief outline and you brought it all to life for me and all the other viewers. There should be some sort of award for independent productions like this on KZfaq. And you should win it - hands down! 👍👍

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@grokeffer6226 10 ай бұрын

Fascinating!! I hadn't been aware of this story. R.I.P.

@SimonSozzi7258 9 ай бұрын

6:57 The guitar solo in "Jet Black Machine" was played by Joe Moretti. Moretti also played the solo on "Shakin' All Over" by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. -Bear Family Records

@denisemadigan1038 9 ай бұрын

I know a guy that had the same reaction to LSD. If so.eone cant handle it or maybe its a chemistry thing but the mind is nothing to just play with. Anyway, his girlfriend put acid in his drink and he was like mental for the rest of his life. I had known this guy for hears before it happened. Childhood, neighborhood friends. Going to the roller rink with him and his brither, my brother and just all friends. He was outgoing, funny and not a shy guy. Next time I saw him I smiled and said hey JD, and he looked at me and I thought he was joking. He looked so serious and just stared at me for a while and I said hello again and he nods at me but he got all quiet and someone took me aside and had to tell me he had been in a bad way since like a few weeks now after LSD..well it never got better it just got worse ..I basically lost the friend I knew and he was replaced with someone else that didnt seem to know me and I didnt know him!! Very sad.

@israelruelas5756 2 ай бұрын

It’s not the drug per se, it’s the persons mental state. Childhood friend of mine got heavy into cocaine and he just went bonkers! Things like talking to himself while looking in the mirror, laughing for no reason, or at inappropriate times, deep blank stare while not saying anything, almost like he was staring right through me. He completely lost it. I was always kind to him, even when he would act up. He ended up dying in 2020. RIP Rick D.

@edwardmulholland7912 10 ай бұрын

It’s an incredible story, no wonder Bowie picked up on it. “Brand New Cadillac” is brilliant. Thank you for this.

@petergalloway7978 5 ай бұрын

Great showman and rock and roll singer no one moved like Taylor first acquired a copy of Jet Black Machine in 1962 a very unusual and outstanding recording

@calvinguile1315 10 ай бұрын

Oh wow! I just watched a documentary about Vince last night!…cool, also I definitely would not mess with that lady who punched up the Teddy😂

@heraldeventsandfilms5970 10 ай бұрын

The lady was an actor and it was scripted.

@calvinguile1315 10 ай бұрын

@@heraldeventsandfilms5970 Yeah, even though…

@lindadote 10 ай бұрын

This was fascinating! As a longtime fan of Golden Earring, I knew of Vince Taylor from the band’s tribute song, but had absolutely no clue his life was the inspiration for Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. What a dreadful shame Vince burned out so early, he was original. Elvis was surely watching Vince’s stage antics too, he certainly borrowed heavily from them. I know I’ve said it before YP, but this was exceptional and I thank you kindly for the exhaustive hours you must spend researching, in order to bring these videos to us.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, Linda!

@barbarakirk3064 10 ай бұрын

When he complained about the band wanting their money,I saw parallels with Peter Green after he had had his own unwitting dose of acid.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

@@barbarakirk3064 Sadly, both became acid casualties.

@javi__... 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely 0 chance Elvis ever heard of Taylor

@EdwinJack64 10 ай бұрын

Although before my time, this was another very engaging and informative episode. Once again, it shows thorough afterthought! I had heard of Vince Taylor and enjoyed Golden Earring and the Clash being briefly touched upon. Amusingly, I found the lady who wiped the floor with the Teddy Boys! Glad she wasn't my mother 😂! And then the riots in Belgium and the Netherlands! Even before the Rolling Stones at the Scheveningen Kurhaus in 1964 so! Also interesting that you discuss the friendship between Stash de Rola, Brian Jones, Vince Taylor and the other Stones members. Too bad his life eventually ended dramatically like Brian Jones'...

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Cheers, Edwin. Glad you enjoyed the video!

@PERFECTGINGERBASTARD 10 ай бұрын

Great one, i remember reading about him once ,there was a magazine doing one on nutters, syd barrett, roky erickson , alex harvey, and others. Whenever I am in the supermarket and i see Mateus Rose in that flat round bottle i think of Vince Taylor.

@newwavepop 10 ай бұрын

here in the U.S. i dont think Vince was really known at all, i first learned about him in the early 90s because i was very into Rockabilly and the vintage acts and i used t get a lot of things from Norton records and buy the Ugly Things magazines etc.. but still i only knew that he looked great and had some serious mental issues. this was really interesting.

@NickPenlee 10 ай бұрын

No need to ask where Alvin Stardust's persona came from!

@mackb909 10 ай бұрын

For that matter, Bobbie Clarke (who died in 2014 age 74) is obviously a very important figure with a long, distinguished, and varied career. If you went by Nik Cohn, the only famous drummer in London with the surname Clarke or Clark was Dave.

@crisssigh 10 ай бұрын

This episode is brilliant in so many ways!

@glennmacleod3776 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely brilliant! I realise now how influential he was to David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust.

@radiomindchatter7994 10 ай бұрын

I had heard his named mentioned when I was younger..heard about Brand New Cadillac. With KZfaq I managed to see a couple of documentaries about him and they were good. Yours is the best yet..a very concise and respectful overview of the man. It's too bad it ended so badly...but what a character. Well done.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Cheers!

@Sp33gan 10 ай бұрын

Normally, I'm a writer of too many words. I'm left with only, such a shame. A talent whose claim to fame will forever be a few moments of glory and a lasting influence on many others. Thanks, YP

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Cheers, Fab Gear!

@terryenglish7132 10 ай бұрын

Wow , more history I was unaware of. Great job !

@redadamearth 10 ай бұрын

Fantastic doc, thanks so much for this.

@thediamonddog95 10 ай бұрын

What a great little documentary! You edited this one perfectly.

@dodgelandesman Ай бұрын

Thanks for picking up where BBC Arena left off. As a 50s music freak it's been a delight to discover all these groundbreaking artists across the pond, pre Beatles

@charlesachurch7265 10 ай бұрын

Another fascinating presentation. Thankyou xxx.

@tomservo5607 9 ай бұрын

Vince Taylor was born in England but was raised in New Jersey. His older sister married the Barbera half of cartoon moguls Hanna & Barbera and the whole family relocated to California. Barbera actually financed Vince’s venture to England to become a musician.

@Viajealduende 9 ай бұрын

Yes, that’s just what the documentary said.

@pteeng1 10 ай бұрын

Once again an informative video. Thanks for the hard work.

@danstone8783 10 ай бұрын

Entertaining and informative as always. Teaching me something I didn't know.

@Borella309 9 ай бұрын

Superb video!!! Top-notch research, writing and presentation/production. Incredibly enjoyed and appreciated.

@jackhughesbooks 10 ай бұрын

Lovely out going piano version of Ziggy. Great work as usual

@valkyrie1066 9 ай бұрын

Saw Golden Earring twice as a backup band to a major band, and both times they blew away the main act. Ziggy Stardust remains my favorite Bowie Album. Never HEARD of this guy! Thank you!!!

@GaryJohnWalker1 10 ай бұрын

Amazing story. Terrific production

@andyreaver1962 10 ай бұрын

Oh love this episode. So we’ll done. We start to get more obscure rockabilly hits from the 50s. I really hope you cover the 50s as well moving forward. Easily one of my favorite music channels on KZfaq. No one is doing what you do.

@deansmith6593 10 ай бұрын

Wonder if Vince Taylor inspired the Jetsons character Jet Screamer as well.

@FSM46AND2 10 ай бұрын

Vince was great and he had a great band. A true badass, especially for the time. Drummer was one of the original double-kick drummers in a rock band and he actually used them.

@Transterra55 10 ай бұрын

Thank you for another incredible video… The story was extraordinarily fascinating. As much as I know about music, especially English music, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this guy…

@cheesezeppelin2281 10 ай бұрын

This was fantastic Your best video so far Keep up the great content

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@VonL 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for featuring eye & ear opening chapters on Vince, David Such & ,in particular, Guy Stevens. I hope this series on the “lesser lights” continues. Greatly enjoyed the brief “ziggy” piano outro.

@marrrtin 10 ай бұрын

Rather a dark story, but a hidden jigsaw piece of the scene.

@chuckdee66 10 ай бұрын

You do such good work. Always a pleasure to view your stuff. Absolutely top shelf!

@chrisbacos 10 ай бұрын

That was fascinating. I was glued to the screen the whole time. It held my attention.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks Chris! Glad you enjoyed the video.

@michaelmacaulay7808 10 ай бұрын

Fascinating episode - yet another! Thank you

@Romalvx 10 ай бұрын

You know when you have the feeling that some piece of a puzzle is the rarest to find, and then you find it? Well, this is how I feel about this story.

@Wygruce 9 ай бұрын

Great documentary. Channel just keeps getting better.

@bipbopboom 10 ай бұрын

Yesterday, this was awesome!! A lot I didn’t know and some killer footage and photos I’ve never seen before! Excellent job!! Top notch!!! Cheers!!!

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks Jon! Glad you enjoyed it. Vince Taylor's story is fascinating.

@puliturchannel7225 10 ай бұрын

Woman from 4:28 forward is so funny! This must be the kind of british television what Monty Python based many of their sketches on.

@barbarakirk3064 10 ай бұрын

I thought she had a look of Terry Jones, crossed with Alex Harvey!

@maunderjape8365 9 ай бұрын

Tremendous job. We really enjoyed this. History truly rocks!

@YesterdaysPapers 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@thecaveofthedead 10 ай бұрын

I had no idea about this guy, incredibly. I know Bowie was also very intrigued by Syd Barrett and I'm familiar with the fascination with the tragedy of these people with schizophrenia who have a burst of intense artistic brilliance before the illness makes it impossible for them to work. Peter Green too, of course. Obviously not everyone with the illness is creative. But often those who are are particularly different to the other artistic stuff going on around them.

@davedewsnap288 9 ай бұрын

Peter Green had NO mental illness at all before & during the bulk of his prolific creative career. It was the LSD secretly given to him that destroyed his brain. He was until that point, a natural creative genius and ordinary guy. That is the ultimate tragedy of Peter. R.I.P.

@thecaveofthedead 9 ай бұрын

Amazing how often that people diagnosed with schizophrenia in early adulthood (it's almost always early adulthood) were totally normal people before their first psychotic episode.@@davedewsnap288

@One.DeSanctis. 9 ай бұрын

Wasn't Bowie's older brother or half brother schizophrenic? Terry was his name? That close contact may have begun Bowie's fascination.

@virginiaviola5097 9 ай бұрын

Punk before punk. I can see more Sid Vicious than Ziggy in Vince. But I can see the trajectory of Vince in Ziggy..’when the kids had killed the man…” and Rock and Roll Suicide. Awesome vid, thoroughly enjoyed it.

@YesterdaysPapers 9 ай бұрын

Thanks.

@rodeastell3615 9 ай бұрын

I didn't really know about Vince Taylor ... but now I do. Excellent video.

@roboi2241 9 ай бұрын

For a moment I thought that strange woman at 4.30 talking about punching Teddy Boys on the nose was Peter Cook in drag from the Pete and Dud Show.

@YesterdaysPapers 9 ай бұрын

Hahaha!

@jonhillman871 10 ай бұрын

this was so fun. i knew of vince taylor and heard some of his stuff. but this video really showcased his ability and rapturous energy. plus i just love all those fun graphics...holy editing software, batman! that lady who didn't like teddy boys really had nothing to do with this topic but she may have been my favorite part.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, John!

@thomasherrin6798 10 ай бұрын

Yes the "Lady" was a gem, must have had a few brothers, reminds me of my sister who beat me over the head with a sweeping brush!?!

@KOACAINE 9 ай бұрын

Great documentary, thanks

@mackb909 10 ай бұрын

Wow. Don’t know where to begin with this one. First of all, I’d like to say that, at a very formative stage when I was very young, I read Nik Cohn’s book “Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom” (originally published here in the States as “Rock From the Beginning”) so many times that my paperback copy fell apart and I had to carry around with me in a plastic sandwich bag to hold it together. Cohn’s writing style and judgments were really cool to me at the time; they have since palled considerably. I no longer find his anarchic and self-indulgent manner in that book at all appealing. And he was simply flat wrong about many, many things, including the importance and staying power of many bands; for example, the Grateful Dead who, whether you love them or not, became the quintessential American rock and roll band and earn not even a mention in even the revised early ‘70s edition of Cohn’s book. The fact that Cohn and I agree that The Rolling Stones are our favorite rock band does not diminish my present-day disillusionment with the book. What is most galling about Cohn’s book is the myriad number of glaring omissions he made. Here I am in my late 60s and, until this video, had barely heard of Vince Taylor, though he quite obviously was an important influence in ‘60s London rock, especially for the very young David Jones/Bowie. Taylor rates not a single mention in Cohn’s ostensibly canonical opus. That said, the fascinating and sad saga of Vince Taylor was quite illuminating. Thank you again, YP, for this.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Cheers!

@ARareAndDifferentTune1313 9 ай бұрын

If anyone doesn’t see the incredible staying power of the Dead, they are blind

@robleahy5759 9 ай бұрын

Cohn a bog Standard nme hack on meth.

@tomc642 10 ай бұрын

I worked for Hanna Barbara in Hollywood at one time, but never knew of this connection with Vince Taylor. Mr. Barbara was a pretty straight-laced guy.

@MadderMel 9 ай бұрын

Wow ! I love his onstage rolling and falling about more than the music ! But what a wonderful character ! Never heard of him before now .

@paulbillingham6769 9 ай бұрын

Moon tan was one of my favourite albums back in the day and I always wondered, who was this Vince Taylor. Thanks to this incredible documentary, now I know, along with its connection to the stellar Ziggy Stardust album and the legendary David Bowie.

@wjekat 10 ай бұрын

Wow! Great video

@bobpenny8011 5 ай бұрын

Wow. Learned a lot. Ziggy Stardust makes so much more sense now.

@gkmacca1 10 ай бұрын

Fascinating. Thank you.

@letitbleep2683 10 ай бұрын

Nice work!

@LeeGee 10 ай бұрын

"Vince Taylor used to live here/No one's even heard of him/Just who he was/Just where he fits in" -- "Goin' Down Geneva (Van Morrison)

@francoispedro3694 10 ай бұрын

Five stars to this video, no less. Tony Sheridan, Jimmy Page, "You know my name" and so on... Amazing great job, once again. Hats off.

@dannybenair 10 ай бұрын

Well done!!!!

@rachelsghost 10 ай бұрын

Damn! That is one heck of a mini doc, YP. I'm not unfamiliar with Vince or his story BUT... this presentation was top tier. Loved it (and you!) 🙏❤🔥

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, Rachel!

@leejohnson3209 10 ай бұрын

His career would have nosedived. Even Elvis himself had trouble staying relevant in the wake of the British explosion. Either way it's sad that the drugs took his mind as they so nearly took Bowie's years later. Drugs have taken a few talents and lives away prematurely down the years. Drugs, including alcohol take far more than they give.

@tombassman 9 ай бұрын

Wow, that was great. What a story, it would make a great movie!

@robin2012ism 8 ай бұрын

interesting and well done, Sir.

@SmartCookie2022 10 ай бұрын

What a great rockumentary. YP does it again.

@YesterdaysPapers 10 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@theprisonerofmars 9 ай бұрын

I like these documentary type vids, the Johnny Kidd one was great too, more like this please!

@YesterdaysPapers 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@henrysonnemann2597 9 ай бұрын

Vince Taylor was a 50's crazy rocker. I love his music.🎉🎉🎉🎉

@andyhudson3495 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing. 😁👍

@chrisnewman7281 9 ай бұрын

I think Vince could’ve also been the inspiration for Alvin Stardust especially with the black glove

@scottlucas9551 10 ай бұрын

Cool. How about a mention of the namesake of Ziggy, the Legendary Stardust Cowboy? Love all you do.

@Johnnywhamo 10 ай бұрын

Ziggy came from a store name he saw while riding a train, it was Ziggy's Tailor Shop

@thelatepetercook 10 ай бұрын

Fantastic!

@anfrankogezamartincic1161 10 ай бұрын

He was something else. Even if he recorded only BRAND NEW CADILLAC, great song, THE CLASH did a great version

@thunderbirdmcfly8657 9 ай бұрын

Probably he would say Thanks Dylan for sent me to madness. Great documentary, I really enjoyed

@MrBrutal33 5 ай бұрын

Brand New Cadillac remains one of the greatest British rock 'n' roll songs ever released

@DR-lh9yy 10 ай бұрын

Well done

@alangray9117 9 ай бұрын

I'd heard Bowie say Taylor was the influence for Ziggy Stardust years ago but this is still interesting to see ❤.

@escapefelicity2913 9 ай бұрын

well done

@rc3539 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! 👍👍👍

@haroldduran9895 9 ай бұрын

Great!! thanks!!

@nige3801 10 ай бұрын

Bowie had an elder brother - "Terry Jones" who was institutionalised his whole life...must have had a big effect as well on david (Man Who Sold the World album etc)

@erwinwoodedge4885 10 ай бұрын

and in other interviews the major influences were the legendary stardust cowboy and iggy pop.

@7bombarie 9 ай бұрын

Here for the Earring song. What a great and tragic story.

@Beatedelic_Records 10 ай бұрын

Super informativ! Danke! 👍👍👍

@davedewsnap288 9 ай бұрын

“Just Like Vince Taylor” was NOT included on the U.S. release of ‘Moontan’ - only the UK/Euro release. The US version included a whole re-recording of the amazing ‘Tull’ influenced “Big Tree Blue Sea” complete with Ian Anderson inspired flute played by Barry. However, for fans like me who bought the US ‘Moontan’ Album, we already had the track “Just Like Vince Taylor” because it was the ‘B’ side of the original full length UK single ‘Radar Love’ in 1973.

@user-tl7mj2bm4m 9 ай бұрын

thank you for explaining that.....because I"m watching this...and I"m what? THAT song is NOT on Moontan...in fact, I never heard it until I got the live album (which is fantastic as you know). I do love "Big Tree Blue Sea" by the way.

@michaelwilson2340 10 ай бұрын

I knew of Vince at Dylan's party but I didn't know Nico was there as well. Of course her downfall was heroin. But at least John Cale kept her career going the best he could. Just a shame about Vince. He didn't even get a Syd Barrett kind of legacy.

@K._Oss 7 ай бұрын

The story of Vince Taylor coming back to Paris, an absolute wreck and burning up the money is honestly one of the eeriest most spin chilling stories in rock ‘n’ roll roll I have ever heard