David Bowie - Word On A Wing - Vancouver 1976 (remastered)
David Bowie - Word On A Wing - Vancouver 1976
As most Bowie fans know, footage of the 1976 Isolar tour is very scarce. The closest we have to a filmed record of a complete concert is the rehearsal video recorded on February 2nd 1976 in Vancouver. This has never been officially released but over the years it has turned up on bootleg VHS and DVDs and more latterly on sites like KZread.
This is my attempt to clean up just one track and present it to the best of my ability. There are many technical problems with the bootleg footage including colours which bleed and smear, ghosting, jitter and VHS artefacts which show up as horizontal white dashes appearing randomly on each frame.
I’ve gone through it frame by frame and painted out the white dashes and repaired the damaged parts as much as I could with the cloning tool in After Effects. In total I looked at nearly 10,000 frames!
It took a while to do : )
There are still many, many faults which I couldn’t eradicate but I think the cleaned up end result is an improvement and looks more filmic than what I started with.
Hopefully the rehearsal footage will see an official release one day. There is a short clip from it showing in the 'David Bowie Is' exhibition and it looks pristine.
The audio used here is from the actual rehearsal, just tweaked a little to improve it. I’ve only replaced the piano introduction to the song because on the actual recording, it has some bum notes which are very jarring to listen to (well, it was a rehearsal after all). But once the drums come in, we are back to the original audio until the end.
It’s a great vocal performance by Bowie of one of the best tracks from ‘Station to Station’, especially considering there was no audience here to perform to. By the time he played the song live in Nassau the following month, the tempo was noticeably slower, almost relaxed. But in rehearsal, the song shares the same urgency as the studio version and is all the better for it in my opinion.
As always it's been a labour of love and I hope you'll enjoy it.
A huge thank you to Steve for providing me with the source footage to work with.
Пікірлер: 327
I'm addicted to the emotion in this. I keep thinking I've found my favorite Bowie song and then I discover a new one and I'm just taken aback.
@comboalert6016
Жыл бұрын
YAAASSS AGREE
@leanderx9665
Жыл бұрын
That is so deep and really it is so true here with me aswell.
@glennkarant6760
Жыл бұрын
Agreed but really and truly this on is difficult, if not impossible to beat...
@PatriciaGarcia-ki1dj
Жыл бұрын
Same
@stoner4378
6 ай бұрын
OMG I do that with with his albums🤣 he honestly was a prophet
Another great example of genius songwriting... soft and easy start, growing in desperation and anguish and ending in prayer. He said multiple times in interviews, this was borne from existential torment. It's so sincere and vulnerable. This is why Word on a wing, for me, is easily in the top 5 all-time best Bowie songs.
@stevefuller1779
3 ай бұрын
Written by Nina Simone I think
@stevefuller1779
3 ай бұрын
No sorry that was wild is the wind!!
@user-zl7sv6go3p
2 ай бұрын
Nina didn't write wild is the wind either @@stevefuller1779
Station to Staion (the LP) is a masterpiece
@ahmedshabbir8345
3 жыл бұрын
in my opinion it's bowie's best work.
@oswing
Жыл бұрын
@@ahmedshabbir8345 yes, transcendant.
@edise7272
Жыл бұрын
His best I say!
I can't stop playing this. The emotion and clarity in his voice is mesmerising.
@deejaydee1007
6 жыл бұрын
He is in aww of God's help!!!!!!!
@jupitorman
4 жыл бұрын
Same here carnt stop playing this his voice on the high notes just brilliant
@terrywrigley5988
3 жыл бұрын
This song is so romantic i still cant get over bowies passing
@wendymacronald6468
Жыл бұрын
It is so wonderful ❤
This is not only why "Word on a Wing" became one of my top favorite Bowie songs when it was released back then, but this video of this performance also shows why Bowie managed to transcend earthly limitations during his shows, and lifted me beyond even the boundaries of my own soul every time. I have no words for the emotions he evoked, as they cannot even be encapsulated within the description of "emotion".
@50djan
9 ай бұрын
He was a Sirius entertainer.
@silverscat6770
Ай бұрын
My first Bowie show. In Chicago.... 76
This really sounds like a cry for help. Bless him 😢
@bragee
2 жыл бұрын
It actually is
@silverscat6770
Ай бұрын
OH YES!!!!!
Genius of Sound and Vision.
This is gold, and very rare. Considering David's condition at the time, he was in excellent voice. David's failure to arrange filming of his tours is puzzling. Not only this but the "Diamond Dogs" extravaganza. That's completely lost for the most part - the greatest entertainment spectacle I have ever seen. David's management was wantonly negligent. It makes you appreciate Mick Jagger's business skills in obtaining first rate directors and documentarians to record the Stones' tours.
@elisablackston8645
2 ай бұрын
Wasn't he coming off of herion?
@ARIZJOE
2 ай бұрын
@@elisablackston8645 There was a lot of cocaine too.
Thanks. I almost cried. It's one of my favorite Bowie songs.
@HotStrange
3 жыл бұрын
It’s my favorite song of all time. I tear up every time I listen to it.
@michaellee9975
3 жыл бұрын
Mine to
57 and still discovering his genius. So much still to learn.
@siriuslili
3 жыл бұрын
A shaman. A holy man
@matinacummings3781
2 жыл бұрын
So true!
@mister3566
2 жыл бұрын
It's a gift from god and David to keep learning all about him
Man he has best voice talking or singing.
@silverscat6770
Ай бұрын
EXACTLY. He said I am a STORY TELLER, not a singer so to speak. Said he likes it and will continue.....
I'm watching this at least 3 times a day and it makes me feel so emotional in a way I can't put into words
Wow, great job! This was the first time I saw David, live and I was 14 years old. Soooooooo many years ago but this brings it vividly back at age 55.
@duncanwcraig9668
4 жыл бұрын
patricia Hargraves you are so lucky to have seen Bowie then !!!
One of my favourites! All emotion and feels ❤️🔥⚡️
@silverscat6770
Ай бұрын
He is begging....
This shows David's singing chops. I think he was lucky to be blessed with a beautiful voice and pitch perfect hearing (he was famous for his single - or only a few) take studio performances.
@plushtoyorgy6664
2 жыл бұрын
Definitely. He came so far from his somewhat thin, somewhat reedy voice he had around 1967. A music teacher of his said his voice wasn't great but had emotional power. Then over the years, his voice morphed into this powerful instrument. This song showcases it so well too
I was fourteen and discovered Bowie with Heroes, from the album Stage I listened to this masterpiece for days and days, it inspired me so much that I started studying English to understand the lyrics of his songs! What memorable times❤️
Wonderful. I cant imaging the time it took to clean this up. Brilliant mate. In fact "Word on a Wing" is a wonderful song to post up on his anniversary...and everytime I hear it it makes me smile as it reminds me of a story Bowie told after performing this song at the Astoria in London in '99. Bowie said "I recorded that when I was the Thin White Duke"...and then recounted a chat with two fans he read on the internet...one of which said.... "I liked it when he was Neil...the Thin White Duke" the other said "What do you mean Neil?" to which the first fan replied..."You know that song...Lord I'm Neil...and offer you my Word on a Wing" LOL
@baddvd
7 жыл бұрын
SteveK oh no! There was no warning! I'll never listen to this song the same way again! *tries desperately to erase from memory* ;)
@MisterSussex
7 жыл бұрын
haha - when I first heard this song, probably on cassette in the early 80's, I thought he was singing the line 'I still can't pour myself'. I thought he must have been at the cut-ups again : )
@terrywrigley5988
6 жыл бұрын
SteveK the best !
@oliveeisner8964
6 жыл бұрын
Haha! to be fair, he also wrote "Pour me out another phone.." as well. hard to tell his cut-ups from regular lyrics even~ don't stop the magic Mr. Sussex!
@protato5896
4 жыл бұрын
LOOOOOOOOOOORD, I’M NEEEEIL, AND OFFFFEEER YOU, MY WOOORD ON A WING
my favorite bowie concert of all times......never thought i could hear this life version as i saw it in 76....thanks a very lot for posting .!!!!!
Such an underestimated song. Life long Bowie fan. In my Top Ten Bowie songs.
This song is phenomenal. The lyrics always stuck on my head every day. Till now, I still consider this song as my third favorite from Bowie.
@marigoldruff
Жыл бұрын
What are the other two?
@lamisticahumana
Жыл бұрын
@@marigoldruff Buddha of Suburbia and Slip Away
@paultrueman2
Жыл бұрын
Love slip away… but to me this is the ultimate Bowie song.. unbelievably beautiful
@lamisticahumana
Жыл бұрын
@@paultrueman2 yup, that meaningful lyrics, too. It's difficult to decide whether are my favorite Bowie's songs, coz how magical he is
Thank you Mister Sussex for taking the time to do this- one of my favourite songs but his voice and emotion in this recording is absolutely incredible and the best I have heard.
It would be wonderful if the Bowie estate would begin releasing some of the rare treasures that must be in their archive vaults somewhere. I first saw him in Vancouver in '83 at BC Place when he was touring the "Serious Moonlight" show. It was an astounding concert. To this day I think it's likely the best show I'll ever see. I would love to see footage from the BC place show, but don't know if any even exists. I remember at one point in that concert Bowie hit a note so perfect and pure that it sent an audible gasp through the audience! I've never experienced another moment that memorable at any other show.
Excellent work, Mate. Best the footage has ever looked. And the right decision about the intro.
@MisterSussex
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks Nacho. There's still things in there I'd like to fix but as you know sometimes it's never really finished : )
@terrywrigley5988
6 жыл бұрын
Nacho Video I seen him at empire Poole he sand this but you couldn't appreciate it as it was a new song
@Xtiansldrs
5 жыл бұрын
Nacho Video yours are equally just as great!!!!❤️thank you too! 👍✌️
@Xtiansldrs
5 жыл бұрын
Terry Wrigley that’s so weird that you brought that up because that’s how it always goes; new songs are questionable at first. ESPECIALLY with Bowie since his music is virtually timeless, period. And then somewhere along the way- it transforms into an everlasting classic! I love this song. I love his passion in it too. 😍At first I wasn’t sure about a few of his new ones after 2000...but they’re right there in my unchangeable playlist now 😊 🙏✝️❤️✌️
Thanks Mister Sussex.This is my favourite version of Word on a wing, even though it's 'only' a rehearsal His vocal is so perfect and so moving here, and seemingly so effortless. Just mind blowing.
@madgemuso7314
3 жыл бұрын
He said that at the time he was feeling lost and in a dark place so he was genuinely reaching out for some kind of spiritual help. You can believe it from this performance: “ It was the first time I'd really seriously thought about Christ and God in any depth, and 'Word on a Wing' was a protection... “The passion in the song was genuine... something I needed to produce from within myself to safeguard myself...."
Genius! Best there was....Can't "nobody" come close! Word On A Wing is a beautiful song. I shed tears each time.
❤ I'm crying ⭐
@becauseofthisiweep
7 жыл бұрын
Yep.
@elizabowie200
5 жыл бұрын
zigmo zigmo me too 😭😭
@TheWelwyn21
3 жыл бұрын
Get over yourself
Beautifull.i only wish i could of seen bowie as the thin white duke for me this is possibly bowie at his best this is the time i really took notice of him and new he would influance my life and thoughts for the rest of my life.i have followed him 45/46 yrs and its been such a pleasure to have him and his music in my life and will till the day i die.i miss you david so fkn much xx
True genius.
I was at the front watching this concert in Vancouver....15 years old....Bowie was amazing!
@dyermaker4731
2 жыл бұрын
lucky you! Did you happen to tape or film/take photos?
Such a wonderful song and an equally wonderful performance. I resonate with every word and miss David every day x
This is wonderful, thank you for making it available. I've been a Bowie fan since the late 90s and this song has grown on me over the years, I always liked it but I feel and relate to it more as I get older. It's been in my head constantly the past few weeks. "In this age of grand illusion..."
my favourite bowie song!
Wow, just Wow! What great performance. Thank you for all your hard work to restore the video and for uploading it so that we can all enjoy it.
ill miss you forever
Excellent quality audio, touching pictures....I am astonished at how the colours have kept without blurring and thank Mr. Sussex for his hard work!
Station to Station was and still is unbelievable. It grooves, funks, is deeply romantic. Wild is the Wind says it all. Was my wedding song. Every single song, deeply moving! His unparalleled exceptional vocals, story telling, expressive music and lyrics always perfectly expressed. I miss you David! You freed a young girl in the early 70's, setting me free to shine! Thank you! God bless you in heaven and may you soar forever in peace and love. God bless your family. M-L E NYC
Thank you! This actually made me tear up. I didn’t know what a gift David Bowie was growing up. I just followed his every move decade after decade. The soundtrack of a lifetime. THANK YOU! ♥️
@ezechielamadeus2828
4 ай бұрын
bellissima parole 👍 canzone meravigliosa 💙
Lord, his voice was amazing.
On sent l’émotion! Quel grand chanteur / compositeur! Un génie!
Thank you so much for this, so happy to see cleaned up footage of these rehearsals. What a gorgeous emotional performance as well. As a video editor, I know how much work went into this and I appreciate your efforts as we all get to reap the reward!
@MisterSussex
7 жыл бұрын
thank you
I was at this concert in Vancouver. It was the opening night of the tour in 76. This was the first of 7 times I saw him in concert finishing with the Reality tour in 04 in Vancouver. This may have been during rehearsals for the tour as he was rehearsing in Vancouver prior to the tour starting. He always enjoyed Vancouver and came back to record the Serious Moonlight tour there, and yes I was there too.
@dyermaker4731
2 жыл бұрын
lucky you! Did you happen to tape or film/take photos?
@billquinsey2401
2 жыл бұрын
@@dyermaker4731, no just a lifetime of memories. In those days they used to say no cameras allowed and of course no one had smart phones.
@duncanwcraig9668
Жыл бұрын
amazing Bill ! i saw Bowie in 83 i was 15. i wish i had seen him in 76 and 78. fantastic memories for you.
This is one of the best songs he has ever sang.....I love it and can't stop playing it.
The lyrics of the song makes me cry and of course his interpretation
I am speechless, too beautiful for words... perfect in every sense of the word. Thank you so much for editing this, this is a true gem.
Mindblowing complex brilliant
I can't describe how much I love this 😲🤩
Semplicemente favoloso, non servono altre parole
Thank You! He brings me to tears every time I hear this song. What a rehearsal!
Thanks so much for sharing your work on this footage. It's astonishing to realise that there is no audience here. In total awe and fascination of the performance. The mind boggles as to why this footage is not officially released by the powers that be!
Your work on this is much appreciated - beautiful song sang by a beautiful man xx
seeing this live video is inspiring. Really love the aura he's emitting here. So powerful and dark
I am truly so grateful for all your time and skill spent on this footage Mister Sussex. Having been a fan (fanatical) for oh so long, I remember this period and all it meant to me. Thanks once again.
Man, what I would give to have been at any of the Isolar shows! Finally, actual full video instead of stills. Damn!
@duncanwcraig9668
4 жыл бұрын
David Bell wow man lucky you. I was only eight years old then. Saw Bowie live in 1983. This is my favourite period for the genius.
Perfect...The Thin White Duke ! Beautiful
I have never seen bowie like this And it is utterly amazing
Remember this concert. My first ever trying to document a rock concert. Half my photos are of Bowie disembodied in that bright white spotlight. We also came to listen to the rehearsals in the Agrodome before the final show moved to the Coliseum.
Thank you for your labor of love ~ so much appreciated. I love this song. Prayer from deep within that rises like early light to find its permanent place within in us.
Love bowie in this concerts was the Best in the 70/80s saw him on stage in 78 unforgettable
Brilliant version of my fav Bowie song..
What did they mean with: the thin white duke was such a cold character? This is so deep; soul, gospel, great art, shivers!
@fleurdumal677
3 жыл бұрын
Well, Bowie himself described the Duke as a "a would-be romantic with absolutely no emotion at all but who spouted a lot of neo-romance." Nonetheless, I think that a lot of times he was showing real emotion in his singing; it's Bowie after all and the Duke was just an act:)
@duncanwcraig9668
Жыл бұрын
i know right. i love the thin white duke...
@reishelv2841
Жыл бұрын
To me, is because cocaine, in the worst part of adicction, makes You a cold person, desconected from everyone else, maybe his art doesnt show that 'cos the cold is manifested with the people around You. (Sorry for My bad English😅).
@G.Lopes.96
Жыл бұрын
Maybe his body language and the lack of colors.
Insanely good! Thank you for this amazing edit of one of my favourite Bowie songs. Impossible to not be moved by such perfection.
Excellent! listen to him sing Wild is the Wind people!
This song did change my life!
WOW! Thank you for doing the work to bring this extraordinary clip to life. It looks and certainly sounds stunning. I would never have guessed this was during rehearsal, given the full throated passion with which it is sung. And he looks absolutely amazing. Bowie is Lord.
This is a hidden gem
Your work is incredible and I genuinely hope you're proud of how well you've done with this!!
A top Bowie ballad beautifully done. No needless choppy editing. Little is definitely more. Superb.
Watching this on the 1st anniversary of his passing , great track off my favourite Bowie album . Fantastic job mate keep them Coming definitely my go to Bowie subscription site
😢😢 i love you forever my brother Esteban Terriquez Cortez RIP June 1960 September 2017
Great work. I saw this tour. It was a surreal fabulous exciting and amazing
@lisakovach7889
6 жыл бұрын
Dejahthoris22 i saw this also my man saw it 6 times 16 years old what a beautiful man inside and out my fav. Song but live all of his music always have since 6
Fabulous reconstruction Sir - I saw DB at Wembley Empire Pool, May 1976 & this brings back fond memories. Cheers
Thank you so much! I was searching for good performance footage of this special song. I love hearing Bowie talk to God ~ so authentic and so passionate. Your videos are deeply appreciated.
I'm Amazed at the Quality n very impressed.Could watch this all day!☺
For someone who was so coked out of his head he can’t even remember making station to station this is an astonishing performance. It’s an astonishing performance by anyone’s standards but then it’s Bowie and he is a talented genius. I love this period ….he was so far ahead of everything around him
It's beautiful! Thank you Mister Sussex...Happy Bowie's Birthday!
omg this is Sooo Beautiful i love this Song and the Duke Forever😍❤
I'm growing heart and soul because of you and you're music ❤️❤️and you walked out of ours lives out of ours dreams ❤️❤️🙏❤️❤️I hope GOD can take my word on a wing to you 🙏❤️❤️🙏THANK DAVID BOWIE 🙏❤️❤️🙏🎤🎸🎤🎸🎤🎸🎤🙏❤️❤️🙏
Appreciate the effort. Was lucky enough to see the S2S tour in Hartford and it WAS amazing.
Favourite Bowie song of all. And this is a superb performance.
Bowie himself is a incomparable style! Yes, that was his most definitive era! Thank you for this video
After the unsurpassable title track this is next best.Coked out as he was . He’s right . This is a Hymn. RIP. Starman❤
i was at this tour empire pool wembley RIP My boyhood Hero
Thank you for remastering this beautiful song, this is wonderful! David's voice is perfect as usual but your video is so much better than anything else out there because of the way you edited everything else. I know I'm not alone in saying I hope you'll work your editing magic on the rehearsal tapes of Station to Station's title track, that would be truly amazing!
He sounds and looks amazing!
I really appreciate the effort you put into remastering this footage. You did the world a great service!
I have no words...just...brilliant
Perfection.❤️
i love him..
Thin white duke is in all of us!!! Bowie had a big pair and sensitivity at the same that was ae to put it into a masterpice as usual......Ive never known an artist that will go this lenghy for his fans!!!! But then again not all of people see this.....but he knew and me so thats suffice.....and yes Bowie He is real and he was born once again for everyone that cared to be under his wing!!!! Bowie cant get enough of you!!!!
Thank you so much for this footage of the Isolar tour!
That is utterly fantastic
Wow I'm stunned. Great quality. Perfect.
Thank you for the beautiful film
the king
Thank you for your great work on my favourite Bowie song! So good! You did marvels.
The first 2 times seeing Bowie was on this tour. He played this song at both the Buffalo and NYC shows (exact same setlist for both shows). They were both great shows but barely lasted 85 minutes including encore. At this time in his career he did not seem very comfortable engaging the crowd either (perhaps he was too coked up - that came about later in his career). I always viewed this time of his career as when he became a crooner.
@dyermaker4731
2 жыл бұрын
lucky you! Did you happen to tape or film/take photos at the shows?
@therailroader
2 жыл бұрын
@@dyermaker4731 No, how I wish. I was a poor college kid who wasa fortunate to make it to 2 shows on that tour. The Nassau Colesium show found here on KZread is a great show from that tour - he played several songs there that he did not do at the ones I went to.
The first time I saw I him was later this year in San Francisco. I was on cloud nine.
@dyermaker4731
2 жыл бұрын
lucky you! Did you happen to tape or film/take photos?
Now that's the sort of souvenir a time traveler bring back to prove he was there! Wonderful work, Mister Sussex! Keep it up.
Amazing Love it ! I'm glad your back :)
@MisterSussex
7 жыл бұрын
SeñorSussex thanks bro : )
@tonycarlin5048
7 жыл бұрын
SeñorSussex true genius
@cheryltorres657
7 жыл бұрын
Tony Carli
@tonycarlin5048
7 жыл бұрын
Hello its Carlin
I've seen these videos in Vancouver before and I agree, they're great performances, sometimes better than those on the Nassau recording. I have only seen the "David Bowie is" film, so I didn't know they had any footage from this in the exhibit itself since I don't believe that was included in the film (and even if it was, I think I would have remembered if it was a complete performance and not just a segment of it), but hopefully that means that perhaps one day it will be officially made available in better quality. I enjoyed your video.
@MisterSussex
7 жыл бұрын
MewWolf5 there is much much more in the exhibition than is shown in the film and catalogue. You should visit it if you ever get the chance.
@terrywrigley9751
7 жыл бұрын
MewWolf5 love it love it!!!!