📰 Ciggy Barlust & The Whales From Venus – Feature: Feb. 1973

A Record Mirror reader response to the Strawbs’ Bowie‑parody B‑side “Backside,” released under the pseudonym Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus.

A fiery fan letter calling out the Strawbs for parodying David Bowie on the B‑side of their 1972 single “Lay Down,” sparking debate over homage, humour, and glam‑era rivalry.

📰 Key Highlights

• “Lay Down” / “Backside” released October 13, 1972

• B‑side credited to Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus

• Lyrics parody Bowie’s Ziggy mythology

• Composition credited to the Strawbs as a full band

• Featured in Record Mirror, February 17, 1973, via a passionate reader letter

• Song resurfaced in BBC’s Life on Mars (2007)

📰 Overview

The Strawbs’ 1972 single “Lay Down” hides a mischievous secret on its flip side: “Backside,” a glam‑era parody released under the pseudonym Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus. The B‑side openly riffs on Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust mythology — from the name to the lyrical references — and in early 1973, Record Mirror readers had opinions.

📰 Source Details

Publication / Venue: Record Mirror

Date: February 17, 1973

Issue / Format: One‑page reader letter

Provenance Notes: Fan‑response column.

📰 The Story

Record Mirror’s February 17 issue includes a sharply worded letter from reader Stephen Kidd, who expresses “disgust” upon discovering that the Strawbs had released a B‑side under the name Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus — a clear parody of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

The letter argues that the Strawbs must be jealous of Bowie’s meteoric rise, insisting that Bowie is destined to become “one of the world’s greatest ever performers.” The tone is protective, almost territorial — a snapshot of the fervent loyalty Bowie inspired during the Ziggy era.

What the letter doesn’t mention — but history confirms — is that “Backside” was written collectively by the Strawbs and intended as a tongue‑in‑cheek glam pastiche. Its lyrics reference:

• a “burning stage”

• “Davy Bowie”

• fading stardust makeup

• “spiders from Uranus”

• a cheeky nod to stage costumes (“the people in the front row can only see his smalls”)

The parody is affectionate rather than hostile, but in 1973, glam fandom was tribal — and Record Mirror’s letter page became a battleground.

The song’s afterlife is equally interesting: “Backside” re‑entered public consciousness in 2007 when it appeared in the BBC series Life on Mars, introducing a new generation to its glam‑era satire.

📰 Visual Archive

“Strawbs and Bowie” letter, Record Mirror, February 17, 1973.

📰 Single

• Lay Down — A‑side

• Backside — B‑side (credited to Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus)

• Released: October 13, 1972 (UK)

📰 Related Material

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📰 Closing Notes

This entry captures a moment where parody, fandom, and glam‑rock mythology collided — a playful Strawbs B‑side that provoked fierce loyalty among Bowie devotees and later found new life in modern pop culture.

#Strawbs #CiggyBarlust #Backside #LayDown #DavidBowie #ZiggyStardustEra #RecordMirror #1973 #GlamRock #LifeOnMars

📰 Sources

• Record Mirror, February 17, 1973

• UK single release data (1972)

• BBC Life on Mars soundtrack documentation

• Strawbs discography and session history

📝 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.