Aladdin Sane Lightning Bolt Shoot: 1973

Duffy's Cooker Logo Flash

On January 9, 1973, at Brian Duffy’s North London studio, photographer Duffy introduced David Bowie to design partner Celia Philo (Kitchen Shop) and make-up artist Pierre Laroche. Bowie described his Aladdin Sane concept as “a lightning bolt… cracked by lightning… an electric kind of thing.” Inspired by an Elvis TCB ring with lightning flash, Duffy spotted a similar shorter logo on a National cooker in the studio, sketched it on Bowie’s face. Laroche filled it with blue/red lipstick and added a purple ‘death mask’ wash. The most iconic glam image was born.

In 2009, Duffy recalled, "Bowie was interested in the Elvis ring, which had the letters TCB (Taking Care of Business) as well as a lightning flash."

Duffy noticed that the National logo on the cooker in the studio bore a similar but shorter logo on it, which he drew onto Bowie's face. Laroche then filled in the blue and red with lipstick and applied a purple 'death mask' wash to Bowie's face.

Illustrator Philip Castle, known for his Clockwork Orange poster and soundtrack cover, later airbrushed the teardrop to Bowie's collarbone, adding to the aura of stillness.

Duffy wanted to make him look like "a statue that's wet".

Castle also collaborated with Duffy and Allen Jones on the Pirelli calendar, which they revisited for the inside gatefold. Castle applied a silver airbrush to Duffy's photo, completing the statuesque androgynous image.

Brian Duffy (2010)

Tony realized that in order to get the record company truly operational, he had to get them deeply in debt, which was, of course, a masterstroke. He aimed to create the most expensive cover he could possibly get the record company to pay for, because he understood that if it cost five thousand pounds, "so what, one or the other." If it cost fifty thousand pounds, the record company would now be compelled to pay attention.

Tony said "Can you make it expensive?" No problem. First, dye transfer, a genius method of spending the amount of money to get a reproduction from a color transparency onto a piece paper.

Second, get the plate made in Switzerland, the most expensive place in the world to get plates made. Then, employ me to and create it—an even more wasteful approach.

Shoot Overview

Details

Date: January 9, 1973.

Location: Brian Duffy’s North London studio.

Key Players: Photographer Brian Duffy, make-up Pierre Laroche, design Celia Philo.

Legacy and Collectibility

The January 9, 1973 Aladdin Sane lightning bolt shoot created Bowie’s most famous image — glam’s defining flash, is this the origin or urban myth ?

Do you remember the Aladdin Sane lightning bolt reveal? Ready for electric boy? Share in the comments!