David Bowie (Mar. 1981) Up the Hill Backwards – Advert

A full‑page RCA promotional advert for Bowie’s single “Up the Hill Backwards,” backed with “Crystal Japan.” The design features a grid of repeated monochrome portraits, creating a rhythmic visual echo that mirrors the song’s angular energy.

Writer: RCA Records / New Musical Express

Artist: David Bowie

Date: March 21, 1981

Length: 4 min read

This advert, published in *New Musical Express*, promotes Bowie’s single “Up the Hill Backwards” from the album *Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)*. The layout presents sixteen identical profile shots of Bowie arranged in a grid, each slightly offset to evoke motion and repetition. The handwritten‑style typography of the title contrasts with the stark geometric composition, reflecting the tension between spontaneity and precision that defines the track. The inclusion of “Crystal Japan” as the B‑side adds a contemplative counterpoint to the single’s jagged rhythm. RCA’s minimalist approach — black‑and‑white imagery, clean branding, and sparse text — captures Bowie’s early‑1980s aesthetic: modernist, self‑aware, and visually disciplined.

PUBLICATION

Publication: New Musical Express (NME)

Date: March 21, 1981

Country: United Kingdom

Section / Pages: Full‑page Advert

Title: Up the Hill Backwards b/w Crystal Japan

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Promotion of Bowie’s single and album

 *Scary Monsters*

Era: Early 1980s / Post‑Berlin period

Tone: Minimalist, graphic, modernist

Photography: Sixteen‑image grid of Bowie  portraits

Audience: British music press readers and  Bowie collectors

“New Single and Single Cassette – RCA.”

THE STORY BEHIND IT

Released during Bowie’s transition from experimental art‑rock to polished mainstream success, “Up the Hill Backwards” embodies resilience and irony. The advert’s repetition of Bowie’s image echoes the song’s lyrical theme of persistence amid chaos. The grid design, reminiscent of Warhol’s pop‑art seriality, reinforces Bowie’s fascination with identity and reproduction. RCA’s campaign aligned with the visual sophistication of *Scary Monsters*, positioning Bowie as both avant‑garde artist and commercial innovator.

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

Event: RCA advert for David Bowie’s single release

Era: 1981 / *Scary Monsters* promotion

Tone: Stylised, repetitive, artistic

Photography: Profile portraits arranged in grid pattern

Audience: Music press and design‑focused  collectors

“Up the Hill Backwards b/w Crystal Japan.”

SOURCES

New Musical Express (March 21, 1981)

Publication verified from archival advert records

Context cross‑checked with RCA and  *Scary Monsters* release documentation

External anchors: Discogs / Wikipedia  (where applicable)

RELATED MATERIAL

• David Bowie – Glam Slam Guide

• Up the Hill Backwards – Single (Mar. 1981)

• Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) – Single (Jan. 1981)

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts 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.