What did Churchill say about Russia? Something about a riddle wrapped in a mystery, wearing platforms and a sequined bodysuit, fellating a guitar player? Or, was it an enigma shrouded in a white dinner jacket, loosening a skinny tie and crooning? Whatever it was that the honorable Prime Minister had to say about his uneasy comrades in the days preceding air raids and rationing, a similar sentiment was undoubtedly echoed some decades later as stodgy Britannia struggled to offer an explanation for its most recent and exciting post-Beatle pop phenomenon.

During his rapid ascent to the upper stratosphere of rock ‘n’ roll royalty, David Bowie didn’t offer a lot of answers about himself; his image was based on fantasy and a series of roles that allowed him to control public perception of who he was or wasn’t. But by the release of Let’s Dance in 1983, it seems that he had matured to a point where he could discuss his life and his work more openly. Caught here in a rarely heard interview during a brief rest from his Serious Moonlight World Tour, Bowie entertains probing questions about his debauched past and the personal inspiration behind some of his more outrageous artistic choices.

In an age when mainstream rock was shrugging its shoulders and getting mellow, Bowie set himself apart by becoming what everyone needed, which turned out to be a little bit of everything, covered in glitter and grease paint, and then blasted through a speaker. Listen as one of the most puzzling figures in popular music reveals some of the secrets of his magic. You’re welcome, Bryan Ferry.

This interview is split into two parts.

Part I:

Part II: