Jeff Duff & Steve Balbi On 'Ziggy: 50 Years Of Bowie'

What can fans expect from the Ziggy: 50 Years of Bowie show?

Jeff Duff: Most of Bowie’s iconic songs performed live by a star-studded band with three of the finest rock voices in Australia. There’ll also be a few surprise inclusions in our repertoire, songs that weren’t necessarily hits but have become increasingly popular at live Bowie concerts, songs such as Five Years, Andy Warhol, All The Young Dudes, Cracked Actor, Lazarus. We’ll keep things interesting with numerous costume changes, androgynous make-up and dodgy dance moves! Remember, we’re covering 50 years of Bowie's recording career…we’ll be attempting to play songs from most periods of his music life.

Steve Balbi: This is not a tribute show, this is a theatrical experience - rainbows and distortion along with the wardrobe from another planet, delivered by singers and a band that truly love the music 

Tell us a little bit about the band…

JD: The Ziggy band, as previously mentioned, is a star-studded family affair. Ash Naylor from Melb band Even is our special guest guitarist for this run of shows. Ash joins our regular rhythm section of Dario from Baby Animals on bass and Lloyd G on drums. Sax player Ross Middleton, guitarist James Christowski and keyboard player Colin Coorie have been wowing audiences in the Ziggy band for years and will continue to add their own unique style for these new shows.

SB: All I can say is that the band is as good as it gets from here or Mars. 

What was your first Bowie experience?

JD: My first personal contact with Bowie was when he came backstage at one of my live concerts in London. I’d created a little chaos with the London music press and David came to meet me to see what all of the fuss was about!

SB: Lying in a hammock, smoking pot the first time listening to Hunky Dory. WOW!!!! It changed my life. I don’t smoke pot anymore but I still listen to Bowie. 

What set Bowie apart from others?

JD: Apart from his immaculate sense of ‘cool’ style, he was a genius!

SB: Bowie put the art into ARTist.

Favourite Bowie song and why?

JD: At the moment I adore Lazarus, it was the final song he recorded before he passed away.

SB: Life On Mars - like any great piece of art it just resonates with me. If I had to articulate why, it may be that such a complex progression and melody can be so easy to feel and hear, and the lyric speaks to me, I love the struggle. 

Favourite Bowie album and why?

JD: Hunky Dory - no competition!

SB: Hunky Dory, pure genius, that’s why.

Anything else you’d like to add?

JD: I know that everyone in the band is looking forward to this run of Ziggy shows, particularly the Opera House dates. We do our best to to keep the Bowie legacy alive and kicking!

SB: We are playing so much of his wonderful material, right up to Lazarus from Black Star. It’s not often we have IOTA join us on this show and we are so pleased that he is able to reunite with us for this run of shows, I can’t wait.