Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

Background

Recording for Scary Monsters began at the Power Station in New York City in February 1980. Bowie informed returning producer Tony Visconti that this was going to be a more commercial record than his previous releases. Brian Eno did not return, having ended his collaboration with Bowie after Lodger, stating he felt the Berlin Trilogy had "petered out" by that record. It was the fifth and final Bowie album with the core lineup of Dennis Davis (drums), Carlos Alomar (guitar) and George Murray (bass), who had been together since Station to Station (1976); only Alomar continued working with Bowie thereafter.

King Crimson's guitarist Robert Fripp, who played on "Heroes", was brought back for the sessions, replacing Lodger guitarist Adrian Belew. Bowie hired an additional guitarist, Chuck Hammer, after hearing him play with Lou Reed in London the year before. The pianist Roy Bittan, a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, returned from the Station to Station sessions. Initial sessions at the Power Station took place over two and a half weeks, with an additional week used for overdubs.

Tracks completed were solely instrumental. One instrumental, titled "Crystal Japan", was originally intended to be the album's closing track, but was dropped in favour of a reprise of "It's No Game". At Alomar's suggestion, Bowie recorded a cover of Tom Verlaine's "Kingdom Come". Rather than improvising lyrics and music as he had with prior releases, Bowie took time composing and developing the lyrics and melodies, ensuring the musicians adhered to his thought-out structures before adding their own personal touches.

Many of the tracks had working titles early on. The sessions resumed in April 1980 at Good Earth Studios in London, Visconti's own studio at the time. Final instrumental overdubs were provided by Fripp and the keyboardist Andy Clark, along with a guest appearance by the Who guitarist Pete Townshend on "Because You're Young". Vocal tracks were recorded last, including the Japanese narration provided by the actress Michi Hirota for "It's Game (No. 1)".

Did You Know?

• The album's lead single, "Ashes to Ashes", revisited the character of Major Tom from "Space Oddity" and was promoted with an inventive music video.
• The title track's lyrics were inspired by a promotional campaign for Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal, which offered a cereal prize of "Scary Monsters and Super Heroes".
• The album cover is a large-scale collage featuring Bowie donning a Pierrot costume, with references to his prior releases on the rear sleeve.
• The track "Scream Like a Baby" originated from a 1973 song called "I Am a Laser", written and recorded by a group of Bowie collaborators known as the Astronettes.