“Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?” It was 1985, and there I was, a fresh-faced studio engineer at Westside Studios in Holland Park, London. Perched behind the massive SSL mixing desk, I was mere feet away from rock royalty as Mick Jagger belted out that iconic opening line from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas’ Motown classic, “Dancing In The Street.” Just a year prior, I was working in a makeshift studio in my dad’s cowshed – this felt like another world. Little did I know, the day was about to get even more surreal, because David Bowie was up next. This wasn’t just another day in the studio; this was the day “Dancing in the Street” for Live Aid came to life, and I had a front-row seat.
The session had started unusually early at David Bowie’s request – 9 am, hardly rock and roll o’clock. We were already making incredible progress on the backing track for “Absolute Beginners,” the title song for the film starring Bowie himself. Produced by my bosses, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley – renowned for their work with Madness, Dexys Midnight Runners, and Elvis Costello – the entire “Absolute Beginners” soundtrack project had Bowie in and out of Westside Studios for some time. The atmosphere was buzzing with creative energy, but it was about to reach a whole new level.
Around midday, the studio grapevine started to whisper about Mick Jagger’s impending arrival. The rumour mill suggested he was coming to collaborate with Bowie, and the phrase “Live Aid” was thrown around. Then, at 1 pm, a percussionist confirmed the buzz: “I’m here for the Bowie/Jagger session.” My mind raced. I’d naively imagined a simple radio spot announcement – “Hi, I’m David Bowie,” “And I’m Mick Jagger,” “Donate to Live Aid!” – not a full-blown recording session. Intriguingly, Bowie remained tight-lipped, though I suspected he’d given Clive and Alan the nod, sworn to secrecy. Shortly after, two backing singers arrived, echoing the same exciting news: “We’re here for the Bowie, Jagger session!” The studio crackled with anticipation.
By late afternoon, around 5 or 6 pm, Bowie finally dropped the bombshell. We were pausing work on “Absolute Beginners.” “Mick Jagger’s coming down in about an hour,” he announced, “and we are recording a song for Live Aid.” He produced a cassette, handing it to the band. The label read “Dancing In The Streets.” This was really happening.
The band, a stellar lineup featuring Neil Conti on drums, the late, great Matthew Seligman on bass, Kevin Armstrong on guitar, and Steve Nieve on piano, immediately convened in the live room. Cassette player in hand, they huddled together, absorbing the track and figuring out their parts. Neil Conti, ever the professional, stepped up as bandleader, injecting focus and direction into the impromptu rehearsal. The energy in the studio was electric, a mix of excitement and focused concentration as these incredible musicians prepared to record “Dancing in the Street” with Jagger and Bowie.
Suddenly, the studio became a magnet. Producers from the “Absolute Beginners” film and various movie types, who hadn’t shown much interest in the music-making process before, suddenly appeared. Word of Jagger’s arrival had clearly spread like wildfire. By the time Mick Jagger actually walked in, I counted thirteen extra bodies crammed into the control room, including a few children. I wondered if Jagger would be fazed by the sudden influx of onlookers, but he took it all in stride. He arrived with his daughter Jade, and despite the crowded control room, immediately got down to business.
It struck me instantly that Mick Jagger’s mind is perpetually tuned to music. As the band ran through sections of “Dancing in the Street,” stopping and starting to refine their approach, Jagger was a kinetic force. Even mid-conversation, when the music played, he couldn’t help but move, dancing while still talking, completely immersed in the rhythm. He was clearly enthusiastic about the project; his infectious energy made me think, “I want to be Mick Jagger’s mate!” His passion for music was palpable, even in these early stages of recording “Dancing in the Street.”
Soon enough, the band was ready. Mick, David, and the backing vocalists, Tessa Niles and Helena Springs, were ushered into a shared vocal booth, separated from the band in the live room. The recording of “Dancing in the Street” was about to begin in earnest.
They launched into the first take. The extended drum intro sounded a little unusual initially. Bowie must have instructed the band to create a specific number of bars of drums before the song properly kicked in. Interestingly, neither Mick nor David sang during this extended intro on the first take, perhaps still figuring out vocal duties for “Dancing in the Street.”
Hearing the band and singers perform live, all at once, was exhilarating. In the 80s, recording had become increasingly clinical, often pieced together track by track. This felt raw and organic, reminiscent of earlier recording eras. They laid down two fantastic takes of “Dancing in the Street,” and after listening back, everyone agreed the first take had a special energy, a certain vibe that captured the spontaneous spirit of the moment.
The decision was made to re-record the vocals. Not due to performance issues – both Jagger and Bowie were already delivering stellar vocals – but because recording everyone together in one booth meant vocal bleed between microphones. While this was common practice in 60s recordings, it wasn’t ideal for a clean 80s mix. The backing singers went first, quickly and professionally nailing their parts for “Dancing in the Street.”
Then it was Mick’s turn. Mick Jagger, in his element, transformed the vocal booth into his own Madison Square Garden stage. Witnessing this rock legend perform inches away was incredible. Alan Winstanley assigned me the task of recording his vocals. Suddenly, there I was, directly in Mick Jagger’s line of sight. Talk about pressure! Recording “Dancing in the Street” was becoming an intensely personal experience.
Mick unleashed two takes. Despite the dim lighting in the live room, his iconic stage presence was undeniable. He’d disappear momentarily as he strutted around the booth between lines, only to reappear at the mic, delivering each brilliant lyric with unmatched energy. There was no need to ask Mick for more feeling; he was already giving it his all. Every take was a masterclass in rock and roll performance as he poured himself into “Dancing in the Street.”
We listened back to both takes, knowing they were both phenomenal. However, Clive Langer, perhaps emboldened by a few glasses of white wine, nervously ventured, “I think there was one word on the second take that was a bit better than on the first.” All eyes turned to Clive, then back to Mick, who responded good-naturedly, “Oh yeah? Let’s have a listen.” I can’t recall if a single word from Mick’s second take was actually used, but Clive, looking sheepish, gave me a knowing glance, suggesting he might have slightly overstepped in critiquing a Jagger performance. It was a humorous moment in the midst of recording “Dancing in the Street” with these musical giants.
Finally, with time running short before Mick and David were due at London’s docklands for the “Dancing in the Street” video shoot, it was David’s turn. David Bowie’s recording style was markedly different from Jagger’s. He was a different kind of artist. He’d sung powerfully and flawlessly with the band during the live backing track sessions – any of those takes could have been a lead vocal. He never delivered a mediocre vocal; his performances were always top-tier. Yet, when it came to recording lead vocals, Bowie adopted a meticulous, almost piecemeal approach. He’d record one line at a time, stop, listen back, and then move onto the next. This methodical approach baffled me, especially given his incredible vocal talent. He would often refer to a demo version, checking lines before re-recording them. His dedication to perfection was evident even when recording “Dancing in the Street.”
At one point, near the song’s end, I had to execute a precise drop-in and out of record because David wanted to re-record a single line. The margin for error was tiny. This was analog tape recording; there was no ‘undo’ button back then! I nailed it. Vocals for “Dancing in the Street” were complete.
Now, the immediate task was to create a rough mix for the sound engineer on the video set. Being a diligent engineer, I also set two cassette players to record, standard practice for any session. I thought Mick and David might want a reference mix for the journey to the film set. Towards the end of the song, David’s manager, Coco, spotted a cassette player recording and sharply asked, “Are you recording a cassette?!” “Yes,” I replied, “I thought you might need one.” She didn’t mention the second recorder, so neither did I. “I’ll take that please,” Coco said firmly. I handed over one cassette. Then, when she wasn’t looking, I discreetly slipped the other cassette under the mixing desk. This is how I came to possess a copy of that very first rough mix of “Dancing in the Street” – a little piece of music history captured on tape.
David generously invited everyone at the studio to join them at the video shoot. I was tempted, but utterly exhausted, mostly from the nervous energy of such an extraordinary day. Plus, I desperately needed a shower; recording vocals for “Dancing in the Street” had been a sweaty affair!
After the video shoot, Mick took the tapes to New York for further embellishment. Brass instruments were added, and another bass player contributed. Prog rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman also added piano. Finally, the legendary Bob Clearmountain mixed the track. Seeing my name in the engineer credits on the sleeve of “Dancing in the Street” was an incredibly proud moment, a tangible reminder of the day Jagger and Bowie danced in the studio and created a piece of music history.
