It’s 1985, and the air in Westside Studios, Holland Park, is thick with anticipation. I’m a young engineer, barely a year into my dream job at a real recording studio, a world away from my dad’s makeshift setup. And there, just ten feet away, Mick Jagger is unleashing that iconic opening line from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas’ Motown classic, “Dancing In The Street.” The energy is electric. Little did I know, David Bowie was waiting in the wings to add his legendary voice to this incredible session.
The day had started unusually early for rock and roll standards – 9 am, at David Bowie’s request. We were already deep into recording the backing track for “Absolute Beginners,” the title song for the film starring Bowie himself. The session was incredibly productive, buzzing with creative energy. My bosses, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, renowned producers known for their work with Madness and Elvis Costello, were overseeing the soundtrack for “Absolute Beginners,” and Bowie had been a regular presence at Westside Studios.
Around midday, whispers began circulating – Mick Jagger was rumored to be heading to the studio. The buzz was that he was coming to collaborate with Bowie on something for Live Aid. By 1 pm, a percussionist confirmed the rumors, announcing his arrival for the “Bowie/Jagger session.” My mind raced. I imagined a simple radio spot, a quick plea for Live Aid donations from two rock icons. The thought of recording a brand new track hadn’t even crossed my mind. Bowie, ever the enigmatic artist, remained tight-lipped, leaving Clive and Alan to manage the growing excitement. Soon after, backing singers arrived, further fueling the anticipation of this unexpected collaboration.
As the afternoon progressed, around 5 or 6 pm, Bowie finally broke the news. We were pausing work on “Absolute Beginners.” “Mick Jagger’s arriving in about an hour,” he announced, “and we’re recording a song for Live Aid.” He handed a cassette to the band. The label simply read, “Dancing In The Streets.”
The band, a stellar lineup featuring Neil Conti on drums, the late Matthew Seligman on bass, Kevin Armstrong on guitar, and Steve Nieve on piano, eagerly retreated to the live room. Armed with the cassette player, they huddled together, absorbing the track and crafting their parts. Neil Conti, displaying natural leadership, quickly focused the group on the task at hand.
Word of Jagger’s impending arrival had clearly spread. Suddenly, the control room filled with film producers and movie executives from “Absolute Beginners,” individuals who hadn’t shown much interest in the music-making process in previous weeks. By the time Mick Jagger walked in, accompanied by his daughter Jade, I counted thirteen people crammed into the back of the control room, a slightly chaotic scene. Jagger, initially perhaps a little surprised by the crowd, quickly composed himself and got straight to work.
What struck me immediately was Jagger’s innate connection to music. As the band ran through sections of the song, stopping and starting for discussions, Mick couldn’t keep still. Mid-conversation, the moment the music started, he was dancing – and still talking! He seemed genuinely thrilled to be part of this project. His vibrant energy was infectious. I remember thinking, “I want to be Mick Jagger’s mate!” This was Mick Jagger Dancing In The Street even before the recording officially began!
[Image of Mick Jagger dancing, possibly a still from “Dancing in the Street” music video or a live performance. Alt text: Mick Jagger dancing energetically during the “Dancing in the Street” recording session, embodying his iconic stage presence.]
It wasn’t long before the band was ready. Mick, David, and the backing singers, Tessa Niles and Helena Springs, were guided to a communal recording booth, separated from the band but still connected to the live energy. They launched into the first take. The extended drum intro sounded unusual at first, a deliberate choice by Bowie for a dramatic build-up. In this first take, neither Mick nor David sang during this extended intro, perhaps still figuring out the vocal arrangement.
Hearing the entire ensemble perform live was exhilarating. This kind of simultaneous recording was becoming less common in the increasingly clinical 80s studio environment. They laid down two powerful takes and returned to the control room to listen back. The consensus was clear: the first take had captured the raw, vibrant energy they were after.
The decision was made to re-record the vocals. Not due to performance issues – the initial vocals were strong – but because recording everyone in the same room had resulted in vocal bleed onto other microphones. While this “bleed” was characteristic of recordings from the 60s and earlier, a cleaner mix was desired for this track. The backing singers stepped up first, quickly and expertly nailing their parts.
Then it was Mick’s turn. Mick Jagger transformed the recording booth into his personal Madison Square Garden stage. Witnessing this legendary performer up close was truly something special. Alan Winstanley assigned me the task of recording Mick’s vocals, placing me directly in Jagger’s line of sight. It was a surreal moment.
[Image of Mick Jagger singing into a microphone in a recording studio, capturing his dynamic performance style. Alt text: Close-up of Mick Jagger passionately singing vocals for “Dancing in the Street” in the recording studio, showcasing his legendary stage presence translated to the studio environment.]
Mick delivered two blistering vocal takes. Despite the dimmed lights in the live room, his signature strutting and movement meant he would occasionally disappear from view between lines, only to reappear precisely on cue for his next vocal punch. There was no need to ask for more “feeling” – Mick poured everything into each performance.
We listened back to both takes, acknowledging their brilliance. However, Clive Langer, perhaps emboldened by a few glasses of wine, tentatively suggested that “one word” in the second take might have been slightly better than the first. All eyes turned to Clive, then back to Mick, who good-naturedly agreed to listen again. I can’t recall if a word was actually lifted from the second take, but Clive, looking sheepish, gave me a knowing glance, suggesting he might have spoken out of turn.
Finally, with time running short before Mick and David were due at London’s Docklands for the music video shoot, it was David’s turn. David Bowie’s recording style was a stark contrast to Jagger’s. He was a phenomenal singer, consistently delivering excellent vocals, even during the live backing track sessions. However, when it came to lead vocals, his approach was meticulous and deliberate. He recorded one line at a time, carefully listening back before moving on to the next. While this method might be understandable for a less confident vocalist, Bowie’s vocal prowess was undeniable. He often referenced a demo version, ensuring precision and nuance in his delivery.
[Image of David Bowie in the recording studio, possibly with headphones, showcasing his focused and meticulous approach to recording. Alt text: David Bowie meticulously recording his vocals for “Dancing in the Street,” highlighting his focused and detail-oriented studio process.]
At one point near the song’s climax, I had to execute a precise punch-in and punch-out of recording as David wanted to re-record a single line. Working with analog tape in those days meant no “undo” button – the pressure was on to get it right. Thankfully, I did. And with that, the vocals were complete.
Next, a rough mix was needed for the sound engineer at the video shoot. Being diligent, I started recording onto two cassette players, a standard practice for me during sessions. I thought Mick and David might want to listen to the mix en route to the film set. Towards the end of the song, David’s manager, Coco, noticed a cassette player recording. “Are you recording a cassette?!” she exclaimed. “Yes,” I replied, “I thought you might need one.” She didn’t mention the second cassette. “I’ll take that, please,” Coco said sharply. I handed over one cassette. Then, when she wasn’t looking, I discreetly slipped the other cassette under the mixing desk, out of sight. This is how I came to possess a copy of that initial rough mix, a unique piece of music history capturing mick jagger dancing in the street in its raw, early form.
David generously invited everyone to the video shoot. While tempted, exhaustion, mostly from the day’s nervous energy, won out. Plus, a shower was definitely in order after the intense vocal recording session!
Later, Mick took the tapes to New York, where brass instruments and additional bass lines were added. Prog rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman also contributed further piano parts. Finally, the legendary Bob Clearmountain mixed the track. Seeing my name in the engineer credits on the sleeve of this iconic single was, to say the least, an incredible and proud moment.
