David Bowie – Star Sen Ichi Ya (Japanese TV Interview, December 1978)

This is a newly restored version of an interview with David Bowie for the Japanese TV show, Star Sen Ichi Ya, in early December 1978. It was originally broadcast in Japan on the 6th of December 1978.

The name of the show is “Star Sen Ichi Ya”. “Star” means star – as in TV star, movie star, rock star etc. “Sen Ichi Ya” comes from “Sen (Ya) Ichi Ya Monogatari” which literally means “One Thousand and One Nights”. As in, “Arabian Nights”.

The interviewer is Hiroshi Sekiguchi, who was at one time a famous actor. Nowadays he is well-known as an anchor of a Sunday morning TV show. The translator is Mari Christine.

And by the way, yes the Japanese caption at the beginning does say “BLACKOUT”, tho’ in reality the song is of course “Ziggy Stardust”.

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David Bowie was in Japan in December 1978 ostensibly to play 5 concerts, in Osaka and Tokyo. It was the last leg of his Isolar II 1978 World Tour, also known as The Low / “Heroes” World Tour or The Stage Tour.

Bowie arrived in Tokyo on the morning of December the 4th. The following day he was to travel to Osaka, by the bullet train. Since the Star Sen Ichi Ya interview segment was broadcast on December the 6th, it is likely that the interview was recorded on his first day in Tokyo, the 4th. It is thought that the interview took place in his hotel room, at the Tokyo Prince Hotel in Shiba-koen, Minato-ku.

Bowie played three shows in Osaka, on the 6th, 7th and 9th of December. On the 10th he traveled back to Tokyo, and on the 11th and 12th he played the last dates of the tour, at the Buddokan Arena, and the NHK Hall respectively.

Bowie stayed in Japan for several weeks after the shows, enjoying Christmas in Kyoto with his assistant Coco, and into January 1979, with his son Zowie.

After that it is known that Bowie was in Montreux from January 17th – 22nd. He was there to mix the recordings of the Earls Court 1978 shows with David Richards at Mountain Studios.

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Big thanks to Ian for sharing with me a better quality version of the only known video recording in circulation of the Star Sen Ichi Ya broadcast.

本当にありがとう Hontōni arigatō to Hiro for the translation and helping with background information.

This video is a matrix of several sources, combined and cleaned up for your viewing and listening pleasure. The quality is far from perfect, but it’s the best we have, for now.

Hope you dig it!

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Credits

Video Source:
Star Sen Ichi Ya • Japanese TV Interview • Recorded early December • Broadcast 6th December 1978

Audio Source:
Star Sen Ichi Ya • Japanese Radio Interview • Recorded early December • Broadcast 6th December 1978

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Always more videos to follow, so please keep your electric eye on me babe!

I don’t own the rights, and I’m not making any money out of this etc. Just a fan making videos for other fans.