Watch the classic 1980 Japanese advert starring David Bowie
When he wasn’t busy revolutionising music with his eclectic and pioneering oeuvre and shape-shifting through alter-egos, David Bowie partook in some intriguing extracurricular activities over the years. His interest in theatre and screen acting saw him involved in Broadway’s The Elephant Man, Ricky Gervais’ Extras and several films, including Labyrinth and The Prestige.
For many years now, the involvement of Hollywood A-listers in commercials has been met with a chorus of cringe. When seeing Kevin Bacon reduced to EE adverts or Harvey Keitel reprising his Pulp Fiction role for Direct Line insurance, it’s hard not to feel pity for these ostensibly derailed careers. That is, of course, until you realise the staggering fees they receive for such light work.
This has also been a reality in the music industry, whether it’s New Order’s £100,000 Sunkist advert or Ozzy Osbourne’s Oscar-worthy display in an ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’ commercial. Bowie was also no stranger to the allure of the ad, but it has to be said, his commercials were often a little suaver than Osbourne making fairycakes.
The Starman was involved in several TV commercials over the years, most famously one for Vittel water, in which his alter-egos of the past return to haunt him. Today, we’re taking a look at his 1980 ad for Crystal Jun Rock sake in Japan – the first TV advert he was ever involved with.
In the advert (seen below), Bowie sits at a synthesiser to perform his obscure instrumental track, ‘Crystal Japan’, which was recorded during the Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) sessions but omitted from the album’s final cut.
“There are three reasons,” Bowie once said in an interview, explaining why he took the Japanese advert role. “The first one being that no one has ever asked me to do it before. And the money is a very useful thing. And the third, I think it’s very effective that my music is on television twenty times a day. I think my music isn’t for radio.”
“I didn’t use bass or drums, so it’s very different from anything I have done before,” he added, referring to ‘Crystal Japan’. “It will be included in my next album.”
While the song didn’t end up on Bowie’s 1980 album, it was released as the A-side of a 45 in Japan with some special copies featuring inserts related to the sake ad campaign.
See the advert below.
