Watch an endearingly nervous 26-year-old David Bowie in his first TV interview

David Bowie on the Russell Harty Plus show

Wearing one chandelier earring, platform sandals, and a double-breasted red-and-purple suit, a 26-year-old David Bowie sat down for his first major TV interview, on the British Russell Harty Plus show, in 1973.

While most of the interview and performance has been wiped, this clip was resurrected for a later show. It's a visual time capsule of Bowie's beautiful contradictions — his peacock-proud look distracts from his softspoken demeanor. Slouched, picking at his nails, Bowie laughs nervously at the rather stiff questions asked of him — "What does David Bowie think of David Bowie?" "Do you believe in God?"

His answers are honest, sweet, and telling of the life he lived. "I love life very much indeed," he says. Watch the clip below. Lauren Hansen

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.