“Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?” In 1985, these iconic lyrics, originally made famous by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, were about to be reborn in a recording studio in Holland Park. I was there, a young engineer at Westside Studios, perched behind the SSL mixing desk, witnessing music history unfold as Mick Jagger belted out that very line for a rendition of “Dancing In The Street”. It was a surreal moment, just a year after I’d traded my dad’s cowshed studio for this professional setup. Little did I know, David Bowie was up next, and this session was destined to become a legendary collaboration for Live Aid.
An Unexpected Day at Westside Studios
The day had begun unusually early for rock and roll standards – 9 am, at David Bowie’s request. We were already immersed in recording the backing track for “Absolute Beginners,” the title song for the film starring Bowie himself. The session was proving remarkably productive. My bosses, Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, renowned for their work with Madness and Elvis Costello, were at the helm, producing the soundtrack. Bowie had been a regular presence at Westside Studios throughout this project.
Around midday, whispers began circulating about a special guest. “Mick Jagger is coming to the studio,” someone murmured, “to do something with Bowie for Live Aid.” By 1 pm, a percussionist confirmed the rumors, announcing his arrival for the “Bowie/Jagger session.” My mind raced. I’d envisioned a simple radio spot, perhaps a joint announcement urging donations to Live Aid. The idea of recording a brand new track hadn’t even crossed my mind. Bowie, meanwhile, remained enigmatic, keeping the details close to his chest, likely having briefed Clive and Alan beforehand. The anticipation escalated further as two backing singers arrived, also declaring themselves “here for the Bowie, Jagger session.” The studio buzzed with excitement.
“Dancing in the Street” – A Last-Minute Revelation
Around 5 or 6 pm, Bowie finally broke the news. We were pausing work on “Absolute Beginners.” “Mick Jagger’s coming in about an hour,” he announced, “and we’re recording a song for Live Aid.” He produced a cassette, simply labeled “Dancing In The Streets,” and handed it to the band, tasking them with learning it quickly.
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, sprang into action. They retreated to the live room, huddled around the cassette player, dissecting the song and crafting their parts. Neil Conti, ever the professional, assumed the role of bandleader, ensuring everyone was focused and prepared for the task ahead.
Word had clearly spread. Suddenly, the control room began filling with people – producers from the “Absolute Beginners” film, studio executives, and various movie personnel, all eager to witness this unexpected musical event. Their newfound interest was a stark contrast to their previous absence during the weeks of soundtrack work.
By the time Mick Jagger arrived, the control room was packed with thirteen onlookers, including children. I braced myself, wondering if Jagger would be fazed by the crowd. He entered, perhaps momentarily surprised by the scene, but quickly composed himself and got straight to work. He even brought his daughter, Jade, along for this momentous occasion.
It became immediately apparent that music was deeply ingrained in Jagger’s being. As the band ran through sections of the song, stopping and starting for discussion, Jagger was in constant motion. Even mid-conversation, the moment the music played, he’d be dancing, seamlessly blending talk and rhythm. His enthusiasm was infectious. “I want to be Mick Jagger’s mate!” I remember thinking, captivated by his vibrant energy.
Recording the Vocals – Two Legends, Two Styles
With the band prepared, Mick, David, and the backing vocalists, Tessa Niles and Helena Springs, were guided into the vocal booth. Separated from the band but still connected, they were ready to lay down the track.
The first take began. The extended drum intro sounded initially unconventional, a deliberate choice by Bowie for a dramatic build-up. In this first run-through, neither Mick nor David sang during this intro, perhaps still figuring out the vocal arrangement.
Recording the entire band and singers live was a refreshing departure from the increasingly clinical recording practices of the 80s. They delivered two energetic takes. Listening back, the consensus leaned towards the first take for its raw, live vibe.
The decision was made to re-record the vocals, not due to performance issues, but to address microphone bleed. In the shared recording space, each singer’s voice had slightly bled into others’ mics, a common occurrence in earlier recording eras but less desirable for modern mixing. The backing singers swiftly and professionally nailed their individual parts.
Then it was Mick’s turn. Mick Jagger transformed the vocal booth into his personal Madison Square Garden stage. Witnessing this legendary performer at such close range was electrifying. Alan Winstanley entrusted me with recording Mick’s vocals, placing me directly in Jagger’s line of sight. The pressure was immense.
Mick unleashed two takes, each bursting with his signature energy. The dimly lit live room couldn’t contain his performance; he’d disappear momentarily as he strutted and moved, only to reappear perfectly on cue for his next line. There was no need for gentle encouragement; Jagger gave it his all, instinctively.
We listened back to both takes, acknowledging their brilliance. Clive Langer, perhaps emboldened by a few glasses of wine amidst the legendary company, jokingly suggested, with a slight slur, that “one word on the second take was maybe a bit better.” All eyes turned to Clive, then back to Mick, who good-naturedly agreed to listen again. Whether a word was actually lifted from the second take remains a hazy memory, but Clive, looking sheepish, gave me a knowing glance, realizing he might have overstepped.
Finally, with time dwindling before their departure for the video shoot in London’s Docklands, it was David’s vocal turn.
David Bowie’s approach contrasted sharply with Jagger’s. He was a different kind of artist in the studio. He would sing powerfully and flawlessly with the band during the backing track recordings, delivering takes that, in my opinion, were lead vocal quality from the outset. He never gave a less than stellar performance. However, when it came to dedicated lead vocal recording, Bowie adopted a meticulous, almost methodical approach. He’d record line by line, pausing after each to listen back, before proceeding to the next. This deliberate process, for a singer of his caliber, was initially baffling to me. He often referred back to a demo version, ensuring his lines were precisely as he envisioned.
During a later part of the song, I had to execute a tight punch-in and punch-out edit on the analog tape as David wanted to re-record a specific line. The margin for error was minuscule; I had to drop out of record before the subsequent line began, with no digital “undo” button to rely on. Thankfully, I executed it cleanly. Vocals were complete.
From Studio to Screen – The Rough Mix and the Video Shoot
It was time to prepare a rough mix for the sound engineer at the video shoot. Ever the diligent engineer, I instinctively set two cassette players to record, a standard practice on any session. I thought Mick and David might want a reference mix for their journey to the film set. As the song neared its end, David’s manager, Coco, noticed the recording cassette player and exclaimed, “Are you recording a cassette?!” “Yes,” I replied, “I thought you might need one.” She didn’t mention the second recorder. “I’ll take that, please,” Coco said sharply, taking one cassette. When she wasn’t looking, I discreetly pocketed the other, tucking it out of sight under the mixing desk. This is how I came to possess a copy of that very first rough mix of “Dancing In The Street.”
David generously invited everyone at the studio to join them at the video shoot. Tempting as it was, exhaustion, primarily from nervous energy, washed over me. Plus, after the intensity of the vocal session, a shower was definitely calling.
Post-Production and Release – A Live Aid Anthem is Born
Following the video shoot, Mick took the tapes to New York, where brass instruments and additional bass parts were added. Prog rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman also contributed further piano embellishments. The final mix was entrusted to the legendary Bob Clearmountain. Seeing my name in the engineer credits on the record sleeve was, to say the least, a moment of immense pride. “Dancing In The Street,” born from a spontaneous studio session fueled by Live Aid’s urgent call, became an anthem, forever linking Mick Jagger Bowie Dancing In The Street in music history.
