As a David Bowie exhibition opens in Dundee, 1960s Scottish folk rockers the JSD Band look back on some of their most memorable moments supporting the late icon before he hit super stardom.
At the height of their fame in 1972, the Celtic musicians supported the flamboyant singer on the UK-leg of his Ziggy Stardust tour after impressing him when appearing on the same bill at London’s Kingston Poly.
The band played a 20-date tour with Bowie before he hit the big time.
Bowie died on January 10, 2016 in New York City after a secret 18-month battle with liver cancer, aged 69.
JSD drummer Colin Finn said the band got the offer following a recording session for famed DJ John Peel.
He said: “We got to play with David Bowie on his Ziggy Stardust tour as he’d heard of us and asked if we wanted to do it. We just took things like that in our stride, we were never in awe of anyone because we knew that we could play.
“Bowie was good to us. The star act is usually precious about their soundsystem but he insisted we used his.
“He was a genuine bloke who always made sure we sounded good and we got on brilliant with the Spiders from Mars, we stayed at the same hotels and partied with them.”
Their famous ticket stub from the Kingston Poly went on display in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum as part of a David Bowie exhibition.
Speaking after the Starman’s death, the JSD Band’s flute and guitar player, Sean O’Rourke, said: “We were all taken aback. None of us had any idea he had cancer. You just think someone like David Bowie will live forever.”
Colin added: “I was shocked. When you lose a character like him it leaves such a big gap. The guy was pure genius.”
The band say, to this day, they have no idea why he wanted a folk-rock band to support him, but the experience will stay with them forever.
Sean added: “He wasn’t a big name at the time. It was only half way through the tour he sold out everywhere. He had appeared on the front page of the music magazine Melody Maker which — back then — if you got that, you knew you’d made it.
“He brought Lou Reed over from the States for the last gig at the Royal Festival Hall.
“There were queues down the street for him and all the kids had the eye make-up on. It was an overnight transformation. You couldn’t get into a Bowie gig after that.”
The band described the star as a “true showman”, with Sean adding: “He was so ambitious… a very determined, interesting and clever guy. He made damn sure he was going to break through to the big time and gave it his all.”
Colin described the icon’s stage presence as electrifying, saying: “Every time he did Space Oddity, at the crescendo he stood up on his tiptoes with his Gibson J200 guitar held high above his head for ages – the audience going wild – then he threw it into the crowd. It was incredible.”
He added: “There’s not too many wild stories to tell, he was very sensible back then and never over indulged — we were probably the ones who tried to lead him astray. But he was always up for a friendly drink and a chat after the gigs. He had a good sense of humour.”
Sean recounted one funny memory of Bowie demonstrating Elvis’ dance moves.
“He told us he learned a lot from watching Elvis. He was a very observant guy who absorbed anything that interested him. We certainly learned a lot from him.”
David Bowie: On Tour will open at V&A Dundee from 4th November 2026, making it the first venue to stage the V&A’s new UK-wide tour.
Featuring more than 100 highlights from the V&A’s David Bowie archive, many that have never been on public display before, including costumes, instruments, photography and handwritten material, the tour will share a rare insight into Bowie’s creative process across music, film and performance.
Across four sections, David Bowie: On Tour takes audiences behind the scenes into Bowie’s creative process, exploring how he created his ever-evolving image, music and screen work.
Curated by Harriet Reed, Curator of Contemporary Performance at the V&A, David Bowie: On Tour marks the first time highlights from David Bowie’s archive have been shared on this scale outside London, bringing Bowie’s story and creative imagination to audiences in Scotland and across the UK.
Harriet Reed, Curator of Contemporary Performance at the V&A, said: “David Bowie’s archive reveals an artist in constant motion - a restless, forward-looking mind at work beyond the music and images we know. From fan art and his first instrument to unrealised projects, handwritten notes and unseen sketches, David Bowie: On Tour brings visitors up close to the ideas behind his work - including items from The Next Day and Blackstar never shown before - offering new insight into how his creativity took shape. It’s a rare chance to step inside Bowie’s imagination, and experience the curiosity and daring that defined his life’s work.”
Tickets for the V&A Dundee dates are on sale via the website with priority booking for V&A Dundee Members.