In 1983, following the expiration of the 12 year deal he signed in 1971, David Bowie parted company with RCA Records by mutual consent. While the singer's 'Berlin Trilogy' albums were critically acclaimed, none of the three records penetrated the US Top 10 - Low peaking at number 11, "Heroes" at number 35, and Lodger at number 20 - and although 1980's Scary Monsters was a greater commercial success, buoyed by the success of singles Ashes To Ashes and Fashion - there was no huge appetite at the US label to negotiate a new deal for the star.
"Rock and roll is a business and David wasn’t selling any records in America," Bowie's friend, producer and collaborative partner acknowledges in a new interview with Vulture. "We now act like it was all hip and fantastic, but it wasn’t. He wasn’t killing it."
