Stardust falls to earth

Former Spandau Ballet star Gary Kemp – a near lifelong fan of the pioneering musician – unveiled the plaque at the spot where the cover of the 1972 release was shot.

The location, in Heddon Street, just off Regent Street, is now a pedestrianised area brimming with bars and restaurants.

The album – fully titled The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars – helped to establish Bowie as one of the world’s best known rock stars. It featured just one top 10 hit, Starman, but established him as a visionary artist.

Kemp – who became hooked by music after seeing Bowie on Top Of The Pops – described him a “Messianic rock star”.

The cover was shot in January 1972, five months before the release, with Bowie resting his foot on a step outside 23 Heddon Street, which photographer Brian Ward used as a makeshift studio.