Overview:There were 3 distinct periods in the life of David Bowie during the 1970s. The first of course consisted of his Glam years, defined best by the startling Ziggy Stardust album. At the other end of the decade came the Berlin trilogy three dark, industrial yet ambient and often joyous works. But sandwiched between these is what has come to be known via the man's own comments as the Plastic Soul Era, an era just as creative, magnificent and popular as any other during Bowie s career, yet one rarely considered as a stand alone and separate entity within his complete body of work.