Editing Diamond Dogs (section)

==Writing==
{{multiple image
| footer = The 1949 novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'' by [[George Orwell]] (left) and the writings of [[William S. Burroughs]] (right) influenced the overall theme of ''Diamond Dogs''.
| image1 = George Orwell press photo.jpg
| width1 = 146
| alt1   = A close-up photograph of a man with a mustache
| image2 = Burroughs1983 cropped.jpg
| width2 = 140
| alt2   = A black-and-white photograph of an older man sitting at a table and drinking a glass, surrounded by people
}}
According to the biographer Chris O'Leary, ''Diamond Dogs'' is a combination of numerous projects Bowie envisioned at the time.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 8}} In November 1973, Bowie conducted an interview with the writer [[William S. Burroughs]] for ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Published in February 1974, the interview gave insight into Bowie's current ambitions. An admirer of Burroughs's working methods and his 1964 novel ''[[Nova Express]]'', Bowie revealed he had begun using Burroughs's "cut-up" technique as a way for inspiration. He spoke of a musical based on ''Ziggy Stardust'', saying: "Forty scenes are in it and it would be nice if the characters and actors learned the scenes and we all shuffled them around in a hat the afternoon of the performance and just performed it as the scenes come out." He also casually mentioned adapting [[George Orwell]]'s 1949 novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'', a Bowie favourite, for television.{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=367–372}} He had wanted to create a theatrical production of the novel and began writing material after completing sessions for ''Pin Ups''.{{sfn|Buckley|1999|pp=208–217}} Neither of these projects came to fruition.{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 8}}

The ''Ziggy Stardust'' musical fell through, but Bowie salvaged two songs for ''Diamond Dogs'' he had written for it—"[[Rebel Rebel]]" and "[[Rock 'n' Roll with Me]]".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=367–372}} At the end of 1973, George Orwell's widow, [[Sonia Orwell]], denied Bowie the rights to use the novel.{{sfn|Buckley|1999|pp=208–217}} The rejection annoyed Bowie, who lambasted her for it in ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' magazine a few years later.<ref name="Circus interview">{{cite magazine |last=Edmonds |first=Ben |title=Bowie Meets The Press: Plastic Man or Godhead of the Seventies? |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/bowie-meets-the-press-plastic-man-or-godhead-of-the-seventies- |magazine=[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]] |date=27 April 1976 |access-date=31 May 2021 |via=[[Rock's Backpages]] |url-access=subscription |archive-date=28 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928203443/https://rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/bowie-meets-the-press-plastic-man-or-godhead-of-the-seventies- |url-status=live }}</ref> She refused to allow any adaptation of her late husband's work for the rest of her life. No adaptations were possible until after her death in 1980. Unable to adapt the novel, Bowie decided to create his own apocalyptic scenario inspired by the works of Burroughs. Songs from this scenario included what would become the album's [[Diamond Dogs (song)|title track]] and "[[Future Legend]]".{{sfn|Pegg|2016|pp=367–372}}{{sfn|O'Leary|2015|loc=chap. 8}}{{sfn|Buckley|2005|pp=184–185}}