A long-forgotten radio interview has been uncovered where David Bowie tells how his first American tour bombed after he got the wrong visa - and immigration officials banned him from performing.

The landmark visit to the States was planned to be a coast-to-coast publicity drive to promote Bowie's third album, The Man Who Sold the World.

But, despite organising a variety of gigs at colleges and universities following the album's U.S. release in 1970, he was left high and dry when border officials refused him permission to work.

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Mistake: David Bowie was prevented from performing in America in 1970 to plug his album because he did not have the right visa, it has been revealed

'The Man Who Sold The World' (left) is seen by many as the genesis of glam rock. Right, Bowie poses for a portrait dressed as 'Ziggy Stardust' in a hotel room in 1973 in New York

It was later revealed the singer had failed to apply for an H1 employment visa, making it legal for him to perform.

The oversight meant Bowie was forced to plug the album - hailed as the birth of glam rock - through secret gigs for 'whoever we could get in'.

He was also restricted to simply talking about the album on U.S. radio shows, instead of performing any of its songs to live audiences.

Bowie described the tour as 'awful', adding: 'I was sent [to America] to plug the LP, but I couldn't get an HI.

Bowie with Guitarist Mick Ronson in 1972. He described the botched U.S. tour of two years earlier as 'awful'

'So I landed there and I found out all I could do was radio shows and talking about the album.'

He met students 'and people who'd heard my material', and performed at 'the odd private house where I would play for whoever we could get in. We did it that way.'

The 'lost' recording came to light for the first time in more than 40 years after Strawbs frontman Dave Cousins discovered the radio interview he did with Bowie in the back of a drawer.

Discovery: Dave Cousins, of The Strawbs, found the long-forgotten interview on tape in his attic

Cousins interviewed the young Bowie in March 1971 during a five-year spell as a producer for the Danish broadcaster, Danmarks Radio.

But the recording, which has never been played to a British audience, lay forgotten in his attic for more than four decades until he stumbled across it.

Cousins claims the historical importance of Bowie's disclosure was 'completely overlooked' by the music media at the time.

Cousins, whose band is best known for 1973 hits 'Part of the Union' and 'Lay Down', said: 'David Bowie rarely gives interviews, so it was a major coup for me and Danmarks Radio at the time.

'But David was not a megastar like he is today, which meant that this throwaway comment about his American tour fell on deaf ears.

The Man Who Stole the World reached number 26 in the UK album charts following its release in 1970.

In January and February of the following year, Mercury Records financed a publicity drive in order to promote it heavily in America.

But upon arrival at an American airport, Bowie was told that the necessary working Visa had not been obtained in advance.

He told the Danish station: 'Next time I hope I'll be able to work over there. So I really can't give you an honest opinion what I thought of American audiences because I didn't see any.'

Cousins then asks: 'But in general, where the stuff's been played on the air, what sort of reaction has it had?

'Are people over there more interested in music than perhaps people over here, or is it the other way round?'

'When [Americans] really believe in something, they really go to town on it,' Bowie answers.

'And they believe in lifestyles. So everyone's got to have a lifestyle out there, and records are very much a part of younger people's lifestyle.'