demos and out-takes
bowie talks bootlegs 9kb 4 secs
silly boy blue 340k 2:54
promise that's a promise 273k 2:19
these are the two sides of an acetate which was heavily bootlegged in the 1980s.
the tracks were recorded in February 1966 at the R.G.Jones studios in Morden,
Surrey, this time backed by the newly auditioned Buzz. Silly Boy Blue appeared
on the Deram album with different lyrics while That's A Promise remains
unreleased in any other form. The jump in the latter track is due to damage to
the acetate.
over the wall we go 479k 4:05
this track is another of Bowie's 'earlier, funnier' songs. A solo demo was
recorded in early January 1966 and this group version was recorded in July of
that year. Broadcast on pirate station "Radio London" in August 1966 but never
released as a single it eventually found it's way to collectors pressed onto an
acetate backed with a demo of Love You Til Tuesday recorded at the same time. It
was later recorded by "Oscar" which was the pseudonym for actor Paul Nicholas.
love you til tuesday 376kb 3:12
as with "Over The Wall We Go" Bowie recorded a solo demo of this track in
January 1966 but that version is not available to collectors. This July demo
is however and is interesting as is the only version to contain the extra
lyrics in the bridge section. found on an acetate backed with "Over The Wall We
Go."
lieb dich bis deinstag 360kb 3:04
mit mir in deinem traum 463kb 3:57
Ken Pitt had booked David on a couple of German music shows and it was his idea
to record two of David's better compositions in a foreign language. This is
something Bowie has continued to do throughout his career, and has now managed
French, German, Italian, Spanish, Indonesian and Mandarin off the top of my
head. Jerry Hopkins claims that Bowie learned several German versions of his
songs recorded during the filming of the "Love You Til Tuesday" film which Pitt
hoped to sell to overseas tv stations. That was 1969 and to me it seems more
logical that these were recorded at the same time as the first album i.e. late
1966, early 1967. Correct answers on a postcard please. The two tracks, "Love
You Til Tuesday" and "When I Live My Dream" respectively were pressed into an
acetate which was auctioned at Sotheby's in 1988. Two of the many tracks that
were planned for the Deram anthology, a project that David blocked.
i'm waiting for the man 517kb 4:20
recorded with Riot Squad in April 1967 at the Decca studios and produced by Gus
Dudgeon. was this very polite version of this Velvet Underground track which was
later savaged at the BBC by Mick Ronson.
little toy soldier 237k 2:01
a very dark song also recorded with Riot Squad. Bowie heard an acetate of the
first Velvet Underground album that Ken Pitt picked up on a trip to New York. It
obviously impressed him as he recorded "I'm Waiting For The Man" and borrowed
lines from "Venus In Furs" for this track. The song is about Sadie and her wind
up soldier that whips her until she bleeds. Incredible.
when I live my dream (alternate vocal) 437kb 3:44
what it says really. An acetate of a version of "When I Live My Dream" with a different
vocal. Probably a demo vocal pressed up for an acetate judging by some of the bum notes.
karma man 341kb 2:54
an early mix of one of the best pre "Space Oddity" tracks that was pressed into
an acetate and found a way into our eager hands. One of the several tracks that
Bowie wanted released as a single but were rejected by various record companies.
the mirror 227kb 1:29
threepenny peirrot 220kb 1:52
columbine 175kb 1:29
when i live my dream (version 1) 418kb 3:34
when i live my dream (version 2) 213kb 1:48
these tracks are from the 'Peirrot In Turquoise' bootleg that is very well
known but still pretty hard to get hold of. Lindsay Kemp writes in "The Bowie
Companion" that the first three songs were written especially for his mime show
that the bootleg took its name from. Also used in the play were "When I Live My
Dream" and "Sell Me A Coat" The versions featured here were recorded for use in
the 'Looking Glass Murder' a play produced for Scottish tv.
london bye ta-ta 391kb 2:34
This is the March 1968 Tony Visconti take of a track that was never released,
another track rejected as a single by Decca, the final straw for Bowie who left
soon after. Interestingly the same fate met the 1970 remake which Mercury
dropped in favour of "The Prettiest Star". At a push I would say that the re-
make is better but this version does have a glorious Visconti string arrangement
which can't be overlooked.
luv 27kb 0:13
Luv (with pop cards) is the name of a long lost ice cream the advertising of
which Bowie, on Ken Pitt's advice, sang and starred in. Another Pitt
masterstroke which lead to the Pepsi ad. 20 years later. This version is not
complete and Jerry Hopkins offers a different version in his book "Bowie." I
don't know the exact date but it would appear to be from 1968 some time.
even a fool learns to love 82kb 0:42
also from 1968 is this oddity. A long story so i'll keep it short. in France a
song appeared by the name of 'Comme D'Habitude' with a nice tune and crap
lyrics. the race was on to write an English language version. David wrote this
and Paul Anka wrote 'My Way.' Mr Sinatra (gawd bless 'im) made a decision, Paul
made millions, David made commercials to pay the bills. Bowie's lyric was sung
over the top of the original and that was pressed into a presumably unique
acetate which Ken Pitt owns.
space oddity 699kb 5:22
janine 436kb 3:43
an occasional dream 367kb 3:07
conversation piece 395kb 3:22
ching a ling 386kb 3:17
i'm not quite 342kb 2:55
when i'm five 283kb 2:25
love song 699kb 5:58
life is a circus 652kb 5:34
lover to the dawn 551kb 4:42
these demos were recorded for Bob Grace of Chrysalis Music in February 1969, in
David's bedroom at Clairville Grove, Chelsea, where he had shared a flat with
his girlfriend, Hermione, and John Hutchinson. David had split from Hermione and
Feathers had split too. This demo tape features some of the material David and
Hutch had been performing as Feathers, and now as a duo. "I'm Not Quite" was
later released as "Letter To Hermione", maybe the split was too recent for the
subject to be namechecked so soon.
The track "Lover To The Dawn" is an early version of "Cygnet Committee" with
extra happy bits thrown in. I personally think he made the right decision to
strip the track down. The melody is obviously a favourite of Bowie's, it was
used either backwards of forwards in these two tracks and also "Ching-A-Ling"
and "Saviour Machine."
One song, a cover of Lesley Duncan's "Love Song", was covered by Elton John on
the "Tumbleweed Connection" album. The other cover is "Life Is A Circus" a track
by Djin that nothing seems to be known about. Only one track been released
officially. "Space Oddity", is featured on the Ryko SOUND AND VISION box set.
There is a slight warping during some of the tracks which is present on all
bootleg issues of this recording which is presumably on the master tape which,
after the Ryko release, is assumed to still be in Bowie's possession.
The style of the music is very reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel, another
market David was having a go at cracking.
lightening frightening 459k 3:55
this track was released on the Ryko "The Man Who Sold The World" but with a
faded in intro. This is the full length version. An odd track, it really doesn't
seem to fit in with other 1970 recordings. Excellent stuff though, great
harmonica.
tired of my life 362kb 3:05
this is often referred to as the first song Bowie ever wrote. I assume this is
derived from an interview and would be grateful if anyone could help me out
here. The song was later re-written as "Its No Game" for Scary Monsters and this
version is thought to have been recorded at Haddon Hall in 1970.
changes demo 392kb 3:20
kooks demo 350kb 2:58
amsterdam demo 347kb 2:57
bombers demo 327kb 2:47
rather obviously demos for planned "Hunky Dory" tracks. Record Collector
magazine describes Bowie's piano playing on the first two as "clumpy."
right on mother 300kb 2:33
Peter Noone, formerly of Hermans Hermits recorded two Bowie tracks, "Oh You
Pretty Things" as an a-side in April 1971 and "Right On Mother" as a b-side in
October 1971. This track was never fully recorded and this version , a demo from
an unknown date, is the only known one available.
miss peculiar (how lucky you are) 547kb 3:35
how lucky you are 524kb 3:25
A few words about Arnold Corns before notes on these specific tracks.
Towards the end of 1970 Bowie had secured a new publishing deal with Chrysalis
music and was frequently recording demos at Radio Luxembourg studios. Bowie, who
at this time was still under contract to Mercury, had no intention of recording
new material under his own name, so he created semi official outlets in the
Arnold Corns and Nick King pseudonyms.
In early 1971 Tony DeFries had sorted out the contractual problems and was
negotiating a new recording contract with RCA. David had already started
recording material for two albums, one of these became Hunky Dory while the
other, which never materialized was the Arnold Corns album Looking For Rudi.
"Miss Peculiar" was one of a handful of songs recorded under the name The
Nick King All-Stars and at least four different versions of the song exist.
The rarest being David's original piano vocal demo recorded at Haddon Hall
in May 1970.
The first version listed here is the most common version, believed to have been
recorded in February 1971, and featuring David on lead backing vocals and
piano, with John Cambridge on drums and Tony Visconti on Bass (although Tony
says he's never heard of this song!)
Two versions were recorded at Trident Studios on 23rd April 1971. The second
version listed here features the vocals of Micky "Sparky" King. The other
version, recorded with David's own vocal has yet to surface among collectors but
both versions exist in stereo and mono formats.
rupert the riley 359kb 3:03
Rupert The Riley is another Arnold Corns track about David's car and this time
Bowie is singing backing vocals with Sparky King once again on lead vocals.
looking for a friend 332kb 2:10
on June 17th 1971 Arnold Corns recorded four demos at the Radio Luxembourg
studios, three of which were released by the B&C label in September 1971. two
tracks "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang Onto Yourself" were radically changed and
ended up on "Ziggy Stardust." The third track and in my opinion the best was
"The Man In The Middle" the b-side of the second single, which apart from a semi
official release on 12 inch in 1985 has not seen the light of day since. The
fourth track was not known about until this 1985 release and is a version of
"Looking For A Friend" with Freddi Buretti on lead vocals. This is a demo
version featuring Bowie on very rough vocals and was probably recorded in late
1970 or early 1971.
don't be afraid 344kb 2:56
a very rare track that has hardly been bootlegged due to it's low quality, this
is probably a Hunky Dory out-take. This is David at his most T Rex and I doubt
if it will ever find an official outlet.
bombers (warhol segue) 374kb 3:11
there are a lot of versions of this track in circulation, a demo, a BBC session,
several different length studio versions and a fully orchestrated version.
Bombers was originally slated for release on "Hunky Dory" but was replaced by
"Fill Your Heart." This take includes the segue that still exists on the album
and shows how the track would have fitted in. another track which was linked
with the near legendary 'bridging' album between Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust.
shadowman
often listed as a Hunky Dory out-take this track was referred to in the Ryko re-
issue of Ziggy Stardust as being recorded for that album but being left
unfinished. Interestingly that information refers to it as "Shadowman" but that
is its bootleg title, it was originally called "The Man" For me this is the best
Bowie out-take and one of his best songs ever. That it remains unreleased is a
mystery to me.
holy holy 487kb 3:11
the original January 1971 Mercury single a-side which was later re-made by the
Spiders during the Aladdin Sane sessions. This is a much more sedate version and
really pales next to the more familiar Mick Ronson onslaught of the re-make.
all the young dudes 455kb 3:52
henry and the h-bomb 403kb 3:26
it's alright 508kb 4:20
in May 1972 Bowie was working with Mott The Hoople, the result of which was the
huge hit single "All The Young Dudes" which rescued the band's career and became an anthem overnight. during the sessions Bowie recorded a few Mott The Hoople songs and, along with Bowie's demo of All The Young Dudes backed by Mott, two are presented here. Henry And The H-Bomb remained unreleased in any form until a Mott version was released as part of an anthology a few years ago. i can't find any mention of It's Alright anywhere and assume it is not a Bowie composition. the version of All The Young Dudes blows away the Rarestonebowie version and features a huge organ sound and a great delivery. the other two tracks are of great interest too, being totally new to the majority of Bowie collectors, myself included up to yesterday. put your hand up Mr Dan Gallo for providing these tracks for us all.
starman 377kb 3:13
starman instrumental 498kb 4:15
Bowie performed this single on Top Of The Pops in the UK on April 14th 1972
singing live over this backing track. Here is most of the vocal version and the
entire instrumental, which is simply the well known recording with most of the
vocals removed. It is actually a few seconds longer than the official version,
and you can hear Mick Ronson's original ending that was faded out for the
official release. In both cases I have added a few bars of the original to the
beginning to make them sound a little better.
a lad in vein 738kb 6:18
surprisingly little is known about this track. It very probably comes from the
Aladdin Sane sessions, and has no specific title so this one, being the most
common, is as good as any. Elements of the track are scattered all over the
Aladdin Sane album and most people were rather surprised when it was left off
the Ryko re-issue of the album. All sorts of mystery surrounds this track,
particularly whether it is the track "Zion" that was talked about during the
recording of "Aladdin Sane" or another track in its own right. There is also
some suggestion that its similarity to Sweet Thing makes it a Diamond Dogs out-
take.
dodo 581kb 4:25
David worked with Lulu for a while in the 70s, most successfully co producing
Lulu's version of "The Man Who Sold The World" and its b side "Watch That
Man" with Mick Ronson in 1974. It is rumoured that she recorded some more of
Bowie's songs but this is the only confirmed recording. released on the Ryko re-
issue of Diamond Dogs was a two and a half minute edit of this song. here at
last is the full length version with David and Lulu singing a duet.
right 552kb 4:43
can you hear me 637kb 5:26
somebody up there likes me 767kb 6:33
fame 597kb 3:55
the "Young Americans" album has a long history, initially having a different
name, "The Gouster." After becoming Young Americans David played an early
version to a journalist which at this time included the tracks "Who Can I Be
Now" and "It's Gonna Be Me." At this point enter John Lennon. "Fame" and "Across
The Universe" were recorded and the two aforementioned tracks were replaced.
There are several version of most of the "Young Americans" tracks on tape in the
vaults on recently some of these have been finding there way to collectors. the
first three tracks here have been doing the rounds for some time but Fame is an
absolutely new track, never before heard by the public. It's a great version,
much clearer and featuring a great flute part. better than the released version
I think.
let's twist again 418kb 3:34
this tracks has been available on tape for years and is rumoured to be a
collaboration between David and John Lennon, presumably from the "Young
Americans" sessions. Much as I would like it to be genuine, I really think this
is either a deliberate fake or a genuine mistake that has reached mythical
proportions.
station to station 1,129kb 9:39
TVC15 636kb 5:26
sister midnight 719kb 6:08
five years (takes 1 & 2) 226kb 1:55
five years 658kb 5:37
panic in detroit 745kb 6:22
fame 448kb 3:49
changes 514k 4:23
queen bitch 367kb 3:08
rebel rebel 444kb 3:47
jean genie 990kb 8:27
life on mars 217kb 1:50
recorded in Vancouver on the 2nd of February 1976, these are amazing rehearsal
versions of tracks that were performed all through the 1976 tour. The most
interesting track here is "Sister Midnight" a track co-written by Bowie and Iggy
Pop for "The Idiot." Several live versions exist but this is the closest to a
studio version and is exceptionally good. A professionally recorded video exists
of this rehearsal and I presume that it is the source of these recordings due to
the tell tale hiss in quiet sections which is commonly found on second
generation video copies. to be played at maximum volume.
sleeping next to you (instrumental) 398kb 3:23
sleeping next to you (vocal) 646kb 5:31
madman (short) 344k 2:56
madman 802kb 6:51
Bowie appeared on the Marc show in September 1977, a week before Bolan's
untimely but now rather trendy death in a car crash. They jammed two songs in a
Manchester hotel room for the performance and these are what collectors have from those rather lengthy and repetitive sessions. On the night Bowie sang "Heroes" and the duo were to play "Sleeping Next To You" as the final credits rolled but Bolan
fell off the stage a few seconds into the song. It turned into a bad week for him
all things considered. Madman was covered by The Cuddly Toys in July 1980 after
Marc distributed copies of the entire tape amongst fanclub members. the longer version of Sleeping Next To You features a couple of minutes of false starts and profanity from David who is upset with his playing. most interesting on the full tape of Madman which, aside from a couple of false starts includes a two complete version and very different arrangements, the second a much more bluesy take featuring some nice guitar from i presume Marc.
walking through that door 286kb 2:26
skunk city 43kb 0:22
these two tracks are alleged to feature Bowie and Marc Bolan, the latter also
featuring Gloria Jones who sings like she drives. i've never been convinced but
am assured they are all in there so here they are for your delight. Little is
known about these recordings but some sources claim that they stem from the same
session as "Sleeping Next To You" and "Madman." I think this is possible in the
case of the latter but the quality of the former seems to suggest that it has
been mixed in a studio and the fact that it features a full band pretty much
rules it out of those jams.
up the hill backwards 382kb 3:15
because i'm young 551kb 4:42
scream like a baby 369kb 3:09
kingdom come 449kb 3:49
its no game 438kb 3:44
is there life after marriage ? 520kb 4:26
two 14" reel-to-reel studio tapes marked 'Monitor Mixes', were auctioned at
Christie's in 1989 (selling for £320) and from them came these amazing
recordings. They are early versions of Scary Monsters tracks and all vary
considerably from the released versions, most obviously on "Because I'm Young"
which was re-written as "Because You're Young" with new lyrics. During the
sessions an instrumental track called "Is There Life After Marriage ?" was
recorded but this probably isn't it. This is more likely a run through of
Cream's "I Feel Free" which was recorded and dropped, to be later recorded for
"Black Tie White Noise." A reliable source who has heard the masters assures me
that their quality is far better than the, still amazing, cd bootlegs currently
in circulation.
radio and tv performances
five years 438kb 3:44
queen bitch 352kb 3:00
oh you pretty things 367kb 3:07
i have already posted one track from the BBC tv show Old Grey Whistle Test and
now here are all three. great happy versions of these songs, if only you could
see the video, the Spiders never looked better.
fame 375kb 3:12
can you hear me 496kb 4:14
young americans 768kb 6:33
in 1975 David appeared on the Cher Show performing three numbers. the first,
Fame was solo and the other two were duets. this is a wonderful version of Can
You Here Me, benefitting greatly from Cher's breathy vocal. the famous medley
presented here at last. some think it's dreadful, i love it. Bowie does Vegas,
it could have stayed like this for 20 years. here is the full track listing,
if it's wrong please blame Pimm Jal de la Parra.
Song Sung Blue
One
Da Do Run Run
Wedding Bell Blues
Then Maybe
Day Tripper
Blue Moon
Only You
Temptation
Ain't No Sunshine
Youngblood
heroes 411kb 3:30
sleeping next to you 131kb 1:06
as discussed elsewhere, Marc Bolan's last public appearance not in a box was on
his 'Marc' show singing a new duet with old pal arch rival Bowie. First up
Bowie sang a great version of "Heroes" and then the two got together to play
"Sleeping Next To You" over the credits. Sadly our last image of Marc is him
falling of stage and David laughing at him. Here it is so you can laugh too.
heroes 350kb 2:59
unfortunately this tracks is from replayed Top Of The Pops, a long running
British TV icon. It suffers from a sudden fade but is a worthwhile download
nonetheless, with it's much gentler, upbeat vocal.
andy warhol 287kb 2:27
lady stardust 398kb 3:23
repetition 348kb 2:58
the supermen 361kb 3:04
white light white heat 427kb 3:38
shopping for girls 402kb 3:26
aladdin sane 408kb 3:29
the man who sold the world 463kb 3:57
quicksand 554kb 4:44
as part of the 50th birthday celebrations Bowie gave a rather special interview
to BBC Radio One. As well as the usual questions, top music celebrities kissed
his feet and asked their own personal questions. The highlight however was the
Beeb persuading David to record ten songs for broadcast, an excellent mix with
the possible exception of the overplayed "White Light White Heat." Nine were
broadcast at first with "I Can't Read" having to wait 6 months until the 17th of
August for airplay. All essential listens but for me "Shopping For Girls" and
"Repetition" are the stand outs.
scary monsters(and super creeps) 466kb 3:58
recorded in 1997 for US radio, Bowie and Reeves give this track a rather odd
Johnny Cash spin.
dead man walking 490kb 4:11
i can't read 599kb 5:06
jean genie 527kb 4:30
scary monsters(and super creeps) 328kb 2:47
seven years in tibet 548k 4:41
One of the big features of the 1997 tour was the huge amount of personal
appearances Bowie and the band made on radio and television shows. here
is a set recorded for Boston Radio station SCBN on the 8th April 1997
featuring Bowie and Reeves. a great set performed before a studio audience
was one of the first times these now familiar acoustic versions were played.
dead man walking 474kb 4:03
jean genie 490kb 4:11
scary monsters(and super creeps) 300kb 2:33
i can't read 542kb 4:38
seven years in tibet 456kb 3:54
the supermen
later the same day David and Reeves were in Atlanta at radio 99X performing
pretty much the same set, which is a shame. still wonderful songs though,
this version of "I Can't Read" is my favourite. the extract of "The Supermen"
is a great surprise too.
dead man walking 522kb 4:27
my favourite track from "Earthling" and my favourite performance from the Jack
Docherty tv show on Channel Five in Britian. a perfect, fragile delicate
performance that really captures the song.
dead man walking 500k 4:16
will the acoustic versions of this track ever stop? this is number four here !!
from the May 10th 1997 "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." this acoustic
performance with Reeves was far and away the highlight of the US tv performances
that year. for me this is at least as good as the album version, and better than
some of the weaker "Earthling" tracks.
rosie girl 90kb 45 secs
Bowie sang this cute version of "China Girl" to Rosie O'Donnell when he appeared
on her show in 1997.
live
white light white heat 587kb 5:00
waiting for the man 655kb 5:41
sweet jane 466kb 3:59
Bowie and the Spiders performed a gig at the Royal Festival Hall in London on
the 8th of July 1972. this was a Friends Of The Earth, save the whale fundraiser
and Bowie got blistering reviews. appearing as a guest and on an English stage
for the first time ever was Lou Reed, recently ex Velvet Underground. They
played three Velvets numbers together with Bowie on backing vocals and it is
great to hear Mick Ronson playing these tracks with Lou singing. History in the
making as Bowie took the mantle of rock God from the washed up Lou and carried
it into the 70's. my opinion of course.
this boy 282kb 2:24
bowie performed this Beatles track at several of his Ziggy Stardust shows and
this rather poor quality version is from Aylesbury Friars on the 18th July 1972.
my death 631kb 5:23
great track and brilliant performance, this is live at the Boston Music Hall
October 1st 1972. compare this to the latest live versions and see what 25 years
of cigarettes will do.
drive in saturday 490k 4:11
a wonderful acoustic live version of this song, performed at Pirate's World,
Fort Lauderdale on the 17th November 1972. The quality is not great, it's an
audience tape, but the performance makes up for this. another acoustic
performance in perfect quality from a gig in Cleveland, Ohio on the 22nd
September 1972 has recently surfaced but has yet to find it's way to collectors.
jean genie / love me do 1071kb 9:09
a little bit of personal history here. my first ever Bowie bootleg was a tape
of the "Retirement Gig" as it used to be known, the Spiders final performance at
the Hammersmith Odeon, 3rd July 1973. it is still one of the best bootlegs there
is, the raw power of the band that was washed out of the official release is so
powerful on this release. thsitrack was left off the official release supposedly
at Jeff Beck's request along with Round And Round which has never been bootlegged.
this track is unique, the only time on record that Bowie segued Love Me Do into
the song and a fantastic example of Mick Rinsons playing, sparring with Jeff Beck
with sensational results. also included here is the speech Bowie made informing
the audience and, i beleive, the band that they were splitting up. pointlessly
chopped up on the official release the screams of horror from the audience tell
the whole story. awesome.
dodo 633kb 5:24
everything's alright 282kb 2:24
i can't explain 266kb 2:16
jean genie 475kb 4:03
sorrow 344kb 2:56
i got you babe 475kb 4:03
space oddity 629kb 5:22
time 604kb 5:09
filmed at the Marquee, London between the 18th and 20th of October 1973 was the 1980
Floor Show special for NBC. by this time Woody Woodmansey had quit the Spiders but
Trevor Bolder and Mick Ronson stayed on for one last performance. these recordings
feature the only live versions of the Pin Ups tracks and what is as far as i know
the only version of Space Oddity with a full brass part. i have already posted a
version of I Got You Babe but this version has a few extra seconds at the beginning
and is from a better quality source. she still can't sing though.
all the young dudes 459kb 3:55
this is a live recording from the LA Universal Amphitheatre in September 1974.
Bowie is often quoted as saying "for my gay boyfriends" in his introduction but
is quite obviously saying "but I gave away to friends," referring to Mott The
Hoople.
imagine 545kb 4:39
the song needs no introduction really. Bowie's old friend John Lennon was shot
dead on the 8th December 1980, striking fear into the hearts of many performers,
not least Bowie. the Serious Moonlight tour finished up in Hong Kong Coliseum on
Dec 8th 1983 and, Hong Kong being the last place the two had been together it
was almost inevitable that Bowie would sing this track. a surprisingly good and
upbeat performance given the circumstances and lack of rehearsal.
under pressure 538kb 4:35
all the young dudes 436kb 3:43
heroes 587kb 5:01
on April the 20th 1992 Bowie was among many artists who took part in the Freddie
Mercury tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, London which unfortunately is remembered
by most for Bowie's questionable reading of the Lord's Prayer. far more important
is the fact that Bowie and Mick Ronson got together one last time to perform together. it was known that Mick was dying of cancer and the sadness of the moment was not lost on many. all the performers played with Queen as thier backing group and Bowie's first track was a duet with Annie Lennox, made up to look like Pris from Blade Runner.(trivia note, the inscription on the flowers Bowie sent to his brother's funeral used a line from the same film.) the band were then joined by Ian Hunter from Mott The Hoople and Mick Ronson for a run through of the former's biggest hit. then, as at Live Aid, Bowie sang Heroes, the song somehow meaning so much in both contexts. forget the rest, the day belonged to Mick and Mick alone.
subterraneans / scary monsters (and super creeps) 981kb 8:23
reptile 696kb 5:56
hallo spaceboy 587kb 5:00
hurt 633kb 5:24 554kb 4:44
on the first leg of the 1995 Outside tour Bowie was joined by Nine Inch Nails.
They opened the shows with these tracks. the highlight for me is Hurt, an
awesome duet by Bowie and Reznor and the eerie Subterraneans is outstanding too.
big files but worth the download although the NIN wall of sound in Reptile and
Hallo Spaceboy is not ideally suited to the real audio treatment.
lust for life 724kb 6:11
live at Loreley, Germany June 1996. Bowie singing a song he co-wrote with Iggy
in '77.
let's dance 487kb 4:09
For the last few years Neil Young has held the Bridge Benefits to raise money
for the Bridge School for children suffering from Cerebal Palsy and this track
from the Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, 19th October 1996. this is the
first track of hopefully the whole set and is an amazing re-working of one of
Bowie's most famous songs. by losing all the 80s chic of the track and turning
in a much more menacing version we get what seems almost like a cover version.
Reeves does a great job playing the Stevie Ray Vaughn lead guitar note for note
and all up this is a revelation. Brilliant.
planet of dreams 532kb 4:32
this track is officially released on the Long Live Tibet benefit CD for The Tibet
House Trust Charity. credited to David Bowie and Gail Ann Dorsey this captures what
i beleive is the only performance of this song.
i'm waiting for the man 527kb 4:30
white light white heat 466kb 3:58
dirty boulevard 532kb 4:32
queen bitch 441kb 3:46
Four tracks from the birthday bash, 9th January 1997 at Madison Square Garden. the
rest of the set is posted elsewhere on the net but as far as i know these tracks
are only available here. Lou Reed in his home town sings on all of these tracks,
the first two from the days of the Velvet Underground and the third being from his
amazing comeback album "New York" the first and I imagine last time Bowie will
perform it. being unique this is the best track of the bunch for me with Bowie's
mock NYC accent being a highlight. "Queen Bitch" is Bowies homage to Lou and it's
great to hear them singing it as a duet.
i can't help thinking about me 122kb 1:02
this is great, Dave having a bit of fun in San Francisco in 1997.
oh superman 1087kb 9:17
i've made no secret of my feelings for Bowie's drum 'n' bass dabblings in the past,
but this live track is the exception. perfectly fusing Gail Anne Dorsey's vocal with
a great laid back beat to produce a great cover of this Laurie Anderson track.
possibly the highlight of the Earthling tour. long but beautiful .
miscellaneous
you're holding me dow n 321kb 2:44
Bowie's first single was "Liza Jane" as Davy Jones and the King Bees. After
David left, the rest of the band released this single which does feature George
Underwood but not Bowie, although a lot of people claim it does. It's pretty
awful and is here for the curious.
raw power 201kb 1:18
fairly self explanatory when you listen to it is this rough excerpt from the Raw
Power sessions featuring Bowie on backing vocals i am assured.
rca record mirror flexi 688k 5:52
given away with a 1974 issue of Record Mirror was this amusing promotional item,
to coincide with the release of "Knock On Wood." Nothing rare included here but
worth a listen for the great soundbites from the Pythonesque speaker.
to know him is to love him 310k 2:38
put here also purely for the sake of the curious is this Steeleye Span track
from their 1974 album "Now We Are Six." Not talked about very much, this is
Bowie as session saxophonist, a role he never repeated.
golden years 377kb 3:13
this is the original instrumental music track for "Golden Years", played over
the closing credits of the Stephen King film of the same name.
heroes (remix) 618kb 5:16
an excellent remix by Aphex Twin aka Richard James. After Phillip Glass released
his "Heroes Symphony" this mix was made by using the orchestral version and the
original lyric. This is legally available, released as a bonus disc with the
Japanese release of the symphony, but is here because it is very hard to get
hold of.
madman 355kb 3:02
as discussed before, The Cuddly Toys recorded a version of Bowie and Bolan's
Madman and here it is for the curious. Actually not a bad track and i'm not sure
of the outcome but i do remember that Steve Harley also claims to have been
involved in the writing of this track.
cool cat 585kb 3:50
this is one that Bowie fans have a real problem finding. it has only appeared on
one Queen bootleg that i know about. Bowie does some Satellite Of Love type
backing vocals and an odd Mickey Rourke style rap in the middle.
fire girl 654kb 4:18
cry for love 663kb 4:21
a couple of demos from Iggy Pop's 1986 'Blah Blah Blah' album featuring the co-
producer on later mixed out backing vocals.
name dropping 94kb 47 secs
this is not musical, just a funny little poke at David's propensity for name
dropping. i believe it comes from the "An Earthling @ 50" tv special.
buddah of suburbia 134kb 3:44
a piece of music broadcast on The Buddah of Suburbia but not used on the
album. Very nice.