On January 8 -- what would have been David Bowie's 73rd birthday -- Parlophone announced the latest releases in their ongoing series celebrating the rare and unreleased performances from the vault. The streaming EP Is It Any Wonder? was unveiled over the course of the last six weeks, with a new song hitting streaming services every Friday. Parlophone also previewed an upcoming Record Store Day release, ChangesNowBowie with the first selection on the EP, an intimate 1996 recording of "The Man Who Sold The World."
Today, Parlophone revealed the final track on the streaming edition of the album. "The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)" was previously issued as a non-LP B-side alongside the Outside version of "Strangers When We Meet." The "Live Eno Mix" was based on Bowie's trip-hop-styled reworking from the Outside Tour, with Brian Eno adding overdubs to a live version of the classic.
Parlophone also revealed that physical editions of Is It Any Wonder? will arrive on CD and 12" EP on March 20. These will have a slightly different track listing from the streaming version. Not only will the ChangesNowBowie version of "The Man Who Sold the World" be dropped and tracks swapped around, but the 12" and CD will add a track called "Fun (Clownboy Mix)." Previously only available on a BowieNet subscriber-exclusive CD-ROM in 1998, the song originated as a remake of "Fame" that Bowie and the band performed as "Is It Any Wonder?" during the Earthling tour. Mark Plati and Reeves Gabrels continued reshaping the track as "Fun" and it was nearly included on the Liveandwell.com album. By the time Danny Saber created the Clownboy Mix, it was a completely new Bowie/Gabrels work with no remnants of "Fame."
On March 20, Parlophone will also release a digital download and streaming single of a rare drum-and-bass mix of "Fun" prepared by UK producer Dillinja in 2000. This track was previously only available on the Liveandwell.com CD and will make its digital debut as part of the Club Bowie playlist.
Now, you won't be able to find Is It Any Wonder? at your favorite record shop on March 20. The CD and 12" vinyl are exclusive to Rhino.com and the David Bowie Online Shop. Each store is offering merchandise and format bundles for those who just have to have it all. While you wait for your physical copies to arrive, you can enjoy the digital version below, and follow along with our coverage of all six songs.
Is It Any Wonder? [Physical Edition] (Parlophone, 2020)
CD: David Bowie Online Shop / Rhino.com
12": David Bowie Online Shop / Rhino.com
Bundles: David Bowie Online Shop / Rhino.com
- Baby Universal '97
- Fun (Clownboy Mix)
- Stay '97
- I Can't Read '97
- Nuts
- The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)
All tracks previously unreleased except Track 6, from "Strangers When We Meet" CD single - Arista/BMG 74321 33236-2 (U.K.)/Virgin 72438 38530 2 1 (U.S.), 1995
David Bowie, Is It Any Wonder? (Streaming Edition) (Parlophone/Rhino, 2020)
- The Man Who Sold The World (ChangesNowBowie Version)
- I Can't Read '97
- Stay '97
- Baby Universal '97
- Nuts
- The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)
David Bowie, CHANGESNOWBOWIE (Record Store Day 2020 Exclusive) (Parlophone/Rhino, 2020)
- The Man Who Sold The World
- The Supermen
- Andy Warhol
- Repetition
- Lady Stardust
- White Light/White Heat
- Shopping For Girls
- Quicksand
- Aladdin Sane
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