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Lightning Frightening: New Bowie Box Offers 'Hunky Dory'-Era Rarities

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David Bowie Divine Symmetry

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Hot on the heels of the success of the documentary Moonage Daydream (and its recently released soundtrack, currently streaming and coming soon to physical media), Parlophone has announced a major audio excavation from the David Bowie vault.  On November 25, 2022, the label will release Divine Symmetry (An Alternative Journey Through Hunky Dory), a 4CD/1BD box set chronicling the twelve months leading up to the December 1971 release of Bowie's fourth studio album.  Highlighted by 48 previously unreleased tracks, the box features home demos, BBC radio sessions, live and studio recordings, and new mixes of Hunky Dory material by original co-producer Ken Scott.

Bowie's 1971 saw him earning an RCA contract, meeting like-minded creative artists such as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Andy Warhol, becoming a father for the first time, and playing live for the very first time with the group that would become the Spiders from Mars: guitarist Mick Ronson, drummer Woody Woodmansey, and bassist Trevor Bolder.  All three joined Bowie to record the album that became Hunky Dory.

The first disc of Divine Symmetry offers 16 demos (almost all of which are previously unreleased) including album standouts "Changes," "Song for Bob Dylan," "Queen Bitch," and "Life on Mars?" as well as "Kooks," inspired by the birth of his son Duncan Jones.  The second CD pivots to live material, capturing a June performance for John Peel's BBC Radio In Concert.  Only a handful of these tracks have been previously released on the 2000 David Bowie at the Beeb collection.  The third disc continues with seven songs from a subsequent 1971 Bob Harris BBC broadcast (just three of which were on Beeb and related releases) and fourteen from a previously unreleased September concert at Friars Aylesbury, at which Bowie performed songs from Hunky Dory ("Oh! You Pretty Things," "Changes," "Andy Warhol," the Paul Williams/Biff Rose cover "Fill Your Heart") and more from his back catalogue ("Space Oddity," "The Supermen").  He was supported by Ronson on the BBC set and by Ronson, Woodmansey, Bolder, and pianist Tom Parker at Friars.

The fourth disc offers a host of alternative mixes and versions including those from the original BOWPROMO LP (reissued on vinyl in 2017), the single B-side mix of Jacques Brel and Mort Shuman's "Amsterdam," and various odds and ends such as the 2021 mix of "Changes," previously available only as a digital single.  Finally, a Blu-ray Audio Disc offers the original Hunky Dory LP in its 2015 remaster; twelve of the Divine Symmetry tracks; and the Bob Harris BBC broadcast, all in 96/24 PCM Stereo.  The 2016 mix of "Life on Mars?" is also offered in 5.1 DTS-MA surround.

Two books are featured in the Divine Symmetry box: a 100-page hardcover featuring memorabilia and photos, and a 60-page replica composite of Bowie's notebooks from the era with his handwritten lyrics, costume sketches, recording notes, and setlists.  Liner notes have been authored by Tris Penna with contributions from Ken Scott, Bowie's friends Geoff MacCormack and George Underwood, friend and singer Dana Gillespie, guitarist Mark Pritchett, photographer Louanne Richards, Friars Aylesbury promoter David Stopps, and publisher Bob Grace.

"Kooks," from the Bob Harris show Sounds of the Seventies, is now available for download and streaming.  Look for Divine Symmetry as a 4CD/1BD box set and digitally on November 25 from Parlophone.  A 12-track highlights edition will arrive on vinyl the same day.  You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below!  (Pre-order links are not yet active but should be soon!)

David Bowie, Divine Symmetry (An Alternative Journey Through Hunky Dory) (Parlophone, 2022)

4CD/1BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

* previously unreleased

CD 1: The Songwriting Demos Plus

  1. Tired of My Life (Demo) *
  2. How Lucky You Are (aka Miss Peculiar) (Demo) *
  3. Shadow Man (Demo)
  4. Looking for a Friend (Demo) *
  5. Waiting for the Man (San Francisco Hotel Recording) *
  6. Quicksand (San Francisco Hotel Recording) *
  7. King of the City (Demo) *
  8. Song for Bob Dylan (Demo) *
  9. Right On Mother (Demo) *
  10. Quicksand (Demo)
  11. Queen Bitch (Demo) *
  12. Kooks (Demo) *
  13. Amsterdam (Demo) *
  14. Life on Mars? (Demo) *
  15. Changes (Acetate Dub Demo) *
  16. Bombers (Acetate Dub Demo) *

Track 3 released on "Shadow Man" digital single - ISO/Parlophone, 2022
Track 10 released on reissue of Hunky Dory - Rykodisc RCD 10133 (U.S.)/EMI CDEMC 3572 (U.K.), 1990

CD 2: BBC Radio in Concert with John Peel - David Bowie and Friends

  1. Queen Bitch (Mono) *
  2. Bombers (Mono)
  3. The Supermen (Mono) *
  4. Looking for a Friend (Mono)
  5. Almost Grown (Mono)
  6. Kooks (Mono)
  7. Song for Bob Dylan (Mono) *
  8. Andy Warhol (Mono) *
  9. It Ain't Easy (Mono)
  10. Queen Bitch *
  11. The Supermen (Stereo) *
  12. Looking for a Friend (Stereo) *
  13. Kooks (Stereo) *
  14. Song for Bob Dylan (Stereo) *
  15. Andy Warhol (Stereo) *
  16. It Ain't Easy (Stereo) *

All tracks recorded at Paris Cinema Studio, Regent Street, London on 6/3/1971 and broadcast 6/20/1971
Tracks 2, 4-6 and 9 released on Bowie at the Beeb - EMI 72435 28958 2 3, 2000

CD 3: BBC Radio Session and Live

  1. The Supermen (BBC Session)
  2. Oh! You Pretty Things (BBC Session)
  3. Eight Line Poem (BBC Session)
  4. Kooks (BBC Session) *
  5. Fill Your Heart (BBC Session) *
  6. Amsterdam (BBC Session) *
  7. Andy Warhol (BBC Session)
  8. Introduction (Live) *
  9. Fill Your Heart (Live) *
  10. Buzz the Fuzz (Live) *
  11. Space Oddity (Live) *
  12. Amsterdam (Live) *
  13. The Supermen (Live) *
  14. Oh! You Pretty Things (Live) *
  15. Eight Line Poem (Live) *
  16. Changes (Live) *
  17. Song for Bob Dylan (Live) *
  18. Andy Warhol (Live) *
  19. Looking for a Friend (Live) *
  20. Round and Round (Live) *
  21. Waiting for the Man (Live) *

Tracks 1-7 recorded at Kensington House Studio T1 for BBC Radio on 9/21/1971 - broadcast 10/4/1971
Tracks 1 and 3 released on Bowie at the Beeb. Track 2 released on Japanese pressing of album - Virgin/EMI TOCP-65631-33, 2000. Track 7 released on BBC Sessions 1969-1972 Sampler - NMC Music NMCD0072, 1996.
Tracks 8-21 recorded at Friars, Aylesbury - 9/25/1971

CD 4: Alternative Mixes, Singles and Versions

  1. Oh! You Pretty Things (BOWPROMO Mix)
  2. Eight Line Poem (BOWPROMO Mix)
  3. Kooks (BOWPROMO Mix)
  4. Queen Bitch (BOWPROMO Mix)
  5. Quicksand (BOWPROMO Mix)
  6. Bombers (Andy Warhol Intro - BOWPROMO Mix)
  7. Lightning Frightening (aka The Man) *
  8. Amsterdam (Early Mix)
  9. Changes (Mono Single)
  10. Andy Warhol (Full-Length Mono Single)
  11. Amsterdam (Single B-Side Mix)
  12. Life on Mars? (2016 Mix)
  13. Changes (2021 Alternative Mix)
  14. Life on Mars? (Original Ending Version) *
  15. Quicksand (2021 Mix - Early Version) *
  16. Fill Your Heart (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  17. Bombers (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  18. Song for Bob Dylan (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  19. The Bewlay Brothers (2021 Alternative Mix) *

Tracks 1-6 released on GEM promotional LP BOWPROMO, 1971
Track 8 released on reissue of Pin-Ups - Rykodisc RCD 10136 (U.S.)/EMI CDEMC 3580 (U.K.), 1990
Tracks 9-10 released as RCA U.S. single 74-0605, 1972
Track 11 released on "Sorrow" U.K. single - RCA 2424, 1973
Track 12 released on Legacy - Parlophone DB 64161 (U.K.)/Columbia/Legacy 88985 37660-2 (U.S.), 2016
Track 13 released as Parlophone streaming single, 2021

Blu-ray Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM Stereo 96kHz/24bit (except +)

Hunky Dory - 2015 Remaster (originally released as RCA LSP-4263, 1971

  1. Changes
  2. Oh! You Pretty Things
  3. Eight Line Poem
  4. Life on Mars?
  5. Kooks
  6. Quicksand
  7. Fill Your Heart
  8. Andy Warhol
  9. Song for Bob Dylan
  10. Queen Bitch
  11. The Bewlay Brothers

Divine Symmetry

  1. Changes (2021 Alternative Mix)
  2. Oh! You Pretty Things (BOWPROMO Mix)
  3. Eight Line Poem (BOWPROMO Mix)
  4. Life on Mars? (Original Ending Version) *
  5. Kooks (BOWPROMO mix)
  6. Quicksand (2021 Mix - Early Version) *
  7. Fill Your Heart (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  8. Bombers (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  9. Andy Warhol (Original Mix)
  10. Song for Bob Dylan (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  11. Queen Bitch (BOWPROMO Mix)
  12. The Bewlay Brothers (2021 Alternative Mix) *
  13. Life on Mars? (2016 Mix) +

BBC Sounds of the Seventies

  1. The Supermen
  2. Oh! You Pretty Things
  3. Eight Line Poem
  4. Kooks *
  5. Fill Your Heart *
  6. Amsterdam *
  7. Andy Warhol
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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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