Unreleased David Bowie tracks set for rarities EP and limited-edition album
It marks what would have been his 73rd birthday
Last updated 5th Feb 2020
Parlophone Records is marking what would have been David Bowie’s 73rd birthday today (8th January) by announcing two new releases packed with rarities.
First up is a six-track streaming EP of unreleased and rare tracks called ‘David Bowie Is It Any Wonder?’, and it will be followed by a nine-track live session LP and CD called ‘ChangesNowBowie’ on Record Store Day (18th April 2020).
The first of the six tracks to feature on ‘David Bowie: Is It Any Wonder?’ is an unreleased ‘ChangesNowBowie’ version of his seminal song ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ - famously later covered by Nirvana, of course.
The stripped back version is being released today as a streaming-only one-track digital single to celebrate both Bowie’s birthday, and also the 50th anniversary of the writing and recording of the song.
Five further tracks will be released weekly from Friday 17th January to complete the ‘David Bowie Is It Any Wonder?’ EP.
Alongside the EP, ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ (ChangesNowBowie version) will also appear on the limited edition ‘ChangesNowBowie’ live session album.
Have a listen to the track here:
Featuring nine tracks, ‘ChangesNowBowie’ was recorded and mixed at Looking Glass Studios in New York in November 1996 during rehearsals for David’s 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden.
Gail Ann Dorsey (bass, vocals), Reeves Gabrels (guitars) and Mark Plati (keyboards and programming) performed alongside Bowie on the recording.
It was broadcast on 8th January 1997 by the BBC alongside specially recorded birthday messages from Bowie aficionados including Scott Walker, Damon Albarn, Bono and Robert Smith.
Featuring a portrait of Bowie by esteemed photographer Albert Watson, taken in New York in 1996, the ‘ChangesNowBowie’ cover looks like this: