4CD/BLU-RAY AND DIGITAL BOX SET

RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 25

 

INCLUDES 48 EXCLUSIVE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS

 

A DIVINE SYMMETRY 

(AN ALTERNATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH HUNKY DORY)

VINYL LP AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 24, 2023

 

"KOOKS (BBC SOUNDS OF THE 70s WITH BOB HARRIS)"

SINGLE AVAILABLE NOW TO STREAM AND DOWNLOAD

 

September 29, 2022 - Parlophone Records proudly announces DAVID BOWIE: DIVINE SYMMETRY, a four-CD, one Blu-ray box set and digital equivalent. The collection celebrates the 12 months leading up to the release of the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 via home demos, BBC radio sessions, and live and studio recordings.

 

DAVID BOWIE: DIVINE SYMMETRY contains 48 previously unreleased tracks/demos and new alternative mixes of Hunky Dory tracks by original co-producer Ken Scott.

 

Two books accompany DIVINE SYMMETRY, a 100-page hardback book featuring exclusive memorabilia and photos, alongside a 60-page replica composite of Bowie’s notebooks from the era featuring handwritten lyrics, costume drawings, recording notes, and set lists.

 

The sleeve notes were written for the release by Bowie expert Tris Penna, along with contributions from Hunky Dory, including co-producer Ken Scott, lifelong Bowie friends Geoff MacCormack and George Underwood, singer Dana Gillespie, guitarist Mark Pritchett, Friars Aylesbury promoter David Stopps, publisher Bob Grace, and photographer Louanne Richards.

 

1971 was a pivotal year for Bowie. He signed a record deal with RCA, met Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, and Iggy Pop while in New York, became a father and penned the song "KOOKS" as a show of paternal pride, and played live for the first time that June with Mick Ronson, Woody Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder. This band would later be christened The Spiders From Mars and recorded the classic album, Hunky Dory.

 

"KOOKS," recorded by Bowie and guitarist Mick Ronson for the BBC’s Sounds Of The 70s presented by Bob Harris, is now available for download and streaming. It was recorded at Kensington House, Shepherds Bush, London, Studio T1 for BBC Radio on September 21, 1971, and broadcasted on October 4, 1971.

 

DAVID BOWIE DIVINE SYMMETRY TRACKLISTING

* 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) * 

Bonus acetate dubs:

15 Changes (demo) *

16 Bombers (demo) *

 

CD 2:

BBC RADIO IN CONCERT: JOHN PEEL

 

David Bowie and Friends

(mono)

1 Queen Bitch *

2 Bombers 

3 The Supermen *

4 Looking For A Friend 

5 Almost Grown 

6 Kooks 

7 Song For Bob Dylan *

8 Andy Warhol *

9 It Ain't Easy 

 

David Bowie and Friends

(stereo)

 

10 Queen Bitch *

11 The Supermen * 

12 Looking For A Friend *

13 Kooks *

14 Song For Bob Dylan *

15 Andy Warhol *

16 It Ain't Easy *

 

Recorded June 3, 1971 and broadcast June 20, 1971

Paris Cinema Studio, Regent Street, London

 

Musicians:

David Bowie – lead vocals (except as below)

George Underwood – lead vocals on ‘Song For Bob Dylan’ & ‘It Ain’t Easy’ (3rd verse) & backing vocals

Dana Gillespie – lead vocals on ‘Andy Warhol’, backing vocals

Geoff MacCormack (aka Alexander) – lead vocals ‘It Ain’t Easy’ (2nd verse), backing vocals

Mark Pritchett (aka Carr-Pritchard) - guitars, backing vocals

Mick Ronson – guitars, backing vocals

Trevor Bolder - bass

Woody Woodmansey - drums

 

 

 

 

CD 3:

BBC RADIO SESSION AND LIVE

 

1 The Supermen 

2 Oh! You Pretty Things 

3 Eight Line Poem 

4 Kooks *

5 Fill Your Heart * 

6 Amsterdam *

7 Andy Warhol *

 

Musicians:

David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

Mick Ronson – guitars, bass, vocals

 

Session recorded at Kensington House Studio T1 for BBC Radio on

September 21, 1971, and broadcast October 4, 1971

Live Friars, Aylesbury,  September 25, 1971

 

8 Introduction* 

9 Fill Your Heart* 

10 Buzz The Fuzz*

11 Space Oddity* 

12 Amsterdam*

13 The Supermen* 

14 Oh! You Pretty Things* 

15 Eight Line Poem* 

16 Changes*

17 Song For Bob Dylan* 

18 Andy Warhol* 

19 Looking For A Friend*

20 Round And Round* 

21 Waiting For The Man* 

 

Recorded live to 2 track tape.

 

David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

Mick Ronson – guitars, backing vocals

Trevor Bolder – bass guitar

Woody Woodmansey – drums

Tom Parker – piano

 

CD 4:

ALTERNATIVE MIXES, SINGLES AND VERSIONS

 

BOWPROMO mixes

1 Oh! You Pretty Things

2 Eight Line Poem

3 Kooks

4 Queen Bitch

5 Quicksand

6 Bombers – Andy Warhol intro.

 

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor)

Recorded by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

7 Lightning Frightening (aka The Man)*

 

Produced by David Bowie. Engineered by Ken Scott

Recorded on April 23, 1971, Trident Studios, London

 

8 Amsterdam (early mix)

 

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

9 Changes (mono single)

10 Andy Warhol (full-length mono single)

 

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor)

Recorded by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

11 Amsterdam (single b-side mix)

 

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

12 Life On Mars? (2016 mix)

 

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

Mixed by Ken Scott at Abbey Road Studios, London on April 12, 2016

 

2021 mixes

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)*

 

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

Mixed by Ken Scott, October/November 2021

 

BLU-RAY AUDIO

 

All PCM Stereo 96kHz/24bit except ‘Life On Mars?’ (2016 mix):

DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and PCM Stereo 96kHz/24bit

 

HUNKY DORY 2015 REMASTER

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

 

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor)

Recorded by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

A DIVINE SYMMETRY (AN ALTERNATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH HUNKY DORY)

 

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)*

 

2, 3, 5, 9 and 11

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor)

Recorded, engineered and mixed by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

1, 4, 6–8, 10 and 12

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

Mixed by Ken Scott, October/November 2021

 

Bonus mix

13 Life On Mars? (2016 mix)

 

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

Mixed by Ken Scott at Abbey Road Studios, London, on April 12, 2016

 

SOUNDS OF THE 70S: BOB HARRIS

14 The Supermen

15 Oh! You Pretty Things

16 Eight Line Poem

17 Kooks*

18 Fill Your Heart*

19 Amsterdam*

20 Andy Warhol*

 

Session recorded at Kensington House, Shepherds Bush, London, Studio T1 for BBC Radio on September 21, 1971, and broadcast on October 4, 1971

 

A DIVINE SYMMETRY (AN ALTERNATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH HUNKY DORY) VINYL LP

 

Side 1 

1 Changes (2021 alternative mix) (3.38)

2 Oh! You Pretty Things (BOWPROMO mix) (3.12)

3 Eight Line Poem (BOWPROMO mix) (2.52)

4 Life On Mars? (original ending version) (4.01)

5 Kooks (BOWPROMO mix) (2.53)

6 Quicksand (2021 mix – early version) (5.01)

 

Side 2

7 Fill Your Heart (2021 alternative mix) (3.12)

8 Bombers (2021 alternative mix) (2.42)

9 Andy Warhol (original mix)

10 Song For Bob Dylan (2021 alternative mix) (4.22)

11 Queen Bitch (BOWPROMO mix) (3.16)

12 The Bewlay Brothers (2021 alternative mix) (5.26)

 

2, 3, 5, 9 and 11

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor)

Recorded, engineered, and mixed by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

 

1, 4, 6 – 8, 10 and 12

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott

Recorded and engineered by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London

Mixed by Ken Scott, October/November 2021