David Bowie’s recordings that he made in the 12 months leading up to the release of the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 are being released as a 4-CD/1-Blu-ray box set, David Bowie: Divine Symmetry. The collection, coming Nov. 25, 2022, via Parlophone Records, features home demos, BBC radio sessions, and live and studio recordings, with 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. (A single vinyl LP arrives Feb. 24, 2023.)
The collection includes previously unreleased versions of such Bowie favorites as “Changes,” “Space Oddity” and “Kooks.”
“Kooks” was recorded by Bowie and Ronson for the BBC’s Sounds of the 70s presented by Bob Harris. It was recorded at Kensington House in London for BBC Radio on Sept. 21, 1971, and broadcast a few weeks later on Oct. 4.
From the Sept. 28 announcement: 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 guitarist Mick Ronson, Woody Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder. This band would later be christened The Spiders From Mars and recorded the classic album, Hunky Dory.
The complete track list appears below the Amazon links, along with more music.
Related: Bowie, with Ronson, made his New York City debut in 1972
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David Bowie: Divine Symmetry Track Listing
* 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) *
Watch Bowie perform “Queen Bitch” on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1972
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
The original album’s co-producer, Ken Scott, talks about working with Bowie
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
