Excerpts of three tracks that were laid down for David Bowie’s debut record have been shared. That’s ahead of the reel-to-reel master tape going up for auction in the U.K. later this month.
Omega Auctions are set to oversee the demo tape sale on May 21. The lot comes as a “boxed reel of 1/4″ Ampex recording tape, containing four tracks recorded by David Bowie at Decca Studio 2 in West Hampstead, London circa 1967.”
“Please note that this item is sold as an artefact only and no copyright(s) are included with this sale.” The starting price will be 3,475 Euro and the estimated sale price is between 5,000 and 8,000 Euro.
UCR reports that these tracks were later rejected and never made it to the final cut. Bowie recorded the songs “Funny Smile,” Pussy Cat” and “Bunny Thing” between 1966 and 1967, as well as “Did You Ever Have a Dream,” which later surfaced on the 1981 compilation Another Face. Check out the clips below.
According to the Guardian Bowie expert, Paul Kinder said that “Bunny Thing” was a “beat poem about rabbits smuggling drugs, complete with in-character reminiscences of an aged German bunny.” He remarked that “Funny Smile” is “a very solid and catchy R&B number” and said that Bowie’s “totally weird music hall mockney accent” on “Pussy Cat.” “For Bowie fans, these tracks represent part of the holy grail of unreleased recordings.”
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