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Two unreleased David Bowie albums to be issued on Record Store Day 2017

By Paul Sinclair

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91

Two genuinely exciting David Bowie releases will be issued for Record Store Day 2017, as the event celebrates its tenth anniversary…

Cracked Actor – Live in Los Angeles 1974 is the first official release of the September 1974 show from the ‘Philly Dogs Tour’ which was memorably included in the semi-legendary BBC documentary Cracked Actor.

The album features a different set-list from David Live and a new band line-up which included Luther Vandross on vocals (he would go on to contribute vocals to Young Americans and indeed gets a co-writing credit for Fascination).

All the multi-track tapes were brought together late last year and mixed by Toni Visconti. This release is a triple album with audio pressed on five sides and the sixth featuring an etching of the Diamond Dogs era Bowie logo.

If that live album isn’t exciting enough, the second Bowie release for RSD 2017 will be BOWPROMO1 which will include seven tracks from a 1971 promo-album, referred to at the time as BOWPROMO. These tracks are mainly alternative versions of songs that would later be heard on Hunky Dory.

These original white label actually features five tracks by Dana Gillespie on the B-side, although these are discarded for this RSD release which is a one-sided 12-inch vinyl with five exclusive Bowie prints and new sleeve notes in a special presentation box.

Good luck seeking these out on Record Store Day 2017, which is on 22 April 2017.

DAVID BOWIE – CRACKED ACTOR (LIVE LOS ANGELES ’74) (3 LP SET)

Side 1:

  • Introduction
  • 1984
  • Rebel Rebel
  • Moonage Daydream
  • Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing

Side 2:

  • Changes
  • Suffragette City
  • Aladdin Sane
  • All The Young Dudes
  • Cracked Actor

Side 3:

  • Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me
  • Knock On Wood
  • It’s Gonna Be Me
  • Space Oddity

Side 4:

  • Diamond Dogs
  • Big Brother
  • Time

Side 5:

  • The Jean Genie
  • Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
  • John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)

Side 6:

  • David Bowie logo etching

Recorded live at Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles on 5th September 1974. Produced by David Bowie. Mixed in by Tony Visconti at Human Studios, NYC in October/November 2016.

Musicians:

  • David Bowie – vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • Earl Slick – guitar
  • Carlos Alomar – guitar
  • Mike Garson – piano, Mellotron
  • David Sanborn – alto sax, flute
  • Pablo Rosario – conga
  • Doug Raunch – bass
  • Greg Errico – drums

Backing vocals – Warren Peace, Anthony Hinton, Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry, Diane Sumler and Robin Clark.

BOWPROMO1 (one-sided LP in presentation box)

  • Oh! You Pretty Things (3.18)
  • Eight Line Poem (2.59)
  • Kooks (3.01)
  • It Aint Easy (3.04)
  • Queen Bitch (3.21)
  • Quicksand (5.09)
  • Bombers / Andy Warhol Intro (3.39)

Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor), mixed by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London.

Musicians:

  • David Bowie – vocals, guitar, phased piano
  • Mick Ronson – guitar, vocal
  • Trevor Bolder – bass
  • Woody Woodmansey – drums
  • Rick Wakeman – piano on Kooks and Quicksand

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91 Comments

91 thoughts on “Two unreleased David Bowie albums to be issued on Record Store Day 2017”

  2. I’ve also just read that there is 15,000 of the BOWPROMO1, now i’m not sure if that’s just the UK allocation or worldwide, either way that’s quite a big pressing for RSD, i’m not sure I’ve seen a pressing that big before.

  5. Slightly off topic but has anyone had a problem with the cover of the recent David Live triple LP spontaneously splitting. Noticed a couple of days after receiving my first copy from Amazon. Requested and received a replacement and exactly same thing happened shortly after removing the sealed cellophane. Very noticeable with a black cover. Wondered if it might be a batch issue?

  7. Great news for eBay skanks. No chance for real fans so very disappointed these are limited editions. They could at least give box set buyers the option to purchase.

  8. The live LP – hardly new – its been available with great sonic quality for years. Thank heavens there are a few that agree with me that this release should have been included in the Who can I be now? box set. It makes perfect sense.

    There are far more interesting concerts from later in the ‘Soul’ tour that should be exhumed – to coin a phrase – including the first & only outings of some tracks from Young Americans – Win – Somebody up there & Can you hear me.

    Hunky Dory promo LP – now this sounds like a worthwhile release -something quirky & unusual. 10 out of 10 to whoever instigated this.

    As for the BBC Cracked Actor concert footage – someone has it or rumour has it that it was wiped – unbelievably the BBC were still utilising this process well into the mid 70’s.

    What would be a nice treat for fans is for the BBC to release Cracked Actor on DVD. Its a fascinating curio of the time.

    Record Store Day – another fascinating little curio that goes on. LOL

  9. Agree with all the comments on ebay vultures and rsd “losing it” from this point of view. No control whatsoever or maybe even collusion. Agree also with “Adey” on the greedy industry inflating prices, I already commented on that in the past.
    Paul, I am so tired of seeing lots of lovely editions being released and not being able even to try and buy them because they have to end up on ebay… I HAVE to rely on the net, since I live in Italy: do you know any stores that may stock this to which we could refer and at least try and buy them from remote?

    “Kevin Allen”: can you please specify which Bootleg you are referring to?
    Thanks a lot

  10. banquet records in kingston will usually have US RSD items as well, about one week later. I am not sure how they do it, but they keep on receiveing regular RSD supplies for weeks after the actual RSD.

  12. If these ever see non-scarcity CD releases, I’ll snap them up, but I don’t have any practical way to play vinyl, so the RSD releases are non-starters for me.

  13. I thought RSD was originally conceived to promote the local music store? Please someone explain to me how this is achieved with these extremely limited releases?

    Why would I support my local music store if they can’t support me and other music fans?

    1. You have to go to a ‘local music store’ to buy them, so – despite loads of regularly observed limitations – it is helping to promote them, isn’t it?

      1. I guess my criticism should be leveled more directly to the label rather than the store – but still, to me RSD was a throwback + promo to those days I would get in the bus and go downtown to buy the weekly new releases. This doesn’t cut it.

  15. I think these releases could be the beggining of the opening of the “unreleased” albuns vault. Perhaps a box-set with only unreleased stuff (live and studio) similar to the Beatles’ Anthology is on the way.

  16. This is SO wrong. Everybody should get a fair chance to purchase this, instead this way they will be bought up by uninterested ebay sellers making money off of DB.
    RSD is the worst thing to come out of the vinyl resurgence of the noughties.

  17. Why do they have to be so limited ?

    Surely making them more available would generate more income.

    Record companies …don’t you just love em.

    Bowie will be the new Elvis income forever whatever they release.

    Sad sad sad

  20. Expect other gigs to be released officially to coincide with the upcoming box sets and RSDs.
    To be perfectly honest and as a Bowie freak, I passed on the “Five Years” and “Who Can I Be Now” sets for obvious reasons (ie. total cash grab, knowing releases like this would soon follow).
    Curious to see what the new box set will contain, not that I will be purchasing that one either.

    “Low” has already received a wonderful unofficial 2LP deluxe edition release and if you are a fan of that album, I would strongly suggest picking it up immediately (btw, the “Sound And Vision (Reprise) at the end of Side One of the second LP is the 2013 piano mix that was recently issued as a limited edition picture disc so no need to get that official rip off either).

    Truth be told and in more recent years, bootleggers have done a better job representing some of our favourite artists than their own labels and estates!

  23. If they release “Cracked Actor – Live in Los Angeles” on cd, I am going to buy this one. But I think that this is not going to be the last live album that is going to be released.

    And if there is a “BOWPROMO1”, then I would not be surprised if there is going to be a “BOWPROMO2” in the near future.

    1. “And if there is a “BOWPROMO1”, then I would not be surprised if there is going to be a “BOWPROMO2” in the near future.”

      No, it was always called BOWPROMO1. They didn’t add the “1” for this reissue. That was just part of its title, from the start.

  24. I see they’re already on e-bay,
    why don’t they just release these things unlimited ?
    How many real Bowie fans will ever get to own these?

  25. The “butchered” Panic In Detroit…. I don’t know about that. I was a bit peeved when I found a longer version was only available on the download but when I heard it I was quite pleased it’s missing from the proper album so I don’t have to live through that drum solo ever again.

  27. My question is, why does this have to be “limited” at all? I’d still queue up to pick up an unlimited release on the day it came out. And the ability for anyone to charge huge amounts on eBay depends on the quantities out there. Last year the record store I went to still had copies of The man who sold the world pic disc the next day, so it wasn’t THAT limited. I thought it was a bit stupid a few years ago when Paul Waller had a hissy fit about eBay sharks… when he put out a release with only 1500 copies (I recall). Did he think he only had that many fans around the world? Putting out 10,000 would surely have fixed the “problem”???

    1. I could not agree more with this. I was always under the impression that the job of a record label was to sell as much product as they can with releases limited only to the amount they can sell. Far too much these days is done on a “blink and you miss it” meyhod which only guarantees certain people will grab as many copies as they can in order to scalp the fans after official stocks are gone and ssdly this entire catalogue is one of them. The scalpers make a fortune from another limited edition, fans who want to buy it are screwed and the labels continue to whine about poor sales.

      Where can i buy this?
      There are no revord stores anywhere near me and i am badly disabled so cannot go on hunting expeditions into the west end so am totally dependent on web sales. Yet there are no pre order pages i can find

  28. I wasn’t going to bother with RSD this year as I thought No Plan would be the only offering but with this news I’ll be there at 4 am even though the nearest store is 30 miles away. If I don’t get them on the day though that will be it, I’m not prepared to line somebody else’s pockets just to have them. Will definitely buy the CD’s when they’re released though.

  29. “…and the complete 10 minute intro.” I’m amused because it really is essential, even though it is mostly just animal (and then human) noises. It sets up the “1984” show perfectly.

    But from the album splits, it looks like maybe 3 minutes of the 10 minute intro is the most to expect on the vinyl version.

    Maybe the (eventual) digital download version will have the whole 10 minute intro.

    Visconti may have made a nice montage of the best grunts for the short version. We’ll see.

  30. Btw the cracked actor artwork is dreadful imho. I acknowledge the fact Bowie is wearing a cape, as he did when performing cracked actor, but the cover art for the “remastered” portrait in flesh is much better.

  31. If its all about the love of music, and getting people into music, and going to “record shops”, why can’t they release limited stuff on cd too, so that its for ALL music lovers, not stamp collecting hipster vinyl elitists??
    I love my music, and have done so for many years since my childhood. I have several thousand albums, but prefer the cd format. Do rsd organisers see people like me as not true music lovers? I probably have a much bigger collection than they do.
    The whole rsd thing is now an opportunity for “flippers” to make a profit on ebay, and a failing greedy record industry to push remastered vinyl at hugely inflated prices.
    Its no wonder that Paul Weller says he wants nothing to do with rsd.

    1. This won’t contain the full intro which is a great shame, particularly given the pointless bloody etching on side 6 which could easily have contained it as a bonus.

      Based on the circulating copies which seem to be at the correct speed, side one track listing (less whatever intro they do use) will be about 18:30 so no room for 10 minutes of animal noises there. My guess is just the 60 second orgasm section.
      Side 2 – 19:45 (plus hopefully the missing 2o seconds of All The Young Dudes and any song intro)
      Side 3 – 20:45
      Side 4 – 15:45
      Side 5 – 19:45

      When they redid Nassau there was a bit too much editing for me, including the butchered Panic In Detroit, but hopefully Visconti will be truer to the source than Maslin. Fingers crossed the tape failure during Time is left intact.

      Disappointing that for the advertised track list they seem to have rolled Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family into Big Brother. It’s a standalone track and should be treated that way.

  35. I buy only proper albums on vinyl, and only my favourites, so stuff like singles, EPs, demos and live recordings are out of my radar anyway when it comes to vinyl. Therefore RSD rarely interests me. I’m gonna wait for ‘Cracked Actor’ on double CD, it’ll come out for sure sooner or later, but as people pointed out the choice of taking it out from the WCIBN? box set is stupid. The remaster of the 2005 mix of ‘David Live’ is quite useless in light of this completely different live recording that could have been included in the box alongside the original version of ‘David Live’. Well, I speak for people who bought the box set here, I did not and I’ll be fine with the standalone CD release of this “new” live album.

  36. The live album is from the recording of that show done by the BBC. They filmed the entire show and now Tony Visconti has remixed it.

    As most of you will be aware, a terrific bootleg of this show has been available for years – although it does have a missing section during All The Young Dudes.

    I hope the official release keeps all Bowie’s rambling, totally bonkers chatter and the complete 10 minute intro.

  37. There’s been a recent bootleg of the original Gem promo with the Gillespie tracks included, should anybody want those. I’m glad to see an authorized version come out, if only of the Bowie tracks.

  39. Don’t record stores sell CDs? Although I have a turntable I am always a little annoyed that it’s all about vinyl, and it’s all about very limited pressings when most lovers of physical music buy most of their music on CD. Plus, if you’re not in the store within the first half hour then there’s usually only a few RSD scraps left anyway.

    If the idea is to get people into record stores then at least recognise that many consumers don’t have a turntable…and whilst I appreciate that there are more things happening on RSD than just these special editions (live music for instance), I’m sure that most folks would be purchasers are either regulars or scalpers, as opposed to occasional buyers of physical product who might be susceptible to visiting more often throughout the year, or for longer on RSD itself, if the day was a bit more imaginative.

  40. RSD is a travesty that is well passed its sell-by-date. It’s basically a day to release extremely limited editions of recordings so scalpers can line their pockets on Ebay. There’s no other reason to have RSD at this point, it’s been highjacked by money-grubbers.

    Not to mention, as a Bowie fan, we’re having to put up with reissues in expensive box sets, while these are previously unreleased? Madness, and anti-music lover.

  41. Yes, more exciting than the usual RSD fare. I had a feeling that the Bowie camp would start officially issuing old live bootlegs as a way of churning out product (which is fine with me).

  42. If this is available in the UK and US I would think theres gonna be a large print run. Get friendly with a local vinyl record store and many times they’ll be happy to set aside a copy. Im interested in that Bowie live for sure.

    1. The other thing to remember is that I very much doubt this stuff will stay exclusive for long. Don’t feel you have to buy it at whatever price…

  43. I hereby take back everything I’d said about Bowie’s curator(s) being out of touch. These are two sensible releases, much-loved by fans.

    I doubted of the value of BowPromo1 until I’d heard it (the original, from needle-drop).

    And the Universal Amphitheatre shows will easily eclipse David Live as the best of 1974. The rough BBC mix is ok, but this new mix from the multitracks could be a revelation.

  44. Does anybody have an idea of the numbers to be issued on these 2 ? I am more than happy to pay more for records on Ebay rather than queue up all night and in all weathers on RSD. These so called “flippers” are providing a service as far as i am concerned.

    2. I’m also feeling cynical about these. They broke the “only released at the time” rule by including “The Gouster” so why they couldn’t have given true value to both (super pricey) sets by throwing in this material is baffling. They will inevitably be available in other formats or in wider release, as clearly the strategy is an all-out milking of his archives rather than good value.

      1. It’s odd too because it seemed like they were struggling to make the “Who Can I…” box 12 discs like “Five Years” with the 2x “David Live” and “The Gouster”. Part of the appeal of those boxes is that they appear to be intended as complete documents of their periods, but clearly aren’t.

  48. Here we go again. “I won’t pay inflated eBay prices… Blah blah blah.” Then don’t. Jesus. I’ve never had to pay outlandish prices for RSD items–just get in line early, figure out which store you have the best chance at, get a friend to buy you a copy at a different store, etc. Nobody’s forcing anyone to buy these things. And besides, sometimes if you wait long enough the price on eBay settles down to about what you would’ve paid in the store anyway.

  50. These limited editions are all very well, but what about us poor peasants who live nowhere near a place with a record store? And for that matter, not all of us have given up on CDs. I’ve no problem vinyl fans getting their fix, but where’s the love for the rest of us?

  51. Most of these will sadly be on eBay before RSD even starts (or at least as it goes live). Sad that what was an event that was really fantastic when it started – and delivered what it was meant to do – has become a medium for people to just exploit – exactly the opposite of what was intended.

    I used to love RSD standing in the early queues with genuine record fans. I don’t ‘even bother now, it is no longer what it set out to be sadly.

  52. Poor Dana Gillespie, with her tracks lost to history. Her cover of “Andy Warhol” (from the original BOWPROMO) was produced and arranged by Bowie, with the Spiders backing her – it’s basically a Bowie track with Gillespie guesting on vocals. (And FWIW, a very different and perhaps superior arrangement of “Andy Warhol” to the one that appeared on Hunky Dory).

  56. I tend to find if you wait a couple of weeks the prices come down after RSD. Perhaps not so much for Bowie, but if I can’t get them at the store, I’ll hold fire until it’s a decent price. In any case I’m already saving for the next Bowie box set, so while I like the look of the promo one I shan’t bother with the Live one.

  57. Great! Both probably extremely limited, no chance to get them at your local dealer… Oh well, we can buy them from Ebay at great prices I’m pretty certain!

  58. I am sure that the live album will be a standalone CD IDC and the Hunky Dory related tracks will probably be on a deluxe edition of that if it ever appears or else lumped in with something else. I am very keen to see these coming on RSD instead of reissues and already planning a 3am alarm for 22 April. And saving my pennies as neither will be cheap: I reckon £30 to £40 each….

  61. aah i see a line of ebay scalpers and a feeding frenzy on line
    as Bowie fans get nowhere near these unless they pay over the odds!
    Very frustrating as these are two releases which reflect exactly what RSD
    should be about.

  62. Wow, how awesome! What are the chances this will be released on CD? Probably zilch, right?Even though I’m not interested in vinyl, I may still get these as they may turn into a serious collector’s items. Any info on the price yet?

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