Divine Symmetry (4CD/Blu-ray)
DAVID BOWIE DIVINE SYMMETRY (4CD/Blu-ray)a four-CD celebrates the twelve months running 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 from the period, 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 have been written for the release by Bowie expert Tris Penna, along with contributions from HUNKY DORY 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, he 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, played live for the first time that June with Mick Ronson, Woody Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder, the band that would later be christened the Spiders From Mars and recorded the classic album HUNKY DORY.
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 3rd June, 1971 and broadcast 20th June, 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
21st September, 1971 and broadcast 4th October, 1971
Live Friars, Aylesbury, 25th September, 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 23rd April, 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 12th April, 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 12th April, 2016