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David Bowie BBC Sessions

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David Bowie recorded twelve radio sessions for the BBC between 1967 and 1972. Many of the tracks – but not all – were released on the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000). Some of the tracks missing from the first few sessions not included on Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set appear on later editions of David Bowie (1967) and David Bowie (1969).[1] A few more tracks appear on BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) [1996]; Bowie at the Beeb 4-LP Edition [2016]). However, many of the missing tracks from the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set are only available on bootlegs and online. 'Hang Onto Yourself' from 11 Jan 1972 has, to date, not appeared in either master tape or bootleg form. This is because many of the original mastertapes are long gone, with sometimes only the broadcast tapes existing, meaning songs that were recorded but not originally broadcast, or only broadcast in edited form, are lost; or in at least one case, only a partial recording of a broadcast exists, with the broadcast tape no longer available. This article gives an overview of all the sessions, along with where they have received their official release.

Unreleased | Missing

Four session tracks from John Peel (11 Jan 1972) exist in poor quality off-air recordings and 1 (at-the-time) broadcast track from the same session is still missing ('Hang onto Yourself').

BBC 'Radio 1 Club' Show Appearances

David Bowie appeared on this 'live' lunchtime radio one show during the Ken Pitt management period. Referenced briefly in the Ken Pitt book, 'The Pitt Report.' Oddly, these are not mentioned in the excellent, Ken Garner 'In Session Tonight' book. However, Kevin Cann references these in his, equally excellent 'Any Day Now' book. Bands would usually play several songs 'live' on the show, however, sometimes they would pre-record a BBC studio session ahead of the 'live' broadcast to be broadcast on 'R1 Club'.Another variation was to sing 'live' or with additional vocals to a backing track or even latest release.

Radio One Club: 28 August 1969, Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent

Interviewed by Dave Cash about 'Space Oddity.'

Radio One Club: 25 September 1969

Interview with Keith Skues

Radio One Club: 14 November 1969, BBC Glasgow, Scotland

Interview with Dave Lee Travis

Top Gear: 18 December 1967

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Bowie's first session for BBC Radio was recorded on the 18 December 1967, soon after the release of his first album, David Bowie (1967). The session was recorded at Piccadilly Studios and arranged and performed by Arthur Greenslade and his 16 piece orchestra with Bowie on vocals and playing guitar. The session was produced by Bernie Andrews.[2]

Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[3] 		Release
01 "Love You till Tuesday" Bowie 3:00
  • 24 Dec 1967
  • 28 Jan 1968
  • David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009)
02 "When I Live My Dream" 3:35
03 "Little Bombardier" 3:28
04 "Silly Boy Blue" 3:25
05 "In The Heat Of The Morning" 2:40

Top Gear: 13 May 1968

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Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[4] 		Release
01 "In The Heat Of The Morning" Bowie 3:03
  • 26 May 1968
  • 20 Jun 1968
 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
02 "London Bye Ta-Ta" 2:36
03 "Karma Man" 3:00
04 "When I'm Five" Bowie 3:08
  • 26 May 1968
  • 20 Jun 1968
  • David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009)
05 "Silly Boy Blue" Bowie 4:37 20 Jun 1968 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Dave Lee Travis Show: 20 October 1969

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Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[5] 		Release
01 "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" Bowie 4:04 26 Oct 1969
  • David Bowie: Special Edition (2009)
02 "Let Me Sleep Beside You" 4:49 (not
broadcast)
  • Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
  • David Bowie: Special Edition (2009)
03 "Janine" 3:05

The Sunday Show [Live]: 5 February 1970

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Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[6] 		Release
01 "Amsterdam" Jacques Brel
trans. Mort Shuman 		3:02 8 Feb 1970 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
02 "God Knows I'm Good" Bowie 3:29
03 "Buzz The Fuzz" Biff Rose 2:21 Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
04 "Karma Man" Bowie 3:02
05 "London Bye Ta-Ta" 2:36
06 "An Occasional Dream" 2:51
07 "The Width of a Circle" 5:58 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
08 "Janine" 3:30 Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
09 "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" 4:20
10 "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" 5:07 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
11 "Fill Your Heart" Biff Rose 2:21 Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
12 "I'm Waiting for the Man" Lou Reed (unk) (not broadcast) lost
13 "The Prettiest Star" Bowie 2:40 8 Feb 1970 Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
14 "Cygnet Committee" 8:54 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
15 "Memory of a Free Festival" 6:40 8 Feb 1970
(3:41 edit)
  • full version lost / edit on Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
  • Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8 repeated on "Sounds Of The Seventies": 2 Sep 1970

Sound Of The Seventies: 25 March 1970

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Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[7] 		Release
01 "I'm Waiting for the Man" Lou Reed 5:49
  • 6 Apr 1970
  • 11 May 1970
  • Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
02 "The Width Of A Circle" Bowie 5:38 Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)
03 "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" 4:44 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
04 "The Supermen" 3:19 (not broadcast)
  • Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021)

In Concert [Live]: 3 June 1971

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"The date of this session has been widely misquoted as 5 June", writes Pegg "but BBC records and Bowie at the Beeb confirm 3 June is correct".[8]

Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[9] 		Release
01 "Queen Bitch" Bowie 4:31 20 Jun 1971 A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
02 "Bombers" 3:14 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
03 "The Supermen" 3:08 A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
04 "Oh! You Pretty Things" (unk) (not broadcast) lost
05 "Looking For A Friend"
vocals Mark Carr-Pritchard 		3:22 20 Jun 1971 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)
06 "Almost Grown"
backing vocals Geoffrey Alexander 		Chuck Berry 2:46
07 "Kooks" Bowie 3:46
08 "Song for Bob Dylan"
vocals George Underwood 		4:46 A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
09 "Andy Warhol"
vocals Dana Gillespie 		4:08
10 "It Ain't Easy"
vocals Bowie, Alexander, Underwood 		Ron Davies 3:00 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Sound Of The Seventies: 21 September 1971

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[10] 		Release
01 "The Supermen" Bowie 2:52
  • 4 Oct 1971
  • 1 Nov 1971
 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD Set (2000)
02 "Oh! You Pretty Things" 3:17
  • A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
03 "Eight Line Poem" 2:57 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD Set (2000)
04 "Kooks" 3:23 A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
05 "Fill Your Heart" Biff Rose 2:49 1 Nov 1971 A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
06 "Amsterdam" Jacques Brel
trans. Mort Shuman 		3:08 (not broadcast) A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)
07 "Andy Warhol" Bowie 2:52
  • A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022)

Sound Of The Seventies: 11 January 1972

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[11] 		Release
01 "Hang On to Yourself" Bowie (unk)
  • 28 Jan 1972
  • 31 Mar 1972
 Broadcast but lost
02 "Ziggy Stardust" 3:19 Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24
03 "Queen Bitch" 3:04 Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24
04 "I'm Waiting for the Man" Lou Reed 5:24 Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24
05 "Lady Stardust" Bowie 3:19 31 Mar 1972 Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

Sound Of The Seventies: 18 January 1972

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[12] 		Release
01 "Queen Bitch" Bowie 2:59 7 Feb 1972 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

02 "Five Years" 4:24
03 "Hang On to Yourself" 2:50
04 "Ziggy Stardust" 3:20
05 "I'm Waiting for the Man" Lou Reed 5:25 (not broadcast)

Sound Of The Seventies: 16 May 1972

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[13] 		Release
01 "Hang On To Yourself" Bowie 2:50
  • 23 May 1972
  • 25 Jul 1972
 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

02 "Ziggy Stardust" 3:24
03 "White Light/White Heat" Lou Reed 3:48
04 "Suffragette City" Bowie 3:29
05 "Moonage Daydream" 4:59 25 Jul 1972

Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show: 22 May 1972

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[14] 		Release
01 "Starman" Bowie 4:05 6–9 Jun 1972
(4 shows) 		Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

02 "Space Oddity" 4:17 (not broadcast)
03 "Changes" 3:30
04 "Oh! You Pretty Things" 2:58 5 Jun 1972

Sound Of The Seventies: 23 May 1972

[edit]
Track Title Written
by 		Length Broadcast
date(s)[15] 		Release
01 "Andy Warhol" Bowie 3:15 19 Jun 1972 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

02 "Lady Stardust" 3:21
03 "White Light/White Heat" Lou Reed 3:56 Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24
04 "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" Bowie 3:09 Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)

Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24

References

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General

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  • O'Leary, Chris, Rebel Rebel: All the Songs of David Bowie from '64 to '76, Zero Books, 2015 – ISBN 9781780992440
  • Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie: Expanded and Updated Seventh Edition, Titan Books, 2016 – ISBN 9781785653650
  • Complete overview of BBC Sessions at the Illustrated db Discography

Specific

[edit]
  1. ^ Pegg, p. 629
  2. ^ Pegg, p. 629
  3. ^ Pegg, p. 629
  4. ^ Pegg, p. 629–630
  5. ^ Pegg, p. 630
  6. ^ Pegg, p. 630
  7. ^ Pegg, p. 631
  8. ^ Pegg, p. 631
  9. ^ Pegg, p. 631
  10. ^ Pegg, p. 632
  11. ^ Pegg, p. 632
  12. ^ Pegg, p. 632–633
  13. ^ Pegg, p. 633
  14. ^ Pegg, p. 633
  15. ^ Pegg, p. 633
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