Description
Some collectors might complain that the double-disc Bowie At The Beeb, the first official collection of David Bowie’s BBC Radio sessions, isn’t complete, yet they likely have bootlegs of this material. All other fans are in for a real treat. Spanning from 1968 to 1972, these recordings find Bowie, if not in his prime, at least at a peak, as he developed from a swinging Carnaby Street pop crooner to swaggering glam rock star. BBC Sessions makes this era come alive. Opening with the lovely, florid “In the Heat of the Morning,” the sessions spend time with David the Dandy before he delves into his dramatic heavy rock of the early ’70s. That’s where guitarist Mick Ronson made his public debut with Bowie at the session that comprises the middle of disc one. This is lean, powerful, terrific music, not as pummelling as The Man Who Sold the World, but it’s slightly overshadowed by the session that concludes the first disc. It contains the bulk of rarities here, including the never-released “Looking for a Friend,” a rollicking cover of Chuck Berry’s “Almost Grown,” a version of “It Ain’t Easy” where Bowie trades verses with Geoffrey Alexander and George Underwood, and a performance of the exquisite “Bombers.” After a pair of songs by just Bowie and Ronson, the second disc finds the Spiders From Mars forming and quickly hitting their stride. Since this disc is largely devoted to recordings from 1972, it’s a bit more consistent than the first, and it results in a live Spiders album better than any yet officially released. BBC Sessions may not be revelatory, yet this set is filled with wonderful music that deepens appreciation of Bowie’s first great blast of creativity. Any true fan needs it in his collection.
Track list:
1. In The Heat Of The Morning-Top Gear 1968
2. London Bye Ta Ta-Top Gear 1968
3. Karma Man-Top Gear 1968
4. Silly Boy Blue-Top Gear 1968
5. Let Me Sleep Beside You-Dave Lee Travis Show 1969
6. Janine-Dave Lee Travis Show 1969
7. Amsterdam-The Sunday Show 1970
8. God Knows I’m Good-The Sunday Show 1970
9. The Width Of A Circle-The Sunday Show 1970
10. Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed-The Sunday Show 1970
11. Cygnet Committee-The Sunday Show 1970
12. Memory Of A Free Festival-The Sunday Show 1970
13. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1970
14. Bombers-In concert John Peel 1971
15. Looking For A Friend-In concert John Peel 1971
16. Almost Grown-In concert John Peel 1971
17. Kooks-In concert John Peel 1971
18. It Ain’t Easy-In concert John Peel 1971
19. The Supermen-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1971
20. Eight Line Poem-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1971
21. Hang On To Yourself-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
22. Ziggy Stardust-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
23. Queen Bitch-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
24. I’m Waiting For The Man-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
25. Five Years-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
26. White Light / White Heat-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
27. Moonage Daydream-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
28. Hang On To Yourself-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
29. Suffragette City-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
30. Ziggy Stardust -Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
31. Starman-Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show 1972
32. Space Oddity-Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show 1972
33. Changes-Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show 1972
34. Oh! You Pretty Things-Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show 1972
35. Andy Warhol -Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
36. Lady Stardust-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972
37. Rock n Roll Suicide-Sounds Of The 70s Show 1972