Divine Symmetry

Parlophone Records proudly announces DAVID BOWIE DIVINE SYMMETRY, a four-CD, one blu-ray box set. This collection 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.

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.

‘KOOKS’, recorded by Bowie and guitarist Mick Ronson for the BBC’s Sounds Of The 70s presented by Bob Harris is available now for download and streaming single. It was recorded at Kensington House, Shepherds Bush, London, Studio T1 for BBC Radio on 21st September, 1971 and broadcast on 4th October, 1971. 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.

Released: November 2022
Label: Parlophone

Listen

Tracklist

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 *

 

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 *
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.

 

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. 
7 Lightning Frightening (aka The Man)*
8 Amsterdam (early mix)
9 Changes (mono single)
10 Andy Warhol (full length mono single)
11 Amsterdam (single b-side mix)
12 Life On Mars? (2016 mix)

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)*

Tracklist (Blu-ray Audio)

* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

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

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)*

  

Bonus mix

13 Life On Mars? (2016 mix)

 

SOUNDS OF THE 70S: BOB HARRIS

14 The Supermen

15 Oh! You Pretty Things

16 Eight Line Poem

17 Kooks*

18 Fill Your Heart*

19 Amsterdam*

20 Andy Warhol*