The wait is over – and what a treasure trove it is! A collection of previously unheard recordings by David Bowie from 1965, made during his early days as Davy Jones, is finally set to hit shelves this September. 'David Bowie: The Shel Talmy Recordings' promises to give fans an unbridled insight into the formative years of one of Britain's most iconic musicians – think the embryonic stages of a superstar in the making.
Recorded mid-1960s London, where Bowie was experimenting with a blues-rock sound that would soon morph into something much more radical, this new release unearths material that has lain dormant for decades. We're not just talking about any old tracks – we're talking about collaborations with a young Jimmy Page and Nicky Hopkins, the mastermind behind some of The Rolling Stones' and The Beatles' most unforgettable piano work.
The man at the helm of these sessions was Shel Talmy, an architect of 1960s rock music whose portfolio includes hits for The Kinks ('You Really Got Me') and The Who ('My Generation'). With Page on board as part of Bowie's backing band, The Manish Boys, this compilation brings together unheard songs like 'Cupid', 'Leave Her to Me', 'You Gotta Tell Her', 'Certain Woman', 'Today', 'I Live in Dreams', 'I Do Believe I Love You', and the instrumental 'Keep Up With the Jones'.
Born David Jones, Bowie would only adopt his legendary moniker two years later – 1966 was the year the world got to know him by a different name. And what a year it turned out to be! Music historian Alec Palao writes in the compilation's liner notes that these early works should be cherished for what they are – not compared to the groundbreaking, boundary-pushing masterpieces that would follow. Instead, they should be seen as vital chapters in Bowie's extraordinary musical journey.
Fast-forward 35 years and you'll find Bowie revisiting some of his earlier material with a re-recorded 'Liza Jane' for an album titled 'Toy', released posthumously in 2021. But this latest offering, 'The Shel Talmy Recordings', gives us something much more precious – a glimpse into the very start of that epic journey.