David Bowie’s first-ever studio recording is expected to fetch £10,000 at auction after being found in a bread basket.
The late music icon’s never released 1963 demo of ‘I Never Dreamed’ with his first band, The Konrads, features the vocals of a 16-year-old Bowie, and was rejected by Decca Records.
The ‘Starman’ hitmaker – who tragically passed away from cancer in January 2016 – left the band citing creative differences not long after, and six years later he established himself as a star with the release of ‘Space Oddity’.
Bowie’s former Konrads bandmate, David Hadfield, is selling the sought-after recording along with a whole host of unique memorabilia.
The drummer came across the items in the 90s in his garage and the demo was found in the basket once owned by his grandfather.
Bowie had been the band’s saxophone player, and it was only on ‘I Never Dreamed’ that he recorded vocals for the first time, and led to them securing an audition with Decca.
Hadfield said: "David had no inclination to become a singer at this point, his heart and mind were focused on becoming a world class saxophone player.
"Our agent, Eric Easton, who also managed the Rolling Stones, asked us to do a demo so he could try and get us an audition at Decca.
"So in early 1963 I booked into RG Jones’ small studio in Morden. In preparation for the demo, David and our guitarist Neville Wills wrote two to three songs.
"We had decided that we would do a couple of guitar instrumentals and one original song. I chose ‘I Never Dreamed’ as it was the strongest, the other two were a bit weak.
"I also decided that David was the best person to sing it and give the right interpretation. So this became the very first recording of David [Bowie] singing 55 years ago."
Other gold dust items up for grabs at the auction, which will take place in September at Omega Auctions, in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, include rare letters, bills, photographs and sketches by the ‘Heroes’ hitmaker.
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said of the demo: "Significant recording, completely unique and of great historical interest, being the earliest studio recording of a fledgling musician who would go on to super stardom."
David Bowie’s first-ever vocal demo set for auction
