An unreleased version of David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ is to be released as an NFT to mark the 40th anniversary of the mega-hit.
Songwriter and producer, Larry Dvoskin – who is the songwriting partner of The Beach Boys’ Al Jardine – is releasing his cinematic re-do of the late music icon’s 1983 classic, alongside one-off digital collectibles inspired by Bowie on the blockchain platform Gala Music.
In a statement, Dvoskin declared: “I am first and foremost a huge Bowie fan. It would have been a mistake to attempt to copy the original. This is something different. David simply imagined a more dreamy, electronic version. He is the original disruptor of expectations.”
On Twitter, Dvoskin made people aware that the re-make has not been authorised by Bowie’s estate.
Fans can pay a donation of any amount for the download and money raised will go the Grammys’ MusiCares charity, which has raised millions for health, financial and rehabilitation resources for people in music.
He wrote: “Let’s Dance Friday- After 20 years the unreleased version I produced for David Bowie- is finally going LIVE. It’s NOT coming from The Estate, but from @GoGalaMusic and it’s a “Pay what you want” price. Any amount raised goes to @MusicCares The Grammy org. So Let’s Sway thru the crowd to an empty space! (sic)”
Bowie – who died in January 2016 aged 69 – had emailed Dvoskin back in 2002 about doing the re-recording but never got around to it.
He recalled: “When I first talked with the executor of the Bowie Estate, he told me he initially planned to listen to my pitch about releasing this as an NFT and then politely pass.
“But when he pulled up the original 2002 email in which Bowie expressed his enthusiasm for doing the recording, that changed his mind. This was a creative endeavour David never got to see released during his lifetime. We are honouring his wish by releasing it now.”
The NFTs will be available via music.gala.com “soon”.
The original was co-produced by Nile Rodgers of Chic and featured on the seminal album of the same name.