A new David Bowie boxset is being released featuring unreleased material.
Parlophone Records have unveiled ‘David Bowie – Loving The Alien (1983 – 1988)’, the next instalment of a series of boxsets covering the late ‘Starman’ hitmaker’s career from 1969, which will be released on October 12.
Fans can get their ears around a never-heard-before version of 1987’s ‘Never Let Me Down’ with production from Mario McNulty, added instrumentation by Bowie’s regular collaborators Reeves Gabrels (guitar), David Torn (guitar), Sterling Campbell (drums), Tim Lefebvre (bass), and string quartet with arrangements by Nico Muhly.
There is also a special appearance from experimental artist Laurie Anderson – who is the widow of the late Lou Reed – on ‘Shining Star (Makin’ My Love)’.
It was the ‘Space Oddity’ hitmaker’s wish to freshen up ‘Never Let Me Down’, after he got Mario to remix ‘Time Will Crawl’ in 2008 and record new drums by his long-time drummer, Sterling Campbell, along with strings.
The track was released on the ‘iSelect’ compilation that year, and in the cover notes, Bowie – who passed away in January 2016 after a battle with cancer – said: "Oh, to redo the rest of that album."
A decade later, McNulty entered the world famous Electric Lady Studios in New York with Bowie’s band members to begin the reworking.
The brand new version also features "remixed" artwork reflecting the album’s subject matter and features unseen images from the original cover photographic session from the archive of Greg Gorman.
However, perhaps the most rare feature is ‘Re:Call 4’, a compilation of outtakes, rarities, B-sides, demos, and songs from the soundtracks for ‘Labyrinth’, ‘Absolute Beginners’ and ‘When the Wind Blows’.
Also included is a previously unreleased live album, ‘Serious Moonlight’, which was recorded in Montreal in 1983 and 3xLP live LP, ‘Glass Spider (Live Montreal ’87)’, which will be released on vinyl for the first time.
Fans can purchase an 11xCD set or 15xLP and standard digital download box set of the release which is named after Bowie’s 1984 ‘Tonight’ record.
Newly-remastered versions of Bowie’s biggest hits of the 80s – ‘Let’s Dance’, ‘Tonight’, ‘Never Let Me Down’ (original and 2018 versions) – are also featured.
‘David Bowie – Loving The Alien (1983 – 1988)’ is the fourth in a series of boxset to be released, following on from ‘David Bowie ‘Five Years (1969 – 1973)’, ‘David Bowie Who Can I Be Now? (1974 – 1976)’ and David Bowie ‘A New Career in a New Town (1977 – 1982)’.
David Bowie boxset featuring unreleased material set for release
