From the BBC.
A demo believed to be the first recording of David Bowie’s hit song Starman is being put up for auction.
The 1971 tape had been packed away in a box and “totally forgotten about” for almost 50 years.
Bowie can be heard on the demo telling guitarist Mick Ronson he had not finished the song when he tried to end the recording.
Ronson gave the demo to his friend Kevin Hutchinson, an aspiring musician, to help him learn the song in 1971.
But Mr Hutchinson listened to the song, labelled it “David Bowie rehearsal tape” and packed it away in his loft.
The demo also contains recordings of Bowie songs Moonage Daydream and Hang Onto Yourself.
Mr Hutchinson, who is now selling the tape, said: “I remember listening to it and thinking, ‘This is OK.’ I didn’t think, ‘This is fantastic.’
“At 16, you’re not totally impressed. Nothing impresses you.”
He kept the tape despite moving house several times and now Mr Hutchinson thinks it’s “phenomenal… obviously”.
The song featured in the 1972 Ziggy Stardust concept album, which propelled Bowie to fame.
The demo will be auctioned on Tuesday at Omega Auctions in Newton-le-Willows, between Liverpool and Manchester, where it is expected to sell for £10,000.
Mr Hutchinson retrieved the tape from his loft after watching a documentary about Bowie, who died aged 69 in 2016.
He told BBC Radio Humberside in 2017 that he had forgotten about the tape and was “staggered” when he heard the quality of it.
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- David Bowie - Space Oddity - Shrink - US - vinyl LP - £50.00, $61.50, €59.00 (Back In Stock) (arrived 21-Jan-2025 18:00)
DAVID BOWIE Space Oddity (1972 US 9-track vinyl LP on the orange RCA Victor label, including the classic title track plus Memory Of A Free Festival. The matte picture sleeve with the 'previously released as Man Of Words, Man Of Music' text printed in the bottom right retains its original open shrink with import sticker on the back ansd has inimal wear, while the vinyl itself has only light signs of play LSP-4813)
- David Bowie - "Heroes" - 40th Anniversary Edition - UK - 7" picture disc - £15.00, $18.45, €17.70 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 15:44)
DAVID BOWIE "Heroes" (2017 UK limited edition 7" Picture Disc single, featuring the Single Version & 'Marc' Show Version. Bowie pointed out that the quotation marks around the title "Heroes" are there to denote a sense of irony in the title of the song, as per this latest release, while some other releases in the past have dropped this punctuation. The disc is Near Mint, issued in its hype stickered clear PVC sleeve DBHERO40)
- David Bowie - 1984 - RSD - US - 7" picture disc - £125.00, $153.75, €147.50 (Back In Stock) (arrived 18-Jan-2025 18:00)
DAVID BOWIE 1984 (Rare 2014 US only Record Store Day exclusive 40th Anniversary limited edition 7" Picture Disc single, also including a live version recorded on The Dick Cavett Show, within the open stickered PVC sleeve. The sleeve has a number splits to seams, however the vinyl shows minimal signs of wear and play DB401984)***Limited to only 4000 copies***
- David Bowie - Space Oddity - Shrink - US - vinyl LP - £50.00, $61.50, €59.00 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 10:52)
DAVID BOWIE Space Oddity (1972 US 9-track vinyl LP on the orange RCA Victor label, including the classic title track plus Memory Of A Free Festival. The matte picture sleeve with the 'previously released as Man Of Words, Man Of Music' text printed in the bottom right retains its original open shrink with import sticker on the back ansd has inimal wear, while the vinyl itself has only light signs of play LSP-4813)
- David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars - The Motion Picture - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £95.00, $116.85, €112.10 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 12:12)
DAVID BOWIE Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars - The Motion Picture Soundtrack (Limited Edition 2003 UK 20-track double LP pressed exclusively on Red Vinyl, housed in a gloss varnished & individually numbered gatefold picture sleeve with glossy inners & bonus fold-out poster. The packaging displays minimal wear & the vinyl remain in a Near Mint condition ZIGGYRIP3773)
- David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes - P/S A + Stamps - UK - 7" vinyl - £25.00, $30.75, €29.50 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 12:56)
DAVID BOWIE Ashes To Ashes (1979 UK four-prong centre 7" vinyl single, also including Move On, complete with the 'A' variant picture sleeve [David holding the shoe to his ear] & sheet of nine full colour 'stamps'. The delicate sleeve shows only light ring wear & the vinyl remains in excellent condition BOW6)
- David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack - Gold Vinyl - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £34.99, $43.04, €41.29 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 14:29)
DAVID BOWIE Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (50th Anniversary 2023 UK/EU limited edition 21-track double album 2-LP pressed on two glorious Gold Vinyl records.Newly remastered with the ‘The Jean Genie/Love Me Do’ medley and ‘Round And Round’ featuring the late legendary Jeff Beck reinstated for the first time. Gatefold picture sleve. The sleeve shows a notable crease in one corner of the sleeve. Despite this, the vinyl remains in Near Mint condition - ideal play copy!)
- David Bowie - Diamond Dogs - German - vinyl LP - £15.00, $18.45, €17.70 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 14:56)
DAVID BOWIE Diamond Dogs (1986 German black label issue of the 1974 11-track LP, including Rebel Rebel & 1984, glossy barcoded picture sleeve. The sleeve shows minimal wear & the vinyl is Excellent with few signs of play NL83889)
- David Bowie - Pin Ups - Matte p/s - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.75, €29.50 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 15:22)
DAVID BOWIE Pin Ups (1973 UK 11-track LP on the orange RCA label, matt picture sleeve with illustrated credits insert. The sleeve is Excellent & shows just a little shelfwear whilst the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with very little play RS1003)
- David Bowie - Let's Dance - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.75, €29.50 (New Item) (arrived 20-Jan-2025 15:47)
DAVID BOWIE Let's Dance (1983 UK first press 8-track LP, produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers & featuring the guitar genius of a then unknown Stevie Ray Vaughan, picture sleeve with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve shows some light edge scuffing, whilst the vinyl shows few signs of play AML3029)
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