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 - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust - 1st - 1E - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £295.00, $368.75, €345.15 (New Item) (arrived 19-Apr-2024 17:28)
DAVID BOWIE The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust (Very rare & highly sought after 1972 first UK pressing 11-track LP, with 'Titanic/Chrysalis' credit on the labels & the all important 1E/1E matrix numbers indicating a true first issue, complete with illustrated lyric inner, picture sleeve. This original pre-dates the Mainman contract & as such has no reference to Mainman anywhere on the sleeve or record label SF8287)See 'More Info' for full details on the background & condition of this rarity... #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- David Bowie - Golden Years - Italian - vinyl LP - £15.00, $18.75, €17.55 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:59)
DAVID BOWIE Golden Years (1983 Italian 9-track vinyl compilation LP including Fashion, Ashes To Ashes, Scary Monsters & more. The lightly textured picture sleeve has some notable edge scuffing and light creasing, whilst the vinyl shows few signs of play PL14792)
- David Bowie - I'm Not Losing Sleep E.P - Canadian - 12" vinyl - £35.00, $43.75, €40.95 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 12:21)
DAVID BOWIE I'm Not Losing Sleep (1981 Canadian 6-track 12" vinyl EP, featuring tracks from the first three Pye 7"s, at a time when the nineteen year old Davey Jones, having just parted with his surname & his group The Kingbees, became David Bowie & The Lower Third, unique picture sleeve. This copy remains in near as new condition PHEP001)
- David Bowie - ChangesTwoBowie + Inner & Lifetimes Insert - UK - vinyl LP - £35.00, $43.75, €40.95 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 12:34)
DAVID BOWIE ChangesTwoBowie (1981 UK 10-track compilation LP including Starman, Fashion and Ashes To Ashes, picture sleeve with portrait/discography inner and David Bowie Lifetimes insert. The sleeve shows only minor edgewear and the vinyl looks barely played BOWLP3)
- David Bowie - Portrait Of A Star - French - vinyl box set - £195.00, $243.75, €228.15 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:13)
DAVID BOWIE Portrait Of A Star (Scarce 1982 French only RCA limited edition triple LP boxed set focusing on David's 'Berlin' period with Brian Eno & repackaging the Lodger, Heroes and Low albums - Includes the very rare French variant of Heroes! Also includes a tracklisting insert & a colour picture insert, all housed in a superb 'Baal' style deluxe picture box. Apart from a little minor creasing on the base of the box, the packaging and contents all remain in near mint condition PL37700)
- David Bowie - Diamond Dogs - 1st - Interpak - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £60.00, $75.00, €70.20 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:22)
DAVID BOWIE Diamond Dogs (1974 first UK issue orange label 11-track LP with 'A-1 "OLY" / B-1 "OLY" hand etched in the run-outs, housed in a heavy duty gatefold picture sleeve with city-scape inner spread, a printed story excerpt by Bowie & 'Interpak by Shorewood' credit. The sleeve shows some light edgewear and crinkling. The vinyl is graded as Very Good with some notable surface hairlines/scuffs APL1-0576)
- David Bowie - David Bowie - Italian - vinyl LP - £15.00, $18.75, €17.55 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:37)
DAVID BOWIE (1982 Italian-only 14-track LP compilation issued as part of the 'Superstar' series, housed in a unique gatefold pocket picture sleeve with glued-in 12-page colour booklet exclusively in Italian. The sleeve displays some minor general wear, whilst the vinyl still looks barely played SU-1027)
- David Bowie - Let's Dance - South African - vinyl LP - £20.00, $25.00, €23.40 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:49)
DAVID BOWIE Let's Dance (1983 South African 8-track LP featuring Modern Love & China Girl, picture sleeve with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve [VG] shows some light edge scuffing and discolouration on the reverse, whilst the vinyl shows only light signs of play SO-17093)
- David Bowie - Modern Love - UK - 12" vinyl - £15.00, $18.75, €17.55 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 13:55)
DAVID BOWIE Modern Love (Classic 1983 UK 2-track 12" single, also includng a live version of the title track, picture sleeve. The sleeve shows just a little light edgewear and the vinyl looks barely played 12EA158)
- David Bowie - The Collection - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £18.00, $22.50, €21.06 (New Item) (arrived 18-Apr-2024 14:01)
DAVID BOWIE The Collection (1985 UK 20-track double LP compilation, housed in a glossy gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve does have some notable edge scuffing and light ringwear, whilst the vinyl shows few signs of play CCSLP118)
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