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 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)
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DAVID BOWIE I'm Not Losing Sleep (Scarce 1981 Canadian only 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. There is just signs of a small seam split beginning in the top edge of the sleeve, but this copy remains sealed and unplayed. A superb collector's copy PHEP001)
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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)
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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)
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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 only minor edgewear andthe vinyl has a few light signs of cosmetic wear whilst remaining excellent AML3029)
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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)
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