Archival David Bowie album The 'Mercury' Demos, featuring unreleased 1969 recordings, due out in June

m_davidbowiethemercurydemos630_042519

ParlophoneContinuing the 50th anniversary celebrations of David Bowie‘s classic song “Space Oddity,” a collection of rare early recordings called The ‘Mercury’ Demos will be released as a vinyl LP on June 28.

The album features 10 tracks that Bowie recorded on reel-to-reel tape in his London flat in the spring of 1969, with guitar and vocal accompaniment from his musical collaborator at the time, John “Hutch” Hutchinson.

The record features a version of “Space Oddity” that previously appeared in edited form on David’s Sound & Vision box set, as well as nine previously unreleased tracks.

Among the other songs are several originals that, like “Space Oddity,” would appear on Bowie’s self-titled 1969 album:  “Letter to Hermione,” “Janine” and “An Occasional Dream.”

Also featured are covers of “Life Is a Circus,” — an obscure tune by U.K. singer/songwriter Roger Bunn — and the Leslie Duncan-penned “Love Song,” which Elton John later recorded for his Tumbleweed Connection album.

A version of “Life Is a Circus” also appears on Bowie’s Clareville Grove Demos vinyl singles box set, which is coming out May 17 as part of the “Space Oddity” 50th anniversary celebrations.

The tracks on The ‘Mercury’ Demos were recorded at the request of a Mercury Records rep, who sent them to the label’s head, Bob Reno, and helped Bowie secure a deal with the label.

The album will come packaged in a replica of the original tape box, and the collection also will include a print, two photo contact sheets and sleeve notes.

The ‘Mercury’ Demos arrives after the Clareville Grove Demos and the similar Spying Through a Keyhole: Demos and Unreleased Songs, a four-disc vinyl box set that was released on April 5.

Here’s The ‘Mercury’ Demos‘ track list:

Side One
“Space Oddity”
“Janine”
“An Occasional Dream”
“Conversation Piece”
“Ching-a-Ling”
“I’m Not Quite (aka Letter to Hermione)”

Side Two
“Lover to the Dawn”
“Love Song”
“When I’m Five”
“Life Is a Circus”

Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.