Lost David Bowie Recordings From 1960s Released for First Time

Ten previously unheard songs by a young David Bowie, recorded in the mid-1960s under his birth name Davie Jones, have been released for the first time. The collection, discovered a decade ago, is now available to stream and purchase.

Music historian and archivist Alec Palao found five of the songs mixed within a collection of records, identified by faint pencil markings of "Davie Jones." Another five tracks came into his possession later. Palao described the recordings as "the most visceral, raw you'll ever hear the man."

Bowie, who died in 2016, began his career performing in London clubs as a teenager. Many of his early recordings from this period are little-known or lost. Six of the newly released tracks will be available on vinyl, a format where Bowie remains particularly popular; he was named the best-selling vinyl artist of the 21st century by Music Week in 2022.

"It's just a fascinating window into London in 1965 and its possibilities," Palao said. "If you're looking for clues as to what he was to become, there's maybe less of that, but objectively speaking, I feel it's important stuff."

Dana Gillespie, an early collaborator of Bowie's, met him when he was 17. She described the songs as experimental, with Bowie "trying to find his voice." Gillespie recalled a moment when Bowie, eager for stardom, expressed his determination to escape his home in Bromley, stating, "Whatever it takes, I want to get out of here."

One particular song, "I Pity The Fool," holds a special memory for Gillespie. She recounted Bowie excitedly playing it for her in a small listening booth in Denmark Street, a hub for London's music scene in the 1960s. A remastered version of this track is included in the new release.

The release marks another opportunity for fans and historians to connect with the iconic artist's early career. "David always wanted to be a big star," Gillespie said. "I'm so happy that his early stuff hasn't been forgotten."