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Early David Bowie 1965 Shel Talmy Recordings announced with unreleased tracks
David Bowie's earliest recordings from 1965, made when he still went by the name Davie Jones, are to be released as a new archival album featuring contributions from a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. The collection, titled 'David Bowie: The Shel Talmy Recordings', offers the most complete account yet of his work before he adopted the Bowie name, giving fans and historians fresh insight into his formative years within London's mid-1960s music scene.
The album arrives on 18 September via Parlophone and was produced by Shel Talmy, known for hits with The Who and The Kinks, with additional input from The Yardbirds and Nicky Hopkins. It includes ten previously unreleased tracks, recorded partly with Bowie's then-band The Lower Third and partly as solo demos, alongside remastered and alternative versions of existing songs. Sleeve notes by Alec Palao argue the recordings should be judged by the standards of 1965 Britain rather than Bowie's later career, framing them as a snapshot of both London's scene and a future star's beginnings.
In short
- Unreleased 1965 David Bowie recordings set for 18 September release
- Album features pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page and producer Shel Talmy
- Collection includes ten previously unheard Davie Jones-era tracks
Explained simply
David Bowie is one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century, celebrated for constantly reinventing his sound and image throughout his career. These newly announced recordings date from 1965, when he was still known as Davie Jones and before he became a household name. The release offers a rare glimpse into his earliest creative work during London's vibrant mid-1960s music scene.
Shel Talmy was an American record producer who worked with major British bands including The Who and The Kinks during this period. He produced these recordings with Bowie's band The Lower Third as well as solo recordings, and the collection also features contributions from Jimmy Page, later of Led Zeppelin. The ten previously unreleased tracks, alongside new versions of existing songs, provide the most complete picture yet of Bowie's formative years as an artist.
These recordings matter because they show how a future superstar was developing his craft before finding the distinctive style that would define his career. Historians and music enthusiasts interested in 1960s British rock can now hear directly how Bowie fitted into the London scene alongside his contemporaries, revealing the influences and creative directions that shaped what was to come.