David Bowie’s “Toy” Album Set To Be Released

Parlophone Records/ISO Records are proud to announce two David Bowie landmarks: 26th November 2021 will see the release of DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001), the fifth in a series of box sets chronicling his career from 1969 to the 21st century. Then on 7th January 2022, the day before David’s birthday, TOY (TOY:BOX) will receive its long awaited official release, finally making the legendary previously unreleased album available in three CD / six 10” vinyl versions.

The latest in an award-winning and critically acclaimed series of box sets including DAVID BOWIE 1. FIVE YEARS (1969 – 1973), DAVID BOWIE 2. WHO CAN I BE NOW? (1974 – 1976), DAVID BOWIE 3. A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN (1977 – 1982) and DAVID BOWIE 4. LOVING THE ALIEN (1983-1988), DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001) is an eleven CD box, eighteen-piece vinyl set and standard digital download box set. The collection is named after the Koto led instrumental penultimate track from the ‘hours…’ album. The box sets include newly remastered versions, with input from the original producers and collaborators, of some of Bowie’s most underrated and experimental material: BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE, THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA (available on vinyl for the first time in nearly 30 years), 1.OUTSIDEEARTHLING and ‘hours…’ along with the expanded live album BBC RADIO THEATRE, LONDON, JUNE 27, 2000, the non-album / alternative version / B-sides and soundtrack music compilation RE:CALL 5 and the legendary previously unreleased TOY.

TOY was recorded following David’s triumphant Glastonbury 2000 performance. Bowie entered the studio with his band, Mark Plati, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer and Emm Gryner, to record new interpretations of songs he’d first recorded from 1964-1971. David planned to record the album ‘old school’ with the band playing live, choose the best takes and then release it as soon as humanly possible in a remarkably prescient manner. Unfortunately, in 2001 the concept of the ‘surprise drop’ album release and the technology to support it were still quite a few years off, making it impossible to release TOY, as the album was now named, out to fans as instantly as David wanted. In the interim, David did what he did best; he moved on to something new, which began with a handful of new songs from the same sessions and ultimately became the album HEATHEN, released in 2002 and now acknowledged as one of his finest moments.

Now twenty years after its originally planned release, David’s co-producer Mark Plati says, “Toy is like a moment in time captured in an amber of joy, fire and energy. It’s the sound of people happy to be playing music. David revisited and re-examined his work from decades prior through prisms of experience and fresh perspective – a parallel not lost on me as I now revisit it twenty years later. From time to time, he used to say ‘Mark, this is our album’ – I think because he knew I was so deeply in the trenches with him on that journey. I’m happy to finally be able to say it now belongs to all of us”.
Available in 3CD or 6×10” vinyl formats, TOY (TOY:BOX) is a special edition of the TOY album. The ‘capture the moment’ approach of the recording sessions are extended to the sleeve artwork designed by Bowie featuring a photo of him as a baby with a contemporary face. The package also contains a 16-page full-colour book featuring previously unseen photographs by Frank Ockenfels 3.

The seeds of TOY were first sown in 1999 during the making of an episode of VH-1 Storytellers. David wanted to perform something from his pre-‘Space Oddity’ career, so he reached back to 1966 and dusted off  ‘Can’t Help Thinking About Me’ for the first time in thirty years. The song remained in the setlist for the short promotional tour for the ‘hours…’ album, and in early 2000 David and producer Mark Plati compiled a list of some of Bowie’s earliest songs to re-record.

TOY finishes with a new song from which the album takes its title, ‘Toy (Your Turn To Drive)’ was constructed from a jam at the end of one of the live takes of ‘I Dig Everything’. The track is based around rearranged sections of Sterling Campbell’s drums, Gail Ann Dorsey’s bass and sections of Mike Garson’s piano were looped along with a guitar line of Earl Slick’s that was sampled, time stretched and used as a repeating figure. Lastly, some of Holly and Emm’s backing vocals from the body of ‘Dig Everything’ were cut up and reassembled. Producer Mark Plati “As it was culled from ‘I Dig Everything’ it makes sense to bookend the album with this track – it’s also a fitting postscript to the TOY era”.

Included in TOY:BOX is a second CD/set of 10”s of alternative mixes and versions including proposed B-Sides (versions of David’s debut single ‘Liza Jane’ and 1967’s ‘In The Heat Of The Morning’), later mixes by Tony Visconti and the ‘Tibet Version’ of ‘Silly Boy Blue’ recorded at The Looking Glass Studio time at the of the 2001 Tibet House show in New York featuring Philip Glass on piano and Moby on guitar.

The third CD/set of 10”s features ‘Unplugged & Somewhat Slightly Electric’ mixes of thirteen TOY tracks. Producer Mark Plati “While we were recording the basic tracks Earl Slick suggested that he and I overdub acoustic guitars on all the songs. He said this was a Keith Richards’ trick, sometimes these guitars would be a featured part of the track, and at other times they’d be more subliminal. Later while mixing, David heard one of the songs broken down to just vocals and acoustic guitars; this gave him the idea that we ought to do some stripped-down mixes like that and that maybe one day they’d be useful. Once we put a couple of other elements in the pot, it felt like it could be a completely different record. I was only too happy to finish that thought some two decades after the fact”.
Exclusive to DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001) box set are BBC RADIO THEATRE, LONDON, JUNE 27, 2000 and RE:CALL 5. The former was recorded two days after the famous Glastonbury performance in front of 500 lucky fans at the BBC’s art deco theatre in central London. Selections from the show were available as the third CD in a very limited 3CD edition of BOWIE AT THE BEEB in September 2000 but the full concert has never before been available on vinyl. RE:CALL 5 features 39 non-album / alternative version / b-sides and soundtrack songs over 3CDs and 4LPs.

The physical box set’s accompanying book, 84 pages in the CD box and 128 in the vinyl set, will feature rarely seen and previously unpublished photos by photographers including Frank W. Ockenfels 3, Nick Knight, John Scarisbrick and Nina Schultz Terner and others, as well as memorabilia, technical notes about the albums from producers/engineers Brian Eno, Nile Rodgers, Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati as well as a new an interview with THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA collaborator Erdal Kizilçay.

The CD box set will include faithfully reproduced mini-vinyl versions of the original albums where applicable, and the CDs will be gold coloured rather than the usual silver. The vinyl box set has the same content as the CD set and is pressed on audiophile quality 180g vinyl.

 

DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001)

LP Box Set:
84 Page hardback book
Black Tie White Noise (remastered) (2LP)
The Buddha Of Suburbia (a very limited release on vinyl previously, remastered) (2LP)
1.Outside (remastered) (2LP)
Earthling (remastered) (3 sided – 2LP)
‘hours…’ (remastered) (1LP)
BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000 (remastered and expanded 20 track version, previously unreleased on vinyl) (3LP)*
Toy (previously unreleased) (3 sided – 2LP)
Re:Call 5 (non-album singles, edits, single versions, b-sides and soundtrack music) (remastered) (4LP)*

* Exclusive to BRILLIANT ADVENTURE LP box

CD Box Set: 
128 Page hardback book
Black Tie White Noise (remastered) (1CD)
The Buddha Of Suburbia (remastered) (1CD)
1.Outside (remastered) (1CD)
Earthling (remastered) (1CD)
‘hours…’ (remastered) (1CD)
BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27th, 2000 (remastered and expanded 20 track version) (2CD)*
Toy (previously unreleased) (1CD)
Re:Call 5 (non-album singles, edits, single versions, b-sides and soundtrack music) (remastered) (3CD)*

*Exclusive to BRILLIANT ADVENTURE CD box

 

DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001) RELEASED ON PARLOPHONE/ISO RECORDS 26th NOVEMBER

TOY RELEASED ON ISO RECORDS VIA PARLOPHONE 7th JANUARY 2022

 

DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001) 
CD Tracklistings

BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE
The Wedding
You’ve Been Around
I Feel Free
Black Tie White Noise (featuring Al B. Sure!)
Jump They Say
Nite Flights
Pallas Athena
Miracle Goodnight
Don’t Let Me Down & Down
Looking for Lester
I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday
The Wedding Song

THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA
Buddha of Suburbia
Sex and the Church
South Horizon
The Mysteries
Bleed Like a Craze, Dad
Strangers When We Meet
Dead Against It
Untitled No. 1
Ian Fish, U.K. Heir
Buddha of Suburbia (featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar)

1.OUTSIDE
Leon Takes Us Outside
Outside
The Hearts Filthy Lesson
A Small Plot of Land
Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette)” (segue)
Hallo Spaceboy
The Motel
I Have Not Been to Oxford Town
No Control
Algeria Touchshriek (segue)
The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)
Ramona A. Stone/I Am with Name (segue)
Wishful Beginnings
We Prick You
Nathan Adler (segue)
I’m Deranged
Thru’ These Architects Eyes
Nathan Adler (segue)
Strangers When We Meet

EARTHLING
Little Wonder
Looking for Satellites
Battle for Britain (The Letter)
Seven Years in Tibet
Dead Man Walking
Telling Lies
The Last Thing You Should Do
I’m Afraid of Americans
Law (Earthlings on Fire)

‘hours…’
Thursday’s Child
Something in the Air
Survive
If I’m Dreaming My Life
Seven
What’s Really Happening?
The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell
New Angels of Promise
Brilliant Adventure
The Dreamers

BBC RADIO THEATRE, LONDON, JUNE 27, 2000 2xCD
CD1
Wild Is the Wind
Ashes to Ashes
Seven
This Is Not America
Absolute Beginners
Always Crashing in the Same Car
Survive
The London Boys
I Dig Everything
Little Wonder

CD2
The Man Who Sold the World
Fame
Stay
Hallo Spaceboy
Cracked Actor
I’m Afraid of Americans
All the Young Dudes
Starman
“Heroes”
Let’s Dance

TOY
I Dig Everything
You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving
The London Boys
Karma Man
Conversation Piece
Shadow Man
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Hole In The Ground
Baby Loves That Way
Can’t Help Thinking About Me
Silly Boy Blue
Toy (Your Turn To Drive)

RE:CALL 5 3xCD
CD1
Real Cool World (Sounds From The Cool World Soundtrack Version)
Jump They Say (7” version)
Lucy Can’t Dance
Black Tie White Noise (feat Al B. Sure!) (Radio Edit)
Don’t Let Me Down & Down (Indonesian Vocal Version)
Buddha Of Suburbia (Single Version) (featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar)
The Hearts Filthy Lesson (Radio Edit)
Nothing To Be Desired
Strangers When We Meet (edit)
Get Real
The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)
I’m Afraid Of Americans (Showgirls Soundtrack Version)
Hallo Spaceboy (Remix)
I Am With Name (Alternative Version)
A Small Plot Of Land (Long Basquiat Soundtrack Version)

CD2
Little Wonder (Edit)
A Fleeting Moment (aka Severn Years In Tibet – Mandarin Version)
Dead Man Walking (Edit)
Seven Years In Tibet (Edit)
Planet Of Dreams – David Bowie and Gail Ann Dorsey
I’m Afraid Of Americans (V1 – Edit)
I Can’t Read (The Ice Storm Long Version)
A Foggy Day In London Town – David Bowie and Angelo Badalamenti
Fun (BowieNet Mix)
The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Stigmata Soundtrack Version)
Thursday’s Child (Radio Edit)
We All Go Through
No One Calls

CD3
We Shall Go To Town
1917
The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Edit)
Thursday’s Child (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
New Angels Of Promise (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
The Dreamers (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
Seven (Demo)
Survive (Marius De Vries mix)
Something In The Air (American Psycho Remix)
Seven (Marius De Vries Mix)
Pictures Of Lily

DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001)
LP Tracklistings 

BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE 2xLP
Side 1
The Wedding
You’ve Been Around
I Feel Free

Side 2
Black Tie White Noise (featuring Al B. Sure!)
Jump They Say
Nite Flights

Side 3
Pallas Athena
Miracle Goodnight
Don’t Let Me Down & Down

Side 4
Looking for Lester
I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday
The Wedding Song

THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA 2xLP
Side 1
Buddha of Suburbia
Sex and the Church
South Horizon

Side 2
The Mysteries
Bleed Like a Craze, Dad

Side 3
Strangers When We Meet
Dead Against It
Untitled No. 1

Side 4
Ian Fish, U.K. Heir
Buddha of Suburbia (featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar)

1.OUTSIDE 2xLP
Side 1
Leon Takes Us Outside
Outside
The Hearts Filthy Lesson
A Small Plot of Land

Side 2
Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette)” (segue)
Hallo Spaceboy
The Motel
I Have Not Been to Oxford Town

Side 3
No Control
Algeria Touchshriek (segue)
The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)
Ramona A. Stone/I Am with Name (segue)
Wishful Beginnings

Side 4
We Prick You
Nathan Adler (segue)
I’m Deranged
Thru’ These Architects Eyes
Nathan Adler (segue)
Strangers When We Meet

EARTHLING 2xLP
Side 1
Little Wonder
Looking for Satellites
Battle for Britain (The Letter)

Side 2
Seven Years in Tibet
Dead Man Walking
Telling Lies

Side 3
The Last Thing You Should Do
I’m Afraid of Americans
Law (Earthlings on Fire)

Side 4 – etching

‘hours…’
Side 1
Thursday’s Child
Something in the Air
Survive
If I’m Dreaming My Life

Side 2
Seven
What’s Really Happening?
The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell
New Angels of Promise
Brilliant Adventure
The Dreamers

BBC RADIO THEATRE, LONDON, JUNE 27, 2000 3xLP
Side 1
Wild Is the Wind
Ashes to Ashes
Seven

Side 2
This Is Not America
Absolute Beginners
Always Crashing in the Same Car

Side 3
Survive
The London Boys
I Dig Everything
Little Wonder

Side 4
The Man Who Sold the World
Fame
Stay

Side 5
Hallo Spaceboy
Cracked Actor
I’m Afraid of Americans
All the Young Dudes
Side 6
Starman
“Heroes”
Let’s Dance

TOY 2 x LP
Side 1
I Dig Everything
You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving
The London Boys
Karma Man

Side 2
Conversation Piece
Shadow Man
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Hole In The Ground

Side 3
Baby Loves That Way
Can’t Help Thinking About Me
Silly Boy Blue
Toy (Your Turn To Drive)

Side 4 – Etching

RE:CALL 5 4xLP
Side 1
Real Cool World (Sounds From The Cool World Soundtrack Version)
Jump They Say (7” version)
Lucy Can’t Dance
Black Tie White Noise (Radio Edit) (featuring Al B. Sure!)

Side 2
Don’t Let Me Down & Down (Indonesian Vocal Version)
Buddha Of Suburbia (Single Version) (featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar)
The Hearts Filthy Lesson (Radio Edit)
Nothing To Be Desired
Strangers When We Meet (edit)
Get Real

Side 3
The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)
I’m Afraid Of Americans (Showgirls Soundtrack Version)
Hallo Spaceboy (Remix)
I Am With Name (Alternative Version)
A Small Plot Of Land (Long Basquiat Soundtrack Version)

Side 4
Little Wonder (Edit)
A Fleeting Moment (aka Severn Years In Tibet – Mandarin Version)
Dead Man Walking (Edit)
Seven Years In Tibet (Edit)
Planet Of Dreams – David Bowie and Gail Ann Dorsey

Side 5
I’m Afraid Of Americans (V1 – Edit)
I Can’t Read (The Ice Storm Long Version)
A Foggy Day In London Town – David Bowie and Angelo Badalamenti
Fun (Bowienet Mix)
The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Stigmata Soundtrack Version)

Side 6
Thursday’s Child (Radio Edit)
We All Go Through
No One Calls
We Shall Go To Town
1917

Side 7
The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Edit)
Thursday’s Child (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
New Angels Of Promise (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
The Dreamers (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)
Seven (Demo)

Side 8
Survive (Marius De Vries mix)
Something In The Air (American Psycho Remix)
Seven (Marius De Vries Mix)
Pictures Of Lily

DAVID BOWIE 5. BRILLIANT ADVENTURE (1992 – 2001)
RELEASED ON PARLOPHONE/ISO RECORDS 26th NOVEMBER, 2021

DAVID BOWIE – TOY (TOY:BOX) CD 
CD1 TOY

I Dig Everything
You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving
The London Boys
Karma Man
Conversation Piece
Shadow Man
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Hole In The Ground
Baby Loves That Way
Can’t Help Thinking About Me
Silly Boy Blue
Toy (Your Turn To Drive)

Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati
Engineered by Pete Keppler
Mixed by Mark Plati Assisted by Hector Castillo, Steve Mazur, and Todd Parker
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000

CD 2 TOY- Alternatives & Extras

Liza Jane
You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (alternative mix) *
Baby Loves That Way (alternative mix) *
Can’t Help Thinking About Me (alternative mix)
I Dig Everything (alternative mix)
The London Boys (alternative version)
Silly Boy Blue (Tibet version)
Let Me Sleep Beside You (alternative mix) *
In The Heat Of The Morning
Conversation Piece (alternative mix) *
Hole In The Ground (alternative mix)
Shadow Man (alternative mix) *
Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (alternative mix) *

Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati except ‘The London Boys’ additional production by Tony Visconti
‘Silly Boy Blue’ (Tibet version) Produced by David Bowie & Tony Visconti
Engineered by Pete Keppler at Sear Sound, assisted by Todd Parker
Engineered by Mark Plati at Alice’s Restaurant
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000
Except ‘Silly Boy Blue’ (Tibet version) recorded at The Looking Glass, 2001
Mixed by Tony Visconti, assisted by Darren S. Moore at the Manhattan Center, early 2001
Except ‘Liza Jane’ & ‘In The Heat Of The Morning’ mixed by Mark Plati, assisted by Hector Castillo at The Looking Glass.

*Previously released

CD 3 TOY – Unplugged & Somewhat Slightly Electric

In The Heat Of The Morning (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
I Dig Everything (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
The London Boys (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Karma Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Conversation Piece (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Shadow Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Let Me Sleep Beside You (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Hole In The Ground (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Baby Loves That Way (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Can’t Help Thinking About Me (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Silly Boy Blue (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)

Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati
Engineered by Pete Keppler
Mixed by Mark Plati, assisted by Hector Castillo, Steve Mazur & Todd Parker
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000

All songs written by David Bowie except ‘Liza Jane’ written by Leslie Conn.

DAVID BOWIE – TOY (TOY:BOX) 10” VINYL BOXSET

10” no. 1
Side 1
I Dig Everything
You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving
The London Boys

Side 2
Karma Man
Conversation Piece
Shadow Man

10” no. 2
Side 3
Let Me Sleep Beside You
Hole In The Ground
Baby Loves That Way

Side 4
Can’t Help Thinking About Me
Silly Boy Blue
Toy (Your Turn To Drive)

10” no. 3
Side 5
Liza Jane
You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (alternative mix)
Baby Loves That Way (alternative mix)

Side 6
Can’t Help Thinking About Me (alternative mix)
I Dig Everything (alternative mix)
The London Boys (alternative version)

10” no. 4
Side 7
Silly Boy Blue (Tibet version)
Let Me Sleep Beside You(alternative mix)
In The Heat Of The Morning
Conversation Piece (alternative mix)

Side 8
Hole In The Ground (alternative mix)
Shadow Man (alternative mix)
Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (alternative mix)

10” no. 5
Side 9
In The Heat Of The Morning (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
I Dig Everything (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)

Side 10
The London Boys (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Karma Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Conversation Piece(Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)

10” no. 6
Side 11
Shadow Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Let Me Sleep Beside You (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Hole In The Ground (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Baby Loves That Way (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)

Side 12
Can’t Help Thinking About Me (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Silly Boy Blue (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)

TOY MUSICIANS:

David Bowie: lead & backing vocals, Korg Triton
Sterling Campbell: drums, claps
Gail Ann Dorsey: bass, clarinet, backing vocals
Mike Garson: piano, organ, synth, Fender Rhodes
Emm Gryner: backing vocals, clarinet
Holly Palmer: backing vocals, percussion
Mark Plati: acoustic & electric guitars, bass, Mellotron, backing vocals
Earl Slick: acoustic & electric guitars

Augmented by the following musicians on certain recordings:

Tony Visconti: bass, string arrangements
Lisa Germano: violin, accordion, mandolin, recorder, backing vocals
Gerry Leonard: electric guitar
Cuong Vu: trumpet
Strings – The Scorchio Quartet
Moby – electric guitar
Philip Glass – piano