Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola

(Philips 704 208 BW; (Italy 02/1970))

Format: 7"

Release notes: jukebox promo, counterfeit, NC

Tracks: Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola* // Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud (Italian single edit)**

Other notes: *studio recording, Morgan Studios, 20/12/1969; **studio recording, Trident Studios, London, 20/06/1969

Collector's notes: This issue is certainly a counterfeit: the (hand-scratched) matrix numbers are "BOWIE A" and "BOWIE B", which is very unlikely for an official release. I have found the information that this record was released in Italy in 1979, but I don't know if this is correct, especially because Frifelt claims it was released in 1977. There are also copies in numerous other vinyl colours. These have to be classified as pirate releases, of course.
The version of Ragazzo Solo on this single has a length of 5:15 according to the label, and this seems to be correct. Nonetheless, the cover of the 2009 deluxe 2CD re-issue of David Bowie claims that this "full-length" version was previously unreleased. The B-side is also an unusual edit. It omits the spoken intro, but is otherwise complete.

Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola

(Philips 704 208 BW; Italy 02/1970)

Format: 7"

Release notes: black labels, PS

Tracks: Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola* // Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud (Italian single edit)**

Other notes: *studio recording, Morgan Studios, 20/12/1969; **studio recording, Trident Studios, London, 20/06/1969

Collector's notes: According to Jarman, the record was soon re-pressed with blue labels.

The World of David Bowie

(Decca PA 58; UK 04/1970)

Format: LP

Release notes: mono, "curly hair" cover, small red/silver labels

Tracks: Uncle Arthur / Love You till Tuesday* / There Is a Happy Land / Little Bombardier / Sell Me a Coat / Silly Boy Blue / The London Boys** // Karma Man*** / Rubber Band* / Let Me Sleep beside You*** / Come and Buy My Toys / She's Got Medals / In the Heat of the Morning° / When I Live My Dream

Other notes: *album versions; **studio recording, R G Jones Studios, Surrey, 18/10/1966; ***studio recordings, Advision Studios, 01/09/1967; °studio recording, Decca Studios, London, 12/03-18/04/1968

Collector's notes: The mono issue of this record is much rarer than the stereo version. Around this time the production of mono LPs in England was stopped, so all mono issues are probably genuine 1970 pressings. Note that the story of the mono mixes of Karma Man and Let Me Sleep beside You borders on absurdity: for the stereo version the mono tracks were "re-channelled" to create pseudo-stereo tracks. And instead of using the original mono tracks for the mono album, Decca "down-mixed" the fake stereo songs to create the mono versions on this album. The true mono mixes were first released on the 1982 Italy compilation LP Superstar.
At the time, Decca used identical covers for mono and stereo issues. The covers had a hole in the top right corner of the back, through which you could see part of the generic inner sleeve: if that part was red, it was a mono copy, and if it was blue, the record was in stereo.

The World of David Bowie

(Decca SPA 58; UK 04/1970)

Format: LP

Release notes: "curly hair" cover, small blue/silver labels with "Made in England" at the bottom

Tracks: see mono issue

Collector's notes: The stereo issue of this album with the "curly hair" cover is much commoner than the mono issue. I assume that the stereo version was re-pressed for several years, possibly until after Bowie had had his breakthrough with the Ziggy album in 1972 - or possibly even until 1973, when the LP was re-issued with an updated cover.
I suppose that the earliest stereo copies of this album are those that have "BIEM/NCB" in a box on the labels, since this design is identical to that of the mono version. There are also "unboxed" copies of the stereo issue in this cover, but it appears most logical to me to assume that these are 1973 copies sold in old stock of the original cover.
The London Boys, Karma Man and Let Me Sleep beside You are fake stereo here. For decades it was believed that no multi-track recordings of the latter two songs existed, but true stereo mixes (of questionable quality) have turned up on the 2010 deluxe CD edition of Bowie's first album. So it seems that Decca simply didn't seem to have bothered about finding the original multi-track tapes - which, unfortunately, wasn't uncommon in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Same cover as the mono issue. There is also a label variation that has "Made in England" (etc.) at the top.

The World of David Bowie

(Decca SPA 58; Australia 1970)

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated "curly hair" cover, "Essex" credits on labels

Tracks: see UK mono issue

Collector's notes: I am not entirely sure when the Australian issue was released. It guess it was 1970, but it might also be some later year. There are also pressings with red labels and the music publisher credits "Festival", and pressings with blue labels. Since these other issues have unlaminated covers, and since there are copies like this one that have a promo sticker on the labels, the one shown here is probably the original.

The Prettiest Star

(Mercury 6052 011; Germany 04/1970)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, PS

Tracks: The Prettiest Star (original version)* // Conversation Piece (original version)**

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, 08-15/01/1970; **recorded during the David Bowie (1969) sessions, 1969

Memory of a Free Festival

(Mercury 73075; USA 06/1970)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, white label promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Memory of a Free Festival (Part 1) (single version, unique edit) // Memory of a Free Festival (Part 2) (single version, unique edit)

Other notes: re-recorded version, Advision Studios, 03/04/1970 and 14-15/04/1970

Collector's notes: Both sides of the US release are shorter than the versions on the European releases. I've read that there are no stock copies of this single.

Memory of a Free Festival

(Mercury 6052 026; Germany 07/1970)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Memory of a Free Festival (Part 1) (single version) // Memory of a Free Festival (Part 2) (single version)

Other notes: re-recorded version, Advision Studios, 03/04/1970 and 14-15/04/1970

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury SR 61325; USA 11/1970)

Format: LP

Release notes: white label promo, cartoon cover, machine-stamped matrix numbers

Tracks: The Width of a Circle / All the Madmen / Black Country Rock / After All // Running Gun Blues / Saviour Machine / She Shook Me Cold / The Man Who Sold the World / The Supermen

Other notes: recorded at Advision Studios and Trident Studios, London, 18/04-01/05/1970

Collector's notes: There are also counterfeits of this album, but for all I know, all white label promos of the US LP have stamped matrix numbers and are thus original issues. See the next entry for information on how to distinguish originals from counterfeits.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury SR 61325; USA 11/1970)

Format: LP

Release notes: cartoon cover, machine-stamped matrix numbers

Tracks: see promo issue

Collector's notes: The history of the US issue of TMWSTW is quite confusing. Basically three different editions can be distinguished: copies with machine-stamped matrix numbers, copies with hand-scratched matrix numbers, and copies without any matrix numbers. Of those with hand-scratched numbers, many different variations exist. The issue without any matrix numbers, however, is a counterfeit from 2016, and easily identifiable. So the following remarks in this entry refer only to the early copies with machine-stamped and hand-scratched numbers.
Copies with machine-stamped matrix numbers, like this, are generally considered to be original first pressings, and there is no reason to doubt this. The editions with hand-scratched matrix numbers, in contrast, have caused some controversy since the 1970s. The commonest view is that these are all counterfeits, but this claim has been challenged. In edition 185 of the Record Collector magazine (January 1995), Mark Paytress writes that "[s]ome insist that the cartoon sleeve has also been counterfeited, but copies with handwritten - as opposed to printed - matrix numbers in the run-out groove were available as early as early '71, suggesting that they were bona fide releases" (p. 24). Yet at that time Bowie was still a nobody, and who would produce counterfeits of an album by a nobody?
If "hand-scratched copies" were available that early, they would have to be originals, but, in fact, I doubt that they were. Memory is not always a reliable guide, and to this day no "hand-scratched copy" has been presented that could convincingly be argued to be an original (I put this in boldface to clarify my position on this). It seems that all such copies suffer from certain audio defects that can only be explained by their being copied from the same defective original vinyl album. Only if somebody came up with a copy that does not have these defects, would there be any serious reason to challenge the assumption that only "machine-stamped copies" are originals. For more on this see the next entry.
Let's get to the covers: originals and counterfeits can be distinguished by the sharpness of the outlines and the clarity of the colours on the covers. However, sharpness and clarity are a matter of degree, and concerning the quality of the print there is a lot of variation among the counterfeits... So this criterion is only applicable if you are actually holding the cover in your hands (and can, ideally, compare it to the cover of a copy that is definitely original). But there is a reliable criterion to distinguish the counterfeit covers from original ones.
On the back of original covers the speech bubble saying "Oh by Jingo" is very close to the song lyrics (in fact, it almost touches them - the space is about 1.5 milimetres) - see the detail picture in this entry. On the back of counterfeit covers there is a broader space (about 6 milimetres) between the bubble and the lyrics - see the detail picture in the next entry.
For a long time I doubted the validity of this criterion, but I've finally come to the conclusion that this is actually the decisive criterion to distinguish the two kinds of covers. But note that even the cover of the official Metrobolist re-issue used the counterfeits as a pattern for the back cover.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury SR 61325; USA 1976? (11/1970))

Format: LP

Release notes: cartoon cover, matt labels, hand-scratched matrix numbers with bottom to labels, counterfeit

Tracks: see promo issue

Collector's notes: This is a copy with hand-scratched matrix numbers and matt labels that are very similar to those of the issue with machine-stamped matrix numbers (although the lines of the Mercury logos and the letters are a bit broader). Note that the alignment of the matrix numbers is the same as on the record with machine-stamped numbers. Furthermore, the sound quality of the record is quite good and also very similar to that of the "machine-stamped" version. So, if there were original copies with hand-scratched matrix numbers, than this copy would be the likeliest candidate I've ever found.
However, it is definitely a counterfeit. The intro of The Width of a Circle has two clicks, which are also found in exactly the same position on other copies that are certainly fakes. All these records must be based on the same crackly vinyl record, which means they can't be original, since Mercury would have used the master tapes. What we have here is probably a very early version of the counterfeit. The cover can easily be identified as a counterfeit by the 6 milimetre space between lyrics and speech bubble on the back (see the detail picture).
A question that remains to be answered is when exactly these counterfeits were issued. Fletcher gives some information on this: "Suddenly in the summer of 1976 lots of copies of the American Mercury album started appearing - by now six years out of print. Even more surprising, the classic was being stuck in bargain basement racks with a mere $2.99 price tag. However, a logical explanation soon emerged - it was a pirated version [...]" (p. 48). Fletcher's book might be unreliable in many respects, but as an American who published the first issue of his discography in 1976 he was quite close to the events in any respect, so that he seems trustworthy here. Note that Fletcher already points out the differences between the matrix numbers as a criterion to distinguish originals from counterfeits.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury SR 61325; USA 1976? (11/1970))

Format: LP

Release notes: cartoon cover, glossy labels, hand-scratched matrix numbers with bottom to record margins, counterfeit

Tracks: see original issues

Collector's notes: This issue can be distinguished from one in the previous entry by its glossy labels and the different alignment of the matrix numbers. The colours on the cover are paler than on the other three issues, and the audio is also different: the volume is lower and the sound is duller. So this copy is certainly a counterfeit - probably a later issue copied from the earlier edition. Note that these glossy label copies are the commonest. They vary with respect to the alignment of the matrix numbers, the number as such (some drop the "SR" at the beginning), the hand-writing of the numbers, and also the audio. Some copies even have a "pseudo-skip" on All the Madmen, which shows that they must have been copied from an earlier, heavily damaged counterfeit. Again, the position of the speech bubble on the back exposes the cover as a counterfeit.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury SR 61325; UK 2016 (USA 11/1970))

Format: LP

Release notes: cartoon cover, no matrix numbers, cover made of thin cardboard, counterfeit

Tracks: see original issues

Collector's notes: Another counterfeit of the album. However, it's easy to distinguish it from both the original issue and the "classic" counterfeits from the 1970s:
- Unlike all early issues the record does not have any matrix numbers at all.
- The cover is made of thin cardboard with the design printed straight onto the cover, not onto paper glued to thick cardboard (as on all earlier issues). Furthermore, the space between the speech bubble and the lyrics is relatively broad, as on the early counterfeits, so probably the cover was not copied from an original, but from a well-preserved 1970s counterfeit.
There are also copies in yellow vinyl, which must, of course, be classified as pirate issues.

All the Madmen

(Mercury DJ-311; USA 12/1970)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, promo-only, company cover

Tracks: All the Madmen (single edit) // All the Madmen (single edit)

Collector's notes: All the Madmen is drastically edited on this issue. According to Jarman, the stock copies of this single (which do exist and have Janine on the B-side) were withdrawn. Consequently, they are considerably rarer than promo copies. This assumption is supported by the cover of the Re:Call 1 album from the 2015 Five Years box, which claims that the single was "pulled" and lists both the edit of All the Madmen and the mono mix of Janine as "unreleased". However, according to other sources, the rarity of the stock copies is simply due to poor sales, so that most existing records ended up in the cut-out bins.

Holy Holy

(Mercury 6052 049; Germany 02/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, PS

Tracks: Holy Holy (original version)* // Black Country Rock

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, 06/1970

Collector's notes: Note that between 1970 and 1971 Mercury Germany had changed their label colour from black to blue.

Holy Holy

(Mercury 60 52 049; Spain 03/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, PS

Tracks: Holy Holy (original version)* // Black Country Rock

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, 06/1970

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338041; UK 04/1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: textured dress cover, mis-spelling "Tonny Visconti" on labels

Tracks: see US issue

Collector's notes: This is the UK original of the album in the (in)famous "dress cover" or "drag cover". It has a textured cover and black labels. Note the mis-spelling "Tonny Visconti" on the labels. This error can only be found on the earliest copies. It was soon corrected.
The album has been counterfeited three times. There is an Italian issue from the early 1980s (there is contradictory information concerning the exact year). The Italian issue - shown below - is easy to identify: the manufacturers didn't even try to imitate Mercury labels, but used light yellow labels without the word "Mercury" on them. The cover is different, too: the picture is cropped, so that Bowie's feet touch the right-hand margin of the cover, which is not the case with the original. The wear on the cover is printed and the cover isn't textured.
There is also a Japanese counterfeit from the 1970s (which I haven't got). This release has got black labels like the original, but a silver rim around the labels, "R 1971" instead of "P 1971" on at least one side, and an inappropriate space in the copyright text that runs around the label. The cover is textured, but in a different way than that of the original, and the picture on the front is cropped, so that Bowie's feet touch the margin.
Finally, there's a 2014 counterfeit (probably from Europe). Arguably, this is the best one: the cover picture is not cropped, so that the old rule of thumb that only original issues have the complete picture doesn't work anymore. Furthermore, the cover is (slightly) textured, albeit in a diffent way than the original. There are numerous other differences to the original (the label moulding, for instance), but, as so often, the easiest way to identify the counterfeit are the matrix numbers: whereas the original has machine-stamped matrix numbers, the 2014 re-issue doesn't have any matrix numbers at all.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338041; Italy 1982 (UK 04/1971))

Format: LP

Release notes: non-textured dress cover, counterfeit of UK edition

Tracks: see US issue

Collector's notes: This is the Italian counterfeit mentioned in the entry of the original. See there for the differences.
I have also seen copies that seem to have the same cover (same printed signs of use), but white labels with a Mercury logo at the top. I don't know if these are an alternative issue of this counterfeit or re-pressings/re-issues. In either case, the labels still don't have any similarity to any officially released version.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338041; EU 12/2014 (UK 04/1971))

Format: LP

Release notes: dress cover, counterfeit of UK edition

Tracks: see US issue

Collector's notes: This is the 2014 counterfeit mentioned in the entry of the original. See there for the differences. Note that this is a counterfeit of the issue with the correct spelling of "Tony Visconti" on the labels.
Copies in green, cream and red vinyl (and possibly other colours) must of course be classified as pirate discs.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338041; Australia 1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: textured dress cover

Tracks: see US issue

Collector's notes: This is the rare original Australian edition of TMWSTW, the only issue outside the UK that had the "dress cover". Like the original UK issue it has a textured cover. Note that even on this perfectly regular release the picture on the cover front is slightly cropped, but Bowie's feet still don't touch the margin.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338 041 D; Germany 1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: round FOC, OIS, machine-stamped matrix numbers, A-side label with small centre ring, B-side label with large centre ring

Tracks: The Width of a Circle / All the Madmen / Black Country Rock / After All // Running Gun Blues / Saviour Machine / She Shook Me Cold / The Man Who Sold the World / The Supermen*

Other notes: recorded at Advision Studios and Trident Studios, London, 18/04-01/05/1970; *different fade-out than on the other editions

Collector's notes: The original German issue is strange in that The Supermen fades out into a few seconds of the intro of Saviour Machine. Maybe the songs were originally planned to have a different running order and the German matrices were made from older master tapes. But that's just speculation.
When unfolded, the unique German cover yields a kind of round poster. The shape of the cover is not clearly visible in the first picture here because original copies had a standard square text inner sleeve. There are two minimally different German editions: this one, which has a small ring around the spindle hole on side 1 and a large ring on side 2, and another, which has large rings on both sides. More on this issue below.
The German version of the album has been counterfeited, probably in the 1980s. The easiest criterion to distinguish the issues is again the matrix numbers: they are machine-stamped on the original and hand-scratched on the counterfeit. There are also differences between the covers: the counterfeit has signs of sellotape having been removed from the top margin, but these are printed! The colour contrasts are not as clear as in the original, so that certain details (for example of Bowie's hair) are lost.
Furthermore, the labels of the counterfeit are a bit darker, but you probably won't realise without a chance to compare the issues side by side.

The pictures show the front of the cover (including parts of the inner sleeve), the cover outside unfolded, the cover inside unfolded, front and back of the inner sleeve, and one of the labels.

Finally, a note on the year of release is in order here. According to Discogs, the album was released in summer 1972, and the reason is given as follows: "Edition with the small pressing ring around the spindle hole, so not pressed and released prior to summer 1972." This is nonsense: not only are there strong legal and other arguments against summer 1972 as the time of release, but a Mercury record (which means a German record pressed by Philips) with a small centre ring wasn't particularly unusual in 1971. The whole argumentation against 1972 as the year of release is too long for this entry, but you can read it here.

The Man Who Sold the World

(Mercury 6338 041 D; (Germany 1971))

Format: LP

Release notes: round FOC, dark blue labels, hand-scratched matrix numbers, counterfeit of German edition

Tracks: see original issue

Collector's notes: This is the counterfeit mentioned in the previous entry. See there for differences to the original. Note the (fake) sellotape marks at the top margin of the cover. Some copies don't have an inner sleeve. Most copies have a dark blue labels (like the original), but I have also seen copies with white labels, creating the impression of a white label promo.
Not only the cover and the labels have been copied from a German original, but also the record itself: The Supermen has the same strange fade-out as on the regular German issue. This is nice, but has some disadvantages, too: all copies of this issue have clicks, crackle and an apparent skip on The Width of a Circle, all of which are copied from the defective original.
There are also yellow vinyl copies of this round cover version, which must be classified as pirate records. They lack the fake sellotape marks on the cover, have brighter labels, and are sometimes claimed to be from the 1980s, too. However, I suppose that these are a more recent release, although I can't say from when. Neither can I say if these copies have the unique German fade-out.

Moonage Daydream

(B&C CB 149; UK 04/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: solid centre, NC

Tracks: Moonage Daydream // Hang On to Yourself

Other notes: studio recordings, Radio Luxembourg Studios, London, 04/1971

Collector's notes: This is the first of the two Arnold Corns singles. Released long before Bowie's breakthrough with Ziggy Stardust, this first single is even rarer than the second. According to Jarman & Stöcklin, stock copies have a solid centre, whereas promos have a push-out centre.
Jarman claims that it was issued in April 1971, and Pegg claims that it was recorded that month. Since there actually seem to be copies with a release date sticker saying 30/4/71, this one must have been issued very quickly...

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; USA 12/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, promo, yellow labels, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: Alongside the Canadian issue, this US release is Bowie's first ever single release on RCA.
Note that Jarman & Stoecklin clarify an issue from Jarman's original book that had puzzled me for years: namely the claim that there are both mono and stereo promo copies of this single: the only stereo copies with true promo labels are from 1974. Stereo promos from 1971 are stock copies with a promo sticker (see next entry).

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; USA 12/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: orange labels, promo-sticker on label, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: For several years, this remained the standard label design for US Bowie singles on RCA (except for the promo-sticker, of course).

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; USA 12/1971)

Format: 7"

Release notes: orange label, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: For the sake of completeness, here is a clean stock copy, without the promo-sticker.

Hunky Dory

(RCA SF 8244; UK 12/1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: glossy labels without MainMan credits, laminated front cover, no Gem logo on back, insert, "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" in matrix, first issue

Tracks: Changes / Oh! You Pretty Things / Eight Line Poem / Life on Mars? / Kooks / Quicksand // Fill Your Heart / Andy Warhol / Song for Bob Dylan / Queen Bitch / The Bewlay Brothers

Other notes: recorded at Trident Studios, London, 06/1971-06/08/1971

Collector's notes: The history of UK Hunky Dory pressings is quite complex. When the record was first published in December 1971, nobody wanted to buy it, so the first issue (this one, I think) is extremely rare. After the success of the Ziggy album, Hunky Dory was re-issued and sold in large quantities. There appear to be four major variations of the early pressings:
The first issue has a front-laminated cover (the major criterion to determine the very early copies), no MainMan credits on the label, no "Gem production" text and logo in the top right corner of the cover back, a glossy label and the words "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" pressed into the matrix (though these words are difficult to detect).
It is general consensus that that the version without the Gem logo on the back is the first issue, since those with an unlaminated cover, which are definitely later, have that logo.
In the IdbD forum Colin McIntyre has pointed out that if you look very carefully at the back of the first UK edition you can see the Gem logo hidden behind a superimposed "dot" structure. I can confirm this. Colin's theory is that RCA UK copied the US artwork and thought that the Gem logo was a US-only thing, removing it from the cover. They were quickly informed that this was a mistake and changed it on the second issue (see below). This theory sounds absolutely plausible to me, since it explains the weird absence of the logo on this release.
The second issue has a laminated front cover, too, no MainMan credits on the label, "Gem production" plus the Gem logo in the top right corner of the cover back, a glossy label and the words "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" pressed into the matrix. I have seen several copies of this kind being offered on the web.
The third issue has an unlaminated cover, no MainMan credits on the label, "Gem production" plus the Gem logo in the top right corner of the cover back, a glossy label and the words "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" pressed into the matrix.
The fourth issue has an unlaminated cover, MainMan credits on the label, "Gem production" plus the Gem logo in the top right corner of the cover back, a matt label and no "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" in the matrix.
(What I call the second and third issues could also be considered to be two variations of the same issue, one with a laminated and one with an unlaminated cover - that's a matter of personal taste - only the "numbering" of the releases would have to be adjusted).

Even if later budget re-issues are disregarded, there may be more variations: I remember an online offer of a copy with a laminated front and back cover. The seller claimed that it was from the mid-1970s (though I couldn't verify this claim, of course). But be careful, I have also seen a fake, "self-laminated" copy of the album...

The pictures show the front and back of the cover of the first issue, the front and back of the insert, and the side 1 label.

The general label layout shown here was the standard design for UK Bowie-LPs on RCA for quite a while.

Hunky Dory

(RCA SF 8244; UK 12/1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: glossy labels without MainMan credits, unlaminated cover, insert, "BOBIL" and "RASPUTIN" in matrix , third issue

Tracks: see original issue

Collector's notes: This is the third issue mentioned in the previous entry. Note the Gem logo on the cover back. The record, and hence the labels, are identical to the first issue. Though I have filed the album with the first issue, it is probably from mid-1972. Same insert as in the previous entry.

Hunky Dory

(RCA SF 8244; UK (12/1971))

Format: LP

Release notes: matt labels with MainMan credits, fourth issue

Tracks: see original issue

Collector's notes: This is the fourth UK issue, as mentioned in the entry of the first issue above. It has the same cover as the third issue, but the label has got MainMan credits. I assume that it is from late 1972 (or the following years). Nonetheless, I file it with the earlier issues, because the exact release date is unknown.

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP-4623; USA 12/1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: orange labels, "Dynaflex" pressing, sticker on cover, OIS

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: The original US issue of the album didn't have the title and artist's name on the cover front - both were on a sticker on the shrinkwrap in which the albums were sold. The stickers that came with the first issue had a transparent background. Also note the sepia tone of the cover back, which only the first edition had. Original copies were pressed on the inferior "Dynaflex" pseudo-vinyl, which RCA tried to popularize at the time. Apart from the "Dynaflex"-logo, the label layout shown here was used for US Bowie-LPs for several years.
Second issue copies of this album came with both orange and tan labels. However, the cover of the second pressings has some additional text about Rick Wakeman and a small hand-written "RE 6" in the bottom left corner of the back. Furthermore, the cover back of the re-pressings is black and white, rather than black and sepia. The stickers that came with later copies had a coloured background that poorly mimicked the background of the cover front.
There are also "intermediate" pressings with the first issue cover and the second issue sticker.

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP-4623; Canada 12/1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: orange labels without MainMan credits, "Dynaflex" pressing, "Ever-Reddy" cover, title on cover back

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Canadian copies of the album are interesting, because the artist's name and the title are printed in a unique typeface.
This is presumably the earliest Canadian issue, with a withdrawn cover back. While the cover front is basically identical to that of the other orange label issues (though minimally darker and slightly shifted to the right), the spine has a circled "ER" symbol and says "Printed in Canada". This indicates that these covers were made by the Canadian printing company "Ever-Reddy", with whom RCA Canada had worked together from the 1960s onwards. However, the most radical differences concern the cover back: it has the artist's name and the title (in the unique Canadian typeface) in the top left corner, perfectly aligned with the margins, but overlapping with the track list. Moreover, the back is much darker than that of covers not made by "Ever-Reddy", and the design is shifted to the left, so that parts of the design on the left-hand side are even cut off.
Obviously, RCA Canada originally planned to have their name/title logo printed onto the back as well, but decided to withdraw this cover - probably because of the unpleasant overlap with the rest of the design. It seems that not many of these were made.
The "standard design" of the Canadian cover back, as shown in the next entry, dropped the name/title logo. It seems that all such Hunky Dory covers from the early 1970s were made by other printing companies.
Note that the "ER" spine doesn't generally indicate an "early" or "late" Canadian issue. RCA Canada worked together with "Ever-Reddy" again and again from the 1960s until (at least) the 1980s. There is even an orange label re-issue of Hunky Dory with an "ER" spine from the 1980s (but with the "standard design" of the cover back).

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP-4623; Canada 12/1971?)

Format: LP

Release notes: orange labels without MainMan credits, "Dynaflex" pressing

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This is the first Canadian issue with the "standard design" of the cover back, as mentioned in the previous entry. Same labels as in that entry. Although this is probably the second Canadian issue, it is still quite elusive. But note that I'm not entirely sure if this release is still from December 1971. Originally, the album wasn't a big seller, and it's at least questionable if two issues were released within one month.
All early 1970s issues from Canada have orange labels - later they switched to tan labels. There seem to be three different early pressings with the "standard design" of the cover back and orange labels, all of which share the same cover:
The first domestic pressing in the standard cover (this one) has only the North American catalogue number (LSP-4623) on the labels, and no MainMan credits on the labels.
The second domestic pressing with that cover also has only the North American number on the labels, but MainMan credits.
And, finally, there is an export pressing for the UK, which has the UK catalogue number (SF-8244), but no MainMan credits on the labels.
Since the export issue lacks the MainMan credits, I suppose that it was distributed before the second version aimed at the Canadian market.

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP 4623; New Zealand 1971)

Format: LP

Release notes: front cover artwork identical to back cover artwork

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: The most radical cover variation among the different issues of Hunky Dory. Since RCA failed to send in the front cover artwork in time, RCA New Zealand simply decided to use the back cover artwork on both sides! Note that they also cut off a bit of the text in the top left area: "Inspired by Frankie" became "ired by Frankie" on both sides of the cover. A very rare issue.
Originally, this issue came with a lyric insert (similar to the British one), which is missing from my copy.

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP-4623; Germany 01/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated cover, no MainMan credits, made by Teldec

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This German issue, which is the first one, has a fully laminated cover (both front and back). Like early UK pressings it doesn't have any MainMan credits. Standardly, the German issue is listed as a 1971 release, but there are good arguments against this assumption. Not only is it unlikely that RCA Germany rush-released an album by a relatively unknown artist the same month as it was released in the UK and USA, but there is also a late 1970s re-pressing that explicitly says "Printed 1972" on the cover and the labels. That wouldn't make much sense if the original album had been released in 1971. Moreover, there is a German promo-only compilation RockNews from January 1972, which includes Changes (which was released as a single in Germany that month) and promotes the Hunky Dory album. Interestingly, the cover shown on the record is not the final German artwork, but lacks the title, the artist's name and the black margin. Even if we assume that the promo compilation was made in December 1971, it would make absolutely no sense that they didn't have access to the final cover design if the album had been released in late 1971! So when was the record released? Possible months are January or February 1972. I'll go for the obvious solution and list it under the early possible date, namely January.
Christian Frifelt has found a copy of this album that has an insert similar to that of the UK issues, but darker in colour. He proposes that possibly only the earliest Teldec-pressings of the record came with this insert (more on Teldec pressings below).
Since this is the first German RCA album by Bowie, this is the place to say a few words on German RCA pressings in general. Early German Bowie albums on RCA were released with the US catalogue numbers, and orange label copies of this type were sold until the early 1980s. In 1974 RCA started adding an additional number (starting with "26." - e.g. "26.28107") to these US numbers. The first album to be released in this way was David Live. In 1975 RCA re-issued the earlier Bowie albums with numbers of this kind. So if your German copy of an album that originally appeared before David Live has such a number (on the spine and under the original number on the cover back), it is a re-issue from 1975 onwards (Diamond Dogs may be an exception - the earliest "26"-pressings of that album might be from late 1974). Note, though, that there are further aspects to consider in order to find out when exactly a late 1970s pressing was made. I will get to these issues in the entries of the records for which they are relevant.
Another interesting aspect is that some pressings of the early RCA albums - even of the same record - were "Made by Teldec", and some were "Made by RCA Schallplatten" (you can find this information on both the cover back and the label - there it is part of the small print at the top margin of the label). Teldec pressings were made until 1974, RCA Schallplatten pressings from 1973 onwards. For Hunky Dory this means that only Teldec pressings are actually originals.
The general label layout shown here was used by RCA Germany for about a decade.

Hunky Dory (A Pedir de Boca)

(RCA LSP-4623; Spain (1972))

Format: LP

Release notes: no "stereo/mono" and no price code "B" on cover back, "Depósito Legal... 1972"

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Another minor cover variation - the Spanish title is printed under the original title (but don't ask me if the translation is correct). The cover back also differs considerably from that of the other issues: it is printed in blue on white and the text is not hand-written, but in standard print.
Note that several Spanish Bowie albums were re-pressed in the 1980s, and also exported to other countries. In many cases, these re-pressings can be distinguished from the earlier pressings in the following way: Spanish LPs bear a date of legal deposit (the requirement to deposit a number of copies of a published work at places determined by the government). 1980s re-pressings often have a year from the 1980s either as the "Depósito Legal" date or it is shown in some other form (usually in very small print on the the cover back), whereas early pressings have the original year of release. But note two things. First, this system of distinction does not work with Spanish singles. Second, there were several pressings of some Spanish Bowie records in the 1970s, so the presence of the original year does not necessarily mean that it's an absolutely first pressing. This copy, for example, is a second pressing: it has label text in typeface with serifs, a laminated cover, no spine, no price code "B" on the cover back (which is present on the third pressing), and no "Monostereo" on the cover back (which is present on the first pressing).
The general label layout shown here remained the standard design for several years, but when it gets to the details, there was an enormous variation among the label designs of Spanish LPs.

Hunky Dory

(RCA 443041; France 1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: no price code on back

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: The cover of the French issue has a heavy green tint. Early French issues have a front-laminated cover, similar to the earliest UK issues.
This copy is an example of the first French pressing, identifiable by the absence of a price code. In 1972 RCA France didn't produce any separate promo issues, but used stock copies without a price code as promos. So in principle, this copy could have been a promo, although there's nothing to prove or disprove this. In any case, I've read that this first issue, of which not many were made, is the rarest French Bowie album.
The second issue is identical to this one, but has the price code "U" on the back, third issues have "Y", and even later pressings have a MainMan logo on the back.

Changes

(RCA 2160; UK 01/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: Bowie's first UK single on RCA. According to Chas Pearson's site, all UK copies of the Changes 7" are in mono. There are, in fact, some later pressings that explicitely state this on the labels. The label design became the standard for RCA UK singles with a push-out centre. See below for the solid centre version.

Changes

(RCA 2160; UK 01/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: Most Bowie singles that RCA released in the UK in the 1970s were available with both a push-out and a solid centre. This was the standard label design for solid centre copies.

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; Germany 01/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Collector's notes: The German issue (alongside the French issue) is the first Bowie single on RCA to have a picture sleeve.
The label design became the standard for German RCA issues.

Hunky Dory

(RCA LSP-4623; Australia 02/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: orange labels without MainMan credits, front-laminated cover

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: The Australian version is a minor cover variation, since the artist's name and the title are printed in yellow. The Australian issues have interesting labels: on both sides two tracks are listed under only one track number, so that the number of tracks on the labels differs from that on the cover.
This copy is an example of an early pressing, because it has orange labels without MainMan credits, which were added to later pressings. This might not be the absolutely first first pressing because promo-stamped issues have a slightly different label layout, with spaces between the catalogue number, and the title and the artist's name and the song writing credits arranged in a slightly different way. However, there are numerous versions of the album without MainMan credits, different label mouldings and different song writing credits, which might have been made at the same time, so I can't say if the different design of the promo-stamped issues actually indicates any order of release dates. Copies from late 1977 onwards have tan labels.

Starman

(RCA 2199; UK 04/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: There are also copies with a picture sleeve (similar to the German or US cover), but these are rather rare. This push-out centre copy has the original "Titanic/Chrysalis" credits on the label, but there are also later copies with different credits. I show the B-side label in the second picture, since that of the A-side has some writing on it.

Starman

(RCA 2199; UK 04/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: The solid centre issue of the version with "Titanic/Crysalis" credits.

Starman

(RCA 2199; UK (04/1972))

Format: 7"

Release notes: MainMan/Chrysalis/Bowie credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: This is a re-pressing with "MainMan/Chrysalis/Bowie" credits, presumably from 1976 onwards.

Starman

(RCA 41.012; France 04/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Starman

(RCA 74-16180; Germany 04/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Starman (German single edit) // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: Note that the German single version of Starman runs slightly faster than other versions, and is hence a bit shorter (thanks to Ruud Altenburg for pointing this out to me).

Starman

(RCA 74-16180; Germany 04/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: label mis-print, PS

Tracks: Starman (German single edit) // Suffragette City

Other notes: "Domenico Modugno" as artist on A-side label

Collector's notes: An amusing rare German mis-pressing. Fortunately, it is Bowie singing on side 1. Note that the label layout is also slightly different from that of the standard release (on both sides): there is no "Side 1"/"Side 2" on the labels of this issue. Same cover as the standard version in the previous entry.

Starman

(RCA 74-0719; USA 05/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, promo, yellow labels, company cover

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Starman

(RCA 74-0719; USA 05/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Starman (US single edit) // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: I do not normally mention each and every different edit, but the US single edit of Starman is unusual in that it does not simply fade out earlier, but omits part of the intro. The same edit was used on the Yugoslavian and Portuguese issues.

Starman

(RCA/Jugoton SRCA-88599; Yugoslavia 05/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Starman (US single edit) // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: Yugoslavia was the only communist country that regularly released Bowie records (in co-operation with the government-owned Jugoton label). This single was the first one.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(RCA SF 8287; UK 06/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: -1E/-1E matrices, OIS, Titanic/Chrysalis credits on label, no MainMan credits on cover, "copy and paste" catalogue number on cover front, first pressing

Tracks: Five Years / Soul Love / Moonage Daydream / Starman / It Ain't Easy // Lady Stardust / Star / Hang on to Yourself / Ziggy Stardust / Suffragette City / Rock'n'Roll Suicide

Other notes: recorded at Trident Studios, London, 09/07/1971-04/02/1972

Collector's notes: As in the case of Hunky Dory, the release history of the early UK issues of Ziggy Stardust is a bit complex:
This first issue has matrix numbers ending in "-1E"/"-1E" and no MainMan credits on labels and cover. The cover front has a catalogue number that looks as if it had been copied and pasted onto the cover (in fact, it was, since the cover was based on the US version). The spaces between the left-hand margin and the title and the right-hand margin and the RCA logo are roughly equal.
The second issue has matrix numbers in "-1E"/"-2E" and, again, no MainMan credits on labels and cover. However, on this issue the RCA logo looks as if it had been copied and pasted onto the cover (and, again, it was, since this one was also based on the American version). Furthermore, the space between the left-hand margin and the title is much narrower than that between between the right-hand margin and the RCA logo, so that the front looks slightly cropped on the left.
The third issue is available with various matrix numbers (I suppose), and has labels with MainMan credits. The cover was the first to feature a genuinely British artwork, and so no "copy and paste" effects are visible. The space between the left-hand margin and the title is much broader than that between the right-hand margin and the RCA logo, so that the cover looks cropped on the right.
Subsequent issues showed further changes, like the addition of a MainMan logo and/or a price code on the back.
But note that the distinction between the releases is not always clear-cut: first pressing covers also seem to have been sold with second pressing discs.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(RCA SF 8287; UK (06/1972))

Format: LP

Release notes: -1E/-2E matrices, OIS, Titanic/Chrysalis credits on label, cover picture cropped on the left, no MainMan credits on cover, "copy and paste" RCA logo on cover front, second pressing

Tracks: see first issue

Collector's notes: This is the second issue, as described in the previous entry. Note that the inner sleve of this copy is minimally different from that of the issue above: it has a straight upper margin.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(RCA SF 8287; UK (06/1972))

Format: LP

Release notes: OIS, MainMan/Chrysalis credits on label, cover picture cropped on the right, no MainMan credits on cover, third pressing

Tracks: see first issue

Collector's notes: This is the third pressing described above. It's the first one with the genuine British artwork. There are two variations of the cover: a lighter and a darker one (the one shown here is the darker version).
Again, the inner sleeve of this copy shows a minimal difference to the preceding ones: it has a rounded upper margin, like that of the first issue, but this time it's a round cutting in the front side.
Christian Frifelt pointed out to me that the record (the label design of which is different from that of the earlier issues) should actually belong into a fourth issue cover. This may be true, since the record, with its -6E/-4E matrices, is certainly not a particularly early pressing. However, this might still be a legitimate combination, since record companies often combined newer records with older covers or vice versa - a phenomenon quite familiar from Germany, too.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(RCA 443051; France 1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: no MainMan credits, price code "U"

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This French pressing has no MainMan credits (like early UK pressings), but this seems to be a general feature of French releases of the album. This copy is an early (possibly first) pressing, identifiable by its label design (which doesn't have text running along the label margin) and the price code "U" - pressings from the late 1970s typically have the price code "RC 250".

Space Oddity/Moonage Daydream

(RCA EP-45-103; USA 06/1972)

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: mono, promo-only, given away with Ziggy album, label says "stereo", PS

Tracks: Space Oddity* / Moonage Daydream // Life on Mars? / It Ain't Easy

Other notes: *US single edit

Collector's notes: This EP was distributed for free to promote the Ziggy album. Contrary to what I wrote before, the mix of Space Oddity that is contained here is the same as on the original US release. Nothing exciting... but nonetheless an unofficial re-issue was released exactly forty years later.

Revelations - A Musical Anthology for Glastonbury Fayre

(Revelations REV 1-3; UK 06/1972)

Format: 3LP

Release notes: printed plastic bag, multi-FOC, booklet, 2 poster inserts, cardboard model sheet, 2 different label designs, limited edition: 5.000 copies

Tracks (Bowie): - // - // The Supermen (alternative version) // - // - // -

Other notes: studio recording, Trident Studios, London, 12/11/1971

Collector's notes: This very rare triple album was released to compensate for the financial losses of the Glastonbury Fayre festival of the previous year. Though Bowie had actually played there, his contribution wasn't a live track, but an alternative studio version of The Supermen, recorded during the Ziggy sessions. This version, with its simpler arrangement, was the model for live performances of the song during the Ziggy-tour in 1972.
The sound quality of most of the album (though not of Bowie's track) is rather disappointing. So if you're only after Bowie's contribution, buy another record containing it, such as the 1990 re-issue of Hunky Dory or one of the numerous bootlegs with this version of the song.
It's difficult to detect the correct title of the album. According to Dicogs the title is Glastonbury Fayre - The Electric Score, but I have opted for the title from the plastic bag. Information on the exact month of release also varies enormously for this album. Carr & Murray give 07/1972, and the Charlesworths and Discogs have 04/1972. Note that the latter date is almost impossible because the Grateful Dead track was recorded on 08/04/1972 - so that the entire complex record set would have to be compiled, designed and produced within about three weeks! I have opted for Pegg's suggestion.
The labels of all three records are slightly different, and to make things more complicated, there are three different label variations, which were often combined in the sets. This copy combines two of them (white flames with date under the catalogue number and yellow flames without date).
The pictures show the full set with the plastic bag, the booklet (front and back), the cover (front and back), the two poster inserts (front and back), the model sheet (plain white back), and the three label designs (representing two variations).
In 2007 the album was re-issued on the Italian Akarma label, with reproductions of all the original inserts etc.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

(RCA LSP-4702; Germany 07/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: FOC, laminated cover, no MainMan credits, made by Teldec

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Unlike most other issues, the original German release of Ziggy Stardust has a fold-out cover. The design inside is basically that of the UK inner sleeve. Note the white margin on all sides of the cover back. I assume that the German issue was released in July, since the album is promoted on the July issue of the German promo-only compilation series RockNews (with incorrect cover artwork).
This copy can be identified as a first issue by its being made by Teldec. There are also l973 re-pressings made by RCA Schallplatten.

Hang On to Yourself

(B&C CB 189; UK 08/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: NC

Tracks: Hang On to Yourself* // Man in the Middle**

Other notes: studio recordings: *Radio Luxembourg Studios, London, 04/1971; **Trident Studios, London, 17/06/1971

Collector's notes: This second Arnold Corns single was released after Bowie's success with the Ziggy album. However, it went nowhere, since most fans probably didn't realize its existence: B&C didn't use Bowie's name (except for the songwriting and production credits), since he was under contract with RCA. The 1974 re-issue wasn't a success, either.

John, I'm Only Dancing

(RCA 2263; UK 09/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)* // Hang On to Yourself

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: This is the UK single with the original version of John, I'm Only Dancing, not featuring a saxophone. A re-recorded version (sometimes called the "sax version") was released in the UK in 1976 with the same catalogue number. However, copies with that version can be distinguished by their different publishing credits (see below).
Basically, there are three different orange label versions. Firstly, there are copies identical or similar to this one, which have "Titanic/Chrysalis" credits (in different positions on the labels) and play the original version of the song. Secondly, there are later copies that feature "MainMan/Chrysalis" credits and also play the original version. And finally, there are records that have "MainMan/Chrysalis/Bowie" credits and play the "sax version" of the song

John, I'm Only Dancing

(RCA 2263; UK 09/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)* // Hang On to Yourself

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: Push-out centre variation of the above.

John, I'm Only Dancing

(RCA 41.042; France 09/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)* // Hang On to Yourself

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: There are also copies with a tag at the opening or an indentation on the back. Mine has got neither.

John, I'm Only Dancing

(RCA 74-16 216; Germany 09/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)* // Hang On to Yourself

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Starman

(RCA SS-2197; Japan 09/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: "Victor Company of Japan" on labels, no tri-centre, PS (insert with company cover)

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: This is a near-original copy of this record. Very first copies came with a push-out tri centre, but the manufacturing credit identifies this copy as one still made in 1972. There are three pressings: original 1972 issues were pressed by the "Victor Company of Japan" (with push-out centres and large centre holes), pressings from 1973-1975 were made by "Victor Musical Industries" and issues from 1976 onwards by the "RVC Corporation". The manufacturer is printed onto the labels (as part of the fine print at the top). Apart from this, RCA Japan used the same label design for years.
Note that re-pressings exist only of Starman and Young Americans.
Japanese singles up to the mid-1980s are unique in that their "picture sleeves" consist of a company cover plus a picture front insert. The general design of the company cover shown here was used by RCA Japan until the early 1980s.

Starman

(RCA SS-2197; Japan (09/1972))

Format: 7"

Release notes: late 1970s re-pressing, "RVC Corporation" on labels, PS (insert with company cover)

Tracks: Starman // Suffragette City

Collector's notes: This copy is a 1976+ re-pressing made by RVC. The design of the company cover used had slightly different fineprint than that used for the original. However, I won't document such minimal differences in further entries, and only show the company sleeves if there are really noteworthy differences.

For the Collector - Early David Bowie

(Pye 7NX 8002; UK 10/1972)

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: mono, 33 1/3 rpm, blue label, push-out centre, 1st pressing, PS

Tracks: Do Anything You Say* / I Dig Everything** // David Bowie with the Lower Third: Can't Help Thinking about Me*** / I'm Not Losing Sleep**

Other notes: *studio recording, Pye Studios, London, 07/03/1966; **studio recordings, Pye Studios, London, 05/07/1966; ***studio recording, Marble Arch Studios, London, late 1965

Collector's note: The first issue of this record had blue labels and came in a picture sleeve. There are two variations of the original issue: this one with a push-out centre and another one with a solid centre and a slightly different label design. The record was a steady seller and was re-issued with the same catalogue number in 1974 (?), 1979 and 1981. All subsequent pressings dropped the picture sleeve and hence the For the Collector title.

Starman

(RCA 3-10798; Spain 10/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS

Tracks: Starman // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: Several Spanish Bowie singles from the early and mid-1970s were re-pressed in the late 1970s. This is the original Spanish issue of Starman, identifiable by the position of the copyright association's abbreviation: "SGAE" is in topmost position in the text block above "Victor". The latter is the decisive criterion to distinguish original pre-1978 pressings from re-pressing. In early 1978 "SGAE" was moved to the third position in that block.
Furthermore, the cover of the original (or at least of my copy) has the "Depósito Legal" text on the back in black and the name "Albertos" (probably the printer) in the bottom right corner on the back.

Starman

(RCA 3-10798; Spain (10/1972))

Format: 7"

Release notes: new label design with "SGAE" in third position, late 1970s re-pressing, PS

Tracks: Starman // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: This is the re-pressing of the Spanish Starman single. Pressings from 1978 onwards, like this one, can be identified by "SGAE" not being in topmost position above "Victor" on the label. Furthermore, the "Depósito Legal" text on the back is in red and the name "Albertos" is missing. The safest way to distinguish Spanish originals from 1978 re-pressings, however, is the label design.

The Man Who Sold the World

(RCA LSP-4816; USA 10/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: Dynaflex label, OIS, poster

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: re-issue of 1970 album (US/UK/Australia issues)

Collector's notes: After RCA had bought the rights to the album, they re-issued TMWSTW in a new cover fitting Bowie's Ziggy persona. Of course, the version they re-released was the UK/USA one (and not the German version with the strange fade-out of The Supermen). For the next 18 years, this remained the standard issue, both musically and optically. In several countries, the first issue of the re-release came with a poster similar to the cover front. The US issue of the poster has the catalogue number in the bottom left and "Printed in U.S.A." in the bottom right corner.

Space Oddity

(RCA LSP-4813; UK 11/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: glossy labels, no MainMan credits on cover and labels, OIS, poster

Tracks: see original US issue

Other notes: re-issue of Man of Words/Man of Music (1969)

Collector's notes: Like TMWSTW, Bowie's second album was re-released by RCA. But this time, there were more changes than a new cover: the album was re-titled Space Oddity, by which name it is still known to most people. Note that the version they re-issued is the US album Man of Words/Man of Music - it omits Don't Sit Down, which wasn't available officially for the next 18 years. Again, in several countries early copies had a poster of the cover front with them.
This is a first issue copy, identifiable by its glossy labels and the absence of MainMan credits on cover and labels. It's one with matrix numbers in "-1E/-2E" and comes in a very flimsy cover, which is typical of copies with that matrix. The second issue came with matt labels with MainMan credits, but was usually sold in covers without any MainMan credits.

Space Oddity

(RCA LSP-4813; Germany 11/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated cover, made by Teldec

Tracks: see original US issue

Other notes: re-issue of Man of Words/Man of Music (1969)

Collector's notes: Another first issue that can be identified by the manufacturer Teldec. There don't seem to be any German copies with a poster or an inner sleeve.
It's very likely that the German re-issue was also released in November because the album is promoted on the issue of the promo-only compilation series RockNews from that month.

Space Oddity

(RCA LSP-4813; Germany 1973 (11/1972))

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated cover, made by RCA Schallplatten

Tracks: see original US issue

Other notes: re-issue of Man of Words/Man of Music (1969)

Collector's notes: This is a 1973 re-pressing of the above record, manufactured by RCA Schallplatten.

The Man Who Sold the World

(RCA LSP-4816; UK 11/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: glossy labels, no MainMan credits on cover and labels, OIS, poster

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: re-issue of 1970 album (US/UK/Australia issues)

Collector's notes: This is the first edition of the UK re-issue, most easily identifiable by its glossy labels and the absence of any reference to MainMan.

Starman

(RCA JBN 1670; Italy 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: juke box promo

Tracks: Starman // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: It seems that for a long time (maybe forever?) this was the last Italian juke box promo by Bowie that didn't have a different artist on the B-side.
Like the stock copy, the juke box promo has the date "10/72" on the labels, but Jarman & Stöcklin list it under November, so I have opted for that date.

Starman

(RCA N 1670; Italy 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS (brownish background, "10-72" on cover back)

Tracks: Starman // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: There are both covers with a brownish and a greyish background, although this distinction might represent a continuum, rather than a clear-cut difference (see the next entry for an example of a greyish cover). This copy, with a brownish cover, can be identified as a first issue by the date imprint on the cover back.

Starman

(RCA N 1670; Italy 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS (greyish background, "5-73" on cover back)

Tracks: Starman // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: Greyish cover. As the print on the cover back shows, this is a re-print from mid-1973. The labels are basically identical to those in the previous entry, but there are minor differences concerning the spaces between the elements on the labels, which is why I show the A-side label of this copy, too.

The Jean Genie

(RCA 2302; UK 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

Collector's notes: The album version of Jean Genie (from Aladdin Sane) has a running time of 4:06. The labels of most single releases give a running time of 3:59. But to be quite honest, I've never realized a difference between the album and single versions. Maybe my record player doesn't run at exactly the correct speed...
What is more confusing is that the 30th Anniversary Edition of Aladdin Sane contains an "original single mix" of Jean Genie - which, logically, should be the one from the singles. Strangely, this mix has a running time of 4:07. Moreover, to be honest (again), I simply don't realize any significant differences between the so-called "original single mix" and the actual single or album mixes.
But ultimately, I don't care at all. I leave it to the "mix-and-edit-fanatics" to detect any differences between the versions, and I will simply call the song The Jean Genie.
This copy can be identified as an early pressing by its "Titanic/Chrysalis" songwriting credits.

The Jean Genie

(RCA 2302; UK 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

The Jean Genie

(RCA 74-0838; USA 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: The Jean Genie (stereo) // The Jean Genie (mono)

The Jean Genie

(RCA 74-0838; USA 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Hang On to Yourself

The Jean Genie

(RCA 41.057; France 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Hang On to Yourself

Collector's notes: Unfortunately, some previous owner used the back cover of my copy for his artistic ambitions...

The Jean Genie

(RCA/Jugoton SRCA-88648; Yugoslavia 11/1972)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Hang On to Yourself

The Man Who Sold the World

(RCA LSP-4816; Germany 12/1972)

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated cover, made by Teldec

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: re-issue of 1970 album (US/UK/Australia issues)

Collector's notes: German copies of this re-issue generally don't seem to have a poster or an inner sleeve.
The German re-issue is promoted on the December issue of the RockNews series of promo-only compilation, which is why I have filed it under that month.

Starman

(RCA TP-656; Portugal (12/1972))

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: mono, late 1970s re-pressing, "SPA" on labels, paper PS

Tracks: Starman (US single edit) / Hang On to Yourself // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)* / Suffragette City

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

Collector's notes: Portuguese pressings up to 1977 have the copyright association "BIEM" on the labels (see here for an example), pressings from 1977 onwards have "SPA". In this way, originals can be distinguished from re-pressings. Note that my (re-)pressing sounds as if it had a skip on Suffragette City, but does not actually skip. So it must have been made from a defective stamper. I don't know if all re-pressings have this error.

Hunky Dory

(RCA SF-8244/LSP-4623; Canada 1972?)

Format: LP

Release notes: orange labels without MainMan credits, "Dynaflex" pressing, export copy, labels: 8244, cover: 4623 (this combination original)

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This issue (of which both cover and record are definitely made in Canada) is the export pressing mentioned in the entry of the second domestic Canadian release: it has the North American catalogue number on the sleeve and the British number on the labels. Contrary to what I wrote before, this is of course not the first Canadian issue of this album, but pressed for export to the UK in 1972 or 1973.
The record shown here was also sold in UK covers.
Since I don't know when exactly this record was released, I have decided to list it at the end of 1972.

La Ascendencia y Caida de Ziggy Stardust y las Arañas de Marte

(RCA LSP-4702; Spain 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: "stereo/mono" on back, no price code, no spine, "Depósito Legal... 1972"

Tracks: see UK issue

Other notes: Spanish edition of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Collector's notes: The only original major cover variation of Ziggy Stardust that I know of (later there were things like the 1979 Dutch Rock Originals release). There is no trace of the English title - not even on the cover back or the label. The back is also completely different from the other issues: it is blue and white with the song titles in black. Most copies seem to have come with an inner sleeve, which is missing from my copy. What is interesting about this issue is that it has no spine at all (so that the cover is like that of a UK 12" single from the 1980s). Re-pressings from the 1980s (and also some alternative original issues) do have a spine.
Although the "Depósito Legal" date of this record is 1972, there is some evidence (from promo sheets) that the album wasn't released in Spain before 1973.

The Jean Genie

(RCA 3-10825; Spain 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: white label promo, PS with brown background

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Hang On to Yourself

Collector's note: There are two minor variations of the sleeve: some have a brown background (like this one), some have a green background (like the one in the next entry).
Jarman and also Jarman & Stöcklin list this record under 12/1972. Note, though, that the "Depósito Legal" date on the label says 1973. So I think that January 1973 is a more plausible date.

The Jean Genie

(RCA 3-10825; Spain 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS with green background

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Hang On to Yourself

Collector's notes: As the David Bowie 7" Singles website shows, there are also re-pressings of this record. The easiest ways to distinguish the re-pressings from the originals are the cover back (the red rectangle is missing on the later pressings) and the "Depósito Legal" date on the labels, which is "M. 00057-1973" for the re-pressings (as opposed to "M. 57-1973" for the originals).
To make things more complicated, Jarman & Stöcklin claim that copies with a green background are later pressings, which makes my (stock) copy a strange item: the "Depósito Legal" date and the presence of the rectangle make it an original, the colour of the cover makes it a later pressing... I tend towards the assumption that the colour of the cover is an issue of minor variation and not related to the release date.

The Jean Genie

(RCA N-20 086; Portugal 01?/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, PS

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

Collector's note: Jarman and also Jarman & Stoecklin list this record under 11/1972. But, like the Spanish issue, the Portuguese Jean Genie single has the year 1973 on the labels, so that early 1973 appears to be a more likely time of release.
This copy can be identified as an original by having "BIEM" on the labels. There are also late 1970s re-pressings that have "SPA" in this place.

Space Oddity

(RCA LSP-4813; Spain 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: matt cover, price code "D", no "stereo/mono" on cover, label 1 with "Fabricado en Espania por Cofasa...", poster

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: re-issue of Man of Words/Man of Music (1969)

Collector's notes: This Spanish cover differs only marginally from the other issues: the song titles etc. are given in a large pink square on the cover back.
This is not the first issue of the record, in which case it wouldn't have a price code, but would have "stereo/mono" on the back. However, it still has the labels of the first issue, and it's quite unusual because of its matt cover: all other issues of the Spanish release seem to have a laminated (and hence glossy) cover.

El Hombre Que Vendio el Mundo

(RCA LSP-4816; Spain 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: price code "D", no "stereo/mono" on cover, "Fabricado por Hispavox" on side 1 label, OIS, poster

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: Spanish re-issue of The Man Who Sold the World (1970, US/UK/Australia issues)

Collector's notes: As with Ziggy Stardust, RCA Spain replaced the original title on this re-issue by its Spanish translation - the only major cover variation that I know of.
This is not the first issue, in which case it would have "stereo/mono" on the cover back (and probably no price code).

Space Oddity

(RCA SPS-45-416; USA 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Space Oddity (long version) // Space Oddity (short version)*

Other notes: *unique edit

Collector's notes: The short version is a unique edit. Not only does it omit parts of the intro and the fade-out, but also some lines from the second occurrence of the chorus.

Space Oddity

(RCA 74-0876; USA 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Space Oddity // The Man Who Sold the World

Collector's notes: Unlike the Mercury release, the US re-issue of Space Oddity plays the album version of the track and is in stereo. The other 1973 issues (except the Peruvian one) also have the album version, though the length given on the labels varies between a running time of 5:05 and 5:15.

Space Oddity

(RCA 74-0876; Canada 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Space Oddity // The Man Who Sold the World

Space Oddity

(RCA 3-10834; Spain 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS

Tracks: Space Oddity // The Man Who Sold the World

Collector's notes: There are also late 1970s re-pressings. These have "SGAE" in third position and a white cover back. I have also seen such re-pressings in the original cover, but these might be inappropriate combinations.

Space Oddity

(RCA/FTA 85-1458; Peru 1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, company cover

Tracks: Space Oddity* // The Jean Genie

Other notes: *unique edit

Collector's notes: This rare Peruvian release features a unique edit of Space Oddity (omitting part of the intro). Furthermore, it's a strange coupling: the re-issued track from 1969 with the more current hit Jean Genie.
Jarman & Stöcklin show a red and white RCA/FTA company sleeve for this release, but to me the green and white one looks more appropriate for the time.

The Jean Genie

(RCA JBN 1676; Italy 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: jukebox promo-only, company cover

Tracks: David Bowie: The Jean Genie // Nicky North: Lolly Sue

Collector's notes: Italian juke box promos typically have a different artist on the flip side. Often, they come in plain sleeves or picture sleeves into which a large label hole has been cut - in some cases even a completely inappropriate picture sleeve! I originally wrote that I wasn't sure if the company sleeve that came with this record was appropriate, but since I've seen other copies in this kind of sleeve I suppose that it is.

The Jean Genie

(RCA SS-2235; Japan 01/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS (insert with company cover)

Tracks: The Jean Genie // John, I'm Only Dancing (original version)*

Other notes: *studio recording, Olympic Studios, London, 26/06/1972

The Jean Genie

(RCA 102221; Australia 02/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

Collector's notes: To add to the confusion about different mixes/edits of The Jean Genie, the Australian issue of Jean Genie gives a running time of 4:14 - which makes the version longer than the album version. The reason is that the song runs slow on the Australian 7" (Thanks to Colin McIntyre for this information; I must admit that I didn't realise that).
Note that this record is also available in a very rare picture sleeve.

The Jean Genie

(RCA 74-16238; Germany 02/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: 1st issue, long hair-PS

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

Collector's notes: This cover was available only briefly and soon replaced by the commoner Ziggy-sleeve below. Consequently, it's quite rare!

The Jean Genie

(RCA 74-16238; Germany 02/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: 2nd issue, Ziggy-PS

Tracks: The Jean Genie // Ziggy Stardust

Collector's notes: This is the standard German issue of Jean Genie with the Ziggy-sleeve. Same record (and hence labels) as in the previous entry.

Space Oddity

(RCA SS-2252; Japan 03/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS (insert with company cover)

Tracks: Space Oddity // It Ain't Easy

Can't Help Thinking about Me

(Pye 11603-A; Spain 03/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono (label says stereo), PS

Tracks: David Bowie and the Lower Third: Can't Help Thinking about Me* // David Bowie: I Dig Everything**

Other notes: *studio recording, Marble Arch Studios, London, late 1965; **studio recording, Pye Studios, London, 05/07/1966

Collector's notes: A very rare Spanish single combining two of Bowie's 1966 Pye tracks.

Aladdin Sane

(RCA LSP 4852; Germany 04/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: made by Teldec, FOC, insert

Tracks: Watch That Man / Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) / Drive-In Saturday / Panic in Detroit / Cracked Actor // Time / The Prettiest Star / Let's Spend the Night Together / The Jean Genie / Lady Grinning Soul

Other notes: recorded in New York, 09/12/1972, and at Trident Studios, London, 12/1972-24/01/1973

Collector's notes: There are also copies which have identical labels, but come in a UK cover that nonetheless says "Made in Germany by Teldec...". These are certainly export copies. And, as usual, there are also German copies made by RCA Schallplatten.

Aladdin Sane

(RCA 28 328-3; Germany 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: club edition

Tracks: see standard issue

Collector's notes: This is an album made for a German record club, Deutscher Schallplattenclub, which was a subsidiary of Deutscher Bücherbund (and not the Bertelsmann book club, as I wrote in an earlier version).
German book clubs offered books and records (and later films on the preferred medium of the age), to their members at cheaper prices. As regards books, there had to be a delay of several months before they could be issued as club editions. Although there was no such restriction on records, record companies did not normally license club editions at the time of the regular release, since this would create a cheaper product that competed with the regular issue. This is why it's sometimes difficult to determine the exact release date of such issues. So I have simply listed the album with the standard version.
Club editions of records are rarer than their regular counterparts, but in most cases they only differ from them in the catalogue number. Often, they are "stripped-down" versions of the standard release, whithout gatefold sleeves, etc. In fact, this version of Aladdin Sane came without a gatefold cover and without an insert.
From the early 1970s to the early 1990s there were basically two German clubs that offered rock records: Deutscher Schallplattenclub and the Bertelsmann book club. The cover or labels do not normally say by which book club a record was issued, and the numbering system of the clubs was often quite inconsistent. However, at least in the case of Bertelsmann there was a bit of consistency: their catalogue numbers often started with "32".

Aladdin Sane

(RCA DLSP 4852; Italy 04/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: preliminary cover

Tracks: see German issue

Collector's notes: The first Italian issue was distributed with this "preliminary" cover. The text on the cover back says that this cover could be exchanged for the correct one, as soon as that one was available. Most buyers seem to have accepted that offer, since only few of these covers have survived. Originally, the cover was only black and white, but some previous owner of my copy seems to have considered the cover to be so boring that he added some blue to it...

Aladdin Sane

(RCA 104.4034; Brazil 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: -

Tracks: see German issue

Collector's notes: A minor cover variation with a very big RCA logo and the artist's name in a different position.

Aladdin Sane

(RCA MIL/S-4141; Mexico 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: -

Tracks: see German issue

Collector's notes: Another cover variation: the front of the Mexican cover has a blue and red margin and a big "Heavy Blood" logo on it. The cover back is also completely different from the other issues. Some copies have an insert, which isn't present with my copy.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 2352; UK 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: MainMan-only credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: re-pressings from 1976 onwards have "MainMan/Chrysalis/Bowie" songwriting credits on the A-side label.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 2352; UK 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: MainMan-only credits, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 74-16321; Germany 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday (German single edit) // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: Unlike most other singles (for example the French, Dutch and UK issues), which play the album version of Drive-In Saturday, the German single has an edit that runs faster and is about half a minute shorter.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 41.085; France 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: By and large, the label design shown here became the standard for several years, although the exact position of copyright information etc. varied enormously on French RCA labels.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA JBN 1680; Italy 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: jukebox promo-only, NC

Tracks: David Bowie: Drive-In Saturday // Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side

Collector's notes: From the Bowie-collector's point of view, this is by far the most interesting of the Italian jukebox promos that feature two different artists, since it is the only one with a Bowie contribution on both sides: together with Mick Ronson, Bowie had arranged and produced the B-side track, too.
The stock version of the single seems to have been released a month later.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 74-16321; Netherlands 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: Although the basic cover design of the Dutch issue is identical to that of the German release, there is a simple way to distinguish the releases even if you can see only the front cover: under the text "From the new LP 'Aladdin Sane'" the German cover has the catalogue number, but the Dutch cover hasn't.

Time

(RCA DJPBO-0001; USA 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Time (single edit) // Time (album version)

Collector's notes: The single version of Time is heavily edited.
Throughout the 1970s, RCA USA released an interesting promo-only for almost every Bowie single. From 1973 onwards these cream labels became the standard.

Time

(RCA APBO-0001; USA 04/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Time (single edit) // The Prettiest Star (re-recorded version)

The World of David Bowie

(Decca SPA 58; UK 04/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: "Ziggy"-cover, small blue/silver labels with unboxed copyright associations

Tracks: see original mono issue

Other notes: re-issue of 1970 album

Collector's notes: This issue of The World of..., with an updated Ziggy-sleeve, is probably the commonest one, since it was available until the early 1980s. However, stereo copies with the "curly hair" cover are almost as easily available, which supports the assumption that these were re-pressed until this version was put on the market. There are later pressings with a different blue/silver label design and even later pressings with blue/black labels. I assume that the release shown here is one of the earliest issues of the (post-)1973 pressing: it has basically the same label design as the 1970 original. I write "basically", because on the labels of this copy "BIEM/NCB" isn't in a box. However, this record has the unusually small labels that Decca used in the early 1970s (the original has the same small labels). Later in the 1970s, Decca used labels of "normal" size. Be that as it may, there are so many label variations of this record that I dare not say that this is the only genuine 1973 issue.

The World of David Bowie

(Decca SPA 58; UK 04/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: "Ziggy"-cover, black/white labels, export copy

Tracks: see original mono issue

Other notes: re-issue of 1970 album

Collector's notes: White label copies of the album are often erroneously considered to be promos. However, the commonest view is that they are export copies. Same cover as in the previous entry.

Coccinelle Varietes

(Decca 210.039; France 04/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: price code "R" on cover back

Tracks: see original UK issue

Other notes: re-issue of The World of David Bowie (stereo edition, 1970)

Collector's notes: The price code "R" on the back of the cover identifies this as an original pressing. The album was re-pressed twice: once in 1974 (price code "RB") and once in the 1980s (price code "GP 340"). The re-pressings also have slightly different labels: where the text running around the margin crosses the black stripe it is black on red (cutting "gaps" into the stripe). Only on the labels of the original is the text red on black, so that there are no gaps in the black stripe.

Coccinelle Varietes

(Decca 210.039 Y; Belgium 1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: cover made in France (with price code "R" on cover back) (combination original)

Tracks: see original UK issue

Other notes: re-issue of The World of David Bowie (stereo edition, 1970)

Collector's notes: The Belgian release was distributed in (original) French covers. Same cover as in the previous entry.

Drive-In Saturday

(RCA 2352; Italy 05/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Drive-In Saturday // Round and Round*

Other notes: *recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: A relatively rare Italian single. Jarman & Stöcklin list this record under April (like the jukebox promo), but the date on the cover of this release indicates a release in May, especially since there don't appear to be any copies with an earlier date on the sleeve (according to Chas Pearson's website).

Images 1966-1967

(London BP 628/9; USA 05/1973)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC, cartoon cover

Tracks: Rubber Band* / Maid of Bond Street / Sell Me a Coat / Love You till Tuesday* / There Is a Happy Land // The Laughing Gnome / The Gospel According to Tony Day / Did You Ever Have a Dream / Uncle Arthur / We Are Hungry Men / When I Live My Dream // Join the Gang / Little Bombardier / Come and Buy My Toys / Silly Boy Blue / She's Got Medals // Please Mr. Gravedigger / The London Boys / Karma Man / Let Me Sleep beside You / In the Heat of the Morning

Other notes: *album versions

Collector's notes: For a long time this was the most complete collection of the Deram material that had previously been released. It omits only the single versions of Rubber Band and Love You till Tuesday, and was re-issued in different covers and countries again and again.
Among the US issues, there are several (minor) label variations. However, nobody seems to be able to say if these were used at the same time or else what the chronological order is.

Images 1966-1967

(Deram SDM 3017/1-2; Germany 1973)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC, cartoon cover

Tracks: see US issue

Images

(Deram DA 145/46 Y; Belgium 1973)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC, "Ziggy" photo cover

Tracks: see album Images 1966-1967

Other notes: identical to album Images 1966-1967

Collector's notes: Note that it seems to be this release that started the strange mis-titling of There Is a Happy Land as There Is a Happy Land (Where Only Children Go). The original Deram/Decca albums up to The World of David Bowie and also the original German and US issues had simply listed the song by the shorter name, but if you want a longer title, then it should be ... (Where Only Children Live). Anyway, the wrong title was also used on the 1975 German and UK issues and on the Belgian 1976 re-issue.
There are two major label variations that came with this cover. Apart from this one, there is a red and white label design similar to the one used on the German and US releases above. Maybe that other design came earlier. There are also minor variations of this label design.

El Rey del Gay-Power

(Deram DCS 15044/5; Spain 05/1973)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC

Tracks: Rubber Band* / Maid of Bond Street / Sell Me a Coat / There Is a Happy Land / Did You Ever Have a Dream // The Laughing Gnome / Uncle Arthur / When I Live My Dream / Love You till Tuesday* // Join the Gang / Little Bombardier / Come and Buy My Toys / She's Got Medals / Please Mr. Gravedigger // Silly Boy Blue / Karma Man / Let Me Sleep beside You / In the Heat of the Morning

Other notes: *album versions

Collector's notes: This album was something like the Spanish counterpart to the Images album. It is sometimes claimed that the album misses tracks that are listed on the cover, but I haven't been able to track down any copy of this album (neither online nor offline) with this discrepancy. I think what was originally meant was that this album misses tracks included on the Images album, which later lead to the above-mentioned rumour.
The album was re-issued in a single sleeve in 1978. Only copies with a fold-out cover are originals.
If you hold the cover of the album the logical way, then the spine is at the bottom, so that the outside of the cover, when unfolded, yields a picture of Bowie strumming his guitar. I have here shown the scans horizontally (with the spine at the bottom of the front cover and at the top of the back).

The Beginning Vol. 2

(Deram NDM 770; Germany 05/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: promo, red "Musik für alle"-label

Tracks: Uncle Arthur / Rubber Band* / Love You till Tuesday* / We Are Hungry Men / Little Bombardier // Silly Boy Blue / Come and Buy My Toys / Join the Gang / Maid of Bond Street / Please Mr. Gravedigger

Other notes: *album versions

Collector's notes: The promos of this record have a promo imprint in three languages on the label. For the two major label variations of this record, see the stock copy.

The Beginning Vol. 2

(Deram NDM 770; Germany 05/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: red "Musik für alle"-label

Tracks: see promo issue

Collector's notes: There are two variants, both of which came in the same cover as the promo above: one with red labels, and one with red and white labels. I think that both variations were actually issued in 1973, but there are a number of reasons to believe that the red label issue came earlier. First, while there are red and white label copies with a promo sticker, there do not appear to be any such copies with a proper promo print on the labels. For later Deram albums in the The Beginning series there are red and white label copies with such a print. Second, whereas there are also red label copies of Frijid Pink's album in the series (also from 1973), the red labels don't seem to have been used for 1974 The Beginning releases on Deram. Third, when the album was re-issued with an additional catalogue number, they used the red and white labels. To sum up, red labels appear to have been used in 1973 only, whereas the red and white label variation soon replaced the original issue.
The re-issues (from 1976) have the number 6.2168 in addition to the original number. From about 1977 a label code was added to cover and labels.

The Beginning Vol. 2

(Deram NDM 770; Germany 05/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: red "Musik für alle"-label, cover misprint

Tracks: see promo issue

Other notes: title is missing on cover

Collector's notes: Something must have gone wrong in the printing process here... the title and some information on the cover back are missing. Same labels as above.

The Beginning Vol. 2

(Deram NDM 770; Germany 05/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: red/white label

Tracks: see promo issue

Collector's notes: This is the version with the red and white labels mentioned above. Same cover.

Life on Mars?

(RCA 2316; UK 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: Titanic/Chrysalis credits, push-out centre, PS

Tracks: Life on Mars? (single edit) // The Man Who Sold the World

Collector's notes: Although the British, German and French issues use the same picture, they can easily be distinguished by minor differences in the layout, especially the position of the catalogue number.
Early pressings (of which there are several label variations) have "Titanic/Chrysalis" songwriting credits. Later copies have different credits.

Life on Mars?

(RCA 2316; UK 06/1973?)

Format: 7"

Release notes: MainMan/Chrysalis/Bowie credits, push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Life on Mars? (single edit) // The Man Who Sold the World

Collector's notes: Since this copy has "Bowie" in the songwriting credits, it is a a later pressing (1976 onwards).

Life on Mars?

(RCA 74-16339; Germany 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS, correct catalogue number of Aladdin Sane on back

Tracks: Life on Mars? (single edit) // The Man Who Sold the World

Collector's notes: There are also copies that erroneously list the catalogue number of the Aladdin Sane album as "LSP 4853".

Life on Mars?

(RCA 41.110; France 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Life on Mars? (single edit) // The Man Who Sold the World

Campaña Gay Power - El Poder de la Musica Joven

(RCA 3-10936; Spain 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: white label promo, promo-only PS

Tracks: Life on Mars? // Drive-In Saturday

Collector's notes: The promo issue of the Spanish Life on Mars? 7" came in a unique promo sleeve promoting the "Gay power campaign". Judging from the information on the label, the Spanish version of the single plays an edit (3:50) that is slightly longer than that (3:45) on the other singles.

Life on Mars?

(RCA 3-10936; Spain 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS

Tracks: Life on Mars? // Drive-In Saturday

Collector's notes: In an earlier version I wrote that there didn't seem to be any late 1970s re-pressings of this single. However, they definitely exist!

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA DJHO-0028; USA 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together (mono version) // Let's Spend the Night Together (stereo version)

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA APBO-0028; USA 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Lady Grinning Soul

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA N 1681; Italy 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Watch that Man

Collector's notes: Not exactly one of the most interesting picture sleeves...
Due to the uninteresting cover, it is sometimes assumed that this a promo issue. But it isn't, it's just a record with a boring sleeve...
This copy can be identified as an early one by the date "5-73" on the cover back. Later copies had "6-73". However, the early date needn't mean that the record was actually released that month, so I'll stick with the standard assumption that it is a release from June.

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA SS-2279; Japan 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS (insert with company cover)

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Drive-In Saturday

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA APBO-28; Netherlands 06/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Lady Grinning Soul

Time

(RCA 41.118; France 07/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Time (single edit) // The Prettiest Star (re-recorded version)

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA 101.4031; Brazil 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: 33 1/3 rpm, PS

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Lady Grinning Soul

Collector's notes: A rare Brazilian release. Note the mis-spelling on the cover.
On later copies the spelling was corrected. Such covers seem to be rarer than the original ones.

Let's Spend the Night Together

(RCA 41.125; France 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Let's Spend the Night Together // Lady Grinning Soul

Collector's notes: There are also copies that have a price code "N" or "NA" sticker pasted over the original price code "J".

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DM 123; UK 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, non-inverted matrix number, label text in boldface, company cover

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 single

Collector's notes: Although the re-issues of The Laughing Gnome are frequently confused with the orginals, they can easily be distinguished. See the entry of the 1967 issue for the criteria.
There are two minor variations of this single: This one has the black text on the label in boldface and the text "Essex Music/GEMA" in the same typeface as the rest of the text, the other one has the the label text in normal width and "Essex Music/Gema" in Times New Roman.

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DM 123; UK 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, non-inverted matrix number, label text not in boldface, company cover

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 single

Collector's notes: This is the label variation mentioned in the previous entry.

The Laughing Gnome

(London 45-20079; USA 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, promo, company cover

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

Collector's notes: Since The Laughing Gnome was not very successful in the USA, promos like this one are more easily available than stock copies.
There is another US promo with a slightly different label design.

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DM 123; Denmark 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono, non-inverted matrix number, record UK (combination original), wraparound PS

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

Collector's notes: It was quite common for Scandinavian countries to import singles from other countries (e.g. the UK) and print their own covers. My copy of this single is one with the label text in normal width (see the UK re-issue for information on the label variants).

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram 85.003; France 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono (cover says stereo), PS

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DM 123; Italy 08/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: mono (cover says stereo), PS

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

Collector's notes: Note that in one respect the Italians were more faithful to the original label design than the British: the matrix number above the catalogue number is inverted - just as on the 1967 UK issue.

The Laughing Gnome

(Decca DL 25600; Germany 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // Silly Boy Blue

Collector's notes: Strangely, the German issue of The Laughing Gnome has a different B-side than the other releases.

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram MO 1378; Spain 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // Rubber Band*

Other notes: *album version

Collector's notes: Again, a version that deviates from most other issues in that it has a different B-side.

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; UK 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: solid centre, standard label design, company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: According to Jarman, there are also copies with a different, unique label design.

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; UK 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: push-out centre, standard label design, company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Sorrow

(RCA 41.137; France 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS, price code "N" sticker

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: A/B-side inverted on cover; *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: The French issue is unusual in that the B-side title is highlighted on the cover front.
These copies were printed with the price code "J" on the cover back. Since the codes were changed at the time this record was released, many copies (like this one) have a price code "N" sticker pasted over the original code. Later copies have "N" printed straight onto the cover (1975 re-pressings have "NA").

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; France 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: French pressing with UK number, large centre hole, export copy, UK company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: Jarman notes the existence of this pressing and claims that it has the same PS as the regular French issue. My copy (which I purchased from the UK) has a UK company sleeve, and I think that this is exactly the correct combination, because I've seen other combinations like that (including copies with a solid centre). So I think that this is simply an export copy for the UK market. If it was sold in French picture sleeves, this must have happened more or less accidentally. See the similar German export copy for more remarks on this.

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; France 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: French pressing with UK number, solid centre, export copy, UK company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: This is the solid centre issue mentioned in the previous entry.

Sorrow

(RCA 42-487; South Africa 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971; mis-titled Port of Amsterdam

Collector's issue: Another unsual variant. Port of Amsterdam is a common alternative title for the B-side song, but the other releases simply call it Amsterdam. I have shown the B-side label here, because it shows the unusual title and because it's cleaner.
Note that there is a slightly different label variation that doesn't have the text "R.C.A. Records" above "Victor" on the right-hand side. The "Printed" sign on those copies is also minimally different.

Sorrow

(RCA APBO-9056; Spain 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Lady Grinning Soul

Collector's notes: This Spanish single has one of the best Bowie picture sleeves.

Sorrow

(RCA APBO-9056; Spain (09/1973))

Format: 7"

Release notes: new label design with "SGAE" in third position, late 1970s re-pressing, PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Lady Grinning Soul

Collector's notes: This copy is a re-pressing of the above single. Note the different label design and the (minor) differences on the back cover.

Sorrow

(RCA 73913; Turkey 09/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: Turkish issues are extremely rare, especially the picture sleeves, which are made of very thin, frail paper. Don't wonder about the strange scan of the cover back: the cover is not exactly rectangular.

Sorrow

(RCA DJHO-0160; USA 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Sorrow (stereo version) // Sorrow (mono version)

Sorrow

(RCA APBO-0160; USA 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; USA 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: export copy, company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: Since this US-pressing has the UK catalogue number, it is certainly an export copy for the UK.

Sorrow

(RCA 74-16383; Germany 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; Germany 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: German pressing with UK number and solid centre, export copy, company cover

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: In his entry for the German issue of Sorrow, Jarman simply notes that there is "a pressing with the UK catalogue number (same PS)". Jarman & Stöcklin are a bit more explicit on this and consider these copies to be export copies for the UK, which is only logical, because they have a solid centre, which is very unusual for German pressings, but quite normal for British releases. Since there was no UK picture sleeve, the copies were probably provided with company covers (the unusual company bag shown on the right seems to be correct, since I've seen identical copies in it). It might of course be the case that some copies were - more or less accidentally - combined with the standard German picture sleeve and sold in Germany. But I doubt that this was done systematically and on a large scale. The French export copy is a similar case.

Sorrow

(RCA 2424; Netherlands 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Rosalyn

(RCA PROM 1; New Zealand 10/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, fold-out PS (reply card is missing)

Tracks: Rosalyn // Where Have All the Good Times Gone

Other notes: tracks interrupted by D.J.

Collector's notes: Another very rare one. This New Zealand promo-only single was sent out to record club members only. The tracks are interrupted by a D.J. who offers members to buy the Pin Ups album at a special price. The original owner of my copy probably accepted this offer, because the reply card that came with the record is missing.

Pin Ups

(RCA RS 1003; UK 10/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: insert

Tracks: Rosalyn / Here Comes the Night / I Wish You Would / See Emily Play / Everything's Alright / I Can't Explain // Friday on My Mind / Sorrow / Don't Bring Me Down / Shapes of Things / Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere / Where Have All the Good Times Gone

Other notes: recorded at Château d'Hérouville Studios, Hérouville, France, 08-31/07/1973

Collector's notes: This is the first UK issue.

Pin Ups

(RCA APL1-0291; Germany 11/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: laminated FOC, typo on label, made by Teldec

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: The German issue has a fold-out cover with the design inside based on the UK insert. There are German copies made by both Teldec and RCA Schallplatten, and some copies that are made by Teldec (like this one) have a typo on the side 1 label (See Emtly Play). It is difficult to say which issue is the actual first one. This one (with the laminated cover) is a likely candidate: the cover is identical to that of white label promos.
Note that the presence of the typo does not necessarily indicate a first issue: it mysteriously re-appeared on (at least some) 1977 re-issues.
I have filed the (original) German issues of the album under November because it was promoted that month on the promo-only compilation album series RockNews.

Pin Ups

(RCA APL1-0291; Germany 11/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: unlaminated FOC, no typo on label, made by Teldec

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This is the variation in an unlaminated cover and with no typo on the label, referred to in the previous entry. There is a further difference to that version: on the label, the order of composers for Everything's Alright is different.

Pin Ups

(RCA APL1-0291; Germany 11/1973)

Format: LP

Release notes: unlaminated FOC, no typo on label, made by RCA Schallplatten

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Another early issue, which could also qualify as an "original", since RCA had records made by both Teldec and RCA Schallplatten in 1973. Same order of composers for Everything's Alright as in the previous entry.

Life on Mars?

(RCA JBPM 3737; Italy 11/1973?)

Format: 7"

Release notes: juke box promo, die-cut PS with "9-74"

Tracks: David Bowie: Life on Mars?* // Antonello Venditti: Le Tue Mani Su Di Me*

Other notes: *with female voice naming artist and title at the end of the track

Collector's notes: Italian jukebox promos came in all kinds of covers: neutral sleeves, company sleeves and die-cut picture sleeves. Sometimes these picture sleeves were made from totally inappropriate covers from the same time, so the most desirable copies are those that are based on the correct stock copy cover, like this one.
Note that there are some interesting aspects about this issue. First, at the end of of Life on Mars? (and the B-side track, too), there is a female speaker telling you the name of the artist and track, which is quite unusual. Second the cover on which this die-cut sleeve is based is different from the standard cover: not only does it have an indentation on the right-hand side (which is not surprising, given that it has been cut, anyway), but the printer's information on the back is in horizontal, not vertical position. Moreover, the date given there is "9-74", not "11/73" as on the labels and the standard cover. In fact, according to Chas Pearson's website, there are three different versions of the cover (with "10-73", "11-73" and "9-74", respectively, on them). So this jukebox promo might have been distributed later. However, due to the date "11/73" on the labels, I file it under that month.

Life on Mars?

(RCA N 1689; Italy 11/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo, orange labels, PS with "11-73"

Tracks: Life on Mars? // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: An unusual Italian promo: standardly, Italian promos had white labels, and there are also white label copies of this single. This promo, however, has orange labels. Same cover as the stock copy. Note that the orange label promos have the date "10/73" on the labels, and since there are also (stock copy) covers with this date, the promos might have been distributed in October. There is also an orange label promo (dated "9/73") with Space Oddity as the B-side.

Life on Mars?

(RCA N 1689; Italy 11/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS with "11-73"

Tracks: Life on Mars? // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: stock copies of this record have the date "10/73" on the labels. Again, the earliest copies of this single might have been distributed in October. However, following Jarman & Stöcklin I have decided to list all issues of the Italian Life on Mars? single under November.

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DMA-10351; Australia 11/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

The Laughing Gnome

(Deram DM.123; New Zealand 11/1973)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: The Laughing Gnome // The Gospel According to Tony Day

Other notes: re-issue of 1967 UK single

Collector's notes: There may also be original 1967 copies of this single. New Zealand pressings are rather elusive, and the existence of a New Zealand issue of Bowie's Deram album had also been unknown for quite a while. However, the only original 1960s Deram single from New Zealand that is definitely known to exist is Love You till Tuesday (shown in Jarman & Stöcklin).

Superstar

(Decca DLPA 187/8; South Africa 11/1973)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC

Tracks: In the Heat of the Morning / Let Me Sleep beside You / Did You Ever Have a Dream / Karma Man / The Laughing Gnome // Little Bombardier / Join the Gang / Come and Buy My Toys / She's Got Medals / Silly Boy Blue / Love You till Tuesday* / Rubber Band* / Maid of Bond Street / Sell Me a Coat / There Is a Happy Land / When I Live My Dream / Uncle Arthur / The Gospel According to Tony Day / Please Mr. Gravedigger / The London Boys / We Are Hungry Men

Other notes: *album versions

Collector's notes: A rare compilation, similar to the Images 1966-1967 album, but with a slightly different tracklist. As the boring cover shows, the set wasn't compiled with much care: while both record labels give the correct year (and date) of release, the labels of the first disc have the additional information "Printed 1958". Oh, well...

Pin Ups

(RCA APL1-0291; Spain 1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: OIS

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Some countries (like the USA and Spain) used an enlarged version of the artist's name/title. Some (like Spain) combined this with a cropped version of the cover picture. The "Depósito Legal" date on the label shows that the Spanish issue can't have been released before 1974, which is why I have placed it at the beginning of that year.
This album can be identified as a first Spanish issue by the facts that the details of the label layout are identical to those of white label promos and that the cover doesn't have a price code.

Pin Ups

(RCA LPS-53-1213; Colombia 1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: -

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: This somewhat belated Colombian issue uses an extremely cropped version of the US cover, so that even some of the text on the cover back is cut off.

Space Oddity

(High Stereo Light 412; South Korea 1974?)

Format: LP

Release notes: pirate issue, green cover

Tracks: see original issue

Other notes: re-issue of Man of Words/Man of Music (1969)

Collector's notes: An interesting variation of the cover, though not a surprising one. Instead of full colour covers the South Korean pirate issues of western records usually have a two-coloured cover (with the colour chosen rather arbitrarily). I'm not sure when this record was released, information on these pirate records is hard to find. According to Discogs the year of release was 1974. That may be true or not, but since this is the only information I have, I've decided to list it under that year.

Do Anything You Say/I Dig Everything

(Pye 7NX 8002; UK 1974? (10/1972))

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: mono, 33 1/3 rpm, purple/red labels, long copyright notes, company cover

Tracks: Do Anything You Say / I Dig Everything // David Bowie with the Lower Third: Can't Help Thinking about Me / I'm Not Losing Sleep

Other notes: 2nd issue of For the Collector (1972)

Collector's notes: Since Pye introduced the purple/red labels in 1974, I suppose that this issue was released that year. There are three variations of this label. In the first issue of his singles discography Jarman gives a chronological order for these variations. However, in the second edition of the discography, Jarman and Stöcklin abandon this chronology and simply list the variations as one release. According to Jarman's original classification, this copy is a "second issue of the second issue", identifiable by its Pye "Maxi" label and the copyright text running around most of the label margin.

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; USA 01/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo, cream label, re-pressing, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Other notes: re-issue of 1971 stereo single

Collector's notes: Since this single has cream labels (which were used from 1973 onwards), it must have been pressed to promote the 1974 re-pressings of Changes. See the entry of the 1971 promo for more information on US Changes promos.

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; USA 01/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: grey labels, re-pressing, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Other notes: re-issue of 1971 stereo single

Collector's notes: This record can easily be identified as a 1974 re-pressing by its grey label. In fact, this single seems to be the first one with this label.

Changes

(RCA 74-0605; Canada 1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: re-pressing, company cover

Tracks: Changes // Andy Warhol

Other notes: This copy of Changes is definitely from 1974, as this is stated on the label. So I have listed it with the 1974 US re-pressing. The company cover is a later, incorrect one, but the original sleeve had a similar design.

Sorrow

(RCA APAO-0160; Portugal 01/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: "BIEM" on label, textured PS

Tracks: Sorrow // Amsterdam*

Other notes: *studio recording, Trident Studios, London, summer 1971

Collector's notes: This copy of this rare Portuguese single can be identified as an original by the copyright association on the label being "BIEM".

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO5009; USA 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: domestic copy ("Made in USA" on labels), company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: The single version of Rebel Rebel is easily recognised: it fades out, whereas the album version ends with a drumbeat.
Rebel Rebel was pressed twice in the USA: this issue has the single edit of the version recorded for the Diamond Dogs album, whereas the later release has a re-recorded version.
There are two versions of this single: this one has "Made in USA" on the labels, the other one does not have this text. It is sometimes assumed that those with the country of origin on the labels were made for the domestic market, but according to John Villanova, all pressings were made for export, regardless of the label design.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO5009; USA 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: export copy (no "Made in USA" on labels), company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: This is the alternative issue mentioned in the previous entry.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA 74-16398; Germany 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: white label promo, PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Rebel Rebel

(RCA 74-16398; Germany 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: Same cover as the promo
Note that there are also pirate picture discs with the same design as the German cover and the same catalogue number. These are beautiful, but fakes (presumably from 2022). There were no official Bowie picture discs until 1979.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA SPBO-9128; Spain 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: Late 1970s re-pressings of this release exist, but they seem to be rarer than the original.
Picture disc copies are pirate pressings from 2022.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; France 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: artist name "Bowie" on label, large centre hole, PS (paper with grey title on dark brown background)

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: There are also copies with "David Bowie" as the artist's name on the labels, and among those that have "Bowie" as the name there are copies with both a large centre hole and a solid centre (the latter are probably export copies). There are also two variations of the cover (see the release notes of this and the next entry). Moreover, Jarman writes that there are also copies with covers made of cardboard. All of my copies have paper covers, though.
Picture discs are fakes from 2022.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; France 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: artist name "David Bowie" on label, large centre hole, PS (paper with cream title on light brown background)

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: This is the other colour scheme used for the French Rebel Rebel sleeves. Same labels as in the previous entry.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; France 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: artist name "Bowie" on label, large centre hole, PS (paper with grey title on dark brown background)

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: This is the (rarer) version with "David Bowie" as the artist's name on the labels, as mentioned in this entry. Same cover as that issue.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; France 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: artist name "Bowie" on label, no "SACEM" on label, solid centre, UK company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: The solid centre and the lack of a box with a copyright association clearly indicate that this is an export copy for the UK.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA YEPBO 204; Greece 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; Italy 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS with "2-74" on cover back

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: This is the original Italian issue, identifiable by the date printed on the cover back.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO 5009; Italy 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS with "3-74" on cover back

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: Second Italian issue. Same labels as in the previous entry.
Although this issue was (obviously) not release before March, I've decided to list it with the first release.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA LPBO-5009; Netherlands 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Rebel Rebel

(RCA/Jugoton SRCA-88731; Yugoslavia 02/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (single edit) // Queen Bitch

Collector's notes: Another example of what happens when regional cover designers run out of ideas.

Best Deluxe

(RCA SRA-9412-13; Japan 03/1974 (?))

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC

Tracks: Starman / Moonage Daydream / Five Years / Hang on to Yourself / Suffragette City / Rock'n'Roll Suicide // The Jean Genie / Time / Let's Spend the Night Together / The Prettiest Star / Watch That Man / Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) // Space Oddity / The Man Who Sold the World / The Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud / The Cygnet Committee // Changes / Life on Mars? / Fill Your Heart*/Andy Warhol* / Black Country Rock / The Width of a Circle

Other notes: all tracks regular album versions; *segued into each other, as on the original album

Collector's notes: This rare Japanese double album is the first ever Bowie compilation with RCA material, spanning his albums from David Bowie (a.k.a. Space Oddity) to Aladdin Sane. It originally came with an OBI that is similar to a small poster, and is missing from my copy. For a long time I didn't know why the album is called Best Deluxe, since this title doesn't turn up in the English text on the cover and labels. However, as some friendly people in the forum of the Illustrated db Discography have explained, this title is in the Japanese text. In fact, Best Deluxe is written in Katakana, the Japanese way to write non-Japanese words, so that this is actually literally the title (which is the reason why I have chosen to change this entry accordingly).
In 1976, this album was re-released as Special.
The exact release date of this album is a controversial issue. Since both Pegg and Thompson list the album under 1974, I have opted for that year (the month is from Thompson). But note that the Illustrated db Discography gives 1973 as the release date (which is, in fact, the "Printed" date on the labels), and there is at least one Japanese Bowie book that claims the album was released in October 1973. So it might be the case that the latter date is correct.

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA LPBO 5021; UK 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: MainMan/Chrysalis credits, solid centre, company cover

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Collector's notes: The songwriting credits indicate that this is an early pressing.

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA LPBO5021; USA 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: album title under Bowie's name, company cover

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Collector's notes: There are two minor variations of the label design: some copies have the album title under Bowie's name, some under the song title (see next entry). According to John Villanova, both versions of this single were not issued in the USA, but pressed for export only.

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA LPBO5021; USA 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: album title under song title, company cover

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA LPBO-5021; Germany 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA LPBO-5021; France 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: blue PS

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Collector's notes: According to Jarman, there are also covers with a blue, rather than a purple background.

Rock'n'Roll Suicide

(RCA/Jugoton SRCA-88751; Yugoslavia 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll Suicide // Quicksand

Rebel Rebel

(RCA 101.4046; Brazil 04/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: 33 1/3 rpm, company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel // Diamond Dogs

Collector's notes: An unusual coupling of tracks from Brazil. Note that this issue plays the album version of Rebel Rebel.

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APL1-0576; UK 04/1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: FOC, "Stereo" on labels, no Bewitched on side 1 label, "Interpak by Shorewood" on cover back

Tracks: Future Legend (incl. Bewitched) / Diamond Dogs / Sweet Thing / Candidate / Sweet Thing (Reprise) / Rebel Rebel // Rock'n'Roll with Me / We Are the Dead / 1984 / Big Brother / Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family

Other notes: recorded at Olympic Studios, London, Morgan Studios, Willesden, Trident Studios, London, Ludolf Studios, Hilversum, 12/1973-02/1974

Collector's notes: There are some variations concerning the labels and the cover: some copies haven't got "Stereo" on the labels, some have a slightly different label layout, some have different or no printer credits on the cover back (see the next entry for an example).
This copy is interesting in that it does not list Bewitched on the label of side 1. This mistake (which was soon corrected) might indicate a very first issue, but it might also be just a label variation. In any case, copies of this kind are those most sought after, since they are definitely first pressings.
On many European issues the mistake with the missing Bewitched was present for years.

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APL1-0576; UK 04/1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: FOC, "Stereo" on labels, Bewitched on side 1 label, "Printed in England by Clout & Baker Ltd." on cover back

Tracks: see other issue

Collector's notes: This is a variation with Bewitched on the side 1 label. The printer credits are also different.

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APL 1-0576 (LSP); Germany 04/1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: FOC, record made by Teldec, cover made by RCA Schallplatten

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Originally, I wrote that I wasn't sure if there were also pressings by Teldec - but then I realized that this actually is one. I had failed to check the labels and the cover separately. However, to this day I haven't yet seen a cover made by Teldec. Since this is also the case for all original German issues of David Live that I have seen (and also for records by other artists like Dana Gillespie and Mick Ronson), the most probable theory is that in 1974 RCA regularly distributed Teldec pressings in covers made by RCA Schallplatten.
Note that early German issues don't mention Bewitched on the labels (which seems to have been changed around 1977).

Diamond Dogs

(RCA CPL1-0576; Italy 05/1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: FOC

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: Since the label design of this copy is almost identical to that of white label promos of this record, this may be the first issue.
Early issues of the Italian album don't list Bewitched on the labels. Later tan label issues add it under Future Legend.

Diamond Dogs

((CPL-1 10576-A 15/CPL-1 10576-B 35); South Korea 1974?)

Format: LP

Release notes: pirate issue, brown cover

Tracks: see UK issue

Collector's notes: As always, I'm not sure about the actual year of release of these South Korean LPs, and since I have no additional information, I list it with the original issues.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA DJHO-0287; USA 05/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (USA stereo single version) // Rebel Rebel (USA mono single version)

Other notes: studio recording, Studio L Ludolf, Hilversum, Netherlands, early 1974

Collector's notes: This is the second US release of Rebel Rebel. This version uses much more phasing than the original. Note that it has been argued that the new version of the track is not a different recording, but a remix of the original version with overdubs.

Rebel Rebel

(RCA APBO-0287; USA 05/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (USA single version)* // Lady Grinning Soul

Other notes: *studio recording, Studio L Ludolf, Hilversum, Netherlands, early 1974

Collector's notes: The re-recorded version has a different B-side than the previously released one.

Hang On to Yourself

(Mooncrest MOON 25; UK 05/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: NC

Tracks: Hang On to Yourself // Man in the Middle

Other notes: re-issue of 1972 single

Collector's notes: Like the original issue, this re-release was not commercially successful, which makes it almost as rare as the original.

Disco de Ouro

(London SC 15002; Brazil 05/1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: -

Tracks: see album The World of David Bowie

Other notes: re-issue of The World of David Bowie (1970)

Collector's notes: The very rare Brazilian issue of The World of David Bowie... with a slightly misleading title ("Golden Records").

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO 0293 EX; USA 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: export copy, company cover

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: The "EX" after the catalogue number indicates an export copy. In fact, there was no regular US release of this single. Thanks to John Villanova for this information.

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO-0293; Canada 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: company cover

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: As in the case of the US issue, this single was exported to the UK in large quantities, and, according to Jarman & Stöcklin, it was made for export only.

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO 0293 AC; Germany 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO-0293; Spain 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: original label design with "SGAE" in topmost position, PS with red cover back

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO-0293; Spain (06/1974))

Format: 7"

Release notes: new label design with "SGAE" in third position, late 1970s re-pressing, PS with white cover back

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO 0293; France 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APAO-0293; Portugal 06/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: "BIEM" on label, PS

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Collector's notes: This copy can be identified as an original by the presence of "BIEM" on the label.

1984

(RCA JH-10026; USA 07/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: 1984 (stereo version) // 1984 (mono version)

1984

(RCA PB-10026; USA 07/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: orange label, company cover

Tracks: 1984 // Queen Bitch

Presented free with Record Mirror

(RCA/MainMan LYN 2929; UK 09/1974)

Format: 7" flexi

Release notes: promo-only, one-sided, 33¹/₃ rpm, Record Mirror magazine

Tracks: Space Oddity / The Man Who Sold the World / Life on Mars? / Starman / The Jean Genie / Sorrow / Diamond Dogs / Knock on Wood

Other notes: all tracks excerpts connected by announcer

Collector's notes: This flexi was distributed with the Record Mirror Magazine from 28/09/1974. While numerous copies of the flexi are still around, only relatively few copies of the corresponding magazine seem to have survived. Interestingly, this issue of Record Mirror doesn't feature any articles on Bowie, only two articles on Mick Ronson.

Knock on Wood

(RCA 2466; UK 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: push-out centre, company cover

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: The live version of Panic in Detroit was not included in the David Live album and was quite a rarity until it was re-released on the Bowie Rare album in 1982.

Knock on Wood

(RCA 2466; UK 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: solid centre, company cover

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Knock on Wood

(RCA XB-01001 26.11218 AC; Germany 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: An interesting fact is that the cover back shows album promotion for the Diamond Dogs album that already gives a "26." number for it. This indicates that the German Diamond Dogs LP was quickly re-pressed with such a number and was actually the last German Bowie LP that was originally issued without one.

Knock on Wood

(RCA XB 01001; France 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: "Bowie" in capital/lower case letters on labels, PS

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: There are also labels with the artist's name completely in capital letters.

Knock on Wood

(RCA XA-01001; Portugal (09/1974))

Format: 7"

Release notes: "SPA" on labels, late 1970s re-pressing, PS

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: This record can be identified as a re-pressing by the presence of "SPA" on the labels; first pressings have "BIEM" instead.

Knock on Wood

(RCA/Jugoton SRCA-88783; Yugoslavia 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Diamond Dogs

(RCA APBO 0293; Italy 09/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Diamond Dogs // Holy Holy (re-recorded version)*

Other notes: *Ziggy Stardust sessions version, Trident Studios, London, probably 15/11/1971

Rock'n'Roll with Me

(RCA JB-10105; USA 10/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, company cover

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll with Me (long version) // Rock'n'Roll with Me (short version)

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974, from the David Live album

Collector's notes: The short version of Rock'n'Roll with Me is heavily edited.

Rock'n'Roll with Me

(RCA PB-10105; USA 10/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: grey labels, company cover

Tracks: Rock'n'Roll with Me (long version) // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974, from the David Live album

Collector's notes: From 1974 to 1975 RCA USA used both orange and grey labels. There are also copies with an orange label.

Knock on Wood

(RCA 2466; Italy 10/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: PS

Tracks: Knock on Wood // Panic in Detroit

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

David Live

(RCA APL2-0771; UK 10/1974)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC with incorrect dates, 2 OIS

Tracks: 1984 / Rebel Rebel / Moonage Daydream / Sweet Thing (incl. Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)) // Changes / Suffragette City / Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) / All the Young Dudes / Cracked Actor // Rock'n'Roll with Me / Watch That Man / Knock on Wood / Diamond Dogs // Big Brother (incl. Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family) / The Width of a Circle / The Jean Genie / Rock'n'Roll Suicide

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: This is the first pressing, which can be identified by the incorrect recording dates (14-15/07/1974) on the inside of the fold-out cover (see detail scan). On later pressings, this error has been corrected (although the new dates given, 12-13/07/1974, are still not entirely correct). The label is the standard orange UK label with a groove near the label margin (the later pressings often have a groove near the centre hole).

David Live

(RCA APL2-0771; UK 10/1974)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC with correct dates, 2 OIS

Tracks: see first issue

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: This is the second issue with corrected recording dates on the inside of the fold-out cover (see detail scan). Same inner sleeves as in the previous entry.

David Live

(RCA CPL 2-0771 26.28107 DT; Germany 10/1974)

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC with incorrect dates, record made by Teldec, cover made by RCA Schallplatten

Tracks: see UK issue

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: As pointed out in the entry of the German Hunky Dory album, David Live was the first German RCA Bowie album of which no copies without an additional "26." number appear to exist.
This copy is an example of the first German issue: it has the catalogue number in the top right corner of the cover front, no label code on cover or labels, and no "Deutsche Pressung" on the cover. As in the case of Diamond Dogs, the combination of a Teldec record with an RCA Schallplatten cover is probably correct here, since no covers made by Teldec seem to exist.

David Live

(RCA CPL 2-0771 26.28107 DT; Germany 1979 (10/1974))

Format: 2LP

Release notes: FOC with incorrect dates, label code on cover and labels, "Deutsche Pressung" on cover

Tracks: see UK issue

Other notes: live, Tower Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 10-13/07/1974

Collector's notes: This is a re-pressing (probably third issue pressing) from the late 1970s, recognizable by the presence of "Deutsche Pressung" on the cover back. Note that it seems that the mistake with the incorrect dates on the cover was never corrected on German RCA copies.

What's It All about?

(TRAV NR5140; USA 10/1974)

Format: 7"

Release notes: promo-only, NC

Tracks: David Bowie: What's It All about? (interview with Mike Garson feat. excerpts from Hang On to Yourself, Space Oddity, It Ain't Easy, God Knows I'm Good) // The Who: What's It All about? (interview with Pete Townshend/Roger Daltrey feat. excerpts from Who songs)

Collector's notes: A really funny item made for the Presbyterian Church (!). Host "Brother John" (!!) talks to Scientologist Mike Garson about "what it's all about". And the side finishes with God Knows I'm Good. Hallelujah!

Rebel Rebel/Queen Bitch

(RCA 20610; Australia 11/1974)

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: orange labels, closed cardboard PS

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (Australian single edit) / Queen Bitch // Sorrow / Amsterdam

Collector's notes: The original issue of this EP has an orange label and a cardboard sleeve with a spine, the late 1970s re-pressing has a tan label and a wraparound paper cover - logically without a spine.
Contrary to what the label says, the version of Rebel Rebel included here (and on the re-pressing) has a length of 4:08 (again, thanks to Ruud Altenburg for pointing this out to me).

Rebel Rebel/Queen Bitch

(RCA 20610; Australia (11/1974))

Format: 7"EP

Release notes: late 1970s re-pressing: tan labels, wraparound paper PS with same design on both sides

Tracks: Rebel Rebel (Australian single edit) / Queen Bitch // Sorrow / Amsterdam

Collector's notes: See the previous entry for criteria to distinguish this re-pressing from originals. These re-pressings are quite common because they were sold until the early 1980s.

Recorded October 20, 1972 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California

(Trademark of Quality 2965; USA (1974))

Format: 2LP

Release notes: bootleg, plain white labels (with side imprint), white NC with pink insert, 2nd issue with number on the insert

Tracks: Intro (Beethoven's Ninth Symphony) / Hang on to Yourself / Ziggy Stardust / Changes / The Supermen / Life on Mars? // Five Years / Space Oddity / Andy Warhol / My Death // The Width of a Circle / Queen Bitch / Moonage Daydream // John, I'm Only Dancing / Waiting for the Man / The Jean Genie / Suffragette City / Rock'n'Roll Suicide

Other notes: live, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California, 20/10/1972

Collector's notes: Possibly the most famous Bowie bootleg, with a great sound quality. There are numerous issues of this album under various titles and with different covers. In fact, this show was the first music by Bowie ever released on a bootleg (as the two records Ziggy in Concert and David Bowie the previous year, according to Frifelt). This one is the second (1975) issue of the release titled Recorded October..., which is the best-known version. It has the Beethoven intro, but omits the announcer's introduction. The first issue does not have the catalogue number on the insert.
Note that this version is often simply called David Bowie.

The All American Bowie

(DB 542; USA 1975 (1974))

Format: LP

Release notes: bootleg, printed labels, white NC with yellow insert, 3rd edition

Tracks: My Death / Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) / Five Years / The Width of a Circle // Ziggy Stardust / Changes / Panic in Detroit / Time / Suffragette City

Other notes: live, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, 10/03/1973

Collector's notes: Another famous bootleg, which has also been re-released again and again. The first issue with this insert was released in 1974, but didn't have the skull in the bottom left corner. This is the third version from 1975. The sound quality is quite good.

Dollars in Drag - The 1980 Floor Show

(TAKRL 1905; USA (1974))

Format: LP

Release notes: bootleg, plain yellow labels (with side imprint), white NC with pink/blue insert, 2nd edition?

Tracks: 1984/Dodo / Sorrow / Everything's Alright / Space Oddity / The Supermen* / Hang on to Yourself** // Man in the Middle** / I Can't Explain / Time / The Jean Genie / I Got You Babe***

Other notes: live, 1980 Floor Show, Marquee, London, 18-20/10/1973 (incorrect date on cover, ***duet with Marianne Faithfull); except: *from the Revelations various artists album (1972); **from the 1972 Arnold Corns single

Collector's notes: According to Frifelt, the first issue has TAKRL labels and two inserts, whereas the second issue has mock labels and only one insert, and the third issue has a printed cover and plain white labels. This makes the classification of this copy a bit difficult: there is only a front insert, but the labels are plain with only "Side One" and "Side Two" on them. So it's difficult to say whether this copy has to be counted as a second or a third issue. All issues have a very good sound quality! For the time, that is...
Note that on Time the "dirty" word goddamn has been edited out. However, it's done so well that you hardly realize it - it sounds as if Bowie actually sang Chimes - you're looking old.

Dollars in Drag - The 1980 Floor Show

(Kornyphone TAKRL 1905; USA (1974))

Format: LP

Release notes: bootleg, mock labels, printed cover, 3rd edition?

Tracks: see 2nd edition

Collector's notes: To add to the confusion, this issue is also difficult to identify. Frifelt writes that "[t]he third issue has a printed b/w printed cover but no printed labels." Here we have the printed cover, but the record has mock labels ("Monique D'Ozo: Je T'Aime"). And, no, I didn't exchange the records. This the way I bought both this record and the one from the previous entry. However, it should be borne in mind that bootleggers never cared much about consistency, but put into the covers whatever copies were still at hand.

Good Enough to Eat/Soft in the Middle

(TAKRL 1915; USA 1974)

Format: LP

Release notes: bootleg, plain yellow labels with side imprint, blue NC with 2 inserts (light yellow/beige)

Tracks: John, I'm Only Dancing°* / Waiting for the Man** / Moonage Daydream** / Round and Round° / Rebel Rebel***° // I'm Not Losing Sleep° / David Bowie with the Lower Third: Can't Help Thinking about Me° / Do Anything You Say° / I Dig Everything° / My Death** / Amsterdam°

Other notes: °official single tracks; *original version; **live, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California, 20/10/1972; ***standard (UK) single edit

Collector's notes: This first issue of this bootleg is interesting in that it has two inserts (and hence two titles). It was later re-issued as Soft in the Middle with a printed cover and a different picture on the front (but the same picture on the back). There was also a re-issue called Bump and Grind and a final issue under the title That's Advertisement in 1982. According to Frifelt the first issue has printed TAKRL labels, so that this must be something like a "second issue of the first issue". Ultimately, I don't care much about such differences, since it is particularly difficult to find out which combination of which bootleg in which cover was distributed when.
Note that my cover is slightly different from the one shown by Frifelt: is has an additional "promotional" imprint on the front insert, saying "Contains the original '1984' and 'Rebel Rebel' (TAKRL 2425)" (or "... 2925" - it's difficult to read). The record actually contains a version of Rebel Rebel, but there is no 1984 on it. Furthermore, I couldn't find out to which record "TAKRL 2425" refers. Maybe it's just mockery.
As regards the music, this is a mixture of singles that were more or less rare in the USA at the time, plus a few songs from the Santa Monica bootleg. Between the tracks there are excerpts from the programme of various radio stations. By and large, the record is similar to the Baby Doll album.