1. Uncle Arthur
2. Sell Me a Coat
3. Rubber Band
4. Love You Till Tuesday
5. There Is a Happy Land
6. We Are Hungry Men
7. When I Live My Dream
8. Little Bombardier
9. Silly Boy Blue
10. Come and Buy My Toys
11. Join the Gang
12. She's Got Medals
13. Maid of Bond Street
14. Please Mr. Gravedigger
Like overseas, the first part of David Bowie's career in Australia and New Zealand was distinctly absent of hit albums and singles.
Due to low sales and the subsequent classic status of these first albums, the original issues are now highly prized among collectors.
The history surrounding David Bowie's debut album begins in late 1966 as Bowie commenced recording sessions in London.
At this time, Bowie's manager Ken Pitt traveled to Australia to accompany Decca label mate Crispian St Peters on tour.
He took this opportunity to distribute Bowie's records and promos in person to our local radio and TV stations.
Promo Postcard - November 1966
Image from The Pitt Report by Kenneth Pitt
Bowie's 14 track debut appeared locally the following year but like all his pre-1972 LPs, it sold few copies and is now a valuable rarity.
In particular is the New Zealand issue which recently came to light as the rarest of all known formats of the LP. According to Record Collector, the suggested UK price tag is in excess of £450.
The NZ issue of David Bowie (1967).
According to Record Collector, the differences from the UK edition are subtle. These include a considerably darker cover picture and a reduced back image to make room for the copyright warning and both "His Masters Voice (NZ) Ltd" and Deram script.
Singles
Singles were locally issued by Deram but with the exception of the 1973 issue of 'The Laughing Gnome', there is no particular evidence of these charting.
NZ issue of 'Love You Till Tuesday' dated 1967.
Australian issues of 'The Laughing Gnome' backed by 'The Gospel According to Tony Day'. These contain the familiar Deram label and are dated 1967 - a bit deceiving because these are actually 1973 reissues.
Considered a novelty song, 'The Laughing Gnome' caused a bit of drama in the following decade. After Bowie had found an audience as a more 'serious' musician, the song was reissued without his approval. In New Zealand, it climbed to number 3 in 1973 - actually his highest NZ chart single at that point of time - even out-doing 'Space Oddity'!
'The Laughing Gnome' was not the first or last of Bowie's early material to be reissued on 7 inch. The New Zealand single below is a re-issue of 'Do Anything You Say' dated 1972.
NZ issue of 'Do Anything You Say' dated 1972.
The following year (1968), David Bowie engaged in a variety of multimedia projects. On August 1, he found himself on the same bill as Melbourne band The Groop (featuring Brian Cadd) who were starting to make an impact both nationally and overseas. The gig took place at London's Marquee Club.
Queue outside The Marquee Club, London 1968.
DAVID BOWIE (1969)
1. Space Oddity
2. Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
3. Don't Sit Down
4. Letter To Hermione
5. Cygnet Committee
6. Janine
7. An Occasional Dream
8. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
9. God Knows I'm Good
10. Memory Of A Free Festival
Bowie's second album was issued by Philips in 1969.
Later re-released as Space Oddity, the now famous title track included the use of a stylophone - an instrument promoted by Australian entertainer Rolf Harris.
David Bowie (left) and Rolf Harris (right). The Dubreq Stylophone was a miniature electronic musical instrument, invented in 1967 by Brian Jarvis. It consisted of a metal keyboard that was played by touching it with a stylus.
A couple of urban myths appear to have developed around this.
One concerns an engineer who both Bowie and Harris allegedly shared and then provided Bowie the stylophone idea for 'Space Oddity'. Another concerns Marc Bolan giving David the instrument as a present.
I had the fortune of asking Tony Visconti about this:
"No, there was no engineer they had in common with Rolf Harris. No, Marc Bolan didn't give him one as a present, as they were far from friendly during that period."
"His Stylophone was a complimentary sample sent to his manager Ken Pitt from the company. I watched David play with it for a few minutes then I had a bash on it too. Something was cooking in his brain whilst playing with it. I think 'Space Oddity' emerged a couple of weeks later."
"We were all aware of it because of the adverts with Rolf Harris playing 'Waltzing Matilda', or something very close. It was a curious instrument that all rock musicians wanted to get their hands on. David immediately realized the potential of its unusual voice. It was the beginning of synths, albeit a very unorthodox synth."
~ Tony Visconti, May 2009.
Parkes Observatory to David Bowie
In England, the 'Space Oddity' single was rush released to coincide with the BBC broadcast of the first manned moon landing in July 1969. Gradually the song began the rise to #5 on the UK charts.
The story of 'Space Oddity' in Australia was unfortunately different. As the Parkes radio telescope broadcast the first moon steps to the world, it was 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' that topped our national chart. One problem was that the single was delayed until October. By the end of the year, it appeared Australia was much more successful at tracking Neil Armstrong than Major Tom.
In New Zealand, the single showed up on chart at number 18 for one week - January 16, 1970.
NZ (left) and AUS (right) issue of 'Space Oddity' backed by 'Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud'.
In Australia, 2 label types available (Philips BF 304201 and Philips BF 304203). The first was a Black/Orange label but the most common one is the same as NZ.
The DJ and the BG
'Space Oddity' assured Bowie a radio interview down under.
According to Ken Pitt, the interview was recorded by DJ Bill Gates for Melbourne's 3XY radio and it took place in London on October 22, 1969.
"I was looking forward to the time that David was to go [to Australia]. This meeting with Bill Gates was the first step in that direction"
~ Ken Pitt, Bowie's Manager.
It has also been recorded that Gates famously discovered - and suggested the name for - the now legendary band The Bee Gees (B.G. was his own initials - along with Barry Gibb and assistant Bill Goode).
Some melodic comparisons have also been drawn between 'Space Oddity' and the Bee Gees song 'New York Mining Disaster, 1941'. Regardless, Bowie's song remains one of enormous creativity and inspiration.
Molly
During the course of 1969, Bowie was interviewed by the now legendary media persona Molly Meldrum.
The
interview was for Go-Set - Australia's premier music magazine. It was the first of their many public encounters over the years.
THE WORLD OF DAVID BOWIE (1970)
1. Uncle Arthur
2. Love You Till Tuesday
3. There Is A Happy Land
4. Little Bombardier
5. Sell Me A Coat
6. Silly Boy Blue
7. The London Boys
8. Karma Man
9. Rubber Band
10. Let Me Sleep Beside You
11. Come And Buy My Toys
12. She's Got Medals
13. In The Heat Of The Morning
14. When I Live My Dream
In 1970, The World of David Bowie was issued by Decca/Deram.
The original idea for the album pre-dated Space Oddity but now on the back of Bowie's first hit, it made good sense to re-try the material. Several unreleased tracks were added for good measure.
NZ issue of The World of David Bowie (1970).
According to the label, the LP was "Made in New Zealand for the Decca Record Company Ltd by His Master's Voice (NZ) Ltd Wellington".
The World of David Bowie became the first of many LPs that would - over the course of several decades - compile often the same or similar material.
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD (1971)
1. The Width Of A Circle
2. All The Madmen
3. Black Country Rock
4. After All
5. Running Gun Blues
6. Saviour Machine
7. She Shook Me Cold
8. The Man Who Sold The World
9. The Supermen
In 1971, Mercury (actually a subsidiary of Philips) issued Bowie's third studio album - The Man Who Sold The World.
Australia was the only country aside from the UK to get the rare and valuable 'dress sleeve'. As indicated by 1995 issue of Record Collector, this version is even more valuable than the UK - and by a considerable amount. Even back then, they valued a mint copy almost $1000 AU.
Comparative values according to the January 1995 issue of Record Collector. The Australian version is identifiable by the red Mercury labels and the words 'Printed in Australia' on the rear sleeve.
In the perceived absence of a clear single, 'Holy Holy' was recorded after the completion of The Man Who Sold The World and issued as a 7 inch single. Like overseas, it sold poorly and failed to chart.
Australian issue of 'Holy Holy'. 1971 Mercury label backed by 'Black Country Rock'.
Scan sent in by Anthony.
Around this time, Bowie and his wife Angela became friends with noted Aussie journalist and author Lillian Roxon. She was a major champion of Bowie's music as he tried to break into in America.
