Finally we can hear samples of these legendary Bowie outtakes from the 70s. This is because this a very rare Sigma Session reel has come up on ebay. The current bid is at $15,000.

Head across to this thread on Ruud's forum to download the mp3 samples.







"[Elton John] is a cunt ... and one day I will tell you why ..." ~ David Bowie, 1973.

Thanks! :)

Shilling the rubes sounds like it could have been a really beautiful song, but what's up with his singing? Sounds more like the old Ziggy style, wasn't it around the recording of DD that he learned to use his voice better? He's not doing that here.

It's SAILER, idiot!

wow.

funnily enough, 'rubes' sounds more aladdin sane than young americans.

Damn, "Shilling the Rubes" actually sounds pretty good (dunno 'bout Bowie's pre-soul era vocal though). Is this it the first instance of conclusive proof that Bowie did in fact record a song called "Shilling the Rubes"? I think Nicholas Pegg suggested that since it was a provisional title for the Young Americans album, fans had just assumed without proof that a song by that name must have been recorded. Well, Pegg must be kicking himself that the track itself has been outed, just after he released another edition of his book...

It's not like he doesn't make a new edition every 2 years, anyway

That's true. Maybe it would be wise to hold off until Bowie records/releases something significant, but then again, who the hell knows when that will be?

Speaking of Bowie rarities, does anyone know what happened to bowieaudio.com? Seems it is gone.

TW GOD OF FOOTBALL

Bowieaudio's been unavailable for a couple of months now- I was going to ask about that too.

So it seems it is dead. Shame.

TW GOD OF FOOTBALL

A master that Bowie doesn't own... wonder how that escaped? In fact, I wonder if Daddy himself will buy it?

I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now, what I'm with isn't it, and what's "it" seems weird and scary to me.

$15,000 for "Shilling the Rubes"

Someone has a very good sense of humour.

Likewise, I have doubts whether they got a real bid (despite someone at BWW claiming they would get a lot more).

In the case that it has failed, this may not bode well for us hearing samples of the second reel which the owner says has "additional songs and never before heard takes".





"[Elton John] is a cunt ... and one day I will tell you why ..." ~ David Bowie, 1973.

I should also mention that since staring this thread, sample versions of 'Young American' and 'After Today' have also emerged. Quite a different mixing and vocal on these - worth hearing.

"[Elton John] is a cunt ... and one day I will tell you why ..." ~ David Bowie, 1973.