How hard is it to find a copy of the Rare album released back in...'83 or '82 (I don't remember which exact)?
I found a tape copy at a used music store a couple years ago. Was this particular album in high rotation, is it a rarity??????

I joined the grave dancers union, I had to file.

Bowie Rare was released in 1983. I don't know the distribution details, but I do know that I have seen exactly two copies of it available for purchase in my 20 years of purchasing Bowie. One was a cassette copy and one was a vinyl copy. I bought them both, and indeed, I cherish them. It was never released on CD.

That said, I don't believe it's actually "worth" anything, so to speak. Anything is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and a cassette copy of Bowie Rare wouldn't command a mint. For one thing, people generally don't shell out for cassette copies of anything, but more importantly, most of the Bowie Rare tracks are available on CD elsewhere. "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola" is a very nice track to have and it isn't otherwise available.

So, in short, it's a nice recording to have for your own collection, for completeness sake and to have "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola" (and other tracks if you don't have the Rykos or Christaine F.). But it's a recording you should own for your own pleasure; do not consider it an investment.

WW

It's better to share beer

Hi TC,

Wild Wind is quite right - it's not so rare. probably depends where you are, but in Oz it's "ten a penny"... I see them around all the time. One to pick up as a catch up purchase, not a special item, or for the cover pic .

Cheers ~ Vic

Congratulations. You're fat Elvis.

I must agree with you Vicious, Melbourne definitley is the place to come for copies of RARE.. I couldnt tell you how many i've seen around, at least 8 or so different ones in the past 5 years

Hi Trent!

Wish the damned Slow Burn single was as easy to find, hey.

Cheers ~ Vic

Congratulations. You're fat Elvis.

I bought a copy of Rare on record a couple of months ago for $7.99 at a discount record store in Boston. It's nice to have because it has the Italian version of Space Oddity on it as well as a great version of Panic in Detroit - from the 74 tour. I don't know if they are available on any other official- or semi official releases. I thought it was a good price. The album's a bit hard to find.

Rare was never officially released on Cd but there is a nice CD bootleg of it floating around.

I love how you just burst with Bowie album knowledge. I own it, mainly for "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola" and "Helden." I was wondering though if the version of "Round and Round" on Bowie Rare was ever released on anything else?

I joined the grave dancers union, I had to file.

Reading this thread, one would think that some of you don't know 7" vinyl 45s ever existed.
All the songs mentioned first appeared on 45 and are available in the same way that the Rare LP is.
PID and R&R were even re-released on the 'Lifetimes' series of UK PSs in the '80s.
The Italian SO was pirated and is available on coloured vinyl, to boot.

Hi TalentedChild,

"Helden," or more specifically "Heroes/Helden" is a must-own for a Bowie fan, and was very tough to find before Christaine F. was re-released. Rare is a good purchase for that alone!

Regarding "Round and Round," it's on the Sound + Vision box set, which I understand is not a particularly easy find these days either. It's also on a Sound + Vision promo CD press release that I paid way too much for at Camden Market, but it looks nice on my shelf, anyway.

WW

I'm not even supposed to be here today!