Newly unearthed recordings from 1965, featuring a young David Bowie—then known as Davy Jones—are set for release on September 18 via David Bowie: The Shel Talmy Recordings.
The Origins of a Musical Chameleon
Before his transition into the Ziggy Stardust persona in 1972, Bowie operated as a sharp-suited pop-rock artist navigating the competitive London music scene. According to the compilation’s liner notes by music historian Alec Palao, these recordings capture a specific moment in British music rather than the experimental trajectory Bowie would later follow. The collection features tracks performed with backing bands the Lower Third and the Manish Boys.
While listeners often associate Bowie with the genre-bending sounds of his later career, these mid-60s sessions lean into blues-influenced, psychedelic pop-rock. The track “I Want Your Love,” currently available for streaming, highlights this early, horn-driven sound. Other unheard songs in the collection include “Cupid,” “Leave Her to Me,” “You Gotta Tell Her,” “Certain Woman,” “Today,” “I Live in Dreams,” and “I Do Believe I Love You,” alongside the instrumental “Keep Up With the Jones.”
Did you know?
David Bowie changed his surname in 1966 specifically to avoid professional confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees.
Industry Legends Behind the Desk
The production quality of these recordings is attributed to Shel Talmy, a producer who worked with The Kinks and The Who. Talmy’s influence extended to the backing musicians, including a pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. According to Talmy, speaking in 2017, he believed Bowie was ahead of the market during their 1965 collaborations, noting that they were roughly six years out of sync with mainstream commercial trends at the time.
The sessions also featured pianist Nicky Hopkins, a session musician who also played with The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Jeff Beck. This collection serves as a primary chapter in Bowie’s career, documenting an artist finding his footing before the global success of 1969’s “Space Oddity.”
Legacy and the Evolution of the Archive
Bowie did not abandon his early work, even as his sound evolved into funk, soul, and jazz. In 2000, he revisited several early tracks, including his debut single “Liza Jane,” with the band that performed at Glastonbury that year. These re-recordings were eventually compiled for the album Toy, which saw a posthumous release in 2021.
Palao argues that these early chapters should be viewed as complementary to Bowie’s later output rather than held to the same standards of his peak experimental years. The release of The Shel Talmy Recordings provides a clearer view of the foundation upon which Bowie built his multi-decade career.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did David Bowie change his name? He changed it from David Jones to David Bowie in 1966 to distinguish himself from the Monkees’ Davy Jones.
- Who are the notable musicians on this compilation? The recordings feature guitarist Jimmy Page and pianist Nicky Hopkins, both of whom were active session players at the time.
- Are these songs entirely new? The collection includes previously unheard tracks as well as versions of material that had been released previously.
To fully appreciate the evolution of the 1960s British music scene, compare the production style of these Talmy-produced tracks with the contemporaneous hits of The Kinks to understand the “sound” of that era.
What do you think of Bowie’s early blues-rock period? Share your thoughts in the comments below or subscribe to our music newsletter for more archival discoveries.
