An announcement was made in the autumn of 2021 that a special edition box set of David Bowie’s ‘lost’ album would be released, Toy (Toy: Box) by David Bowie dropped on 7th January 2022. To celebrate the box set’s release, two previously unreleased versions of “Shadow Man” have been made available by ISO Records and Parlophone Records. Both exclusive tracks provide an endearing insight into the iconic musician’s career and are available on multiple streaming platforms
The first single entitled “Shadow Man (Unplugged & Somewhat Slightly Electric Mix” was recorded in 2000 and is a bare-bones mix of a re-recording which Bowie made in 1970. Acclaimed producer Mark Plati has provided the following description concerning the track, “While we were recording the basic tracks Earl Slick suggested that he and I overdub acoustic guitars on all the songs. He said this was Keith Richards’ trick: sometimes these guitars would be a featured part of the track, and at other times they’d be more subliminal. Later, while mixing, David heard one of the songs broken down to just vocals and acoustic guitars; this gave him the idea that we ought to do some stripped-down mixes like that and that maybe one day they’d be useful.”
The second recording of “Shadow Man” to be released is a studio demo version; the early recording was made during the end of 1970. Bowie’s official website confirms that the track was “not recorded during the Ziggy Stardust album sessions as often stated, and is exclusive to this single”
The original recording of “Shadow Man” took place within the end months of 1970. The single was then revisited by Bowie in the Autumn of 1971, another re-working of the track occurred thirty years later. The song would then be included within the singer’s ‘lost’ album Toy, the legendary album which until recently was mainly left unreleased. “Shadow Man” was finally made available to fans in 2002 on the album Heathen and again on the 2014 compilation album Nothing has Changed.
Bowie’s official site provides the following description concerning the making of Toy, “TOY was recorded following David’s triumphant Glastonbury 2000 performance. Bowie entered the studio with his band, Mark Plati, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer and Emm Gryner, to record new interpretations of songs he’d first recorded from 1964-1971. David planned to record the album ‘old school’ with the band playing live, choose the best takes and then release it as soon as humanly possible in a remarkably prescient manner. “
The recently released box set of Toy boasts a tracklist of 13 unplugged recordings from the ‘lost’ album. The special edition also includes previously unseen photographs snapped by Frank Ockenfels, alternative mixes and un-released B-Sides. Music fans will be treated to re-visited versions of the singer’s early material including “You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving”, “Silly Boy Blue” and Bowie’s debut single “Liza Jane”
The box set has been made available in 3CD or 6×10” Vinyl configurations. The energy and spirit accumulated during the album’s process also extend to the box set’s packaging. The sleeve artwork has been designed by the “Starman” singer and depicts Bowie as a baby with his adult facial features.
Click here to purchase Toy (Toy: Box).
