There’s a brand new Dance…
Though Bowie collectors may have been disappointed by the Joe Meek lot in the
Here’s a description of
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David Bowie Album Artwork
Album Artwork for David Bowie’s albums Tonight, Dance, Never Let Me Down and Let’s Dance. Interestingly the album Dance never came to fruition and so this piece of artwork is highly unusual and very collectable. The Tonight artwork is on the reverse of the Let’s Dance artwork. With a four colour separation set of transparencies for the Dance artwork. Estimate GBP300-400 USD600-800 (3 pieces)
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Despite the description, the items being auctioned were actually printers’ untrimmed proofs as opposed to artwork. The Let’s Dance, Tonight and Never Let Me Down proofs would normally have commanded a high price by themselves. But, with the inclusion of the unreleased Dance album proof too, the estimate seemed a little low in the first place.
However, the whole lot sold for a piffling £190 which was an incredible bargain for some lucky bidder, particularly when one considers that the Dance proof is probably scarcer than the withdrawn Diamond Dogs sleeve and the withdrawn colour Station To Station proof.
For those of you not familiar with the history of Dance, keep reading…
Dance was a seven track remix album originally scheduled for release in November 1985. Described as “An Endless Music Mix”, the album collected several of Bowie’s recent remixes from Let’s Dance and Tonight and segued them together.
The catalogue number was EMI America ST-17175 and this was the tracklisting:
Loving The Alien
Let’s Dance
Shake It
Blue Jean
China Girl
Dancing With The Big Boys
Modern Love
With additional production and mixing by Rusty Garner and Paul Sabu, the album was withdrawn from schedule and scrapped before any vinyl was pressed, but not before a handful of proofs had been printed up.
As is usual with withdrawn releases, the majority of the proofs would have been destroyed, but some resourceful type obviously managed to squirrel some away in the vain hope that they would be boosting their pension fund.
Beware of a nine track bootleg CD released in 2001 which utilised the withdrawn sleeve and features officially released remixes from the period.
It seems Rusty Garner had his vision partly realised (it seems the concept was his) with the album Dance Mix (EYS-91132 EMI America ST-17170) released in 1985 too and also subtitled: “An Endless Music Mix”.
This release featured seven remixes from various artists with additional production and mixing by Rusty Garner and Paul Sabu. All sound familiar?
An exclusive remix of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance was featured on side one of the record and though I’ve only ever managed to get my hands on a Japanese promo (above) the album probably enjoyed a wider release…I’m sure somebody out there will know the answer to that one.