David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Era Chronicled in New 'Rock 'n' Roll Star!' Box Set

A huge new box set from Parlophone Records will chronicle David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust era from the origins of the character in 1971 through the recording of 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the numerous promotional appearances and live performances that followed.

The 5-CD, 1-Blu-Ray collection Rock 'n' Roll Star! is set to feature 29 unreleased tracks spanning early demos, outtakes, alternate versions, and live recordings.

Highlights include a alternate version of "Lady Stardust," a previously unheard version of the deep-cut rarity "Shadow Man," and an uptempo rendition of the Who's "I Can't Explain," which Bowie later covered on his 1973 album Pin Ups.

The audio-only Blu-Ray disc contains the 2012 remaster of the original album alongside Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth), an album of recordings from the famous 1971 Trident Studios sessions that will also be released as a limited-edition vinyl LP for Record Store Day on April 20.

There are two books included in the set, a 112-page collection of liner noters, photographs, and interviews and a 36-page reproduction of Bowie's personal notebooks from the era.

Listen to an early acoustic demo of "Ziggy Stardust," recorded at Haddon Hall in Beckenham, England in March 1971, below.

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Rock 'n' Roll Star! Tracklist:

Disc 1

1. So Long 60s (San Francisco Hotel recording) *

2. Hang On To Yourself (early demo) *

3. Lady Stardust (demo)

4. Ziggy Stardust (demo)

5. Star (Aka Stars) (demo) *

6. Soul Love (demo and DB spoken notes) *

7. Starman (demo 1 excerpt) *

8. Starman (demo 2) *

9. Moonage Daydream (The Arnold Corns version)

10. Hang On To Yourself (The Arnold Corns version)

11. Looking For A Friend (The Arnold Corns version – rough mix) *

12. Haddon Hall Rehearsals Segue: Ziggy Stardust / Holy Holy / Soul Love *

13. Star (Aka Stars) (Haddon Hall rehearsal) *

14. Sweet Head (Haddon Hall rehearsal) *

Disc 2

Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Session recorded on 11th January, 1972 and broadcast on 28th January, 1972

1. Ziggy Stardust *

2. Queen Bitch *

3. Waiting For The Man *

4. Lady Stardust *

Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Session recorded on 18th January, 1972 and broadcast on 7th February, 1972

5. Hang On To Yourself

6. Ziggy Stardust

7. Queen Bitch

8. Waiting For The Man

9. Five Years

Old Grey Whistle Test Performance

Filmed on 7th February, 1972 and broadcast on 8th February, 1972

except ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ which was not broadcast until 1982.

10. Oh! You Pretty Things (take 1)

11. Queen Bitch

12. Five Years

Disc 3

Sounds Of The 70s: John Peel

Session recorded on 16th May, 1972 and broadcast on 23rd May, 1972

1. White Light/White Heat

2. Moonage Daydream

3. Hang On To Yourself

4. Suffragette City

5. Ziggy Stardust

Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show

Session recorded on 22nd May, 1972 and broadcast from 5th – 9th June, 1972

6. Starman

7. Space Oddity

8. Changes

9. Oh! You Pretty Things

Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris

Session recorded on 23rd May, 1972 and broadcast On 19th June, 1972

10. Andy Warhol

11. Lady Stardust

12. White Light/White Heat

13. Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide

Top Of The Pops Performance

Filmed on 5th July, 1972 and broadcast on 6th July, 1972

14. Starman

Disc 4

1. Round And Round

2. The Supermen (Ziggy session version)

3. Holy Holy (Ziggy session version)

4. Velvet Goldmine (Ziggy session outtake)

5. Starman (original single mix)

6. John, I’m Only Dancing (original single version)

Recorded Live At The Music Hall, Boston.

Recorded on 1st October, 1972

7. The Supermen

8. Changes

9. Life On Mars?

10. My Death *

11. John, I’m Only Dancing

Disc 5

1. Looking For A Friend (The Arnold Corns version 2022 mix) *

2. Hang On To Yourself (early Ziggy session take) *

3. Star (take 5 alternative version) *

4. Lady Stardust (take 1 alternative version) *

5. Shadow Man (Ziggy session version) *

6. The Supermen (Ziggy session version 2023 Mix) *

7. Holy Holy (Ziggy session version alternative mix) *

8. Round And Round (alternative mix)

9. It’s Gonna Rain Again (Ziggy session outtake) *

10. Looking For A Friend (Ziggy session version) *

11. Velvet Goldmine (Ziggy sessions outtake 2022 mix) *

12. Sweet Head (Ziggy sessions outtake 2022 mix) *

13. Starman (Top Of The Pops version 2022 mix)

14. John, I’m Only Dancing (alternative Trident Studios version) *

15. I Can’t Explain (Trident Studios version) *

Bonus Mix

16. Moonage Daydream (2003 instrumental mix)

Blu Ray Audio

THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS

Original album mix (96khz/24bit Stereo)

THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS AND EXTRAS

2003 5.1 Mixes (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - 96khz/24bit)

WAITING IN THE SKY (BEFORE THE STARMAN CAME TO EARTH)

Early Ziggy Stardust album tracklisting – December 1971 (96khz/24bit PCM stereo)

THE SINGLES

(96khz/24bit PCM stereo)

OUTTAKES AND ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS

(96khz/24bit PCM stereo)

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!

HALF-SPEED MASTERED LP

Vinyl tracklisting

Side 1

1 Hang On To Yourself (early Ziggy session take)

2 Star (Take 5 alternative version)

3 Lady Stardust (Take 1 alternative version)

4 Shadow Man (Ziggy session version)

5 The Supermen (Ziggy session version 2023 mix)

6 Holy Holy (Ziggy session version alternative mix)

7 Round And Round (alternative mix) +

Side 2

1 Velvet Goldmine (Ziggy sessions outtake 2022 mix)

2 Looking For A Friend (Ziggy session version)

3 It's Gonna Rain Again (Ziggy sessions outtake)

4 Sweet Head (Ziggy sessions outtake 2022 mix)

5 Starman (Top Of The Pops version 2022 mix)

6 John, I'm Only Dancing (alternative Trident Studios version) *

7 I Can't Explain (Trident Studios version) +*

Rock 'n' Roll Star! is out June 14 via Parlophone. Pre-order it here.