Recorded: 8, 31 January; 1, 5 February; 21, 23, 25 March; 1, 3, 17 April – 22 May; 9, 13, 16 November 1970
Producers: Tony Visconti, Herbie Flowers, Jeff Griffin, Bernie Andrews
Released: 28 May 2021
Personnel
David Bowie: vocals, guitar, keyboards, Rosedale electric chord organ
Mick Ronson, Marc Bolan: guitar, vocals
Alan Parker: guitar
Tony Visconti: bass guitar, vocals
Herbie Flowers: bass guitar
Rick Wakeman: piano
Derek Austin: Lowrey organ
Ralph Mace: Moog synthesiser
John Cambridge: drums, vocals
Barry Morgan: drums
Godfrey McLean: drums, congas
Unknown: strings
Lesley Duncan, Bob Harris, Sue Harris, Tony Woollcott, Girl: backing vocals
Tracklisting
CD 1:- ‘Amsterdam’
- ‘God Knows I’m Good’
- ‘Buzz The Fuzz’
- ‘Karma Man’
- ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’
- ‘An Occasional Dream’
- ‘The Width Of A Circle’
- ‘Janine’
- ‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’
- ‘Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed’
- ‘Fill Your Heart’
- ‘The Prettiest Star’
- ‘Cygnet Committee’
- ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’
CD 2:
- ‘When I Live My Dream’
- ‘Columbine’
- ‘The Mirror’
- ‘Threepenny Pierrot’
- ‘When I Live My Dream’ (Reprise)
- ‘The Prettiest Star’ (Alternative Mix)
- ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’ (Mono Mix)
- ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’ (Stereo Mix)
- ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’ (Single Version Part 1)
- ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’ (Single Version Part 2)
- ‘Holy Holy’
- ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’
- ‘The Width Of A Circle’
- ‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’
- ‘The Supermen’
- ‘The Prettiest Star’ (2020 Mix)
- ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’ (2020 Mix)
- ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’ (Single Version – 2020 Mix)
- ‘All The Madmen’ (Single Edit 2020 Mix)
- ‘Holy Holy’ (2020 Mix)
The Width Of A Circle is a compilation of David Bowie’s BBC radio sessions, television performances, singles, and remixes, recorded in 1970 and released in 2021.
It is a two-CD set with an accompanying book, and contains 21 previously-unreleased recordings.
The first CD contains fourteen songs recorded for an edition of BBC Radio 1’s The Sunday Show presented by John Peel. The session was recorded on 5 February 1970 and first broadcast on 8 February.
The only song missing from the performance is a version the Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’, which is believed lost.
The second CD kicks off with five songs from The Looking Glass Murders, aka Pierrot In Turquoise, a TV special featuring Bowie recorded in late January and early February 1970. Bowie composed the new songs ‘Threepenny Pierrot’, ‘Columbine’, and ‘The Mirror’ for the show, which also featured two versions of ‘When I Live My Dream’.
The CD also included some singles and rarities: a mix of ‘The Prettiest Star’ created for US promotions; mono and stereo mixes of ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’; both parts of the single version of ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’; and the 1971 single ‘Holy Holy’.
On 25 March 1970 Bowie recorded a session for BBC Radio’s Sounds Of The 70s at London’s Playhouse Theatre. All four songs are included on Width Of A Circle: ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’, ‘The Width Of A Circle’, ‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’, and ‘The Supermen’.
CD two finishes with five new remixes by Tony Visconti, of ‘The Prettiest Star’, ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’, ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’ (single version), ‘All The Madmen’ (single edit), and ‘Holy Holy’.
The release
The Width Of A Circle was announced on 14 April 2021, ahead of its 28 May release.
A 10″ vinyl EP and digital EP containing the 2020 remixes of ‘London Bye, Ta-Ta’, ‘Memory Of A Free Festival’, ‘All The Madmen’, and ‘Holy Holy’ was also announced on the same day. The vinyl EP went on sale via the official Bowie web store.
Also released on 28 May was a picture disc version of The Man Who Sold The World, featuring the black-and-white ‘kick’ photograph that was used for the reissue in the glam era.