Recorded: 1994-1995
Producers: David Bowie, Brian Eno
Released: 23 April 2022
Personnel
David Bowie: vocals, saxophone, guitar, keyboards
Brian Eno: synthesizers, treatments and strategies
David Richards: samples, drum and keyboard programming
Reeves Gabrels, Carlos Alomar: guitar, vocals
Erdal Kizilcay: bass guitar, keyboards
Yossi Fine: bass guitar
Mike Garson: piano
Sterling Campbell, Joey Barron: drums
Tracklisting
- ‘Johnny Downloader (AKA ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’)
- ‘I Have Not Been To Oxford Town’ (Alternative Single Mix)
- ‘A Small Plot Of Land’ (Live at the Shakespeare Festival, New York, 18 September 1995)
- ‘My Death’ (Live at the Shakespeare Festival, New York, 18 September 1995)
The Brilliant Adventure EP is a four-song EP by David Bowie, featuring two studio recordings and two live performances, released for Record Store Day on 23 April 2022.
The limited edition CD/12″ vinyl EP was issued on the same day as the Toy EP (You’ve Got It Made With All The Toys).
The EP contains four tracks recorded during Bowie’s 1.Outside period, and is intended as an accompaniment to the 2021 box set Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001).
Side A contains ‘Johnny Downloader’, an early version of the Earthling song ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’, and a single mix of ‘I Have Not Been To Oxford Town’.
Side B features two live songs – ‘A Small Plot Of Land’ and ‘My Death’ – recorded by Bowie and Mike Garson at the Shakespeare Festival in New York on 18 September 1995.
The release
The two EPs were announced on Thursday 10 February 2022, two months ahead of the annual record store day. Unusually, the Bowie estate had not taken part in the previous year’s event, due in part to the backlash from fans to the botched Brilliant Live Adventures (1995-1999) set of live albums.
Press announcements
“A real life adventure”ISO Records and Parlophone Records are proud to announce the release of two very special David Bowie limited edition vinyl/CD E.P.s for Record Store Day (RSD) 2022, on 23rd April.
BRILLIANT ADVENTURE E.P. and TOY E.P. (YOU’VE GOT IT MADE WITH ALL THE TOYS). Both feature unreleased versions, live tracks and mixes from the era covered in the recent BRILLIANT ADVENTURE and TOY:BOX boxsets.
Keep reading for all the details.
#BowieRSD #RSD2022 #BowieBrilliantAdventure #BowieToy
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DAVID BOWIE – RECORD STORE DAY 2022
LIMITED EDITION RSD 2022 RELEASES OUT 23rd APRIL FEATURING PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED VERSIONS, LIVE TRACKS & MIXES
BRILLIANT ADVENTURE E.P. (12” VINYL / CD) & TOY E.P. (‘YOU’VE GOT IT MADE WITH ALL THE TOYS’) (10” VINYL / CD)
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The BRILLIANT ADVENTURE E.P. has four previously unreleased tracks from the 1.OUTSIDE era.
~ ‘JOHNNY DOWNLOADER’ is an early version of ‘I’M AFRAID OF AMERICANS’ recorded during the sessions with Brian Eno for the album and mixed in November 1994.
~ An alternative single mix of ‘I HAVE NOT BEEN TO OXFORD TOWN’.
~ Two live tracks: ‘A SMALL PLOT OF LAND’ and the Jacques Brel cover ‘MY DEATH’. Both songs were performed by Bowie and pianist Mike Garson at a fundraiser for the New York Public Theater at the Shakespeare Festival in New York on 18th September, 1995.
DAVID BOWIE – BRILLIANT ADVENTURE 4 TRACK E.P. (12” VINYL / CD) – ALL TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKLISTING:
SIDE 1:
1 – JOHNNY DOWNLOADER (AKA I’M AFRAID OF AMERICANS EARLY VERSION)
2 – I HAVE NOT BEEN TO OXFORD TOWN (ALTERNATIVE SINGLE MIX)SIDE 2:
1 – A SMALL PLOT OF LAND (LIVE AT THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, NEW YORK, 18th SEPTEMBER, 1995)
2 – MY DEATH (LIVE AT THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, NEW YORK, 18th SEPTEMBER, 1995)+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Personnel:
DAVID BOWIE – BRILLIANT ADVENTURE 4 TRACK E.P. (12” VINYL / CD)
SIDE 1:
1 – JOHNNY DOWNLOADER (AKA I’M AFRAID OF AMERICANS EARLY VERSION)
(David Bowie/Brian Eno)
Produced by David Bowie and Brian Eno
Engineered and mixed by David Richards
Mixed at Westside StudioMusicians:
David Bowie – vocals, saxophone, guitars and keyboards
Brian Eno – synthesizers, treatments and strategies
David Richards — samples, drum and keyboard programming2 – I HAVE NOT BEEN TO OXFORD TOWN (ALTERNATIVE SINGLE MIX)
Produced by David Bowie and Brian Eno
Co-produced and engineered by David Richards
Recorded at Mountain Studios, Switzerland
Mixed and additional treatments by David Richards
Assisted by David BowieMusicians:
David Bowie – vocals, saxophone, guitars and keyboards
Brian Eno – synthesizers, treatments and strategies
Reeves Gabrels – lead guitar and vocals
Erdal Kizilcay – bass & keyboards
Mike Garson – grand piano
Sterling Campbell – drums
Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar and vocals
Joey Barron – drums
Yossi Fine – bassSIDE 2:
1 – A SMALL PLOT OF LAND (LIVE AT THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, NEW YORK, 18th SEPTEMBER, 1995)
(David Bowie/Brian Eno/Michael Garson/Sterling Campbell/Erdal Kizilcay/Reeves Gabrels)
Produced by David Bowie
Engineered by Roy Clark and assisted by Tom Miho
Recorded live at the Shakespeare Festival, The Grand Ballroom, The Manhattan Center, New York, 18th September, 1995Musicians:
David Bowie – vocals
Mike Garson – grand piano2 – MY DEATH (LIVE AT THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, NEW YORK, 18th SEPTEMBER, 1995)
(Jacques Brel/Eric Blau/Mort Shuman)
Carlin Music Corp.
Produced by David Bowie
Engineered by Roy Clark and assisted by Tom Miho
Recorded live at the Shakespeare Festival, The Grand Ballroom, The Manhattan Center, New York, 18th September, 1995Musicians:
David Bowie – vocals
Mike Garson – grand pianoBRILLIANT ADVENTURE E.P. (12” VINYL / CD)
TOY E.P. (‘YOU’VE GOT IT MADE WITH ALL THE TOYS’) (10” VINYL / CD)
RELEASED BY ISO RECORDS/PARLOPHONE ON 23rd APRIL 2022