David Bowie’s fabled 2001 studio album, Toy, is receiving its first-ever commercial release. The previously unreleased album will be included as part of an upcoming archival box set, Brilliant Adventure (1992 – 2001), due out on November 26th, before receiving a standalone release as a multi-disc set called TOY:BOX on January 7th.
Toy was recorded in the aftermath of Bowie’s 2000 performance at Glastonbury, as the Thin White Duke sought to reimagine some of his earliest recordings with a live backing band, and then release it in a surprise manner. But after EMI/Virgin put the kibosh on those plans, Bowie lost interest in the project, moved to Columbia Records, and recorded the album Heathen. Several tracks from Toy appeared on Heathen or released as B-sides, and the album eventually leaked online in 2011, but this marks the first time the full album is receiving a commercial release.
“Toy is like a moment in time captured in an amber of joy, fire and energy,” said Bowie producer Mark Plati in a statement. “It’s the sound of people happy to be playing music. David revisited and re-examined his work from decades prior through prisms of experience and fresh perspective – a parallel not lost on me as I now revisit it twenty years later. From time to time, he used to say ‘Mark, this is our album’ – I think because he knew I was so deeply in the trenches with him on that journey. I’m happy to finally be able to say it now belongs to all of us”
Along with the original Toy album, the TOY:BOX 3xCD, 6xLP set boasts alternative versions of the album’s tracks, including “Unplugged & Somewhat Slightly Electric” mixes and a recording of “Silly Boy Blue” featuring Philip Glass and Moby.
Toy also appears as part Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001), an 11xCD, 18xLP box set containing newly remastered versions of 1993’s Black Tie White Noise, 1993’s The Buddha Of Suburbia (available on vinyl for the first time in nearly 30 years), 1995’s 1.Outside, 1997’s Earthing, and 1999’s hours…, along with the expanded live album BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000 and the non-album/alternative version/B-sides and soundtrack music compilation and Re:Call 5.
The physical box set’s accompanying book, 84 pages in the CD box and 128 in the vinyl set, features rarely seen and previously unpublished photos by photographers Frank W. Ockenfels 3, Nick Knight, John Scarisbrick and Nina Schultz Terner and others, as well as memorabilia, technical notes about the albums from producers/engineers Brian Eno, Nile Rodgers, Reeves Gabrels, and Mark Plati, and a new interview with The Buddha Of Suburbia collaborator Erdal Kizilçay.
As a preview, take a listen to the radio edit of Toy’s “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving” below. Pre-orders for both releases are now ongoing.
TOY:BOX Tracklist:
CD1 – Toy
01. I Dig Everything
02. You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving
03. The London Boys
04. Karma Man
05. Conversation Piece
06. Shadow Man
07. Let Me Sleep Beside You
08. Hole In The Ground
09. Baby Loves That Way
10. Can’t Help Thinking About Me
11. Silly Boy Blue
12. Toy (Your Turn To Drive)
Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati
Engineered by Pete Keppler
Mixed by Mark Plati Assisted by Hector Castillo, Steve Mazur, and Todd Parker
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000
CD 2 Toy – Alternatives & Extras
01. Liza Jane
02. You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (alternative mix) *
03. Baby Loves That Way (alternative mix) *
04. Can’t Help Thinking About Me (alternative mix)
05. I Dig Everything (alternative mix)
06. The London Boys (alternative version)
07. Silly Boy Blue (Tibet version)
08. Let Me Sleep Beside You (alternative mix) *
09. In The Heat Of The Morning
10. Conversation Piece (alternative mix) *
11. Hole In The Ground (alternative mix)
12. Shadow Man (alternative mix) *
13. Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (alternative mix) *
Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati except ‘The London Boys’ additional production by Tony Visconti
‘Silly Boy Blue’ (Tibet version) Produced by David Bowie & Tony Visconti
Engineered by Pete Keppler at Sear Sound, assisted by Todd Parker
Engineered by Mark Plati at Alice’s Restaurant
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000
Except ‘Silly Boy Blue’ (Tibet version) recorded at The Looking Glass, 2001
Mixed by Tony Visconti, assisted by Darren S. Moore at the Manhattan Center, early 2001
Except ‘Liza Jane’ & ‘In The Heat Of The Morning’ mixed by Mark Plati, assisted by Hector Castillo at The Looking Glass.
*Previously released
CD 3 TOY – Unplugged & Somewhat Slightly Electric
01. In The Heat Of The Morning (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
02. I Dig Everything (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
03. You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
04. The London Boys (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
05. Karma Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
06. Conversation Piece (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
07. Shadow Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
08. Let Me Sleep Beside You (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
09. Hole In The Ground (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
10. Baby Loves That Way (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
11. Can’t Help Thinking About Me (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
12. Silly Boy Blue (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
13. Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
Produced by David Bowie & Mark Plati
Engineered by Pete Keppler
Mixed by Mark Plati, assisted by Hector Castillo, Steve Mazur & Todd Parker
Recorded at Sear Sound, The Looking Glass & Alice’s Restaurant in New York City, Summer 2000
Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) LP Box Set:
84 Page hardback book
Black Tie White Noise (remastered) (2LP)
The Buddha Of Suburbia (a very limited release on vinyl previously, remastered) (2LP)
1.Outside (remastered) (2LP)
Earthling (remastered) (3 sided – 2LP)
‘hours…’ (remastered) (1LP)
BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000 (remastered and expanded 20 track version, previously unreleased on vinyl) (3LP)*
Toy (previously unreleased) (3 sided – 2LP)
Re:Call 5 (non-album singles, edits, single versions, b-sides and soundtrack music) (remastered) (4LP)*
* Exclusive to BRILLIANT ADVENTURE LP box
Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) CD Box Set:
128 Page hardback book
Black Tie White Noise (remastered) (1CD)
The Buddha Of Suburbia (remastered) (1CD)
1.Outside (remastered) (1CD)
Earthling (remastered) (1CD)
‘hours…’ (remastered) (1CD)
BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27th, 2000 (remastered and expanded 20 track version) (2CD)*
Toy (previously unreleased) (1CD)
Re:Call 5 (non-album singles, edits, single versions, b-sides and soundtrack music) (remastered) (3CD)*
