Toy was recorded following David's triumphant Glastonbury 2000 performance. Bowie entered the studio with his band, Mark Plati, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer and Emm Gryner, to record new interpretations of songs he’d first recorded from 1964-1971. David planned to record the album ‘old school’ with the band playing live, choose the best takes and then release it as soon as humanly possible in a remarkably prescient manner. Unfortunately, in 2001 the concept of the ‘surprise drop’ album release and the technology to support it were still quite a few years off, making it impossible to release TOY, as the album was now named, out to fans as instantly as David wanted. In the interim, David did what he did best; he moved on to something new, which began with a handful of new songs from the same sessions and ultimately became the album HEATHEN, released in 2002 and now acknowledged as one of his finest moments.
Now twenty years after its originally planned release, David’s co-producer Mark Plati says, "Toy is like a moment in time captured in an amber of joy, fire and energy. 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”.
Tracklist
10” Box Set
10” 1
A1. I Dig Everything
A2. You've Got A Habit of Leaving
A3. The London Boys
B1. Karma Man
B2. Conversation Piece
B3. Shadow Man
10” 2
A1. Let Me Sleep Beside You
A2. Hole In The Ground
A3. Baby Loves That Way
B1. Can't Help Thinking About Me
B2. Silly Boy Blue
B3. Toy (Your Turn To Drive)
10” 3
A1. Liza Jane
A2. You've Got A Habit of Leaving (alternative mix)
A3. Baby Loves That Way (alternative mix)
B1. Can't Help Thinking About Me (alternative mix)
B2. I Dig Everything (alternative mix)
B3. The London Boys (alternative version)
10” 4
A1. Silly Boy Blue (Tibet version)
A2. Let Me Sleep Beside You(alternative mix)
A3. In The Heat Of The Morning
A4. Conversation Piece (alternative mix)
B1. Hole In The Ground (alternative mix)
B2. Shadow Man (alternative mix)
B3. Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (alternative mix)
10” 5
A1. In The Heat Of The Morning (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
A2. I Dig Everything (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
A3. You've Got A Habit of Leaving (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B1. The London Boys (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B2. Karma Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B3. Conversation Piece(Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
10” 6
A1. Shadow Man (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
A2. Let Me Sleep Beside You (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
A3. Hole In The Ground (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
A4. Baby Loves That Way (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B1. Can't Help Thinking About Me (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B2. Silly Boy Blue (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)
B3. Toy (Your Turn To Drive) (Unplugged & somewhat slightly electric mix)