David Bowie's Diamond Dogs to be released as 50th anniversary half-speed LP and picture disc

15 February 2024, 20:17 | Updated: 15 February 2024, 20:19

Bowie's seminal 1974 album is set to be reissued to mark 50 years since its release.

David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album is getting special 50th anniversary reissue.

The legendary album - which included the iconic, landmark single Rebel Rebel - will be available to own once again in a limited edition, half-speed mastered LP and a picture disc LP pressed from the same master.

The record will be released on 24th May via Parlophone on the exact day of the orignal album’s Golden Jubilee.

Rebel Rebel reached number 5 in the UK charts when it was released in 15th February 1874 and Diamond Dogs went on to reach the same heights on both sides of the Atlantic scoring a number 1 and number 5 in the UK and US album charts respectively.

The album was heavily influenced by George Orwell's 1984 (with a track on the record named after the dystopian novel) after Bowie was unable to secure the rights for a theatrical production of the famous novel. The writing also owed a debt to the work of William S. Burroughs, whom Bowie had interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 1973.

The urban apocalyptic concept album saw Bowie appearing on the cover as a controversial half-man, half-dog hybrid painted by the Belgian artist Guy Peellaert from photos by the world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill.

This new pressing of DIAMOND DOGS was cut on a customised late Neumann VMS80 lathe with fully recapped electronics from 192kHz restored masters of the original master tapes, with no additional processing on transfer. The half-speed was cut by John Webber at AIR Studios.

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David Bowie - Diamond Dogs tracklist

SIDE ONE:

Future Legend
Diamond Dogs
Sweet Thing
Candidate
Sweet Thing (Reprise)
Rebel Rebel

SIDE TWO:

Rock ’n’ Roll With Me
We Are The Dead
1984
Big Brother
Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family

Watch a newly released video of Bowie performing Rebel Rebel live from the Glass Spider Tour in 1987:

David Bowie - Rebel Rebel (Live from the Glass Spider Tour, 1987)

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