
Claire Tole-Moir
Head of Department
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Head of Department

Specialist Consultant, Collectors, Popular Culture
This acetate, and the following two, were the subject of an article in Record Collector magazine, October 2016, No. 458, p. 16.
Following the lack of chart success with The King Bees and The Manish Boys, Bowie joined The Lower Third and just a few days after his audition with them on 17th May 1965, the group went into Central Sound studios in London's Denmark Street. It is not known exactly what tracks were recorded but it is believed that the three acetates offered here may have resulted from this session, although the Emidisc example may indicate a separate session. It is possibly David himself who annotated the labels/sleeves.
'Born Of The Night' was previously known about by the existence of a press release for the group, written by Bowie, detailing this track as their forthcoming single. However, following the securing of a record deal, it is likely that producer Shel Talmy rejected 'Born Of The Night' for release and chose instead 'You've Got A Habit Of Leaving' and 'Baby Loves That Way', issued by Parlophone in August 1965.
With regard to the other two tracks on these acetates, 'I Wish You Would' is probably a cover of the song of the same name by Billy Boy Arnold, which had also been released as a debut single by The Yardbirds in 1964. It was later recorded by Bowie on the 1973 album 'Pin Ups'. 'I Don't Mind' is something of a mystery, it being unclear as to whether it is a cover or an original composition.