Bowie At The Beeb

Hey pop pickers, get a load of this. 37 classic performances from the thin white duke, recorded at the then fledgling BBC Radio 1 studios between 1968 and '72, as the whole world went Hunky Dory.

Most of his Ziggy era hits are present and correct on the second volume, but it is the early Bowie of CD 1 that really makes you stand to attention, from the shiny hippie people of 'London Bye Ta Ta' through the genuinely moving 'God Knows I'm Good' to the epic 'Cygnet Committee'. 'Kooks' is spine-shiveringly brilliant and achingly romantic, as young Bowie explains how the song was written the night he became a father for the first time.

CD2 gets busy with the hits, as Ronson played guitar. There are two versions of 'Ziggy Stardust' to get your teeth into, as well as a blistering 'Sufragette City'. The wonderfully fresh version of 'Starman' was originally broadcast for five consecutive days on the Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show back in June 1972 as Johnnie's single of the week. 'Space Oddity' is pared back to an acoustic guitar and still works really well, while 'Oh! You Pretty Things' shakes to a different groove, eh, babee!

His choice of covers, too, is sublime. He takes us on a solo strumalong through Jacques Brel's 'Amsterdam', and the Belgian's moral purgatory suits him well, before resurrecting Lou's 'Waiting For The Man' from the Velvets' junkie-yard and turning it into a five and a half minute strut rather than Reed's taut, strung-out shuffle. 'White Light/White Heat' is similarly attired in glamrags and handbags, with a honky tonk ivory shimmy, courtesy of Nicky Graham on piano.

From '68 to present day, Mr Cheekbones has reserved some of his most memorable work for his BBC sessions, and this compilaton makes a fine companion piece to the more orthodox greatest hits collection, as we glimpse the Duke in a rawer, looser state than we might have dreamed, sometimes even letting his mascara drop for long enough to peek at the man beneath.