David Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' 50th Anniversary Edition Coming

Bruce Henne | 09-09-2020

(hennemusic) David Bowie's camp have announced they will release a 50th anniversary edition of his 1970 classic, "The Man Who Sold The World", under its original title, "Metrobolist", on November 6.

The singer's third studio record - and first collaboration with guitarist Mick Ronson - was first issued in the US in November of 1970, six months ahead of its release worldwide.

Originally titled "Metrobolist", the album's name was changed at the last minute to "The Man Who Sold The World" (and the original US release utilized some of the original design elements for its packaging); the original stereo master tapes were labelled "Metrobolist", with the title ultimately crossed out.

The 2020 re-release of the album with its original title has been remixed by original producer Tony Visconti, with the exception of the track "After All", which is featured in its 2015 remaster incarnation.

The "Metrobolist" 50th anniversary artwork has been created by Mike Weller who was behind the originally intended album artwork which Mercury refused to release. The gatefold sleeve also features many images from the infamous Keith MacMillan Mr Fish 'dress' shoot at Haddon Hall which would cause so much controversy when one of the shots was used on the cover of the "The Man Who Sold The World" album in the rest of the world in spring of 1971.

"There is a story concealed in the carpet-scattered playing cards," explains Weller. "David has thrown a plain 52 card deck in the air as though 'casting the runes' but in a significant break from 60s Tarot divinations such as I Ching, etc, he casts runes using a four-suit pack and switches man-dress, along with the Court Card of the Future from right hand to left, signifying a new decade and new cultural era."

"Mick Weller devised this kind of very subversive looking cartoon and put in some quite personalized things," commented Bowie in 2000. "The building in the background on the cartoon in fact was the hospital where my half-brother had committed himself to. So for me, it had lots of personal resonance about it."

"Metrobolist" will be available in multiple formats, including CD, digital and black vinyl, as well as limited-edition handwritten numbered copies on gold vinyl (# 1971 - 2020) and on white vinyl (# 1 - 1970) all randomly distributed. See the tracklisting and listen to the title song here.

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