David Bowie’s third album The Man Who Sold The World is to be reissued with the title Metrobolist. Originally released on the 4th of November 1970, this rework, mixed by veteran Bowie producer Tony Visconti, is in celebration of the record’s fiftieth anniversary.
Where does the new title come from, you ask? Fear not: it was originally chosen by the Starman himself. Inspired by the 1927 film by Fritz Lang, Metrobolist was the title Bowie picked for this body of work back in 1970. Mercury Records proceeded to swoop in and vetoed this decision at the last minute, supposedly without David’s knowledge.
Mercury also disliked the original artwork for Metrobolist/The Man Who Sold The World, which is also being revived for the re-issue. Designed by Mike Weller, it features a more cartoon-like, arguably funkier style of artwork, and the re-issue will also feature previously unreleased photographs from Keith MacMillan’s original shoot with Bowie.
Visconti, the album’s original producer, has re-worked every track besides ‘After All’, which, in his words, is “untouchable.” He notes that there wasn’t one single on the album, which in modern terms seems quite unusual, but emphasises that “it wasn’t that important to get a single. Albums were just coming into their own as great art statements.”
The Man Who Sold The World is arguably outshone by far popular LPs The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane, and Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). However, it boasts tracks ‘Running Gun Blues’, ‘All The Madmen’, and, of course, ‘The Man Who Sold The World’.
The reworked album will be released on the 6th of November via Parlophone Records. It’s vinyl-only, but there’ll be a choice between standard 180-gram black and a dazzling limited edition white and gold. This seems very fitting for a body of work by the man who gave us the astronomical Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, and Major Tom. God bless you, Bowie.
Words by Eleanor Noyce.