David Bowie - Metrobolist (aka The Man Who Sold The World) Remix

50th Anniversary Edition remixed by Tony Visconti on 180-gram LP

Anniversary artwork created by Mike Weller based on the original album title and design

Gatefold jacket featuring images from infamous Keith MacMillan Mr. Fish "dress" shoot at Haddon Hall

November 2020 sees the 50th Anniversary of the release of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World in North America. The rest of the world would have to wait until April 1971 to witness Bowie's landmark entry into the 1970s, marking the beginning of a collaboration with guitarist Mick Ronson that would last through classic works including Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane — as well as the first in a 10-year series of indispensable albums stretching through 1980's Scary Monsters...

Originally titled Metrobolist, the album's name was changed at the last minute to The Man Who Sold The World — Parlophone says the original stereo master tapes were in fact labelled Metrobolist, with the title ultimately crossed out. The 2020 re-release of the album under its Metrobolist moniker has been remixed by original producer Tony Visconti, with the exception of the track "After All" which Tony considered perfect as is, and is featured in its 2015 remaster incarnation.

The important thing to understand is that it's exactly the same album; the same nine tracks. However, what's different is that as with Space Oddity last year, Visconti has gone back to the multi-tracks and created a new stereo remix.

The artwork for Metrobolist is clearly very similar to the original U.S. Mercury cover. Apart from the title, and the "nine songs by David Bowie" below the image, the other obvious difference is that the line "roll up your sleeves and show us your arms" has been added to the speech bubble. I say ‘added,' in actual fact Mercury actually removed these words originally, leaving it blank. Mike Weller who created the original, has reworked his original artwork for this reissue.

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 outside of America in spring 1971.

As well as a 180-gram black vinyl edition, the album will come in limited edition handwritten numbered copies on gold vinyl and white vinyl — each totaling 1,000 copies — all randomly distributed.

Side A

1. The Width of a Circle

2. All the Madmen

3. Black Country Rock

4. After All

Side B

1. Running Gun Blues

2. Saviour Machine

3. She Shook Me Cold

4. The Man Who Sold the World

5. The Supermen

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