Max Ochester, a longtime music collector from Philadelphia, recently discovered raw, unreleased David Bowie recordings from the "Young Americans" sessions, which offered a rare look into the legendary artist's creative process.
Ochester made the discovery when he came across rare reel-to-reel studio tapes from a foreclosed home in the suburbs, according to The Telegraph. Among the collection were tapes from iconic 1970s soul artists like The Intruders and Billy Paul.
Ochester also discovered a box of unmarked tapes, which he initially thought were blank. Two years later, while working at Elm Street Studios, he realized the tapes were filled with unreleased tracks from legendary Philadelphia soul artists.
Among them, Ochester uncovered an unmarked tape containing rare, unreleased tracks from David Bowie's 1974 "Young Americans" sessions, featuring Luther Vandross on vocals. The tape included a cover of "Foot Stompin'" and an instrumental version of "Young Americans."
Ochester realized he had discovered a potential original recording from the sessions and contacted music producer Aaron Levinson, who initially thought it was a backup.
Months passed before he listened to more unmarked tapes from his collection. Ochester took them to Toby Seay at Drexel University Audio Archives, which houses a large collection of Sigma Sound tapes.
After digitizing the first tape, Ochester heard David Bowie singing Bruce Springsteen's "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City" over the Fame riff, a version not previously known. He contacted music producer Aaron Levinson, who had never heard this take, confirming that Ochester had found a rare, unreleased Bowie recording.
Ochester's tapes also featured raw versions of "Win" and "Fascination" and studio banter with producer Tony Visconti. And while the songs were not yet polished, they offered a glimpse into Bowie's creative process. They also showcased Bowie's early attempts to capture the Philly soul sound at Sigma Sound Studios, despite some tension with the MFSB band.
Three Sigma engineers, including Pete Humphreys, weighed in, confirming the tapes' authenticity.
Ochester now faces a legal battle.
Though he's been offered cash, Ochester refuses to sell, fearing the tapes could vanish into private hands.
With help from experts, he's trying to ensure the tapes are preserved and shared properly. Ochester has launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund a documentary, hoping the tapes will find a permanent home.
"We want to get them home, to a place where they belong, with the right people, but we don't know where that is yet," Ochester said.