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David Bowie – Low

Label:	RCA Victor – PL 12030
Format:	Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:	UK
Released:	Jan 14, 1977
Genre:	Electronic, Rock
Style:	Art Rock, Ambient, Experimental

Tracklist

A1		Speed Of Life
A2		Breaking Glass
A3		What In The World Backing Vocals – Iggy Pop Organ [Farfisa] – Roy Young
A4		Sound And Vision Backing Vocals – Brian Eno, Mary Visconti Saxophone – David Bowie
A5		Always Crashing In The Same Car Cello – David Bowie Effects [Guitar Treatments] – Brian Eno Organ – Roy Young
A6		Be My Wife
A7		A New Career In A New Town Harmonica – David Bowie
B1		Warszawa Piano – Brian Eno
B2		Art Decade Cello – Eduard Meyer Chamberlin [Chamberlain] – David Bowie
B3		Weeping Wall Vibraphone, Xylophone, Synthesizer – David Bowie
B4		Subterraneans Saxophone – David Bowie

Companies, etc.

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – RCA Records
Manufactured By – RCA Ltd.
Published By – Bewlay Bros. S.A.R.L.
Published By – Fleur Music
Published By – E.G. Music Ltd.
Published By – Chrysalis Music Ltd.
Printed By – Garrodprint Ltd.
Made By – Garrodprint Ltd.
Recorded At – Studio Hérouville
Recorded At – Hansa Tonstudios
Mixed At – Hansa Tonstudios
Mastered At – Sterling Sound
Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Washington, UK

Credits

Arranged By – Brian Eno (tracks: B1), David Bowie
Bass – George Murray (tracks: A1 to A7, B4)
Composed By – Brian Eno (tracks: B1), David Bowie, Dennis Davis (tracks: A2), George Murray (tracks: A2)
Guitar – David Bowie (tracks: A6, B2 to B4), Ricky Gardner* (tracks: A3 to A7)
Percussion – Dennis Davis (tracks: A1 to A7)
Piano – David Bowie (tracks: A7, B2 to B4), Roy Young (tracks: A1, A3 to A7)
Producer – David Bowie, Tony Visconti
Rhythm Guitar – Carlos Alomar (tracks: A1 to A7, B4), Ricky Gardner* (tracks: A2)
Synthesizer – Brian Eno (tracks: A2, A3, A5, B1, B2)

Notes

Issued with a 12" paper insert with credits; most copies with an orange sticker with the track list on rear cover.

Published by:
A1 to A6, B4 Bewlay Bros. S.A.R.L./Fleur Music.
B1 Bewlay Bros. S.A.R.L./Fleur Music/E.G. Music Ltd.
A7, B2, B3 Bewlay Bros. S.A.R.L./Chrysalis Music Ltd./Fleur Music.

Recorded at The Chateau and Hansa By The Wall.
Mixed at Hansa By The Wall.
Cover photo from 'The Man Who Fell to Earth', a Cinema 5 release.

(CPL1 2030) appears as reference on labels only.

Initial copies included a small black and white pamphlet advertising the official David Bowie Fan Club and back catalogue.
Generic white die-cut inner sleeve of the Variant 1 shows printer run date 12/76. Copies also exist with printer run date of 11-76 upon initial release.
Variant 27 has an inner sleeve date 2-77.
NB. The sticker shown in the photos here "Featuring the hit single Sound and Vision", would not have appeared on initial copies and not until at least later in February when the single was released and charted in the UK).

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Price Code: ZZ
Matrix / Runout (Side A label): PL 12030 A
Matrix / Runout (Side B label): PL 12030 B
Matrix / Runout (Sides A & B, all versions stamped): STERLING
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 1): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A2H
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 1): PL 12030-B-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶1̶ A1J W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 2): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A1AK
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 2): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2̶ A5O W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 3): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A2N
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 3): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2̶ A2X W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 4): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A4W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 4): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A6H W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 5): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶A̶-̶2̶ W A2AO
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 5): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A5G W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 6): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶2 W A3Z
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 6): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2̶ A4W W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 7): PL.12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶2̶ W A3B
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 7): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A6B W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 8): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-ƻ W A3Q
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 8): PL 12030-B-1E A/E M1
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 9): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ A2Z W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 9): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B-̶2 A30 W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 10): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ A2D W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 10): PL 12030-B-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B-̶1̶ A1L1
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 11): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-ƻ W A2 P
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 11): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B-̶2 A2AM
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 12): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1 A4K W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 12): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2 A6J W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 13): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A1R
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 13): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶1̶ A5 B W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 14): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶ 2̶0̶3̶0̶ A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶2̶ W A1.H
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 14): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A1P W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 15): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶ 2̶0̶3̶0̶ A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-2 W A2T
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 15): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A2A W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 16): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A1N
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 16): PL 12030-B-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-1̶ W A1H
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 17): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ A2E W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 17): PL 12030-B-1 A1O A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶1̶ M
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 18): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ W A1AI
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 18): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B̶-̶2̶ A2AS W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 19): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶A-̶2̶ A3T
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 19): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B-̶2̶ A6F
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 20): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶A-̶2̶ W A1AG
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 20): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶-̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-̶B-̶2̶ A2 AX
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 21): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1 WAI W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 21): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2 A2J W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 22, x = letter/number scratched out): PxL 12030-A-1 W AIAY A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 22): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2 A6E W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 23 x = letter/number scratched out): PxL 12030-A-1 W AIA-E A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 23): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶-B̶-̶2 AZA C
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 24): PL 12030-A-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶A̶-̶2̶ W A3 G
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 24): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-B̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶B̶-̶2̶ A6 E W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 25 letter/number scratched out): PL 12030-A A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶A̶-̶1 W A I F
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 25 letter/number scratched out): PL 12030-B A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶B R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶B-̶1 W A I F
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 26 letter/number): PL 12030-A A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶ ̶A̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶A̶-̶2 \W A 3U
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 26 letter/number): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-B̶ R̶S̶ ̶1̶1̶0̶8̶ ̶B̶-̶2̶ \\ A6G W
Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched variant 27 letter/number): PL 12030-A-1 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶A̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶A̶-̶1̶ A4I W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched variant 27 letter/number): PL 12030-B-2 A̶P̶L̶1̶2̶0̶3̶0̶-̶B̶ R̶S̶1̶1̶0̶8̶B̶-̶2̶ A4U W

Other Versions (5 of 188)View All

	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
Recently Edited	Low (LP, Album, Stereo)	RCA Victor	CPL1-2030	US	1977
Recently Edited	Low (LP, Album, Stereo)	RCA Victor	PL 12030	Germany	1977
Recently Edited	Low (LP, Album)	RCA	RVP-6154	Japan	1977
Recently Edited	Low (LP, Album, Misprint )	RCA Victor	PL 12030	Netherlands	1977
Recently Edited	Low (LP, Album)	RCA Victor	CPL1-2030	France	1977

Reviews

Show All 11 Reviews

Jellycat1971 Mar 14, 2022

Edited 3 months ago

the big drums, chunky riff and girly ooos of sound and vision are what got me into bowie in 1990. The first side songs still sound compelling today. Short and punky yet full bodied, they haven’t gone out of date. The sudden blart of electronic noise in breaking glass still gives a burst of pure pleasure - one the best instrumental breaks ever. bowie sounds vulnerable, emotionally clear and honest, the lyrics spare and to the point. side two is like queens flash gordon at times, but without as much entertainment value, and the vocalising is hammy and a bit silly - he’s hiding behind a performance again. the sax on subterraneans adds a nice melancholy though. some online mag said it’s the best album of the 70s, which is deeply pretentious. I’d say heroes, ziggy, sane, hunky and station are all superior. ‘original’ doesn’t always mean ‘great’. it isn’t, but everyone should hear it. iggy shouting on what in the world would cheer anyone up.

bruisedviolet Aug 2, 2021

45th anniversary edition on orange vinyl released on Friday 14th January 2022 anyone?

5fives5 Jun 12, 2021

My variant appears to have A2R W on Side A, which isn't listed above, and A2X W on Side B, which is. The R could be a distorted P or D I guess.

shivsidecar May 6, 2021

I found the rear sticker extremely irritating (in 1977), so I peeled it off. Looks better without. Go on, peel yours off too.

possvox Mar 21, 2021

Edited one year ago

Side 1:
(Etched) APL1 20230A (Crossed out)
(Etched) RS1108A-1
(Stamped) STERLING
(Etched) A3V (may be a "Y")
W PL 12030 A-1
Side 2:
(Etched) APL1-2030-B
(Etched) RS 1108-B-2 (Crossed out)
(Etched) AIAB (Very faintly)
(Stamped) STERLING
(Etched) PL 12030-B-2
Inner sleeve is printed 11-76. Contains insert and Bowie "Fan Club" leaflet. Tracklist sticker on rear of sleeve. Purchased on release day. Variant # ???
Help please.

simonpj145 May 9, 2020

Hi I have what looks like a first edition - PL12030 - orange sticker without reference to hit single, and I have the insert. But the insert does not have a print run date. Anybody know what this means?

Masterjamcst Feb 7, 2020

Edited 2 years ago

Some parts on the 2n side remind me at Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.

rendezvous65 Jan 22, 2018

Apparently, this is getting remastered and repressed on vinyl on February 23 along with Heroes.

Rick_Mayer Dec 27, 2017

Definitely a departure from Bowie's early work as he was struggling with addiction and working exclusively in West Berlin. Bowie embraced a lot of the new age jazz scene and brought out his saxophone on a few tracks including the pop-tingling 'Sound and Vision'. Carlos Alomar and Brian Eno heavily influenced the compositions and Low represents Bowie as the ever-struggling artist trying to leave behind whatever demons plagued him at the time. A must for Bowie fans.

brixton84 Aug 20, 2016

Can somebody tell me if the labels of the first UK pressing are glossy (like the ones of Ziiggy or Aladdin) ? Thanks!!