When Parlophone released the David Bowie boxset Who Can It Be Now? (1974-1976), which included the long-lost / long-rumored The Gouster album, many people were surprised at the track listing. Primarily, it was missing several songs that some people had expected to be included, especially what would have been the title song, “I am a Lazer (The Gouster).” But producer Tony Visconti who assembled the “new” album insisted that this was the intended track list.
I have no proof whatsoever of this, but my theory is that
the track listing is actually for an early version of the album that became Young
Americans after The Gouster name and title cut had been dropped.
So, if this original configuration had been released as Young Americans, there would have been plenty of tracks left for a quick follow-up album, which I’m calling The
Gouster.
SIDE A
1. I am Divine
2. Win
3. Shilling the Rubes
4. I am a Lazer (The Gouster)
SIDE B
1. After Today
2. Across the Universe
3. Fascination
4. Fame
From the actual released version of Young Americans, we have four songs to include here: “Win,” “Across the Universe,” “Fascination” and “Fame.” Thanks to better music editing software, old demos from this time period are showing up on bootlegs and YouTube. These include “I am Divine,” “Shilling the Rubes,” “After Today” and the previously mentioned “I am a Lazer (The Gouster).”
The album opens with the rockin’ “I am Divine” and closes with the monster hit “Fame.” Both “I am Divine” and “I am a Lazer” were destined also (along with other Bowie-penned songs) for the debut album of The Astronettes (Bowie’s backup singers), which was recorded around the same time, but was shelved and didn’t get released until 2009. But I definitely think Bowie originally planned to release these songs himself. My reasoning for that is that the recording Bowie made of “I am Divine” includes the Astronettes on backup with Bowie singing lead, and “I am a Lazer” is also a full band workout, although without the backup singers. So, why go to all that trouble if it was simply meant as a demo to give to the group?
Now, if you want to go the extra mile and create a double album with all the tracks from this period, you could simply take the boxset’s The Gouster and add the version above to create this:
SIDE A
1. John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)
2. Somebody Up There Likes Me
3. It’s Gonna be Me
SIDE B
1. Who Can I be Now?
2. Can You Hear Me?
3. Young Americans
4. Right
SIDE C
1. I am Divine
2. Win
3. Shilling the Rubes
4. I am a Lazer (The Gouster)
SIDE B
1. After Today
2. Across the Universe
3. Fascination
4. Fame