In 1971, at the time that this demo was recorded, Bowie was enjoying the success that had really begun in 1969 when he had hit the charts with Space Oddity. The vendor was singing with a band called Chameleon whom David Bowie met with a view to offering them a song he had written to record. After hearing the band play, Bowie sent them this tape of himself performing Star. Chameleon recorded the song but it was never released because Chrysalis wouldn't allow Chameleon to use Bowie as a producer. A year later, the song appeared in a different form on Bowie's Ziggy Stardust LP. The lyrics on this tape differ slightly to the released version, noticeably in the chorus...I could make it all worthwhile as a rock'n'roll star... and ...I could make a big time noise as a rock'n'roll star... becomes ...I could make a transformation... and ...I could play the wild mutation.... The opening two lines are changed from the initial pleading for recognition If someone had the sense to hear me, If someone had the time to see... to the more poignant Tony went to fight in Belfast, Rudi stayed at home to starve... The existence of this recording is previously unknown and undocumented.