Rare David Bowie vinyl demo featuring the track Run Piper Run heads to auction

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By ( Classic Rock ) last updated

The previously unreleased demo which is backed by Ace Kefford’s Lay Your Head Upon My Shoulder will go under the hammer later this week

David Bowie Run Piper Run
(Image credit: Wessex Auction Rooms)

A rare slice of David Bowie memorabilia will go under the hammer later this week in the shape of a 7-inch vinyl demo of the previously unreleased track Run Piper Run.

The song was recorded in 1967 and is backed by Lay Your Head Upon My Shoulder by The Move co-founder Ace Kefford – a track that would resurface on the 2003 album Ace (The Lost 1968 Tapes).

The disc will head to auction on Friday (January 15) at the Wessex Auction Rooms in Chippenham, England, with the online bidding set to get under way at 10.30am BST.

The disc is estimated to fetch between £6000 and £8000 and a snippet of Run Piper Run can be listened to below. In July 2020, an unreleased Bowie demo of I Do Believe I Love You sold at the Wessex Auction Rooms for £18,000.

The Bowie/Kefford disc will be just one of the vinyl offerings on the day, with a focus particularly on punk rarities and demos. 

These include a set of seven Sex Pistols original singles pressings, the Ramones CD box set We’re Outta Here which has been signed by Johnny, CJ, Dee Dee, Joey, Marky and Tommy Ramone, and a copy of Tommy Gun by The Clash which has been autographed by Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon, Mick Jones and Topper Headon and much more.

Wessex Auction Rooms’ Auctioneer and Music Specialist Martin Hughes tells Classic Rock: “Despite most people being aware of punk and it’s cultural impact, you have to remember that at the time most of these records were pressed in really small numbers. 

"Many bands hand made their record sleeves and had their singles pressed on small private press labels. Add to that scarcity the fact that most of these records didn’t survive the parties, gigs, and sharing of songs with friends, it is highly unusual to ever find them in this sort of condition. 

"Many of these records will never be seen again looking as clean and new as the day they were pressed!”

For the full Vinyl Records & Memorabilia auction, visit Wessex Auction Rooms.

And, for even more on vinyl, check out our guide to cheap vinyl records covering rock, metal, prog and more. And if you want to know about all about the world's most valuable vinyl records and collectible vinyl, dive on in.

Classic Rock
Classic Rock

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