Bowie puts Ziggy Stardust on the Net

Fans who bought the latest David Bowie CD will are now able to download a missing track from the Internet.

A production error means that the album, a compilation of tracks recorded at BBC studios between 1968 and 1972, does not include a previously unreleased version of the classic song Ziggy Stardust. Instead, another song was included twice. The missing track is, however, now available for download on the Web.

Before they'll be able to get hold of the extra song, users have to prove that they have bought the album. They must install software called the MusicMatch Jukebox that will verify whether they own a genuine CD when it is placed into their computer's CD drive. If the album is there, the user is allowed to download the missing track from the MusicMatch Web site.

David Bowie is no stranger to Internet innovation. He runs his own ISP, BowieNet, and released an album on the Internet weeks before it went on sale on the high street. He also displayed 141 works of art from his personal collection on the Web.

Bowie believes that the venture illustrates the potential of the Internet for publishing music. "Five years ago this would never have been possible and it's a great bonus to those who already own the album, as it extends the value of the CD overall," he says in a statement.

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