Brilliant Adventure

Written by: David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels
Recorded: 1998; February-June 1999
Producers: David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels
Engineer: Kevin Paul

Released: 4 October 1999

Available on:
‘hours…’
All Saints

Personnel

David Bowie: vocals, keyboards, synthesizer
Reeves Gabrels: guitar, keyboards, synthesizer

The instrumental ‘Brilliant Adventure’ is the penultimate track on ‘hours…’, David Bowie’s 22nd studio album.

It was recorded by Bowie and Reeves Gabrels at Seaview Studios in Bermuda, where Bowie and Iman owned a holiday home.

This has been a very exciting recording period. Reeves and I started writing way early last year and unbelievably have produced well over three or four songs. Actually over 100 songs.

We’re recording most of the stuff ourselves and Reeves and I are playing most of the instruments and programming drums, etc. But I think you’ll be surprised at the actual intimacy of it all. I certainly was especially when it started taking my jacket off. By the time it got to my shirt, I had to give it a damn good slapping. Into it is not the word.

Bowie played a koto synth sound on ‘Brilliant Adventure’. He had previously used the koto (箏) – a plucked zither instrument, and the national instrument of Japan – on the “Heroes” instrumental ‘Moss Garden’.

Brilliant Adventure. This is a DAT recording David Bowie and I made while we were improvising together in a small guest room in London. David is playing his keyboard synthesizer (koto). I am playing guitar synthesizer (I'm the flute). #TimsTwitterListeningParty #hourswithreeves

— reeves gabrels (@reevesgabrels) September 4, 2020

Host sailor says:
there is a track called Brilliant Adventure

Host sailor says:
Brill is a luverly instrumental, again with koto, that reeves and I did in the front room in Bermuda

‘Brilliant Adventure’ was one of four songs on ‘hours…’ which Bowie never performed live. The others were ‘What’s Really Happening?’, ‘New Angels of Promise’, and ‘The Dreamers’.

The track was included on the commercially-released version of the All Saints compilation in 2001.

At just 1:52, ‘Brilliant Adventure’ is by some distance the shortest track on ‘hours…’. Bowie never performed the piece live, so it was curious that his estate named both the series of posthumous live albums Brilliant Live Adventures (1995–1999) and the 2021 box set Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) after the song.

Brilliant Adventure. Sometimes it's just one take, and a stereo room mike. This was one of those times. Our phrasing reminds me how often and well we played together. #TimsTwitterListeningParty #hourswithreeves

— reeves gabrels (@reevesgabrels) September 4, 2020

The small gem that is ‘Brilliant Adventure’ was added to the song list after David brought in the DAT of the instrumental interlude that we’d made playing around in London more than a year prior. We moved it straight onto the computer, added a little room reverb and a finger cymbal at the end – and it was clear it had to be on the album.

I have the/a DAT. It was copied to the master, which is presumably in the DB vault. Credit to Bob Ludwig, who did the mastering, for making what was essentially a home demo hang with the album.

— reeves gabrels (@reevesgabrels) September 6, 2020