Bowie's intention for the project was to rehearse the tracks, record them live and release them as quickly as possible, predating the idea of the surprise album.
Ten years later, Warner Music Group announced in September 2021 that Toy would get an official release as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) on 26 November, through Bowie's own ISO label and Parlophone.
A separate deluxe edition, featuring previously unseen photographs, alternate mixes, proposed B-sides and 13 new remixes of the tracks, was released on 7 January 2022.
After ending his Mini Tour with a performance at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2000, he stated, "I hate to waste the energy of a show-honed band so I've asked one and all if they would like to make an album immediately when we get back to New York.
[1] The lineup consisted of the members of Bowie's touring band: guitarist Earl Slick, bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, pianist Mike Garson, musician Mark Plati and drummer Sterling Campbell.
[4] According to the biographer David Buckley, the band rehearsed the songs at Sear Sound Studios in New York City before recording them as live tracks.
[20] Along with the re-recorded tracks, several new songs were written for the project, including "Afraid", "Uncle Floyd" and "Toy" (later retitled "Your Turn to Drive").
"[3][5] After making Bowie's back catalogue available for digital download in 2000, the label, who were in the middle of various financial struggles, feared poor commercial performance for Toy and expressed a desire for an album of new material instead, indefinitely shelving the record.
"[1] Buckley argues that had it been released, Toy would have "easily" reached the UK top 20, even if it was only bought by Bowie's hardcore fans.
[25] According to Visconti, Bowie was "hurt terribly" by Toy's rejection and as a result, left EMI/Virgin and signed an agreement with Columbia Records in early 2002 to issue Heathen via his own ISO label.
It always does.In March 2011, 14 tracks from the Toy sessions, excluding "Karma Man" and "Can't Help Thinking About Me", were leaked onto the Internet, attracting media attention.
"[2] Regarding the leak overall, Pegg comments that it is "fascinating, thrilling and beautiful – and, as is so often the case with Bowie's work, an obvious creative stepping-stone between the previous album and the next.
"[3] Ten years later, on 29 September 2021, Warner Music Group announced that Toy would get an official release on 26 November as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) through ISO and Parlophone.
[32] "Karma Man" and an "alternative ending mix" of "Silly Boy Blue" were released as the next single on 15 October,[33] while "Can't Help Thinking About Me" followed on 19 November.
I'm happy to finally be able to say it now belongs to all of us.A separate deluxe edition, titled Toy:Box, was released on 7 January 2022,[23] the day before what would have been Bowie's 75th birthday.
[32][37] The release includes previously unseen photographs, alternate mixes, proposed B-sides and 13 new "Unplugged and Somewhat Slightly Electric" remixes of the Toy tracks.
[6][23] These remixes contain new acoustic guitar overdubs by Plati and Earl Slick,[36] replicating a style done by the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards.
"[45] The Evening Standard's David Smyth was also positive, highlighting the remade tracks as material long overdue for an official release.
[42] Brenna Ehrlich was more modest in her review for Rolling Stone, calling Toy "a completely serviceable album" that lacks surprises and is "far from transcendent".
Although she similarly noted Bowie's vocal performance as the standout, Ehrlich concluded that Toy is "supplemental material, a sidenote, a wandering walk off the main path with a friend we've been missing.
"[46] When reviewing Brilliant Adventure, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine found the Hours-style music "mildly appealing" and summarised: "it's a slight record but it's nice to have it as part of the official discography.