Remembering the Life of David Bowie (1947-2016)
David Bowie passed away on Sunday, January 10, just two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his 27th and final album, Blackstar. Unbeknownst to anyone outside of his immediate circle, he’d been battling cancer for the previous 18 months, which made his seemingly sudden death all the more shocking. Infamous for his gender-bending alter egos, distinct singing voice, and talent as both an artist and actor, Bowie was one of the best-known glam-rock musicians of all time, with his career lasting six decades from the 1960s to the 2010s.
In the immediate moments after the news of Bowie’s death broke via his Facebook and Twitter accounts, fans posted links to stories saying that his death was a hoax, desperately grasping at any fragment of a possibility that Bowie could still be alive. It simply couldn’t be true — he seemed like an immortal being.
Born on January 8, 1947 in Brixton, London, to a middle-class family, Bowie went on to study art, music, and design in school — and it was from a classmate that Bowie received his signature dilated pupil from a punch in the face during a fight over a girl.
Over the course of the last 60 years, Bowie released 27 studio albums, including the classics The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Young Americans, and Let’s Dance.
David Bowie is well known by people all over the world — classic rock fans or not. He was more than just a musician: he was an actor, painter, producer, style icon, and an inspiration to many people. He appeared in quite a few films, such as cult classic The Man Who Fell To Earth in 1976 and fantasy film Labyrinth in 1986.
Bowie’s music changed with the eras of the years, and those eras came with many unique looks: from his more mod look in 1967 to his more androgynous look from the early 1970s; from redheaded alien Ziggy Stardust to the dapper Thin White Duke. His sound went beyond glam rock, incorporating shades of pop, soul, electronic, disco; he influenced multiple genres as well, like krautrock and new wave. Songs like “Space Oddity” — his first #1 in the UK — “Changes,” “Starman,” “Rebel Rebel,” “Fame,” and “Let’s Dance” defined decades. Bowie collaborated with many different musicians such as Mott the Hoople, producing and writing their hit “All The Young Dudes”; John Lennon, co-writing the hit single “Fame”; Marc Bolan of T. Rex, appearing on his show Marc; and Queen, singing with Freddie Mercury on “Under Pressure.” Ahead of his time, in the ’90s he released one of the first rock ‘n’ roll interactive CD-ROMs, Jump. Bowie was always ahead of the curve. Bowie was the curve.
David Bowie certainly made an indelible mark on the music scene, influencing many musical acts directly, including but not limited to the Smiths, Joy Division, and the Eurythmics. Bowie changed the industry forever, turning music on its head and creating a genre all his own.
He is survived by his wife Iman, his son Duncan, and his daughter Lexi.
The man who once fell to Earth may no longer be on Earth, but we will always have his music, his influence, and his legacy.
“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” — David Bowie
(Cover photo via thethreef.com)
