Tribute to Bowie

Originally posted here on 13/01/2016.

Yesterday (January 11th) I remember waking up and something wasn’t quite right. I thought it may just be a random way in which I manage to wake myself – as it often can be. Just as if I’ve been disturbed from my sleep by an alarm or something. Thinking nothing of it, I remember checking the news for some reason (It’s not often this is the first thing I do). David Bowie, deceased at 69 after an 18 Month battle with cancer.

I remember reading somewhere that David Bowie managed to turn a lifestyle of freakdom into a profession, became a butterfly through embracing the outsider caterpillar. That if he could do it then anything is possible and we have the advantage of listening to his amazing music to help us. I’m strongly paraphrasing but the point is the same. He did some wonderful things in a truly magical way and we’re immediately at an advantage because he’s there to inspire us.

I find myself sitting amongst so many people, each reading different papers with different tributes to the man. New photos, new stories, loving words to his influence. I can’t help but think about a birthday I had where I surprised my guests dressed up as Bowie, in a feeble rendition of his charm and majesty. My friends loved it and strangers asked me for autographs. I can’t say that this hasn’t affected me at all. David Bowie was a culture icon, the one mainstream vision of the underground. His music artistic and powerful, deep and lyrical, fun and serious. He changed fashion, identity, music, people, society. There must be many touched more than I am but I know we’re missing something deep within all of us. The outsider, the outlander, the strange oddity. The alien amongst us is so much in us that we feel when he’s not there. He was an astonishing actor and performer. I recommend any of his films Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Labyrinth (1986), The Hunger (1983) and The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) amongst them. He brought something truly magical to everything he did. His discography shows something different each time and I find that everyone can find a personal part of themselves to at least one of his albums. I’d recommend it all, at least once. Too many songs will I keep with me.

David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, Aladdin Sane, Hot Tramp We love you so. In fact, I want to make tribute to this man of many identities by picking up some favourite lines. Turn and face the strange, we could be heroes just for one day. You are face to face with the man who sold the world. We know Major Tom’s a junkie he’d like to come and meet us but he thinks he’d blow our minds. It’s a god awful small affair he’s outrageous, he screams and he bawls under pressure. Let’s dance for fear tonight is all, oh it doesn’t matter what you wear. They say jump. But made it too far, became the special man and the chaos is calling me, yeah bye bye love. He just flew till he burst. Planet earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do.

Our thoughts to all who knew him, we mourn him with you.

My Poor and Personal Rendition of Bowie

Tribute to Bowie

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