Hence,David Bowie's sudden passing has indeed started the dreadful Class Of 2016 trend which was followed by different rock stars and celebrities at a fast and dizzying rate.A fact that the 27 Club became so tame and feeble compared to it.
David Robert Jones was born in Brixton, London on January 8th 1947 and like his famous musician peers,he was attracted to blues and rock n'roll during his teenage years,performing with one band after another- a fad that has started in school. Dave and his band at the time were singing in pseudo black style-a thing that both the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds were also doing.He performed professionally as David Bowie as to not confuse him with another British singer--Davy Jones of Monkees fame.
One would quickly notice Bowie's eyes,no,not that evil glance he is known for portraying his albums.But the unusual appearance and discoloration wherein the other one is dilated and the other one is not. Though Google explains it as a rare medical condition called anisocoria,rumor has it that he got the eye defect during a fight in school that has left his eyes permanently damaged.
Bowie drifted from one band to another until he realized that a solo career with a backing band is much better than dealing with a group of equal partnership.He had a few attempts to break the mainstream with one debut album in 1967 but didn't struck oil until 1969's "Space Oddity".The said single was even more successful when it was reissued in 1975.
The seventies were a huge decade for Bowie where he launched himself on colossal albums The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars,Aladdin Sane,Diamond Dogs,Station To Station and so on...Bowie presented himself as different personalities on each of the albums released with music critics easily christening him as the chameleon of rock n'roll.And like what other rock stars that have went through on that tumultuous era,there came the drugs particularly cocaine that has caused him to lose more weight,making his cheeks so hollow without him even noticing it.Bowie has known to have been extremely petrified of LSD,also a recreational drug known at the time with its link to schizophrenia- a thing that his aunt was known to have been strucked with.Such painful experiences became his inspiration writing songs themed with such evil and darkness.After one final tour supporting his Ziggy Stardust album,the aftershow party that followed suggests on what his status has reached-the McCartneys,the Jaggers,Elton John all came to honor the most beautiful and glamorous rock star of his time.Bowie has stated of being gay as early as 1967 saying that "I am gay and always has been",making him one of the first rock stars to admit their sexual preferences.
The eighties were sober times for the thin white duke,writing the upbeat "Let's Dance" and releasing it in 1983.And whenever he sings his old songs from the seventies it sounded as if it was written by some wacko nephew.It was in this decade that he has mellowed a bit,well, a lot of rock stars from the sixties did anyway.
Not letting a good talent go to waste,Bowie busied himself with movies as well apart from starring in several concert films at his height of fame in the 70s,he took acting seriously,from a gay World War II British soldier captured by the Japanese Imperial Army to voicing over children's cartoons as Lord Royal Highness.
It was later revealed that he learned how serious his illness was three months before he died but took it in stride.A lot of people especially closed friends and some fans weren't actually aware of how seriously ill he was.But like your usual professional entertainer the show must indeed go on and he all left us a gift which was considered his final masterpiece.
Though it was a little sad that he had his first number one record after he passed away,one would think of artists like Vincent Van Gogh sharing the same feat as the chameleon of rock would've had.But everytime we put that Ziggy Stardust CD or perhaps a vinyl of say,The Man Who Sold The World,David Bowie's legacy remains with us like a shooting star shining bright in the night sky,gone too soon,which leaves us wondering perhaps when are we going to see him again.Yet his spirit on those records live on.
On the subject of artistic uniqueness,there could only be one David Bowie!
(c) 2016 Keith Vernon Adagio
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