David Bowie and Me
Image: By AVRO (Beeld En Geluid Wiki - Gallerie: Toppop 1974) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
David Bowie: 08/01/1947 - 10/01/2016
I can't quite believe he's gone. The man that was one of the biggest musical legends of his generation. The man, who arguably could have had the single largest influence on a generation, is no longer with us. I thought he'd last forever; he will through the legacy of his work and the people he influenced.
I'm one of them and though I'm not a musician he proved to me through my teenage years that it was OK, in fact good, to be different. That's what David Bowie was - different. Whether you loved his music or not (and how can you not like just one of his many songs?) there's no denying this man made an impact and inspired a multitude in a way very few have.
Personally I always remember David Bowie being there, but it was from the beginning of the '80s onwards that he really started to have an influence on me. I vividly remember Ashes to Ashes and the video that went along with it. It seemed so different to anything else and to me, gave birth to the New Romantics. And no one from my era is going to forget Let's Dance. But it was while the albums that spawned these singles were impacting the popular charts that I began to explore his previous work, and that's when I discovered what an amazing repertoire he had. From the early years of finding his way with his first self-titled album to the epic releases that followed, which are nearly too numerous to mention – how about Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs and Heroes to name just a few? – the man was a true original.
From these teenage years on I was hooked. I bought what I could, mostly on vinyl I'm pleased to say, but I never completed my collection... He wasn't just a singer and writer, he played several instruments, acted and even painted. Some of the films and plays he'll be most remembered for include The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Elephant Man, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, Absolute Beginners and my sister's favourite Labyrinth, while there are many others I've not listed.
The diversity of the man was incredible and he always seemed to have a way to reinvent himself. I truly hope he realised what he'd achieved. I hope he knew how much he'd affected people and society. I hope he felt and understood the love and respect he had from the people he'd influenced.
There will be many outpourings of love and grief for this amazing man. Mine is just a little personal remembrance of what he did for me. Apart from his talents and the effect he had on millions, he told me that it was OK to be who I was. It was OK to be different. In fact, you should embrace your uniqueness and be proud of it. And if my legacy was to have had that impact on just one person then I would be proud. Look at what he's managed.
He was always a legend, now he's immortal.
I do hope his family and those closest to him find some comfort in knowing David Bowie was loved by many. He was loved by me...
I'm one of them and though I'm not a musician he proved to me through my teenage years that it was OK, in fact good, to be different. That's what David Bowie was - different. Whether you loved his music or not (and how can you not like just one of his many songs?) there's no denying this man made an impact and inspired a multitude in a way very few have.
Personally I always remember David Bowie being there, but it was from the beginning of the '80s onwards that he really started to have an influence on me. I vividly remember Ashes to Ashes and the video that went along with it. It seemed so different to anything else and to me, gave birth to the New Romantics. And no one from my era is going to forget Let's Dance. But it was while the albums that spawned these singles were impacting the popular charts that I began to explore his previous work, and that's when I discovered what an amazing repertoire he had. From the early years of finding his way with his first self-titled album to the epic releases that followed, which are nearly too numerous to mention – how about Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs and Heroes to name just a few? – the man was a true original.
From these teenage years on I was hooked. I bought what I could, mostly on vinyl I'm pleased to say, but I never completed my collection... He wasn't just a singer and writer, he played several instruments, acted and even painted. Some of the films and plays he'll be most remembered for include The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Elephant Man, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, Absolute Beginners and my sister's favourite Labyrinth, while there are many others I've not listed.
The diversity of the man was incredible and he always seemed to have a way to reinvent himself. I truly hope he realised what he'd achieved. I hope he knew how much he'd affected people and society. I hope he felt and understood the love and respect he had from the people he'd influenced.
There will be many outpourings of love and grief for this amazing man. Mine is just a little personal remembrance of what he did for me. Apart from his talents and the effect he had on millions, he told me that it was OK to be who I was. It was OK to be different. In fact, you should embrace your uniqueness and be proud of it. And if my legacy was to have had that impact on just one person then I would be proud. Look at what he's managed.
He was always a legend, now he's immortal.
I do hope his family and those closest to him find some comfort in knowing David Bowie was loved by many. He was loved by me...