He's Out of this World!

"David Bowie was an inspiration to me, even though was not alive at the peak of his fame. He taught me that even if I look a little different or act a little different, I can still succeed."

-Isla Marie

She wanted me to be sure to mention that she's 12. Yes 12 years old, born in 2003. As she mentioned, she wasn't even on this earth when David Bowie had reached his peak, even so she managed to be graced by him. Her perspective on life has been enlighten, thanks to David Bowie. Of course her and millions of other people have experience the awesomeness that is David Bowie. The most interesting part about it, is that those people may not have even had known the effect that he may have had on them.

A swell example of this scenario, would be myself. Ridding in the car with my father on the way home from running some errands, I hear on the radio about David's death. That moment I ask my father quite candidly "Who the heck is David Bowie?" my father wasn't all that amused by my reaction. He told me that David was famous in his time and that he wasn't surprised that I didn't know him. My father saying that, peeked my interest just a little. "Who was he? What did he do? Why are we announcing his death?" Heck I hope I'm famous enough some day for my death to be announced on the radio, but I digress. My dad told me that David was a famous singer and writer. In my mind, I figured the guy must have been pretty cool, and I let the thought pass.

                 It wasn't until I looked into this wonderful person a little further that I realized, that he had shook my whole world from the inside out. He did this in such a swift and moving way and I didn't even know it was David. Through his role as the Goblin King in the Labyrinth I could never see the world or my family the same again. That was my reaction to him as a child. I first saw the movie when I was in grade school. Most of the other kids in the class were either deeply enthused as I was, or they were horrifyingly scared for life. Either way, watching that movie is an enchanting experience. But that just so happen to be the way that Bowie got to me. 

                 To my surprise years later, he had pulled the same jive on me again. In 2015 the movie The Martian came out featuring the song Starman. Okay, I'm sorry, but I LOVE THAT SONG!! I know caps are cliche. I apologize if my excitement was unsettling, but that's my honest reaction to that song, Bowie's song. Here's my point. I hadn't a clue that song was done by David Bowie. I fell in love with that song almost instantly. It was insane, as if I was being drafted into another world. The same exact feeling I had when watching the Labyrinth. It some how seemed familiar to me. That's because it was. The art that David had created was imprinted into the culture that we have today. Both the song Starman and the movie the Labyrinth felt like home to me. Reason, being...I was introduced to David Bowie as a child and his impression has stayed on me and with me, even after all of these years. That, that's impressive.

"David Bowie has always been an incredible singer to me. He was sorta like an idol for me. He looked cool, he never really cared all that much about what others thought, and he made amazing music. He was awesome and his music and disposition on life influenced me. His music taught me beauty and gave me the ability to understand my own heart." 

- Seth Crow

People all over where remarkably influenced by the man who was not afraid to express who he was fully with out fear. That is a respectable trait that many people wish they could obtain. Through his expression in the arts David Bowie has opened the hearts and minds of others to do the same. He has left gigantic foot marks in the ground that no one else could ever fill in the way that he did. A man who's art is so powerful that his work will be admired for now and for many more years to come. He worked hard up until his very death, which was a surprise to everyone right after releasing his new album "Black Star"

*********************

                     A life well lived if I do say so myself. Many accomplishments, many acknowledgements, many ground breaking movements. One life changing, soul rearranging fellow. David Bowie, a man I met as a child, but discovered as an adult. A man who is truly out of this world! Rest in peace David.

"How you turn my world, you precious thing."

-Labyrinth

Links for Photos

http://assets2.radiox.co.uk/2008/34/david-bowie-1219852230-article-0.jpg

https://diaryofadomesticgoddess.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/jareth.jpg

https://espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/grant_columbia_labyrinth_64011.jpg?w=750

http://www.scenemissingmagazine.com/article/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/labyrinthbowie.jpg

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfuei5cWSs1qc7bo0o1_500.jpg

http://www.davidbowie.com/sites/g/files/g2000002506/f/styles/blog_detail_image/public/labyrinth_headshot_small.jpg?itok=t0ytQnSN

http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/david-bowie-as-jareth-the-goblin-king-in-labyrinth1.jpg

https://bkhemphill.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/article_big_1304092050david_bowie_labyrinth_1986_07_g.jpg

Joe Young- You Remind Me of the Babe

Rockstar. Fashion icon. Gay rights activist. Movie star. These are just some of the titles that were held by the late David Bowie.

If you’re anything like me, then you may not be familiar with Bowie’s work. But I’m sure you’ve heard many sing his praises, as his reputation definitely precedes him. And you may also have heard about his death, as the world has practically stood still when it was announced earlier this week.

The death of the artist formally known as Ziggy Stardust was a huge hit to the world, as he was considered by so many to be an innovator and a true artist (which is so hard to come by these days). Bowie made a name for himself in the ‘70s starting with his hit “Space Oddity,” which was released in 1969. Gracing the stage with fire-red hair, make-up, and glittery skintight spandex, Bowie made rock and roll history, while making Americans everywhere cringe behind their television sets.

Bowie’s success only skyrocketed from there, as he collaborated with artists such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, John Lennon, and Luther Vandross throughout the 1970s.

I could sit here and talk about David Bowie’s impact on the world of music until I’m blue in the face. However, only die-hard fans are true appreciators of his career as an actor, as well as a musician. Bowie made his start as an actor when he starred in the film The Man Who Fell to Earth in 1976. The film gained moderate attention, but if you ask any David Bowie fan what their favorite movie is, I will bet you everything in my wallet (thought it’s not much) that it’s Labyrinth.

Jim Henson directed the 1986 family-friendly film. (So needless to say, it contains a lot of puppets.) One of the stars of the film is none other than our hero, Mr. David Bowie, who plays Jareth the Goblin King. The film has become a cult classic over the years, with a number of quotable lines, and a score written by...you guessed it…David Bowie.

Just a short background on the film:

Labyrinth is a fun, kid friendly action movie about a teenage girl who is immersed in the world of fantasy. She comes off as a spoiled little brat when she is asked to watch over her infant brother one evening. As a result, she asks the theorized “fictional” Goblin King to come take her brother away. (A bit harsh, if you ask me.) Enter David Bowie, make-up and all, to grant the protagonist’s wish to take the child to his mystical kingdom, where he, too, would become a goblin. The underlying theme in the film is the need for young people to take responsibility for their actions, as the girl is forced to do when her brother is taken from her.

Bowie is brilliant as the evil, yet strangely flamboyant Goblin King, who sporadically breaks into song and dance throughout the film with his puppet co-stars. He stayed true to his familiar look, with a full face of make-up and his iconic hair, which miraculously stayed the same as Bowie aged over the years.

Bowie wrote and preformed the score for the film, which is an extra treat for any real fan. Some of the hits from the film are:

• Magic Dance (You Remind Me of the Babe)
• As The World Falls Down
• Within You

David Bowie’s performance in this cult classic, like so much else that he accomplished, will stand the test of time. Bowie achieved so much throughout his career that it is difficult to sit here and list out his accomplishments, let alone give him a proper send off. At risk of making myself sound cheesy, I’ll just say this: we hear a lot about celebrity deaths in the media, but on January 10^th, 2016, the world lost a true entertainer. Sleep well, Starman.  

Legacy Accomplished

We forget there is an end to life. Some people avoid it, while others eagerly wait to get into heaven. Let’s face it, death is not an easy subject to talk about, it happens everyday. However, we cope with it the best way we can. In this case the world is going to need a lot of coping because a legend has died. David Bowie has passed on January 10, 2016 weeks within the New Year, and two days after his 69^th birthday. The multitalented artist discreetly battled with liver cancer. He did what some artist refused to do…battle with liver cancer quietly. He didn’t make a public appearance, or an interview about his battle with cancer. He did what he loved to do and that was to make music for his fans and the people that loved him.

Bowie discovered his musical talent at a young age. From the moment he played his first instrument, he knew creating great music would happen in only a matter of time.  People gravitate to his music like a dry sponge desperate for water. His lyrics stayed in people’s head at any given time. From the sound of the introduction, people knew Bowie was on the radio with his distinctive voice. He filled up many stadiums with thousands of people singing along to his music. That had to be a great feeling, much so that he continued to create music up until his last album, which was released two days prior to his death. His music uplift, soothe, and built people’s confidence, character, and personality. While newspapers and magazine articles will focus on different parts of David Bowie life, I want to take a moment to talk about something he left behind-his legacy.

Music like Space Oddity, Heroes, and Let’s Dance are just a few of his distinctive yet attractive sounds. His music will not go unnoticed, you’ve heard his music before, trust me. Legends have a tendency to draw people to their music, without them knowing their name. He started making music in the late 60’s his song titled, Space Oddity, reached United Kingdom’s singles chart at number five. Can you imagine your first single reaching the top of any single’s chart? Some people just hope to have their families like their music and get a couple of people in the neighborhood to talk about it. Bowie on the other hand had the entire United Kingdom engrossed with his sound. His first album self-titled David Bowie was not a big success. However, he continued to make magic happen and once Space Oddity single came out, it was matchless and he didn’t have a problem expressing his art from that day forward.

His style was remarkable and set trends. No one is sure if Bowie changed his style with the times, or if his style is what changed the times. He was never afraid to put on clothes that appeared too tight, bright, or darn right unattractive. He expressed his personality through his fashion in addition to his music. Face painting captivated fans, celebrities that looked up to him respected his imagine and duplicated it at some point in their career. Look at Lady Gaga for instance, or even Madonna, see the resemblance?  His hairstyle changed drastically from short to long, or bold to natural inconsistently. He was always his true self and that’s what people will remember when they hear David Bowie.

With wife Iman

As family gather funeral arrangements, and people express their sorrows on social media, the world will come together as they remember a legend. Sadly, the world stood still after hearing the news about Bowie’s death. Fans came together in London to sing songs from the legendary singer, some cried, and entertainers paid their respect as they talked about what he did in the industry. Bowie knew his days were numbered. He stayed around close family and friends, as they regretfully knew his time was coming too. He released an album and the way his producers tell it, he did with a purpose. Although his soul is not on earth with us, his music will live through the speakers of those that call themselves his fans. Trust me, David Bowie’s music will not go unnoticed because that is not what legends do. They leave messages just like Bowie did, he said, “look up, I’m in heaven.” Just know he’s smiling upon us and living peacefully in a new place he now calls home.

Fly on Starman

Bowie as Ziggy Stardust

Bowie has always been always fond of a grand finale, and his death this week just confirms it. In the weeks preceding his death, musician, humanitarian, punk, father, husband, civil rights activist, etc., celebrated 69 years of life on the day he released his 26^th and final studio album Blackstar, only two days before his death. Bowie had been suffering from liver cancer for 18 months before the final curtain closed on the Grammy award winning artist on Monday. When I put on my headphones to listen to his new album for the first time this past Saturday, I would have never thought that it would be the last time I heard new songs from a man whom I had idolized since middle school. While his fans, and even close friends, had no idea that this prolific artist was approaching his final days, Bowie himself was preparing his grand finale.

Bowie has always unabashedly been himself, weather he was in a suit or sequins. From single-handedly making androgyny cool by pushing the boundaries of gender and fashion, to publicly shaming MTV for its lack of black artists in the early 80’s, Bowie is a mentor and a role model to the downtrodden, the freaks, the outcasts, and the losers of this world. Bowie made being downtrodden, a freak, a loser, cool. It was okay to be different. His message was to be yourself and care less about what anyone else has to say about you. Everyone finally had someone to look up to; a Starman. The love that the people have for Bowie was most certainly reciprocated. He knew that he was dying and released Blackstar as his final goodbye to his fans, friends, and family.

Toni Visconti, producer of Bowie’s final album, attests to the fact that the album was carefully constructed and timed in its release. Although the album was recorded in early 2015, Bowie saved the album’s release for the end of his life in order to leave his beloved fans with a final parting gift. The most poignant track, and first single, “Lazarus”, off of the album is an intentionally thinly veiled personal goodbye from the artist. When the haunting intro began, slowly pulling me in with the dark bass line and crying brass instruments whining their regret, I was not prepared for the first lines “Look up here, I’m in Heaven!”. I never thought that the longing for the dead I felt in that moment would soon be for Mr. Bowie. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself on Monday morning when I awoke to see the shocking news of his passing, quickly followed by those lyrics scrolling through my head. Cheeky bastard, you. You did it your way.

Interesting story. In the late 1960’s, David Bowie was working as a song writer for a musical publisher in Denmark Street, London. It was there that he re-wrote the lyrics to a French song by artist Claude Francoise named “Comme D’Habitude”, renaming the track “Even a Fool Learns to Love”. The English copyright was soon purchased by Canadian songwriter Paul Anka before Bowie, causing his song to never be released. What makes this story so interesting is that the music of “Comme D’Habitude” and the lyrics written by Anka would come to be widely considered one of the most popular songs of all time, “My Way”, performed by Frank Sinatra. Now don’t feel bad everyone. What have we learned about Bowie? This man REFUSES to be held back or kept down. Fueled by the success of Sinatra’s “My Way”, Bowie responded by writing the masterpiece “Life on Mars” to the exact same chord progression of “My Way”. The notes in the album lining simply read “Inspired by Frankie”. So, truthfully, we all owe Paul Anka a huge favor.

The main thing to take away from that story is a.) Bowie is badass and b.) Bowie’s breadth of influence, not only in music, but television and film is extensive. I know there are individuals out there who upon hearing news of Bowie’s passing were not really sure of who the musician was or anything that he had created. And to that I say, just look a bit more carefully and you will have crossed paths with Bowie. Remember the walk-off in Zoolander? The judge with the feathered hairdo?  David Bowie. You know how catchy the intro to that Vanilla Ice song “Ice Ice Baby” is? David Bowie. Remember the King of Goblins from that movie you loved as a kid, “The Labyrinth”? David Bowie. That funny character Lord Royal Heighness from Sponge Bob Square Pants? David Bowie. The episode from Flight of the Conchords where Bret is getting cosmic advice from a ghost on how deal with body image issues? Parody of David Bowie. Not to mention the impact that his songs have had as the backdrop for countless films and TV shows. 

Whether you love Bowie, or don’t know Bowie, there are valuable lessons that every single person can take away from this great man’s life and career.

1.) Always be yourself even when it’s hard

2.) Embrace change

3.) “Turn and face the strange”

4.) Go big or go home

5.) Live life on your terms

And for everyone whose heart is still breaking from the loss, just remember this; As of 1998, Bowie's greatest regret (according to the Proust Questionnaire given by Vanity Fair) was that he had never worn bell bottoms. And from what I can see........

                                       .........we can all rest easy knowing that David Bowie truly had no regrets.

While it may seem that Bowie has been grounded, he will always be my Starman waiting in the sky. 

Your Author Channeling Her Inner Ziggy Stardust

-Erica Schoenagel-

But Who Exactly Is David Bowie?

Who exactly is David Bowie? Not exactly a question I can answer for you directly off hand. For some of us “millennials” we weren’t blessed with knowing the person that is David Bowie. Ask me who Justin Bieber is, I can tell you his life story, ask me who Kim Kardashian is, I will tell you 25 reasons never to ask that question again. But David Bowie… who? Was he famous for acting?

I know the name but I couldn’t tell you much about his history. Sad? I know. Staring at his picture blankly trying to remember just one song….nothing. Sorry universe, in some way I feel like I am letting you down and honestly, I will be the first to admit I should probably know more. I understand he was a creative genius, creating some of the world’s most iconic hits. But why, for the life of me can’t I think of a single thing about this man?

We can all do a google search on David Bowie and discover the journey that was his life and the pathways he torched. But, what I found the most interesting were the things that were discovered behind the bold words of his bibliography. The things about him that spoke to me specifically and although these things may not have touched the universe, they touched the universe that is in me.

So finally, to the 10 most interesting (to me) facts about David Bowie that the world may or may not know. Not only did these facts teach me about David, they taught me about life and the way that we live it in general.

1). David was married to Iman for more than 23 years, but for David it was love at first sight. He is quoted saying he, “was naming the children the first night we met”.

Because who doesn’t want a man who knows what he wants from the first night? Seems to me, he was the type of person who had his sh*t together, one we all strive to be. Reading about their love recreated a belief in me that true love does in fact…..exist. And the privacy they kept between them was refreshing in more ways than one.

You can read more on their love story here, http://www.eonline.com/news/730322/inside-david-bowie-and-iman-s-enduring-love-story .

He found great achievements in the smallest of things and found happiness in the simplest of things that we often take for granted each day:

2). When asked what his greatest achievement was David answered, “discovering morning”.

3). When asked what is his idea of perfect happiness David answered simply, “Reading”.

David taught me that in life it is okay to be selfish, especially when it comes to your dreams stating,

4). “All my big mistakes are when I try to second-guess or please an audience. My work is always stronger when I get very selfish about it.”

He also taught me that there is beauty in the unknown journeys of life, and that we are not alone in not knowing the direction of our lives but we can be hopeful that it will be great.

5). David stated, “I don’t know where I’m going from here but I promise it won’t be boring.”

More of David’s quotes can be found here, http://elitedaily.com/entertainment/david-bowie-quotes-music/1342895/

One of the seemingly most charitable things about David was his ability to keep things light. Some of the answers to David’s famous Vanity Fair personality test proved this trait to be true.

More of those questions can be found here, http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/01/david-bowie-proust-questionnaire

6). When asked what is greatest fear in life is he replied, “Converting kilometers to miles” because anyone who has traveled to Europe without being the best at math knows this struggle.

7). When asked what quality he likes the most in a woman David replied, “The ability to burp on command”. So, Iman did you live up to this quality?

8). When asked what is greatest regret was, David responded, “That I never wore bell bottoms”. WHAT?

9) And finally, when asked what historical figure he identifies with the most he responded, “Santa Claus”. Believable considering all things he gifted to the world.

But the thing that inspired me the most and the thing that I related to the most about David was his viewpoint on misery in life. David is quoted stating,

10). “Living in fear” is the lowest depth of misery in this life.

Because he was known to live boldly and inspired others to do so, this to me was the quote for the books.

To recap, David was one inspirational figure, truly cutting edge for his time. But, he contributed so much to the world outside of his music. He taught us about the importance of love, the appreciation of the simple things in life, the highs and lows of the journeys in life, but most importantly the importance of remaining light and bold in all aspects of our lives.

So David, even though I didn’t know much about your music, thank you for your contributions to the world, musically and intellectually.  

The Legacy of Love and Music

R.I.P David Robert Jones Bowie

“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." Alfred Lord Tennyson.

At 69 years of age, David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), leaves behind his beautiful wife with whom he had a love story to cherish. The Somali-American supermodel and beauty Iman Abdulmajid and David Bowie were married for over two decades and lived primarily in New York City and London. David Bowie, born 8 January 1947 Brixton, London, England, is easily one of the most influential artists of this era. The official Facebook account related to him issued a statement saying that he "died peacefully, surrounded by his family".

In the words of David Bowie, it was love at first sight. He “just knew she was the one”. "I'd never gone after anything in my life with such passion in all my life. I just knew she was the one,” he said to “Hello! Magazine” in an interview in 2000.

Their marriage is considered to be one of the most stable ones in Hollywood. He wooed her until she said yes and showed affection in every aspect of their lives that included even tying her shoelaces in public.  They welcomed a daughter “Alexandria Zahra Jones” also known as “Lexi” in 2000.

They met first on a blind date with the help of a mutual friend and hairstylist Teddy Antolin who played matchmaker. After dating for two years, they tied the knot in a romantic wedding ceremony in Tuscany on 24 April 1992, where it rained. Despite being married for years, they kept the love and romance alive in their marriage. They looked happy and glowing every time they appeared together.

Two days before his death, he celebrated his 69^th birthday with his family. Iman took to twitter to celebrate the release of his new album “Blackstar” where she shared posts and pictures of the star. This is his last gift to his fans that Iman helped him share with his fans through social media all around the world. She loved him dearly. She has shared how she has a tattoo of his name inscribed within a knife on her right ankle and goes on to praise how wonderful of a person he was.

His healthy equation with Iman helped him and inspired him to make good music. During the same time, he emerged as an icon for the queer community. His demeanor and public appearances was proof that one could keep reinventing and rediscovering himself and there is no shame in that. He kept changing his style, his music and his appearance. He was a source of inspiration for many who didn’t identify as purely heterosexual. His footprint on androgynous fashion and gender equality is admirable. Not only this, he has been able to inspire artists of all genres. Nirvanas’ cover of “The Man Who Sold the World” got record breaking reviews and fame. David Bowie’s first collaboration with any artist was with Queen which got raving responses. Furthermore, the Queen of Pop Madonna claims that Bowie changed her life. His was a career that inspired modern pop. In the words of U2’s Bono, “It's not exaggerating to say what Elvis meant to America, David Bowie meant to the UK and Ireland.

He defied norms and genres and set his own rules. He is no doubt a huge part of the pop music industry and it wouldn’t have been the same without him.

He passed away on January 10 2016 after battling with cancer for 18 months. In the words of his wife and beloved, Iman Abdulmajid, almost 13 hours before his death was announced, "The struggle is real, but so is God”. He leaves behind his love, and his music. 

From Vanilla Ice to Lady Gaga, Bowie inspired many (by Jenny Gordon)

A few years ago, I lived next door to a guy who had two different colored eyes.  One blue, one brown.  He wore glasses so I didn’t notice them right away, but once I discovered his mismatched eyes I would stare at them whenever we talked. I thought they were super cool and fascinating.  David Bowie, the iconic musical artist who died this week at the age of 69, also had mismatched eyes.  Bowie got into a fistfight with a friend as a teen which left his left pupil permanently dilated.  It gave him a unique appearance, like my former neighbor.

What makes someone unique?  The thought keeps popping into my mind after hearing of Bowie's death.  As news outlets around the world are publishing articles about his life, one point keeps coming up again and again - he was known for being unique.  So what does make an artist unique?  Let's start by examining some things about Bowie.

Now before I lose you here ... I understand you may be too young to know much about him.  As someone born at the tail end of Generation X, I am practically a Millennial myself.  My knowledge of him mainly centers on the song "Let's Dance," a catchy tune from the 80's that is still played often today.  I also know that he was married to a model named Iman.  

With my somewhat limited knowledge of Bowie, I consulted an article in the New York Times (published on January 11 by Jon Pareles) to learn more about his life.  Throughout his career, his music could be called pop, rock, electronic dance, jazz, and cabaret.  Sounds pretty ground-breaking to me.  I can't think of a single artist today who has combined all of those genres into a single musical career.

Bowie was also known for his changing appearance.  He was very theatrical in his fashion and was sexually androgynous.  After reading this, my first thought was Adam Lambert, the former American Idol contestant and current artist who is also known for his fashion and glam rock.  Sure enough, Lambert counts Bowie as one of his inspirations.  So can we consider Lambert unique or is he just imitating Bowie?

Then I remembered another David Bowie song.  "Under Pressure" was a collaboration with the group Queen.  When the song starts, the baseline sounds extremely similar to an unforgettable song from the early 90's.  Yep, "Ice, Ice, Baby" by the infamous Vanilla Ice.  Vanilla Ice borrowed the baseline from Bowie.  Interesting, another artist imitating Bowie.  

A current artist known as much for her crazy fashion as her music is surely Lady Gaga.  The woman wore a dress made out of meat to the MTV video music awards!  Gaga also credits Bowie as a major influence in her musical career and taste in unusual fashion.  Maybe if there hadn't been a Bowie, there wouldn't have been a meat dress?!

What is the difference between copying someone and being influenced by them?  When does imitating someone border on copyright infringement?  Lady Gaga came under fire several years ago for her song “Born this Way” which sounded very similar to Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”   

I enjoy a local 80’s cover band called "The Reagan Years."  Being a cover band, they play songs by other artists rather than coming up with new material.  That’s the point of a cover band, and perfectly legit since they are purposely covering songs by other artists.  Their drummer looks like a cross between David Bowie and Billy Idol and sings songs by both.  This isn’t coincidental.  However, at what point are artists like Lady Gaga veering into this territory of copying music versus being inspired by other musicians?

One thing is for sure, even though he was often imitated, there was only one David Bowie.  

Unknighted Golden Years

On the way to work Monday morning, the radio DJ was remarking on the death of David Bowie. David Bowie, a musical legend of our time pasted on the morning of January 11, 2016; he lost his battle with cancer.  Just two days prior, he celebrated his 69^th birthday and the release of his latest album, Blackstar and with the first single Lazarus. 

Among those facts that I found most interesting was the fact that David Bowie turned down knighthood. 

   When Bowie was asked about this he stated, “I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that. I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for.”

 This little tidbit made me think of one of my favorite movies, A Knights Tale. 

A Knights Tale, starring Heath Ledger is one of several movies that contain a song by David Bowie.  Golden Years is incorporated into the memorable dance scene. There are several movies where Bowie’s music helped to tell the story, set the tone or add a sense of unique artistry.  Just with the last few years there has been  Heroes in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) ,  Space Oddity in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) , The Jean Genie in American Hustle (2013),  and  Starman in The Martian (2015). 

Photo Source :http://rebloggy.com/post/lady-gaga-madonna-david-bowie-grace-jones-kylie-minogue/27499807855

While Bowie’s music has been captured on screen in a wide variety of genres.  His musical collaborations and artist he has inspired span the gamete as well.  He worked with Queen, John Lennon, Cher, Iggy Pop, Bing Crosby and Tina Turner just to name of few.  While artist and bands such as Nirvana, Joan Jett, Smashing Pumpkins, Ozzie Osborne, Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arcade Fire and Lady Gaga have covered and or been inspired by David Bowie’s music. 

Geoffrey Marsh was the curator of ‘David Bowie is’ an exhibition that was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London said, “David Bowie has to be one of the key figures because of his influence extends far beyond music and song writing to fashion and style.”   Bowie was an artist in the truest form.   His co-producer Tony Visconti posted “He [David Bowie] always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it this way. His death was no different from his life- a work of art.  He Blackstar for us his parting gift.” I can’t help but wonder if David Bowie’s life was a movie would Blackstar its soundtrack?

---

 [KB1]