January 11: Yesterday brought the shocking and sad news that David Bowie had died. I saw the headline “David Bowie has died” at Yahoo.ca and for a nanosecond thought it must be another ridiculous rumour, but then the “oh my God” moment followed as reality took over.
I have to admit that I was not a big fan of his earlier stuff. The music was not the good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll where I was comfortable. “Space Oddity” was released in 1969, when the Billboard Number 1 song was “Sugar Sugar” by the Archies. “Changes” was big in 1971, when the Number 1 song was “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night. In time his music became part of the soundtrack to my life and those of many others.
His appearance, persona and performances were way out there. It was challenging in a strange and slightly disturbing way that forced me to think outside my personal boundaries. But that was the point. “Performance art” was not widely accepted at the time. Pushing the sexuality envelope forced me, and many others I’m sure, to confront my own feelings not just about the music, but other issues like homosexuality and gender identity. And just when I thought I might have come to terms with one iteration of the man, a new and different Bowie would appear. No doubt about his staying power: all told he released something like 27 studio albums, 9 live albums and appeared with others on 49 compilation projects. As one of the pundits on CBC pointed out, half in jest I think: “He survived disco…”.
And I think that’s what makes me sad. Here was a guy who was not afraid. He put his art out there no matter the context of the days and was always open to the next challenge, the next page in the story. He was a master showman, and I mean that to apply to his life as well as to his stage presence. While many celebrities live with a public persona that is more marketing than reality, his presence felt more genuine and legitimately part of his music and artistic expression. That he was an artistic genius seems inescapable, and the world is a sadder and less vibrant place with him gone.
There is nothing more painful than watching someone do something they don’t love because they think it’s a way to get people to love them. DB