Ground Control to Major Tom
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- Date published:
8:13 pm, January 11th, 2016 - 59 comments
Categories: Media, music -
Tags: david bowie
From the Guardian:
David Bowie has died, 18 months after being diagnosed with cancer.
The 69-year-old singer’s death has been confirmed in a Facebook post from his official page:
“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
We can all be heroes …
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Heros for one day
Ground control to Major Thom
songs of my childhood
rip
Yep and Bowie, Tom Petty and Lou Reed made it easy to try and be a rebel back then before the punk days. I went to his Heroes concert in 1978 in Auckland and it was one of the best concerts I ever went to.
I was planning to go to that but at the last moment I was told I was needed at the Schweepes warehouse where I was working that summer. I new it was going to be good. Bowie was still at the top of his most artistically creative period post Heroes. I went to the Serious Moonlight tour concert in Wellington in 1983 but found it a serious disappointment and have never gone to a stadium concert since.
I was at the Wellington concert too, pretty unmemorable.
Bowies shows were best IMO when he stripped back the theatrics and let the song treatment take centre stage as he always had fabulous players with him.
Not sure why why but I’m sad about that.
.
http://mhoerner.dyndns.org/mp3/David%20Bowie/Best%20of%20Bowie/05%20Ashes%20To%20Ashes.mp3
Gutted. Ironically, I was considering doing the Standards first album review last night (inspired by Ad’s film review). Blackstar is a fitting finale to Bowie’s career. Buy it on vinyl, if you want to check it out. It’s very very good.
But this is not fair. Bad enough losing Lou. I sure hope Iggy’s looking after himself. I hope someone is looking after Iman tonight. She made his last two decades on earth something truly wonderful.
David Bowie will always be the prettiest star.
Going for a walk now. Where are we now?
I was considering doing the Standards first album review last night
Do it. The left is always deeply immersed in all sorts of culture and we should celebrate it.
+1.
Cheers, ms and weka. I’ve got a busy day ahead, but I’ll have a look tonight and see if i can nut something out. There’s a few things i want to say!
+1
Yes I’ve been listening to pieces of Blackstar on Youtube since it was released. Great album. The haunting title track and video seems to reflect Bowie’s feelings about fame and death.
One of his other recent releases, Valentine’s Day (2013) is a sweet throwback to some of his earlier work.
Hard to pick my all time favourite Bowie track, he produced so many hits and original stuff. Shame I missed his Glass Spider tour back in 87. Now I will never hear the Thin White Duke in person 😢.
Posted this (re)tweet yesterday, it would be nice if a moderator could embed the linked .gif (please?)
The last song on Bowie’s last album (Blackstar) was a farewell and a riddle for his fans.
https://youtu.be/sE1Zcngd3VA
Numb…
Sad day, massive loss with the last 2 releases showing the creativity as fertile as ever.
There is old wave, new wave and Bowie. RIP David the cracked actor, ziggy, thin white duke, tin machinist and so many other brilliant personas.
Yes mickey, that ‘stage’ tour of 78 at western springs was awesome, such a treat.
Yep coming of age event. And Bowie was always about ten years ahead of the curve. Punk rock basically relied on him and Lou and Iggy.
Going out with style.
“Look up here, I’m in heaven”
Incidentally there’s a humorous nod to Jimmy Fallon in that video – try and spot it 🤓
So very sad. My biggest musical influence. So much more I want to say but can’t… RIP
Best of the day.
Dean Podestá
@JeSuisDean
If you’re ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie.
https://twitter.com/JeSuisDean/status/686090202226528257
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:dUMvVTBVOcgJ:www.newsweek.com/david-bowie-blackstar-new-album-review-lazarus-413292+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz
Thats brilliant joe90.
Beautiful.
Awesome tweet, thanks.
Loved him.
See These Eyes So Red…
Oh this is just the fucking saddest news. I have tears. David Bowie has been an anchor in my musical heart since I was 10 and now I’m a cruddy old 40 something who still loves him just as dearly.
And I only just discovered Black Star last night……………He really was a genius till the last. He never stopped producing great albums even though people think he went off the radar.
Too many favourites to name but I can never get past Station to Station as the most affecting. Got that one on vinyl too.
Dave being Lou. (it’s going to be a long night)
heh
Ahmet Zappa Verified account
@AhmetZappa
It super blows that David Bowie is gone. At least he is hanging out with my dad right now. Just hope Lou Reed isn’t being a dick about it.
https://twitter.com/AhmetZappa/status/686455130649067520
Close to fifty and still looks pretty damn good.
Let’s not forget the contribution of the late great Mick Ronson.
From Tony Visconti on FB
“He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life – a work of Art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry.”
Haven’t bothered with Bowie’s output since Lodger, but fuck – Lemmy and Bowie both dead within a month, while Jagger and Richards get to dodder about doing their parody of music for who knows how long yet. Truly, there is no god.
No God? At least there is a Starman waiting in the Skies!(….waiting in ‘disguise’…)
and Natalie Cole………………..
Also, Bowie in the early 1970s was the dog’s fucking bollocks:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGQo6zpVzt8&w=420&h=315%5D
…and his song went on forever…
Lady Stardust is supposedly about Marc Bolan but always struck me more as being autobiographical.
Terrible news, weirder that I’ve been on a Bowie binge recently and spent 3hrs watching and listening to him just last night.
Damn.
I always remember this scene from Extras where Bowie sings about Ricky Gervais.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnleeu_extras-david-bowie_shortfilms
aarrrrg, earworm alert!
Peacefully protested against conformity and control throughout his life, gave us permission to be ourselves.
What a legacy
Very true, great man. peace to his family.
One of the greatest entertainers. Flying with the stars now. RIP David Bowie.
What’s really weird is that when David Bowie sung “Five Years” he imagined people freaking out that the planet was in danger of oblivion. Turns out when are people ARE told we are on the brink of ecological collapse through global warming they decide to disbelieve the scientists (including leaders of countries like New Zealand), claim it is a conspiracy theory and generally put even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. He really got THAT wrong.
Teenaa koe esoteric pineapple
No, Bowie did not get it wrong. Once oblivion occurs people will be freaking out.
Last week I was sifting through some old boxes and came across an old Bowie vinyl record! May he continue to rock it in the afterlife.
…and a piece of my youth has died with him.
An amazing artist who’s legacy will last for deacdes to come.
Bye David, bye Ziggy 🙁
A great artist – and businessman.
Gave his name to his “own bank” – bowiebanc, and was ground breaking with securitized royalties.
A huge range of tributes, including from astronauts, an archbishop and the Vatican spokesman:
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35279642
“We can be heroes…”
Recommend a session he did at the bbc in 99 on youtube.
Relaxed, great cross section of songs and a few years before his heart issues withdrew him from live shows.
Also the excellent doco ‘ 5 years in the making of an icon’ where his creative forces get focus as it studies 5 separate periods of output.
rip david bowie
“…time may change me, but I can’t trace time…”
Despite debate as to whether or not this is the last published image the man always was the coolest dude on the planet.
Juan Vidal
@itsjuanlove
The last picture taken of David Bowie, on his 69th birthday/the release day of his 28th studio album.
https://twitter.com/itsjuanlove/status/686627832219459589
edit: https://www.instagram.com/davidbowie/
You’ve no idea how (sociologically) interesting all the commentary and various posts are to me.
No doubt a man who has influenced many lives – an icon to be worshipped even. OR as there ease-a Gattung would say “oikon” whilst protesting her femmenust vyouse.
Btw … I’m very saddened by his death and in possession of much of his vinyl.
I just find it interesting how so many want to comment (NOT necessarily on this thread), and make it all about their ids and egos (not too many ids in there tho’).
I’m sure his family are overwhelmed by the messages of support at this difficult time and they appreciate the recognition the difference he made to so many lives.
Meanwhile ……….
R.I.P David Bowie
One of the greatest musicians ever.
He was one of the greats, out there and non conformist, and looking back, what a load of really great songs.
Particular favourite “Man who sold the world” with Lulu
so many, and so varied, what a legacy and we will always have them.
the best rock artist, ever. Bar none. I used to have a giant Aladdin Sane poster. Saw him in 87, Glass Spider Tour. Awesome. Station to Station, that is his best album.
Bowie bio on Prime TV now
Why not another Bowie song eh? – “Jump they Say”