David Bowie R.I.P.

It all seems so obvious now...the lyrics...the Lazarus video, in fact most of Blackstar witnesses David Bowie having a chat with Death. As a parting artistic statement it is perhaps without precedent. However, this is not a review of David Bowie's last album, but merely a cathartic outpouring of words about a man, who for those of us who came of age in 1970s was, no REALLY WAS an icon. I was only 10 or 11 when the Beatles broke up, and Bowie was our John Lennon, and in our eyes far more important and relevant, obviously. The word "genius" is another cheapened by overuse, but most assuredly applies in his case.

I'm not about to make grandiose claims that Bowie changed my life. Hell, I was only 12 when Ziggy landed, and the barely aware of anything beyond my small universe, so I wasn't about to start slapping on the eyeliner and dressing up strange. I do remember watching this weird science fiction rockstar on Top Of The Pops, and it tied nicely into my sci-fi reading habits at the time.

I suppose I really got into his music from Low onwards, when I had the cash to spend on LPs, and the Berlin trilogy is as good a place as any to start. It didn't take long before the back catalogue was explored, and although I would never have called myself a fan, I had a fair few of his albums by the time I saw him live for the one and only time, on a baking hot day at Milton Keynes Bowl on July 2nd 1983. This was part of his Serious Moonlight tour on the back of Let's Dance, and the start of his often overlooked commercial pop phase, and true world domination. Maybe not his most artistically worthy period, but Let's Dance was actually a decent album, and with David aided in the studio by Nile Rodgers rather than Tony Visconti it was always going to be poptastic.

The 1980s were a fashion disaster, were they not?

As for the gig itself, to be fair I don't recall that much about it...it was in the 80s, you see... ;)
I do remember I nodded off during the inappropriately named Icehouse's set, and woke up with sunburn, especially on my feet which probably made the rest of the day rather painful...

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/Milton-Keynes-1983.html

...not that I would have cared, just look at that setlist!

I've been feeling numb all day, and I have not been affected so much by a celebrity death since John Peel's passing but writing this has helped, and I'm not even going to link to it on Farcebook, as it is merely a personal cathartic exercise.

Thanks for the music David, stir those atoms back up!

"This way or no way
You know, I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now ain’t that just like me"