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David Bowie RIP
Say what you will about Let's Dance and his 80s output, but there aren't many songs Iove and am positivelyinfected by like I am with "Modern Love." Just a tremendous pop song.
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- Sagrilarus
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Still think about it though.
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- Space Ghost
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- Space Ghost
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- Michael Barnes
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Thinking about it all day, obviously...it's more than just another "old rock star died today" story. This is someone that influenced a tremendous swath of art, music, film, literature, fashion, graphic design, hairstyles...all of culture owes Bowie a debt of gratitude. He was a science fiction icon as much as a pop icon. Without Bowie, the entire lineage, impact and legacy of pre-punk/punk/post-punk/new wave goes in a different direction. Who knows how many gay people looked to him as not just an idol, but as a symbol of fearlessness and confidence. It's impossible to sort out how many musicians either were inspired by Bowie or that directly, wilfully copped everything from Bowie because there's no sense in trying to beat the best.
I was thinking today about the two times that I saw Bowie live. Once was in 1997, on the Earthling tour. It was on my 22nd birthday, and it was at this general admission venue called The International Ballroom. I was right up front. I remember standing there before the show started wondering how I was going to react to seeing him. I wondered what song was going to be first, how he would walk on stage and so forth. I expected it to open up with one of the drum and bass numbers off "Earthling". I didn't expect to hear much of the older, classic material- kept expectations in check. The lights went down, and Bowie walked out on stage by himself with an acoustic guitar. He was wearing a white, linen shirt and chinos. He looked like he could have been someone's really, really cool dad. His presence was just incredible, I have never been anywhere near anyone that had that sort of aura about them. He stepped up to the microphone and started singing "Quicksand", from "Hunky Dory". I stood there just in awe, half-mouthing the words with tears streaming down my cheeks. It was a great show, and he did play some of the older stuff but mostly deep cuts and album tracks. No "Ziggy Stardust".
I saw him again in 2003 on the Reality tour at Chastain Park, an outdoor venue. It was an entirely different experience, but it was still just incredible. Bowie looked eternally young in a black t-shirt, jeans and Chuck Taylors. He was having a lot of fun, and the set was packed with hits- and he closed with Ziggy Stardust.
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- southernman
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I think people are more shocked with his death than with other celebrities because he was seldom (ever ?) controversially bad as a public figure, he lived his dreams and helped change little parts of history while making so many people happy. The sun will come up tomorrow and as someone famous said today he has left us his music for the rest of our lives.
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- ThirstyMan
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I remember writing some of the lyrics from Moonage Daydream and posting them above my bed "Don't fake it baby, lay the real thing on me. The church of man, love, is such a holy thing to be"
Hugely, influential guy for me. Apologies for rambling.
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- Sagrilarus
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ThirstyMan wrote: Strangely, being a cynical type, I'm also finding it pretty hard to cope with. Deaths within my own family have not hit me as hard as this one and that is super wierd as I obviously didn't know him personally. His music was hugely important as I broke away from an evangelical background when I was 16 in 1978. I'd been listening to him for a while and Life on Mars was one of the first singles I bought.
I remember writing some of the lyrics from Moonage Daydream and posting them above my bed "Don't fake it baby, lay the real thing on me. The church of man, love, is such a holy thing to be"
Hugely, influential guy for me. Apologies for rambling.
I think to some extent anyone that listened in detail to any of his songs has that sort of personal relationship with him. When you peeled the wrapper off of one of his albums you sure didn't know what you were gonna get, and invariably you found yourself soul searching as you listened. He seemed to speak directly to each one of his listeners simultaneously.
I'm not a big music guy so I'm likely not the best to judge. But Bowie to me seemed to be the exclusive member of the "Bowie" category, always ahead of the people that followed in his footsteps. He was always moving.
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Southernman wrote: I think people are more shocked with his death than with other celebrities because he was seldom (ever ?) controversially bad as a public figure, he lived his dreams and helped change little parts of history while making so many people happy. The sun will come up tomorrow and as someone famous said today he has left us his music for the rest of our lives.
I think this is exactly it, thank you, Southernman.
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- Michael Barnes
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More than that, he had that timeless, truly iconic cool that is now gone. I can't think of anyone living, at this point, that has that anymore.
He had such a mercurial, restless spirit...always creating, always innovating in one way or another. The loss of that energy in this world is just an unspeakable tragedy- particularly since he was already making plans to do more, to give us more.
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Michael Barnes wrote: More than that, he had that timeless, truly iconic cool that is now gone. I can't think of anyone living, at this point, that has that anymore.
It's a sad twist that the other individual that could be described like that also recently passed....Lemmy.
I wasn't a super fan of his either, but he seemed to always viewed as cool...no matter the year.
So, you're right, who's left? No Ramones, no Strummer, no Cash, no Lemmy, No Bowie. Personally, I'd say Morrissey, but I know he goes in and out of popular fashion...and I'm not sure many actually view him as "cool".
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Mr. White wrote:
Michael Barnes wrote: More than that, he had that timeless, truly iconic cool that is now gone. I can't think of anyone living, at this point, that has that anymore.
It's a sad twist that the other individual that could be described like that also recently passed....Lemmy.
I wasn't a super fan of his either, but he seemed to always viewed as cool...no matter the year.
So, you're right, who's left? No Ramones, no Strummer, no Lemmy, No Bowie. Personally, I'd say Morrissey, but I know he goes in and out of popular fashion...and I'm not sure many actually view him as "cool".
There's a few 'cool' guys left. My first pick would definitely be Leonard Cohen. Who likewise never seems in or out of fashion, is pretty much always relevant and managed to walk around with a woman on each arm without being called sexist.
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I will miss Bowie's voice. My friend got me into him when I was still a kid in Canada. She was a few years older and asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I said 'Lego' but instead she gave me two albums: Changes and Aladdin Sane. She said, in a few years you won't be playing with legos anymore... but I think you'll still be listening to these.
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