by Matt (Twitter - @MattMcLean73)
Well, 2016 is determined to kick off on a bummer note, isn't it? Like most of you reading this I was blindsided by the soft, quiet and casual announcement post Golden Globes that David Bowie passed away today, surrounded by his family after a lengthy, but private, battle with cancer.
As a child of the eighties, my first introduction to David Bowie was “Let’s Dance” and “China Girl,” as they both had steady rotation on MTV back when they still played music videos. Neither song lit my imagination on fire, nor was I particularity fond of them. They were pretty much innocuous “pop” songs to me, and frankly forgettable (only if they didn’t play non-stop it seemed like). Not to bash the songs, but I didn’t realize until later in the 80s how much music David Bowie produced in his lifetime.
Back then I was huge Jim Henson fan (still am). I watched and loved anything and everything that came out from the Henson Company. So when Labyrinth came out, I was introduced to David Bowie the actor as Jareth the Goblin King. To me, that is my first real introduction to David Bowie.
There was something about his performance in that movie that struck me, entice me, entranced me, which I guess was kind of the point (also it was a little bit creepy at the same time). But it stuck with me, who was David Bowie? One quick trip to the record store and suddenly I was introduced to all alterations of David Bowie. To say I was hooked is an understatement; I was enthralled with all of his music. The first album I purchased was Hunky Dory, which included such great songs Changes, Life of Mars, and Queen Bitch. From there I indoctrinated myself to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane. Then like an atom bomb, my mind was blown away by Low and Station to Station, which not only was a musical epiphany, but also a sound that I never heard before.
Bowie’s influence has been heard far and wide on all of the music in the 80s. I personally feel if wasn’t for David Bowie, we probably wouldn’t have a lot of the pop music we all know today. His influence is still felt. I find it amazing he just released an album at 69, which by the way is amazing. Blackstar is even more bittersweet now
There are very few celebrities that I felt a profound loss to. In fact there’s only three: Freddie Mercury, Jim Hensen, and now David Bowie. I’ll miss David Bowie greatly, but for now:
I will sit right down
Waiting for the gift of sound and vision
RIP David. Say hi to Ziggy for me.
Share your favorite Bowie memories in the comments below.