RIP - David Bowie

[Nollaig]

With the exception of all the fuss about Life on Mars a few years back, Bowie seems to have completely passed me. 

 

I don't own any of his albums, I've never seen Labyrinth, so the extent of the collective outpouring of grief on Twitter this morning was a bit of a surprise.

 

69 is far too early to go though.

 

Same, Raven. I know he's an icon, but he's not one who ever impacted me. I tried to watch Labyrinth once and had to turn it off it was so bad. I feel like I'm missing out on something by not getting him, though.

[woolf woolf]

I like certain Bowie songs because the lyrics favour specific feelings related to alienation in a light manner. The songs are also smooth and tender, which makes them a comfort when I'm feeling low.

Edited January 11, 2016 by woolf woolf

[frankie]

For unknown reasons, I've never really listened to David Bowie. Maybe his peak was before my time...? None of my friends or family listened to him so I never was 'made' to listen to him and so never got inspired. I do know one song by him, though, it was on a movie soundtrack, and that one I really liked... 

 

 

 

 

Oddly enough, I'm watching the new celeb BB series that started in the UK just last week, and Angie Bowie is one of the housemates. When I was reading through a few BB forum threads earlier this morning, one of the threads was titled Angie's ex David Bowie has died and I thought, no he hasn't, what a bad troll. And then later on when I was reading the news, I found out that it was true. 

 

I'm sorry for all my friends who've loved Bowie's music and who are now saddened by this early departure    

[Hayley]

I found it strange that I'd been thinking about David Bowie this week after reading a short story by Neil Gaiman in ​Trigger Warning ​called 'The Return of the Thin White Duke.' Apparently it was meant to accompany fashion drawings of David Bowie and his wife by a Japanese artist in a magazine, but it wasn't published. It's a great story. I think I'll always think of him as the goblin king though. 69 was certainly too young.

 

Goodreads linked this list of David Bowie's 100 favourite books http://electricliterature.com/david-bowies-100-favorite-books/ some of them I think I could have guessed but others are fairly surprising.

[Anna Begins]

 

Goodreads linked this list of David Bowie's 100 favourite books http://electricliterature.com/david-bowies-100-favorite-books/ some of them I think I could have guessed but others are fairly surprising.

Thank you for that.

[Nollaig]

Oooh list of his 100 favourite books! Definitely gonna look at that.

 

I've become very intrigued by his last album - I saw a link (which admittedly I didn't actually follow and read) on Facebook last night which said that Bowie's producer said this last album was meant to be a goodbye, and people are talking a lot about the lyrics now. I'm definitely going to listen to it, because I find it actually quite moving if its true that he kept his illness quite and chose to express his final thoughts and feelings via his art.

 

Wouldn't it be typical if I wound up liking him

[Michelle]

Noll - I believe Lazarus is the most pertinent one.. especially the video.

 

I'm really surprised you didn't like Labyrinth.. I would imagine it as the sort of thing you'd like. 

[Nollaig]

I'll give Lazarus a listen/watch this evening

 

I wanted to like Labyrinth, it was just.... maybe too dated for me

[Michelle]

Yes, it would appear dated. I think the majority of fans watched it back in the 80s.. and as a teenager, I saw Jim Henson puppets, a fantasy story, the character of the Goblin King, and a film about growing up (whilst at the same time, never quite letting go of your childhood). There's an excellent blog post here (you may have seen it on twitter) which explains much better than I can.

[Nollaig]

That post makes it sound really good. Maybe I'll give it another go. God I hate muppet/puppet things though.

[Michelle]

Well, if you don't like the puppets, you're probably never going to like the film - I just pictured you as someone who would like muppets / puppets, I dunno why. How about the art side - I've wanted this book for a loooong time! 

[Nollaig]

Hehe art of them is acceptable - not many pictures on there but it looks lovely from what I can see.

 

And no, I detest muppets I'm afraid! I don't know why. Still, I know that film was sort of coming of age ritual for a lot of my Bowie-fan friends, so I should at least watch enough to get a good sense of him in it.

[Athena]

I've only just realised, I have seen Labyrinth. I liked it, though it's not one of my favourite films or anything (seeing as how I'd clearly forgot about it ). But Labyrinth was nice.

[Kell]

Nollaig - for some reason I totally pictured you loving Labyrinth too - isn't that weird?!

[Nollaig]

I just hate muppets. Really loathe them.

[Raven]

Yes, it would appear dated. I think the majority of fans watched it back in the 80s.. and as a teenager, I saw Jim Henson puppets, a fantasy story, the character of the Goblin King, and a film about growing up (whilst at the same time, never quite letting go of your childhood). There's an excellent blog post here (you may have seen it on twitter) which explains much better than I can.

 

Well, if you don't like the puppets, you're probably never going to like the film - I just pictured you as someone who would like muppets / puppets, I dunno why. How about the art side - I've wanted this book for a loooong time! 

 

I always preferred The Dark Crystal, and I've always wanted a copy of this book.

 

I just hate muppets. Really loathe them.

 

Do you like Yoda? He's basically Gonzo without the cannon and chicken fetish.

[Nollaig]

I always preferred The Dark Crystal, and I've always wanted a copy of this book.

 

 

Do you like Yoda? He's basically Gonzo without the cannon and chicken fetish.

 

I don't like anything about Star Wars, including Yoda 

[Raven]

^ Yep, you're broken!

[Corporate Christ]

I went to Berlin the day he died. My friends were huge fans. We took candles to his old apartment. There were quite a few people there with flowers and candles. It was a lovely tribute.

[HellGirl]

The day he died, I met some old friends and they were huge fans either… after we heard the news about his death, we went to a pub and raised our glasses in a toast to him. Afterwards, we went to my apartment and listen to his songs while we were drinking beer… I wouldn’t call it a tribute but it was a nice evening though

[Madeleine]

Sounds a nice way to pay tribute to him, I expect many people did similar things.

[bobblybear]

I have just bought a vinyl copy of Bowie at the Beeb. Fantastic stuff. But I can't believe these sessions were recorded before I was born. I mean, he was only about 25 when he did these sessions (if my maths is right). Amazing!