Fourty-Five years after David Bowie album and 40 years after The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, a well-deserved tribute was made to one of the greatest music icons of the twentieth century, David Robert Jones, aka David Bowie. Authored by NME, these two videos show in 10 facts everything you ever wanted to know about David Bowie, our favourite chameleon.
Forever in our memories, a great musical legacy that will never be forgotten!
- Chameleon Name Change: Born David Jones, he adopted the stage name David Bowie to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees.
- Ziggy and Beyond: Bowie wasn’t afraid of reinvention. Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke, and Aladdin Sane are just a few of his iconic personas.
- Space Oddity: His 1969 song “Space Oddity” coincided with the moon landing, propelling him to fame. Major Tom, the astronaut character, popped up in other Bowie songs.
- Bisexual Icon: Bowie openly discussed his bisexuality in the 1970s, becoming a role model for LGBTQ+ rights.
- Bookworm Bowie: A well-read soul, Bowie even published a list of his 100 favorite books, including classics like “1984” and “On the Road.”
- Artistic Eye: Contrary to popular belief, Bowie’s eyes weren’t different colors (heterochromia). He had anisocoria, a condition causing one pupil to be permanently dilated.
- Musical Instrumentalist: For his 1974 album “Diamond Dogs,” Bowie played a surprising number of instruments himself, including the iconic riff on “Rebel Rebel.”
- Secretive Recording: He kept the recording of his 2013 album “The Next Day” under tight wraps, with only two people in the studio and signed non-disclosure agreements.
- Theatrical Roots: Before becoming a music legend, Bowie dabbled in theatre, even writing a play for the BBC called “The Champion Flower Grower” (though it was rejected).
- Lollipop Mishap: Onstage theatrics sometimes went awry. A lollipop once got stuck to Bowie’s eye during a performance.
