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Hope this becomes a new running theme and we get to see other amazing artist bio's from the 60s/70s!!! Cheers for all yours and your teams great work Simon!!!
When Bowie was filming the video for his song Ashes to Ashes, he was dressed up in a stylized harlequin costume. When an old man refused to clear out for a shot for the video, Bowie asked him, "Do you know who I am?" "Yes," the old man replied. "You're some c*** dressed up in a clown suit." Bowie said that comment brought him back down to earth and realize who he was. Great video, Simon. Thanks for the memories.
PS - Trivia not included in the video. David Bowie adopted his name because he didn't want to be confused with Davey Jones of The Monkees. That's good enough reason to make a name change.
PPS - I know Simon had to cover a lot of ground in this video, but the script should've included two other important collaborations that Bowie made: Dancing in the Streets with Mick Jagger, and Fame with John Lennon during Lennon's "lost year" in Los Angeles. Also, the video for Bowie's Let's Dance was the most expensive ever made for its time, because of all the equipment that had to be transported from England to Australia where it was filmed. It literally cost millions to make. There's enough Bowie trivia out there to make at least one or two videos on their own.
I heard that it was actually the director who pointed to Bowie and asked the old man ‘Do you know who this is?’ to which he replied ‘Of course I do. It’s some c*** in a clown suit.’ But funny story still :) I'm really glad that he grounded himself and grew up to be the person he always wanted to be. He is so unbelievably charismatic, genuine, humble and sweet in his later interviews
I read an interview that came out shortly after he died. The interviewer asked him if he was David Bowie at home with his wife and kids, and he replied, "No, David Jones. Just David Jones."
The recording of Under Pressure with Queen was accidental. David Bowie happened to be in Montreux and popped in to see Queen where they were recording the Hot Space album. A few minor lines of coke and some whiskey later and the rest is history. The bass riff played by John Deacon was just something he was doing to keep his fingers loose, Roger Taylor liked it, told Freddie, Brian and David and after some pizza they recorded the basics of the song. One of, if not the greatest collaboration songs ever written by accident.
And according to Roger Taylor , John Deacon had forgotten it that riff when they came back from eating & drinking. I believe Taylor mentioned this on a VH1 special thing.
I was in a film crew hired to shoot augmentative film sequences for the 1990 "Sound and Vision" tour. For three weeks we worked intimately with him and it was the most fun anyone ever had. He was a one in a billion person. He was surprisingly accessible and worked so hard it amazed everyone. He let me shoot 3-D photos of him and introduced me to director Gus Van Sant when he visited the set. A once in a lifetime person and experience.
@@christophermerlot3366 thanks.The best part was when he was interacting with the giant projected version of himself, which literally blew him off the stage !!!
@@nathanieledwards7150 We shot Fame '90 !!! Bowie was all done up with a super pomp and a one string flying V bass guitar. I took 3-D photos of him and the crew at that session, Latifa was shot somewhere else
David Bowing made it cool to be an outcast and different on another level. He inspired me to not give a sh*t about what people thought and to do my thing regardless of what other people wanted from me. He provided me with some of the best music in my library that is still played continuously today. There was a major hole left in the minds of many, especially me, who had to comprehend a world without him in it. I honestly don't think he gets enough credit for his acting in movies or on stage while performing. He is, and forever will be, one of the best artists to grace this planet.
Well, he *was* the *Man who fell to Earth.* ;-) But seriously yes I whole-heartedly agree with you; he never fell at all. Imo he was and always will be great.
Don't get me wrong though he was extremely good at what he did I just personally think he is no where near the best yeah he was unique but think about it he was not the only male musician from that era that was flamboyant and wore lady's clothes nor was he the one to do first.
@@joebone3151 Something is wrong with your thinking if you feel you need *that* much time to ensure he's not included in a list with only 20 people in it.
@@joebone3151 Your personal tastes are your affair of course but I'd say that a lot of people - with equally valid musical tastes - apparently disagree with you. Me, I don't see what is so funny about people like Jim Carrey or Mike Myers, but despite *my* feelings they have their fans anyway, so I just suck it up and deal with the fact that some people apparently find them funnier than I do. Same thing here with you and Bowie.
The night he died, I had such a sudden, strong compulsion to listen to "Let's Dance", before I knew he was gone. One of the more memorable coincidences of my life.
Dear Simon, what a lovely tribute in biographical form, you and your research team really lobbed this one out of the park. I remember hearing of Bowie's passing and just being numb, my Wife cried and that night we just listened to the music that he once made knowing that sadly that well wasn't just dry, but had been sucked back into the cosmos where it had come from originally. Thank-you so much for the look back!
I particularly remember an astronaut up in the International Space Station playing 'Space Oddity' on his guitar while floating in zero gee. You could see the man's tears floating while he played his tribute to the artist. =/
Yeah, It was a great and fitting moment! It was the best hommage to be done to David Bowie on so many level. I think that Chris Hatfield asked for the permission before hand.
I can understand the idea of feeling "queasy" about his "coming out" being a marketing ploy in this era of the emancipated youth. But as a gay man (who was three when Bowie's coming out happened) I can state that ANY visibility of queerness was something I treasured once I was old enough to understand it. He made being "other" (whatever that means to you) possible for everyone in his wake and the world is better for it.
@@lk8300 If you read the OP's comment carefully, then you wouldn't reply with a condescending stupid remark while simultaneously thinking you were clever by repeating what was already stated in the video. But I guess third grade reading skills are beyond you...or manners.
@Willie Gordon Again dumbass, if you read the OP's comment carefully you would understand he wasn't talking about Bowie's sexuality itself, but how his visibility justified the OP's existence. "He made being "other" (whatever that means to you) possible for everyone in his wake and the world is better for it." That can resonate with anyone regardless if gay, straight, or anyone who is seen as weird or disenfranchised. You are offering nothing provocative or thought provoking with your comments, and like I said to @l k, you are not clever for repeating what was already stated in the video.
Not taking away from anything you said, but to be quite honest when it comes to the Glam era and people who were musicians and especially influential to rock and roll, Little Richard is actually the forefather of glam. If you couldn't tell Little Richard wore makeup, he made it very clear and numerous interviews that he loved to wear makeup. And when it came to his sexuality? Little Richard made songs that basically let people know. However it was quite obvious to the eyes of everyone who watched them and of course fans who loved his music.
I could never tell what his real voice sounded like, that is until I watched some interviews. Just proves how much of a chameleon he was, doesn't it? Truly a one in a billion talent.
Ah, yes, this was a great video, clearly written by someone who admired Bowie. I remember discovering Bowie when Gary numan was charting. Everyone raved about Numan, but i was unimpressed. Casting around for something other than Numan, I happened upon Bowie. That was that. I was maybe too young to fully understand all of what I was witnessing then, but there was something about him that was mesmerising. So while my friends were listening to Numan, I was listening to Bowie. I believe I got the better end of that deal! I was genuinely devastated when he died, he's one of the rare celebrities for whom I have shed tears . Thank you for such warm coverage of his life, a whistle stop tour from Fact Boi Whistler himself 👌❤🇬🇧
I remember you saying that you're not a big fan of bowie, simon. But good job on selling it like you were! honestly bowie deserves a 3 part biographics piece.
David Bowie was an absolute legend and an amazing musician who I felt privileged to have grown up listening to. He was so charismatic and always reinventing himself. His music has stood the test of time and he will be forever missed. Can’t believe he’s been gone five years already.
1:25 - Chapter 1 - Strange fascinations 5:00 - Chapter 2 - The freakiest show 8:50 - Mid roll ads 10:15 - Chapter 3 - There's a starman 13:50 - Chapter 4 - Fame 17:30 - Chapter 5 - New career in a new town 21:10 - Chapter 6 - Just for one day
What I find fascinating about David Bowie was one of the reasons he created these characters. In an interview he said he could get in to the mind set of characters like Ziggy, TWD, Major Tom, Mop the hoople, etc. when writing songs, but if it was for him he couldn't come up with anything.
It has always been a point of pride for me that I share a birthday with David Bowie, as well as Elvis Presley...while not having even a percentage point of their talent I connected to music, theirs and so much more, for my entire life...there must be something about that particular day of the year...
I remember being 12 years old in 1978, sitting in my junior high cafeteria, and our table was exchanging the latest gossip on whether Freddie and Bowie were lovers. Being twelve, I wasn’t exactly sure how two guys would get together physically, but we were all cool with the idea! I think that was the first time I had ever even considered LGBTQ relationships.
I will forever remember where I was when I saw the news he had died. I was a fresher at university going for a Monday 9am group study, picked up my starbucks as always and sat outside the study room waiting for my group to show up. Opened BBC news, saw the headline and my jaw just dropped... never been so shocked by a celebrity death until Kobe. Listened to Bowie's music all the rest of that day and pretty much the whole month too, what an icon who will forever be missed.
His closest family members weren't the only ones to know he was dying. He was actively collaborating with Michael C. Hall (Dexter) on his last album after Bowie dropped into a nightclub Hall was playing at; his band is a Bowie tribute band. He was even on Stephen Colbert in Bowie's stead when the single from Blackstar dropped.
@Endless Sporadic we know, but that was a wake up call, the mtv generation was starting to lose their icons at a rapid pace, they were everywhere, and then started to fall almost like flies one after another, it was an eye opener for a lot of people.
There was a RUclipsr who did a review of Labyrinth that had a package counter in it, using a spring sound effect for the package shots. I would like to tell you who this RUclipsr is but he's no longer on RUclips and all of their content has been removed.
I'm 19 now but i never heard of Bowie til he died. But when i heard his music i loved it so much. Got me through some really hard times in school and all. Even now he is amazing still. And Labyrinth is probably one of my favorite movies ever
This guy was a pure creative genious. I was mindblowed when I saw the video for the Blue Jean song as a child and felt a connection with the guy. Got hoocked by the rest. His songs are a testament on how they are timeless and great classics.
Bowie released a solo album every year between 1969 & 1980, except for1978. This period gave us an unbelievable amount of great songs and in my opinion the most exciting & creative music ever written.
I feel like you’re being really unfair to latter day Bowie work. He matured, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t as good, it means he was less concerned with fame, and therefore what he created was purer.
I’d agree with this, to be honest. Felt like a bit of a wrong note. I get that it didn’t absolutely saturate society like Ziggy and the rest, but… damn fine music. Damn fine.
I came of age in the 90's and I can honestly say, Ziggy sang about the angst that was in my heart... his voice was and still is the soundtrack of my life.
Your last comment is exactly my experience. Staying in my Aunt n Uncles sprawling mansion while my mum was in hospital as a pre-teen I stumbled upon their sons tapes-Heroes and Diamond Dogs. I listened to those tapes endlessly and years later when I had a band of my own there was one song that had Bowie-esque tones in my vocals. It wasn’t a cover or a copy it was musical-genetics man.....love ya work Simon.
Thanks for that Simon, as a young child of the 70's I have found memorys of Ziggy. 😃 Plus The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is still one of my favourite albums. You're done a good job with this one! Maybe your next Biographic could be on Syd Barrett?!
I have nothing but love and respect for the man. When he was diagnosed with cancer and told that he only had so much time left, I'm sure at that point in his life he had enough money that he could have spent the rest of it his days on a beach in Hawaii, but he didn't. Instead he made Black star, a true work of art that was his parting gift to the world. We shall definitely not forget him.
as the story goes, the way David Bowie kicked the crocacin habit was his music producer Brian Eno told him he needs to be "normal" for a few months and Bowie agreed. So Bowie was given a strict budget to live on paid once a month from Brian, required to buy his own groceries with that money, pay his own rent, ride the public bus, be basically "average" and "normal" for several months. This gave him a new perspective on life and allow him to enter the recording studio with a new sense of himself and leave the drugs behind for good. he was able to write two albums n the span of 6 months, took to the road in 1978, and went back to the studio to record one more album with Eno in Berlin in 1979 before starting the next phase of his career.
Simon I don't know if your poetic words this time were scripted or spontaneous but they were beautiful. The descriptions and summations were lyrics unto themselves and perfectly painted in order to bring this amazing artist to light while bringing his story to life. Kudos my friend...Kudos!
Skipping over his mid-90s albums / personas is a real shame. I own every record of his and honestly feel that Outside, Earthling & Hours are his best works. While not mainstream or commercially successful as the rest of his work, they really stand apart.
I remember a tweet by someone posted after the news of his death came: "It never occurred to me that Bowie was a mortal." Always liked and shared the sentiment.
I'm a little sad you couldn't cover more about his film appearances, but I get it, trying to cover all of the things Bowie did would be...quite an undertaking. My mother was affected by Ziggy too, so much so that in the mid-80s, she got her hands somehow on both a recording of the live show of Ziggy - and the film "The Man Who Fell to Earth." She sat me down and we watched both shows. I had no idea what on earth was going on, being about nine years old at that time haha... But I remember how my mother smiled and sang and even cried a little bit. How much it moved her. My own love of Bowie's work was very different of course, with his music for the movie Labyrinth being just as hugely important to me as his appearance in the film. He embodied something magical, for me; made me question what it meant to care about other people, made me wonder what was so frightening about being in love - and then kind of answering that question too. I can't say that I connected with all the music he made. But the work of his that I could connect with -- it took root in my soul. When he passed away - oh, man, I remember that. I was so excited about Blackstar, and then - boom - he was gone. I still can't listen to a single track from the album without bawling my eyes out. He meant too much, more than words or music or tears could ever express.
don't forget to mention how he and his wife fired a staffer for not risking his life to run into a burning house to rescue paintings... not people, not pets, but paintings. Something Ozzy & Sharon thought was funny.
You've put into words the comparison I was never able to make. The Thin White Duke and Reinhard Heydrich. If you like a character that is mesmerizing and terrifying, The Thin White Duke is absolute original.
GREAT VID Morris M.! My only small issues are: 1) 'Ziggy' may have came from a tailor shop, but 'Stardust' came from Norman Carl Odom A.K.A.-The Legendary Stardust Cowboy...also I would have mentioned the part about Lou Reed and Iggy Pop being a factor in the creation of Ziggy Stardust as well. 2) A mention of Lazarus, his musical with Enda Walsh would have tied into Blackstar.
I don't think Bowie's coming out as gay was a mere marketing ploy. back in those days people did not make any distinction between being gay and being bisexual, so by his lights he may have been honest about his sexuality - whatever the reason for his doing so. It was also, for the time and at that stage in his career, imo a very gutsy thing to do.
This was my thought too. He'll, even today, in 2021, if a man says he's bisexual, there are many bigots out there who will automatically equate that with gay.
He likely got himself into as much trouble as he got sales with that one. I think it was a combination of activism and viral marketing. Gay people literally didn't have the same rights, you could get fired from your job because of it, and of course all the violence and murders.
I think that’s right. In a few 90s interviews, where he was far more nuanced in his conversation about sexuality than any other period, he would say he never minded that people knew he was bisexual but that it did really hurt his record sales in the US, which is why he “came out” as straight during his most commercial period in the 80s. He also said he wanted to get ahead of anyone who might talk to the press about his bisexual past because he didn’t want to come across like he was hiding anything. I think he probably did the best he could at the time to live as himself while protecting his career.
@@michellewalmsley6056 He was a more complicated man than I think many people give him credit for. He had his faults but from I hear he was generally far nicer to his fans than the average rock-star was. That alone makes him worthy of respect imo.
@@bradfordhatch5085 I feel the same. Certainly regarding sexuality I think people can be grossly unfair to him. There’s a reasonable chance he actually felt quite unsure about it all himself, especially when he was younger, and he was just giving himself room to move. People don’t cope well with others who refuse to clearly define themselves and who might even change their own thoughts on who they are and how they feel over time. He was pretty awesome to his fan base, yeah. He was such a fan of so much himself. That’s the greatest gift he gave me, an excellent music education and a curiosity about new music.
David Bowie's music changed my life, through his music I discovered new art, literature, and films. I was 10 when I bought a copy of Ziggy Stardust, after that I sought out different forms of expression.
Friendly note - rush released their 2nd album fly-by-night on February 15th of 1975 and then their 3rd album came out in September of the same year. In any case this was a great video video packed full of info for the short amount of time it took up. Much appreciated.
I'm pretty clued up on Bowie as I've been a fan for 45 years, but a great video. Age does has its benefits; I saw Starman on TOTP live. It's difficult to describe in this multimedia, multi-connected age just how profound an effect it had. Are you a fan, Simon? You seem to be.
Quote: “I’ve always felt bemused at being called the chameleon of rock. Doesn’t a chameleon exert tremendous energy to become indistinguishable from its environment?”
My biggest, deepest loves’ last message to me was “mother/there’s too many of us dying” Then, he did. Broken hearted doesn’t come close to describing how he left me.
My screen name comes from a David Bowie interview on Conan O’Brien in 1998. I couldn’t walk, and felt miserable. Bowie’s “mime wars of 1978” joke made me laugh In a dark place.
Bowie released excellent albums in every decade of his life and I think some of his later work is overlooked even by some of his more dedicated fans who grew up with the amazing 70s output. Outside, and the tour he did with Nine Inch Nails, was outstanding. Covering Pixies' "Cactus' a few years later was amazing...it's as though Black Francis had written the song for him by accident. And of course Blackstar is an album that touches a part of our souls in such a dark way that it's both beautiful and difficult to hear. All I know is that we lost David Bowie and Lemmy within a couple weeks and the world has never been the same since. (Oh, and Tin Machine was pretty rocking and worth a listen)
Probably your best piece to date, Simon. Excellently done. I loved David Bowie, but didn't care for Ziggy Stardust. However, Ziggy's existence is proof of Bowie's musical genius. He was a creative and inventive musical and marketing force of nature.
I can’t believe you pulled this video off. You did it. Riveting, poetic, and worthy of Bowie. This channels finest moment. Thank you Simon! Well done! 🍸🍸🍸
The journalism is excellent. I preferred LOW to HEROES but never listened to side 2 until GLASS’s Symphony 1. I was embarrassed. Side 1 was my warmup Saturday evening for a riotous Saturday night. I rioted often. I cried mightily when I heard of his death. I couldn’t breathe for seconds at a time; however, his discography is filled with clunkers after SCARY MONSTERS. LET’s DANCE is a NILES ROGERS album and an excellent one at that. OUTSIDE is then his best album but the cumbersome novel set to music is a cumbersome album set to music. Glad I saw him twice at Madison Square Garden and * ages well.
This might sound silly, but recently when the Buzz Lightyear movie trailer came out and I heard Bowie's "Starman", I cried. Truly miss the legend. I regret not knowing his music earlier as I only start loving his music in 2014, after listening to 'Valentine's Day'
Thank you Simon, that was really good. Bowie was always one of those few people I'd love to have lunch with and just listen him to talk about whatever he wanted to. So I really appreciate the focus on Bowie the man, rather than Bowie the artist.
"The Next Day" and "Blackstar" are two of the best albums released in the 2010's in my opinion. So rarely do we get artists in the twilight of their lives putting out such personal work that really and truly resonates with people. "Where are We now" and "Lazarus" are such damn emotional tracks that I struggle to listen to them at times.
As an American, it's nice to see a Biographics video on a Brit that Americans only semi-know about. This must be how it feels for Brits when the videos are about Americans.
I wouldn't wish for my worse enemy to face the confusion, pain, and torment from mental health issues. After suffering a too nearly fatal head trauma in combat, I can fully understand the absolute terror of feeling like you have been completely forgotten by the world, and even yourself. Honestly, I'm almost certain that I didn't survive, and somebody else took my place. Even my own mother swears her "beloved son never came home" and is still cold and detached. This and other influences lead to being self-destructive and drive my Impala SS into an old oak at approximately 170 MPH. Thankfully the extended hospitalization introduced me to the only person that didn't write me off as too damaged and saved my life by helping me understand memories and platitudes don't make the person, their actions and treatment of others is. I accepted my short comings and mourned the lost closeness of others and hope to have become a better person than before. I pray that no other souls get lost in the darkness, but instead have a beacon to guide them home with understanding and love.
You really should have mentioned his acting role in The Prestige (film). David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, the real-life inventor who creates a teleportation device for Angier. For the role of Nikola Tesla, Nolan wanted someone who was not necessarily a film star but was "extraordinarily charismatic". Nolan said that "David Bowie was really the only guy I had in mind to play Tesla because his function in the story is a small but very important role".
All of the early Bowie albums are incredible and are MY absolute favorites...however Low is a masterpiece of music. When I got my CD player years ago...it was the FIRST CD I bought. Still have it to this day. Nothing like that album.... Over these past years since his passing, they have been releasing some legal live material which is beyond incredible. I cannot stress enough to fans to get these releases.
God I love the Eno era. Well, all of them really. But Low…. Heroes…. can’t touch that with a fireproof 50 foot pole. And Ziggy owned real estate on my turntable.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
If you'd like to try out Brilliant for free and get 20% off a year of STEM learning, click the link in the description down below or visit: www.brilliant.org/biographics
Hope this becomes a new running theme and we get to see other amazing artist bio's from the 60s/70s!!! Cheers for all yours and your teams great work Simon!!!
you need to do more you didn't even mention ashes to ashes....
Hey Biographics thank you for all the videos, you did a marvelous job.
@@bobrobert6277 guguggg BC
When Bowie was filming the video for his song Ashes to Ashes, he was dressed up in a stylized harlequin costume. When an old man refused to clear out for a shot for the video, Bowie asked him, "Do you know who I am?" "Yes," the old man replied. "You're some c*** dressed up in a clown suit." Bowie said that comment brought him back down to earth and realize who he was. Great video, Simon. Thanks for the memories.
PS - Trivia not included in the video. David Bowie adopted his name because he didn't want to be confused with Davey Jones of The Monkees. That's good enough reason to make a name change.
PPS - I know Simon had to cover a lot of ground in this video, but the script should've included two other important collaborations that Bowie made: Dancing in the Streets with Mick Jagger, and Fame with John Lennon during Lennon's "lost year" in Los Angeles. Also, the video for Bowie's Let's Dance was the most expensive ever made for its time, because of all the equipment that had to be transported from England to Australia where it was filmed. It literally cost millions to make. There's enough Bowie trivia out there to make at least one or two videos on their own.
I heard that it was actually the director who pointed to Bowie and asked the old man ‘Do you know who this is?’ to which he replied ‘Of course I do. It’s some c*** in a clown suit.’ But funny story still :) I'm really glad that he grounded himself and grew up to be the person he always wanted to be. He is so unbelievably charismatic, genuine, humble and sweet in his later interviews
@@RReese08 he also tried the name Tom Jones but obviously had to change that after the actual Tom Jones got big haha
@@connor1577 😅
“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been”
David Bowie
Ain't that the truth. If you're wise enough, and honest enough with yourself. I'm going to remember that quote. Beautiful.
I read an interview that came out shortly after he died. The interviewer asked him if he was David Bowie at home with his wife and kids, and he replied, "No, David Jones. Just David Jones."
The recording of Under Pressure with Queen was accidental. David Bowie happened to be in Montreux and popped in to see Queen where they were recording the Hot Space album. A few minor lines of coke and some whiskey later and the rest is history. The bass riff played by John Deacon was just something he was doing to keep his fingers loose, Roger Taylor liked it, told Freddie, Brian and David and after some pizza they recorded the basics of the song. One of, if not the greatest collaboration songs ever written by accident.
Where did you learn this bud? I'd love to hear more 👍
It's funny how often this happens. So many great songs and bands have been created by incident or accident.
And according to Roger Taylor , John Deacon had forgotten it that riff when they came back from eating & drinking.
I believe Taylor mentioned this on a VH1 special thing.
Was this new coke, coke classic, or the real *cough* coke classic 😂
I was in a film crew hired to shoot augmentative film sequences for the 1990 "Sound and Vision" tour. For three weeks we worked intimately with him and it was the most fun anyone ever had. He was a one in a billion person.
He was surprisingly accessible and worked so hard it amazed everyone. He let me shoot 3-D photos of him and introduced me to director Gus Van Sant when he visited the set. A once in a lifetime person and experience.
It certainly worked. I saw that tour in Toronto and the merger of well, sound and vision was pretty seamless. Glad you had a great experience.
@@christophermerlot3366 thanks.The best part was when he was interacting with the giant projected version of himself, which literally blew him off the stage !!!
Thats an incredible story. I always forget that Van sant directed fame 90. Thank you
@@nathanieledwards7150 We shot Fame '90 !!! Bowie was all done up with a super pomp and a one string flying V bass guitar. I took 3-D photos of him and the crew at that session, Latifa was shot somewhere else
@@cruzcontrol1504 where are these photos now, please?
David Bowing made it cool to be an outcast and different on another level. He inspired me to not give a sh*t about what people thought and to do my thing regardless of what other people wanted from me. He provided me with some of the best music in my library that is still played continuously today. There was a major hole left in the minds of many, especially me, who had to comprehend a world without him in it. I honestly don't think he gets enough credit for his acting in movies or on stage while performing. He is, and forever will be, one of the best artists to grace this planet.
Yeah and he was a creep
Bowing
@@ryanmcgraw3555 shush
@@ryanmcgraw3555 A creep? How?
'The Labrinth" was where I fell in love with Bowie. His music is always on my playlists.
Rise and fall? More like rise and ascension. Bowie reached mythical status without losing everything. A true legend of epic proportions.
Well, he *was* the *Man who fell to Earth.* ;-) But seriously yes I whole-heartedly agree with you; he never fell at all. Imo he was and always will be great.
Am i the only one who finds bowie extremely over rated yeah he's good but he's no where near the top 20 musician's from the last 300 years
Don't get me wrong though he was extremely good at what he did I just personally think he is no where near the best yeah he was unique but think about it he was not the only male musician from that era that was flamboyant and wore lady's clothes nor was he the one to do first.
@@joebone3151 Something is wrong with your thinking if you feel you need *that* much time to ensure he's not included in a list with only 20 people in it.
@@joebone3151 Your personal tastes are your affair of course but I'd say that a lot of people - with equally valid musical tastes - apparently disagree with you. Me, I don't see what is so funny about people like Jim Carrey or Mike Myers, but despite *my* feelings they have their fans anyway, so I just suck it up and deal with the fact that some people apparently find them funnier than I do. Same thing here with you and Bowie.
_"The Man Who Sold The World"_ is one of the greatest songs *ever* written.
I love it because it's the only Bowie song I can sing without going down an octave lol
Correction: The entirety of David Bowie's discography is one of the greatest songs ever written 😻
I agree but it was made even more amazing by Kurt Cobain. Best version of the song to ever exist
The whole album is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.
Agreed
David Bowie and Freddie Mercury..two musical geniuses rocking out in the stars ✨
I bet that isn't all they're doing...
@@AwareWolfOnWheels Even if that was true, who cares?
@@RejectedInch Calm down sweetheart it's a light hearted joke.
There's a starman waiting in the sky.
@@sebastianortega1938 *noncing in the sky
The night he died, I had such a sudden, strong compulsion to listen to "Let's Dance", before I knew he was gone. One of the more memorable coincidences of my life.
The same thing happened to me with Prince. A couple days before he passed for the first time ever I started listening to him…
Dear Simon, what a lovely tribute in biographical form, you and your research team really lobbed this one out of the park. I remember hearing of Bowie's passing and just being numb, my Wife cried and that night we just listened to the music that he once made knowing that sadly that well wasn't just dry, but had been sucked back into the cosmos where it had come from originally. Thank-you so much for the look back!
Bowie's many personalities were genius as they kept people interested. A true legend.
Hunky dory was the best
True, though I just ignore "Dancing in the streets".
It’s Day-vid!-Liverpool voice🧐
I particularly remember an astronaut up in the International Space Station playing 'Space Oddity' on his guitar while floating in zero gee. You could see the man's tears floating while he played his tribute to the artist. =/
Yeah, It was a great and fitting moment! It was the best hommage to be done to David Bowie on so many level. I think that Chris Hatfield asked for the permission before hand.
David Bowie saw the music video himself and apparently said that one of his biggest dreams had come true.
I can understand the idea of feeling "queasy" about his "coming out" being a marketing ploy in this era of the emancipated youth. But as a gay man (who was three when Bowie's coming out happened) I can state that ANY visibility of queerness was something I treasured once I was old enough to understand it. He made being "other" (whatever that means to you) possible for everyone in his wake and the world is better for it.
Hate to spoil it for you. He was never gay
@@lk8300 If you read the OP's comment carefully, then you wouldn't reply with a condescending stupid remark while simultaneously thinking you were clever by repeating what was already stated in the video.
But I guess third grade reading skills are beyond you...or manners.
@Willie Gordon Again dumbass, if you read the OP's comment carefully you would understand he wasn't talking about Bowie's sexuality itself, but how his visibility justified the OP's existence.
"He made being "other" (whatever that means to you) possible for everyone in his wake and the world is better for it."
That can resonate with anyone regardless if gay, straight, or anyone who is seen as weird or disenfranchised.
You are offering nothing provocative or thought provoking with your comments, and like I said to @l k, you are not clever for repeating what was already stated in the video.
Not taking away from anything you said, but to be quite honest when it comes to the Glam era and people who were musicians and especially influential to rock and roll, Little Richard is actually the forefather of glam.
If you couldn't tell Little Richard wore makeup, he made it very clear and numerous interviews that he loved to wear makeup.
And when it came to his sexuality? Little Richard made songs that basically let people know. However it was quite obvious to the eyes of everyone who watched them and of course fans who loved his music.
I could never tell what his real voice sounded like, that is until I watched some interviews. Just proves how much of a chameleon he was, doesn't it? Truly a one in a billion talent.
Yeah from sucky, to even worse.
@@Dragon_rls troll
@@Dragon_rls Just like your face
@@Dragon_rls ::gasp:: A Troll!
::falling over with my hand on my forehead::
@@Saffron-sugar 😹😹😹
No. I am not crying after watching this video. And I am absolutely not going to listen to Bowie's full discography now.
Ah, yes, this was a great video, clearly written by someone who admired Bowie. I remember discovering Bowie when Gary numan was charting. Everyone raved about Numan, but i was unimpressed. Casting around for something other than Numan, I happened upon Bowie. That was that. I was maybe too young to fully understand all of what I was witnessing then, but there was something about him that was mesmerising. So while my friends were listening to Numan, I was listening to Bowie. I believe I got the better end of that deal! I was genuinely devastated when he died, he's one of the rare celebrities for whom I have shed tears . Thank you for such warm coverage of his life, a whistle stop tour from Fact Boi Whistler himself 👌❤🇬🇧
I remember you saying that you're not a big fan of bowie, simon. But good job on selling it like you were!
honestly bowie deserves a 3 part biographics piece.
David Bowie was an absolute legend and an amazing musician who I felt privileged to have grown up listening to. He was so charismatic and always reinventing himself. His music has stood the test of time and he will be forever missed. Can’t believe he’s been gone five years already.
I really appreciate all the "Five Years" lyrics thrown in. It's one of his very best songs.
Bowie did a hell of a show, saw him live in Boston back in the 70's...a great night.
1:25 - Chapter 1 - Strange fascinations
5:00 - Chapter 2 - The freakiest show
8:50 - Mid roll ads
10:15 - Chapter 3 - There's a starman
13:50 - Chapter 4 - Fame
17:30 - Chapter 5 - New career in a new town
21:10 - Chapter 6 - Just for one day
Did you give up?
What I find fascinating about David Bowie was one of the reasons he created these characters. In an interview he said he could get in to the mind set of characters like Ziggy, TWD, Major Tom, Mop the hoople, etc. when writing songs, but if it was for him he couldn't come up with anything.
It has always been a point of pride for me that I share a birthday with David Bowie, as well as Elvis Presley...while not having even a percentage point of their talent I connected to music, theirs and so much more, for my entire life...there must be something about that particular day of the year...
There's also Stephen Hawking.... However there is also Kim-Jung- Un & R.Kelly so...
David Bowie, the closest anyone has come to a real life anime character especially in labyrinth
It would have been a big influence behind the Visual Kei aesthetic as well.
If you watch Diamond Is Unbreakable he actually is an anime character in that.
I always thought Bowie is the template for mature looking bishounens.
Can you lame weebs go 5 seconds without trying to force those garbage cartoons into everything? I doubt it.
@@JohnDoe-vn1we LOL
One of my favorite artists ever, glad to see you covering him.
Best one yet, Bowie is my all time favorite musical artist.
I remember being 12 years old in 1978, sitting in my junior high cafeteria, and our table was exchanging the latest gossip on whether Freddie and Bowie were lovers. Being twelve, I wasn’t exactly sure how two guys would get together physically, but we were all cool with the idea! I think that was the first time I had ever even considered LGBTQ relationships.
I will forever remember where I was when I saw the news he had died. I was a fresher at university going for a Monday 9am group study, picked up my starbucks as always and sat outside the study room waiting for my group to show up. Opened BBC news, saw the headline and my jaw just dropped... never been so shocked by a celebrity death until Kobe.
Listened to Bowie's music all the rest of that day and pretty much the whole month too, what an icon who will forever be missed.
His closest family members weren't the only ones to know he was dying. He was actively collaborating with Michael C. Hall (Dexter) on his last album after Bowie dropped into a nightclub Hall was playing at; his band is a Bowie tribute band. He was even on Stephen Colbert in Bowie's stead when the single from Blackstar dropped.
OMG I love Michael C Hall!
There are so many things that can be said about Bowie. Great job getting it down to a listenable half hour.
All i'm saying is, things have steadily been going downhill since David Bowie passed..
2016 was a sign…so many good people were lost that year
@Endless Sporadic ?
@Endless Sporadic we know, but that was a wake up call, the mtv generation was starting to lose their icons at a rapid pace, they were everywhere, and then started to fall almost like flies one after another, it was an eye opener for a lot of people.
@Endless Sporadic is that supposed to be a counter argument?, I can't see how tbh.
@@javierortiz82 MTV was good until 1993
Simon, thank you for your beautiful treatment of this subject. As a lifelong disciple of Bowie this means a lot ❤
I just got over being sick and I always watch The Labyrinth. I love Bowie
His role as the goblin king was surpassed only by the role his package played in the same movie.
There was a RUclipsr who did a review of Labyrinth that had a package counter in it, using a spring sound effect for the package shots. I would like to tell you who this RUclipsr is but he's no longer on RUclips and all of their content has been removed.
@@michaelcairns8778 you mean channel awesome nostalgia critic doug walker his labyrinth review is still on RUclips hasn't been taken down
The tights are one of the best known things about the movie.
@@Lopez03Eduardo. No not nostalgia critic. This guy was That Long Haired Creepy Guy.
I'm 19 now but i never heard of Bowie til he died. But when i heard his music i loved it so much. Got me through some really hard times in school and all. Even now he is amazing still. And Labyrinth is probably one of my favorite movies ever
I had the fortunate opportunity to see him perform live in concert and to this day I always say it was the best concert I ever saw
An absolute legend. May he never be forgotten.
David Bowie never fell, he rose and rose until he left Earth to be with the stars.
David Bowie was my coming-of-age music star, who opened my eyes to the music of Britain. RIP David Bowie, you’ll be sorely missed.
He never 'fell off' throughout his career he has had some flops but his entire discography is huge and inspiring
This guy was a pure creative genious. I was mindblowed when I saw the video for the Blue Jean song as a child and felt a connection with the guy. Got hoocked by the rest. His songs are a testament on how they are timeless and great classics.
The 1st of your videos to make me cry, Bowie was & always will be something special, a unique voice amongst millions. Good stuff guys & gals.
Bowie released a solo album every year between 1969 & 1980, except for1978. This period gave us an unbelievable amount of great songs and in my opinion the most exciting & creative music ever written.
Wonderfully concise and summarised content of a long and esoteric career of a complicated man. Thank you.
Thanks for this, mate.
The man. the myth. the legend. The starman. Nothing but love for Bowie.
He was the most legendary musical artist ever
Punk, Goth, Metal, Glam, Soul and more, he united us all.
I feel like you’re being really unfair to latter day Bowie work. He matured, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t as good, it means he was less concerned with fame, and therefore what he created was purer.
I’d agree with this, to be honest. Felt like a bit of a wrong note. I get that it didn’t absolutely saturate society like Ziggy and the rest, but… damn fine music. Damn fine.
I agree too although it also was shittier
When he recorded Blackstar his music producer asked "How on Earth will we preform this life?"
Bowie's response "We're not going to."
@@craigduncan4826 black star is the single best piece of music he ever realeased
A True Real Artist!!!! You are correct
I came of age in the 90's and I can honestly say, Ziggy sang about the angst that was in my heart... his voice was and still is the soundtrack of my life.
Your last comment is exactly my experience. Staying in my Aunt n Uncles sprawling mansion while my mum was in hospital as a pre-teen I stumbled upon their sons tapes-Heroes and Diamond Dogs. I listened to those tapes endlessly and years later when I had a band of my own there was one song that had Bowie-esque tones in my vocals. It wasn’t a cover or a copy it was musical-genetics man.....love ya work Simon.
You’re right, Simon. It’ll always be Bowie. For all his flaws, he really was a Hero.
Thanks for that Simon, as a young child of the 70's I have found memorys of Ziggy. 😃 Plus The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is still one of my favourite albums. You're done a good job with this one! Maybe your next Biographic could be on Syd Barrett?!
I have nothing but love and respect for the man. When he was diagnosed with cancer and told that he only had so much time left, I'm sure at that point in his life he had enough money that he could have spent the rest of it his days on a beach in Hawaii, but he didn't. Instead he made Black star, a true work of art that was his parting gift to the world. We shall definitely not forget him.
as the story goes, the way David Bowie kicked the crocacin habit was his music producer Brian Eno told him he needs to be "normal" for a few months and Bowie agreed. So Bowie was given a strict budget to live on paid once a month from Brian, required to buy his own groceries with that money, pay his own rent, ride the public bus, be basically "average" and "normal" for several months. This gave him a new perspective on life and allow him to enter the recording studio with a new sense of himself and leave the drugs behind for good. he was able to write two albums n the span of 6 months, took to the road in 1978, and went back to the studio to record one more album with Eno in Berlin in 1979 before starting the next phase of his career.
Simon I don't know if your poetic words this time were scripted or spontaneous but they were beautiful. The descriptions and summations were lyrics unto themselves and perfectly painted in order to bring this amazing artist to light while bringing his story to life. Kudos my friend...Kudos!
Skipping over his mid-90s albums / personas is a real shame. I own every record of his and honestly feel that Outside, Earthling & Hours are his best works. While not mainstream or commercially successful as the rest of his work, they really stand apart.
Certainly says something about West Berlin, that Bowie at his Los Angeles weirdest, was hardly noticeable.
I remember a tweet by someone posted after the news of his death came:
"It never occurred to me that Bowie was a mortal."
Always liked and shared the sentiment.
I'm a little sad you couldn't cover more about his film appearances, but I get it, trying to cover all of the things Bowie did would be...quite an undertaking.
My mother was affected by Ziggy too, so much so that in the mid-80s, she got her hands somehow on both a recording of the live show of Ziggy - and the film "The Man Who Fell to Earth." She sat me down and we watched both shows. I had no idea what on earth was going on, being about nine years old at that time haha... But I remember how my mother smiled and sang and even cried a little bit. How much it moved her.
My own love of Bowie's work was very different of course, with his music for the movie Labyrinth being just as hugely important to me as his appearance in the film. He embodied something magical, for me; made me question what it meant to care about other people, made me wonder what was so frightening about being in love - and then kind of answering that question too. I can't say that I connected with all the music he made. But the work of his that I could connect with -- it took root in my soul.
When he passed away - oh, man, I remember that. I was so excited about Blackstar, and then - boom - he was gone. I still can't listen to a single track from the album without bawling my eyes out. He meant too much, more than words or music or tears could ever express.
You should do Ozzy.
Someone else that really struggled with addiction after finding success
don't forget to mention how he and his wife fired a staffer for not risking his life to run into a burning house to rescue paintings... not people, not pets, but paintings.
Something Ozzy & Sharon thought was funny.
@@mattyt1961 never said he was a good or bad person just he’s had an interesting life
They only cover dead people these days. Think the policy changed about two years ago
@@markdturnock oh okay. I don’t watch every single video that comes out usually if they do someone I’m interested in I’ll tune in
You've put into words the comparison I was never able to make. The Thin White Duke and Reinhard Heydrich. If you like a character that is mesmerizing and terrifying, The Thin White Duke is absolute original.
He was beyond amazing! Don't forget his epic duet with Bing Crosby.
GREAT VID Morris M.!
My only small issues are:
1) 'Ziggy' may have came from a tailor shop, but 'Stardust' came from Norman Carl Odom A.K.A.-The Legendary Stardust Cowboy...also I would have mentioned the part about Lou Reed and Iggy Pop being a factor in the creation of Ziggy Stardust as well.
2) A mention of Lazarus, his musical with Enda Walsh would have tied into Blackstar.
This is the best Biographics I think you've done-- Out of many.
David Bowie is one of the few artists for which every superlative feels understated
I don't think Bowie's coming out as gay was a mere marketing ploy. back in those days people did not make any distinction between being gay and being bisexual, so by his lights he may have been honest about his sexuality - whatever the reason for his doing so. It was also, for the time and at that stage in his career, imo a very gutsy thing to do.
This was my thought too. He'll, even today, in 2021, if a man says he's bisexual, there are many bigots out there who will automatically equate that with gay.
He likely got himself into as much trouble as he got sales with that one. I think it was a combination of activism and viral marketing. Gay people literally didn't have the same rights, you could get fired from your job because of it, and of course all the violence and murders.
I think that’s right. In a few 90s interviews, where he was far more nuanced in his conversation about sexuality than any other period, he would say he never minded that people knew he was bisexual but that it did really hurt his record sales in the US, which is why he “came out” as straight during his most commercial period in the 80s.
He also said he wanted to get ahead of anyone who might talk to the press about his bisexual past because he didn’t want to come across like he was hiding anything. I think he probably did the best he could at the time to live as himself while protecting his career.
@@michellewalmsley6056 He was a more complicated man than I think many people give him credit for. He had his faults but from I hear he was generally far nicer to his fans than the average rock-star was. That alone makes him worthy of respect imo.
@@bradfordhatch5085 I feel the same.
Certainly regarding sexuality I think people can be grossly unfair to him. There’s a reasonable chance he actually felt quite unsure about it all himself, especially when he was younger, and he was just giving himself room to move.
People don’t cope well with others who refuse to clearly define themselves and who might even change their own thoughts on who they are and how they feel over time.
He was pretty awesome to his fan base, yeah. He was such a fan of so much himself. That’s the greatest gift he gave me, an excellent music education and a curiosity about new music.
I gotta say. I'm not often disappointed with Biographics videos, but the fact that it just skips over more than half of his life is a bummer.
I’m so glad you made this video ❤️❤️ it was really touching. Rest In Peace, Starman. The world misses you greatly.
David Bowie's music changed my life, through his music I discovered new art, literature, and films. I was 10 when I bought a copy of Ziggy Stardust, after that I sought out different forms of expression.
Friendly note - rush released their 2nd album fly-by-night on February 15th of 1975 and then their 3rd album came out in September of the same year. In any case this was a great video video packed full of info for the short amount of time it took up. Much appreciated.
He was fascinating, always playing with his image, forcing us to listen rather than being distracted by his various looks and identities
I'm pretty clued up on Bowie as I've been a fan for 45 years, but a great video.
Age does has its benefits; I saw Starman on TOTP live. It's difficult to describe in this multimedia, multi-connected age just how profound an effect it had.
Are you a fan, Simon? You seem to be.
Quote: “I’ve always felt bemused at being called the chameleon of rock. Doesn’t a chameleon exert tremendous energy to become indistinguishable from its environment?”
Nah, it's because of all the ch..ch..ch..changes they make to their appearance.
@@davidcopson5800 welldone! lol
My biggest, deepest loves’ last message to me was “mother/there’s too many of us dying”
Then, he did.
Broken hearted doesn’t come close to describing how he left me.
I cant believe Biographics hasnt covered his time as the Sovereign of the Guild of Calamitous Intent!
All hail the true Sovereign!!
Pay no attention to the handsome and ageless Rockstar hiding behind the couch, I am the sovereign.
My screen name comes from a David Bowie interview on Conan O’Brien in 1998. I couldn’t walk, and felt miserable. Bowie’s “mime wars of 1978” joke made me laugh In a dark place.
Bowie released excellent albums in every decade of his life and I think some of his later work is overlooked even by some of his more dedicated fans who grew up with the amazing 70s output. Outside, and the tour he did with Nine Inch Nails, was outstanding. Covering Pixies' "Cactus' a few years later was amazing...it's as though Black Francis had written the song for him by accident. And of course Blackstar is an album that touches a part of our souls in such a dark way that it's both beautiful and difficult to hear. All I know is that we lost David Bowie and Lemmy within a couple weeks and the world has never been the same since.
(Oh, and Tin Machine was pretty rocking and worth a listen)
I loved him in "The Hunger" (1983) with Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve.
Love that film! and ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ by Bauhaus
Probably your best piece to date, Simon. Excellently done.
I loved David Bowie, but didn't care for Ziggy Stardust. However, Ziggy's existence is proof of Bowie's musical genius. He was a creative and inventive musical and marketing force of nature.
My favorite musican of all time. Thanks for talking about Bowie!
I can’t believe you pulled this video off. You did it. Riveting, poetic, and worthy of Bowie. This channels finest moment. Thank you Simon! Well done! 🍸🍸🍸
The journalism is excellent.
I preferred LOW to HEROES but never listened to side 2 until GLASS’s Symphony 1. I was embarrassed. Side 1 was my warmup Saturday evening for a riotous Saturday night. I rioted often.
I cried mightily when I heard of his death. I couldn’t breathe for seconds at a time; however, his discography is filled with clunkers after SCARY MONSTERS. LET’s DANCE is a NILES ROGERS album and an excellent one at that. OUTSIDE is then his best album but the cumbersome novel set to music is a cumbersome album set to music. Glad I saw him twice at Madison Square Garden and * ages well.
This might sound silly, but recently when the Buzz Lightyear movie trailer came out and I heard Bowie's "Starman", I cried. Truly miss the legend. I regret not knowing his music earlier as I only start loving his music in 2014, after listening to 'Valentine's Day'
I’m not a Bowie fan but I’ve always appreciated that he introduced the world to Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Thank you Simon. The best of all possible outlines of Bowie's life and music, in this best of all possible worlds.
Thank you Simon, that was really good. Bowie was always one of those few people I'd love to have lunch with and just listen him to talk about whatever he wanted to. So I really appreciate the focus on Bowie the man, rather than Bowie the artist.
"The Next Day" and "Blackstar" are two of the best albums released in the 2010's in my opinion. So rarely do we get artists in the twilight of their lives putting out such personal work that really and truly resonates with people. "Where are We now" and "Lazarus" are such damn emotional tracks that I struggle to listen to them at times.
As an American, it's nice to see a Biographics video on a Brit that Americans only semi-know about.
This must be how it feels for Brits when the videos are about Americans.
You and your team made a really good job of this, Simon, thank you.
A true bisexual king! As a gay dude, he has inspired me endlessly. Thank you for everything Bowie.
When did Bowie fall this is news to me. If falling means selling out every venue you do then l hope fall as hard as him.
Nothing to say, nice and respectful. Good video. 🏆
I was one of those fat skinny people , one of those tall short people - your moving tribute at the end had me in tears....thank you Simon
I wouldn't wish for my worse enemy to face the confusion, pain, and torment from mental health issues.
After suffering a too nearly fatal head trauma in combat, I can fully understand the absolute terror of feeling like you have been completely forgotten by the world, and even yourself. Honestly, I'm almost certain that I didn't survive, and somebody else took my place. Even my own mother swears her "beloved son never came home" and is still cold and detached. This and other influences lead to being self-destructive and drive my Impala SS into an old oak at approximately 170 MPH. Thankfully the extended hospitalization introduced me to the only person that didn't write me off as too damaged and saved my life by helping me understand memories and platitudes don't make the person, their actions and treatment of others is. I accepted my short comings and mourned the lost closeness of others and hope to have become a better person than before.
I pray that no other souls get lost in the darkness, but instead have a beacon to guide them home with understanding and love.
You really should have mentioned his acting role in The Prestige (film). David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, the real-life inventor who creates a teleportation device for Angier. For the role of Nikola Tesla, Nolan wanted someone who was not necessarily a film star but was "extraordinarily charismatic". Nolan said that "David Bowie was really the only guy I had in mind to play Tesla because his function in the story is a small but very important role".
All of the early Bowie albums are incredible and are MY absolute favorites...however Low is a masterpiece of music. When I got my CD player years ago...it was the FIRST CD I bought. Still have it to this day. Nothing like that album.... Over these past years since his passing, they have been releasing some legal live material which is beyond incredible. I cannot stress enough to fans to get these releases.
God I love the Eno era. Well, all of them really.
But Low….
Heroes….
can’t touch that with a fireproof 50 foot pole.
And Ziggy owned real estate on my turntable.