Monday 11 January 2016

THE ICON


We lost another icon today. A visionary really, and in this world, we don’t have many of them left. I think this is the hardest thing for so many people of my generation to grasp.
Obviously our first thoughts go out to David Bowie and his family, as losing someone to cancer is a brutal journey to undertake. And then it hits us – not only has the musical/art world lost one of the true greats that pushed every boundary out there, but there will never be another one like him. And that explains so much about the times we live in and the generations that have come before. Today we are awash in X Factor ‘winners’ and overly produced and packaged replicates. There are very few visionaries who define the trend of the day and not merely follow it.

I was in the kitchen with the King when I heard it on the radio and I actually gasped. The King of course asked what happened and I tried to explain that one of the greatest singers ever had just died. This of course spawned a whole litany of questions on his part about death and if and when I was going to die, or for that matter he (he then told me as he was 'quite new' he didn't think he was dying any time soon). As I hadn't had my coffee yet, I deflected and told him that I could play him Bowie's greatest songs so he could experience them. The King just looked at me a bit confused and said, 'But if he's dead mommy how are you going to do that?' Note to self: re-emphasise to the King that the radio and the singers on it do not sing in real time.

As any one knows or who has followed the life and career of the Thin White Duke, David Bowie was not just a singer/composer; he was a true artist (and I don’t use that term lightly), a chameleon, a creator of personas and incarnations in ways that most other musicians simply couldn’t wrap their head around (what do you mean? we don't just stand here and sing?). His music and style spanned genres and generations and there was truly no one else out there doing what he did (oh but did they follow). He was achingly enigmatic – which for me is always the most attractive of qualities in a musician or actor, and he pushed the envelope politically, artistically, lyrically, sexually...you name it really.

I discovered Bowie later than most with the release of Scary Monsters – having heard him in dribs and drabs from my older sisters and what was on the radio at the time-  and then of course it was all about ‘Let’s Dance.’ I remember playing that album (and yes, I had the actual album) to tedium and he was one of the first artists whose lyrics I actually dissected. He actually beckoned this of his listener, demanded you take note and ask questions of his artistry. I was of course also a child of MTV when it first hit the airwaves and was actually a video music channel. 'China Girl' was on heavy rotation and you simply never had seen anything like it. All this of course led me to delve into Bowie’s back catalogue from the notable to the esoteric. And that was thing about Bowie, he was not one to shy away from a melodic pop song, but certainly was keen to delve into the weird and wonderful (Oh Labyrinth soundtrack, how do I love thee).

I suppose for me – like many – Bowie had it all. The voice, the look, the artistry, the weirdness, the ‘I don’t give a shit about conformity, I’m here to channel what needs to come out of me’ spirit. He will not only be missed, but as will the time and possibilities of the era in which he lived.

RIP David.

“And these children
that you spit on
as they try to change their worlds
are immune to your consultations.
They're quite aware
of what they're going through...”



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