Happy Birthday, David Bowie

David Bowie with William Burroughs.  If I'm not mistaken, Bowie is wearing a Clockwork Orange t-shirt.  This is the coolest photograph in history.  There are none higher.


The word "artist" does not even begin to cover David Bowie.

I'm certain I've said that before somewhere on Esoteric Synaptic Events, but it really is true.  That and I run out of superlatives when attempting to describe the art this man has given the world.  From music to acting to painting, from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke, Bowie has firmly cemented himself as an icon, a trailblazer and avant-garde creating things far before anyone else had thought of them, and a pseudomorph constantly changing and reinventing himself.

Bowie turned 66 yesterday.  He has taken several years to himself, looking after his health and painting.  One of his paintings is featured below and you can view more of them dating back to the 1990s at BowieArt.

David Bowie is just now returning to the music scene after his hiatus.  A new song called "Where Are We Now?" is a available for download and a new album called The Next Day is to be released in March.  Here is a clip of the first cut:


I owe David Bowie a great debt.  Without him and his influence, I doubt there ever would have been a Duran Duran or any number of other bands and musicians I enjoy today.  Not only that, but Bowie has had an influence on science fiction.  From his first single, "Space Oddity" to "Life on Mars" to his film The Man Who Fell to Earth, his desire to be "more than human" has produced science fiction art that is pivotal, seminal, and any other cliche you'd care to implement.

I hope David Bowie had a wonderful birthday.  I've only seen the man live once and that was when he opened for Nine Inch Nails.  Sadly, a trifecta of problems hampered that performance: 1) I was really there for NIN at the time, 2) Bowie was only playing songs from his album Outside, and 3) Bowie was ill and cut the show short.  I know that he needs to take care of his health and for God's sake that is indeed what must come first, but damn...if he could just find it in himself to do one more tour.  Please, David.  Help me make up for the last time.

In closing, here is one of my favorite performances of his, "Heroes" from Live Aid in 1985:




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