Our giants continue to depart as this version of reality sheds its skin. Western popular culture is excrement now. We can only make our own lifeboats at this stage.
Life on Mars was the first seven inch record I bought. I was nine years old at the time. If there is one person you can point to and say all the vital cultural forces in my lifetime emanated from, it was Bowie.
Every aspect of my life revolved around him in some manner and to some degree. I met my first girlfriend when she invited me over to her house to listen to Low after school. My old band The Children's Zoo (here we are playing at Bowie's Scream club in New York) would perform cover versions of Always Crashing in the Same Car and Panic in Detriot.
In fact, every band and I was ever in played Bowie tunes either as covers or during rehearsals. Only a few weeks ago I played bass (poorly, I might add) on Ashes to Ashes and China Girl with Waterford singer/songwriter David O'Sullivan on the Ridge of Wicker stage here in Sligo.
Humans were and will be forever fascinated and have their lives in some manner connected to the Goblin King, Ziggy Stardust, Major Tom etc... Icon is a term thrown about too freely these days. David Bowie deserved it. I am not that sad as he had already attained immortality.
Only a couple of weeks ago some friends and I were like excited teens watching and loving Blackstar. I remarked that this must be the final part of the Major Tom trilogy.
Like a true artist he finished the triptych in perfect time. Demonstrating not only how a person should live their mortal life, but also how they should move on from it.
ADDENDUM:
I love the idea that David Bowie had a secret cremation and there was not a live streaming festival of death. All the grief tourist will have to wait for some other celeb they hardly cared about to give them this. David Bowie is pure class right to the end and beyond and was not going to give a Diana-like sordid death-a-rama for phonies.
This way, we remember his work and not his death. You superficial Grief Tourists will have to wait for the next celeb you didn't care about to pretend that you did.
ADDENDUM:
I love the idea that David Bowie had a secret cremation and there was not a live streaming festival of death. All the grief tourist will have to wait for some other celeb they hardly cared about to give them this. David Bowie is pure class right to the end and beyond and was not going to give a Diana-like sordid death-a-rama for phonies.
This way, we remember his work and not his death. You superficial Grief Tourists will have to wait for the next celeb you didn't care about to pretend that you did.
Beautifully put. Thanks for summing up how a lot of us feel. BlackTieWhiteNoise was the first ever album I bought.
ReplyDeleteLove this. I was the same. Fell in love with Him at nine or 10!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your feelings on David Bowie Thomas Sheridan! David Bowie was a HUGE influence on my during my childhood! He always seemed like he was from another planet, perhaps another Dimension! He never stayed the same. He always changed his style and was in a constant state of flux. He was a Shape-Shifter, but NOT a FAKE one... he downloaded higher Consciousness from God knows where into his Art, Music and Movies and whatever he touch turned to GOLD. I remember seeing Labyrinth (1986) with my Dad and being transported into an altered state of consciousness during the couple hours in that Theatre! Goodbye, Starman... happy travels back to your dimension! Thank you for bringing us joy and wonder to this world <3
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, just like him. -kat
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ReplyDeleteNever liked the man and his music.
ReplyDeleteA load of hyped up bollocks.
Multi personality trauma based mind control anyone?
https://youtu.be/EiFSsFGzags?list=TLt1nZx0s2H-4xMjAxMjAxNg
ReplyDeleteYea. Commenting on this video. Yea, there is nothing inherently wrong with life on planet Earth. It's the result of pathological psychopaths and their evil ways. Two of my sisters died of cancer, but they didn't have to. But neither did David Bowie have to die. My sisters, 41 and 48, David, 69...wtf? That's TOO YOUNG. People have been brainwashed to accept early death, like 100 years old is pathetic, that is too young. People don't even have to be ill. But talking about cures, there are cures, except those psychopaths prevent the people who create cures and who teach of cures, from reaching the public. So let's get angry, and remove the evil pyschopaths who do nothing for life itself.
King of freaks and died at age 69. I'm too young to remember much of his music but from what I heard it was okay if you like that sort of thing. I'm annoyed over all the cover he got compared to Lemmy from Motor-head who in my opinion was more talented and gave the world better music.
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ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq5MA0_HvoA
ReplyDeleteThank you for that very much. I wish others would say nothing if they can't say anything nice.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for that, it was great to read. If others can't say anything nice they should say nothing, particularly if they start off by saying they're too young to remember much of his work. How can you be qualified to make any comment?
ReplyDeleteI like to think that people aren't really brainwashed; They think everyone else is, so they pretend they are too, as to not be ostracized. ♥
ReplyDeleteHay budski, Funny isn't it Thomas. I always knew the world had some real nasty creeps in it, but you have exposed the plethora of varying types of scum in our society so bloody well. I was always racked with Greif over the hurt and pain I suffered under the influence of toxic people, but sometimes just blamed myself. Now I know more about the nasty vindictive types that exist out there and which we were never warned about growing up, and it is a big relief to know and understand how many of these fuckers excist and persist in attacking us decent folks. You have smashed a huge chunk out of the wall of silence, and for that I am eternally greatful Thomas. I could obviously be accused of absolving all my own faults and petting/stroking my ego with the meme "everyone else has the problems not me" but its simply not the case. Sure ive made mistakes and been a dick at times, but 95% of me is a good person who cares for others and have a deep sense of what love for others is. Its almost like I was walking through life blind, like a minion nestled in with the other bewildered herds of indoctrinated psychopath and ass-hole victims, now I can see that... out there, in almost every institute, in every company, in every social club there is either a psychopath, an energy vampire, or just a plain ass hole. Mate I have gained so much from your work. You really have cleared the waste dump out of my mind and created a waste dump with exit signs and the odd beautiful flower to admire. I'm going to buy you a pint and a book now. Keep healthy and strong Thomas this world needs you badly at this time, we are so fucked up as a society, yet not many people see it... so much is there delusion. (I was a victim once too), and always remember Thomas...for what its worth.... this guy called Andy in Nuneaton of the UK loves ya man, deep down love!! (But not in a weird way lol). Also as I'm sure you already know and feel, the BASTARDS out there who slate you are either deluded, Psychopaths themselves, seriously lost in lifes bullshit... who (may come round in the end) or are seriously fucked up vindictive bastards themselves. All ive seen of your attackers is neurotic instability, so much so you can smell the bastards, its just so easy to spot the dickheads now!. So like you always say Tommy "Feck em" LOL. Love you brother. Andy from warwickshire UK.
ReplyDeleteagreed
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