DAVID BOWIE
When David Bowie passed away recently I wondered if I should do a tribute. I am a huge fan (Hey! I’m not that fat). I decided since he never recorded what you would call punk or metal then it wouldn’t be appropriate for the site.
I guess I was wrong about that. I guess I changed my mind.
And what changed my mind was the outpouring of love for Bowie from so many facebook friends. I never realized how many punk/hardcore/metal fans liked him too.
But then a few months ago, Bowie came up when I was talking with Andy Bang. (It was great for us to meet him.) I guessed that Andy, who hates pop music, wouldn’t like him.
That marks the second time I’ve been wrong in this article.
But what I should have figured out is that, we are such a crew of misfits and individuals- square pegs that don’t fit in the round holes of society- why wouldn’t we identify with the strangest, the oddest, the most creative, individualistic pop star there ever was?
How ironic that in his early days, Rolling Stone magazine accused him of having no individuality, a mere chameleon stealing from other artists. Now, I can hardly think of a pop star so unique and unlike any other.
And now I’d like to point out the third time of me being wrong.
I’ve always been well aware how innovative and influential Bowie has been on music, what I never contemplated was his influence on society in general.
Though skinny, I was a big fan of his in the early seventies before he was very popular in America. My friends were into Jethro Tull, Aerosmith, Lynard Skynard while I liked Bowie, Alice Cooper and Lou Reed.
I’d ask them why they didn’t like Bowie’s music and they would reply, “Because he’s a (derogatory term for a gay man),” and that would end our in depth musical discussion.
And Bowie said he was bisexual at a time where in society and even in the rock community gay folks weren’t accepted. This is at a time that Elton John was marrying his female publicist to hide his homosexuality.
Someone recently made the point that Bowie made being weird okay. That the strange and the odd could be exciting and new. That if you felt you were odd or strange or didn’t fit in, you could still express yourself and be yourself no matter how society looked down it’s nose at you.
(This next part is recalling something from an interview with him once.)
“I’m gonna give you something of value but it may be strange and weird. And once you have that, don’t expect the same or similar next time. ‘Cause it may be completely different. Follow the other artists who will give you the same album each year. Follow the other artists who will fit into your preconceptions of what a rock star or rock’n’roll is. I’m going to present something you might not have seen before. It’s gonna be coherent, presentable- may even fall in the guidelines of pop. But I’m trying to create what you’re going to be listening to tomorrow- not what you listened to yesterday.”
It’s no secret that all the early English punk bands were glam/glitter fans before punk. Even The Ramones were glitter guys before they donned their leather jackets as the New York Dolls were the prominent band in New York at the time.
And listen to “Hang Onto Yourself” by Bowie in ’72 and then check out the similarity to “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
Even Madonna credits Bowie with giving her the courage to be herself. Her first concert was when her and a girlfriend snuck out to see his show. She said that after, she was grounded for the summer but it was well worth it.
Bowie always seemed to associate with the best music people. He made albums with Brian Eno, had Robert Fripp play on some, he produced Lou Reed’s commercial breakthrough and saved Iggy from certain death (Iggy agrees) and helped Iggy start a successful career.
When punk exploded in England nearly all the previous rock bands and singers were shunned by the new punk bands. One of the very few accepted was Bowie. Maybe because they sensed something in him that could never really be compromised, would always make him an outcast. They say an artist makes people see things in a new way, which is true, but I also think it’s someone who truthfully expresses himself while stirring a note, striking a chord in others.
I could’ve picked a lot of great videos, a lot of great songs to put in this tribute. But you can find them all easily enough on youtube.
I’m just gonna pick one. Some of the lyrics go, “We can be heroes, just for one day. We can be us, just for one day.”
And now is the part of the article where I get one thing right.
You taught us we can be ourselves. Not for one day but always, for ever and ever.
That art, creativity is priceless and lasts forever, as it is timeless as well.
And we can all be heroes of our own lives, our own destiny’s.
And the spirit you left us with will never die or be forgotten.
And the life you led and implied was full and pure and free.
David, you’ll always be my hero, you’ll always be our hero.
For ever and ever.
(Slimedog)
