This was the plan. First album of the year and first review. New Bowie album and it was a good one. Very good in fact! Received CD on Friday and played it over the weekend. Radio alarm goes off Monday morning, I am still half awake. I sort of wake up to the sort of memory that the radio presenter mentioned that David Bowie had died. Just a horrible dream. He only has a new album released a few days before and birthday. But my goodness it's true! Totally shocked. It's all over TV, twitter, facebook. Everyone mentions their disbelief at the news, such was the magnitude of his reputation. Even my wife's nurse mention this and people who normally don't talk about music mention it.
So a day has passed and it's still hard to believe. That he, his family, friends and associates kept the news of his illness quiet is staggering in this day of easy access social media. The new album and accompanying videos have taken on new significance in the knowledge that he knew his time was limited. We can now see different meaning to it all.
His death means that we all head to his catalogue to remind us of his songs. I am then reminded at what a legacy. He covered so much ground and even now there is so much there in those recordings that is still fresh and innovative. My period was from Low to Scary Monsters. After that I dabbled in and out. Loved Heathen and Blackstar promised to be a firm favourite.
Other people will say more about him and more eloquently than I can. But it all comes down to the fact we will never see the like of him again!
Posted with Blogsy
A terrible shock indeed Barrie. My first Bowie recording was "Starman" in the spring of 1972 and I've been a fan ever since - I even enjoyed Tin Machine! I too bought the album on its release and thought it to be probably his best since Scary Monsters. Deeply saddened by this man's death - I didn't know him but feel I've lost a lifelong friend...
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