David Bowie RIP

[petulant clarksville]

More than a bit special.

[Tom Waits For No One]

Thanks for it all Dave.

Everyone Says 'Bye'

[petulant clarksville]

[...]

Jesus, what a shock - Sad, sad news indeed

RIP Mr Bowie and thanks for all the amazing music you made these last 40-odd years

While the term "genius" has become debased through too much over-usage DB is one
case where it really does apply

[Phil T]

Just had a text from my daughter, a Bowie fan herself.
I'm numb and in shock.

Bye bye Spaceboy.... and thanks for the music.

[clive gash]

Well, that's the way to do it.

What a life.

[The Squire]

Played Blackstar for the first time last night after reading the new album thread (now the only time I'll ever listen to it that way). Fell asleep with the radio on, woke to the news thinking I was having a horrible weird dream. Tried getting back to sleep then Ziggy Stardust came on the radio and I found myself crying.

Took me a long time to fully appreciate his greatness, but I was aware of him right from the start of my music journey. Growing up in the '80s,almost all the musicians I cared about cited his influence, even if it was a 'fave song ever' mention in a Smash Hits pop questionnaire. The teenage me took notice.

Years later, I realised what a bold, imaginative genuine music 'artist' he was, and a lovely articulate bloke. Always modest about his importance, frank about his waywardness, and with a charming sense of humour.

Given the times he overdosed in the heady days, there's some comfort that we had him with us for so long. So much music is liable to go by the wayside in years to come, but this guy surely will endure.

Thanks for it all David.

x

[Pool Hall Richard]

[Jimbly]

Listened to Low while reading late last night, woke up with the dog at five, checked headlines on BBC. Usual stuff then back up at half seven and he's gone.

Thanks for everything.

[ChrisB]

Absolutely shattered by the news. I've never cried when any of my heroes ... music, sport etc have died, but, today, the tears were welling. Testament to the man that we're talking about his new album, fifty years into his career. I remember hearing Space Oddity for the first time, seeing him on T.O.T.P.'s, playing piano as Peter Noone sang "Oh, you pretty things", the Whistle Test debut, staying up until all hours to watch the world premiere of his video for "Blue Jean"..... A friend even bought us a copy of "Stage" as a wedding present! Thank you for all the fantastic music you have given us over the years. A true musical genius.

[martha]

I just checked Facebook before going to bed and found out...

I'm in shock honestly.

First rock star I ever loved. I fell in love with him as a young girl.. Lusted after him as a teen.... idolized him. Respected him as a young adult, but was arrogantly dismissive of large swathes of his work. With maturity found his talent truly staggering and astonishing in all respects as an adult.

Did Bowie change my life? Undeniably.

I can't even imagine life since I was 7 without Bowie in it.

I nearly was crushed to death during the glass spider tour. I broke a rib at his concert when the crowds crushed me into the security fencing gate in front of the stage. But I was so high on endorphins from seeing him from that close to the stage live I didn't freaking care until two days later when I came down from that whole experience and had to go back to the mundane realities of school and work... it was only then that I realized how bad my ribs hurt and saw a doctor.

He was.... an idol. And as one does with idols I worshipped him.

I really fucking hate cancer.

[Deebank]

Very sad.
Probably the most influential and important individual musical talent of our era has passed.

RIP David

[Purgatory Brite]

Words fail me!

RIP Thin White Duke

[kath]

oh god.

[Hugh]

The enormity of this is just beginning to sink in.

There's going to be a Bono tribute to get through

[Neige]

There's going to be a Bono tribute to get through

Humour in the face of adversity... this made me laugh.

[king feeb]

I'm sitting here in utter disbelief. I stared at the picture above his obituary for a good ten minutes, thinking that it would move, and grin that Bowie smile and assure me that this was just another art piece. So I listened to some random Bowie favorites, and when "Quicksand" came on, I started blubbering. The chameleon has made one final change.

It's really hard to accept, especially since he just released a major gigantic album. His diagnosis was 18 months ago. That means most (if not all) of Blackstar was done with the knowledge that it would be his last statement ever. And I just gotta say: What A Way To Go.

RIP David Bowie. You were a hero and a genius and a true star. Thanks for all the great music and for opening up realms of musical possibilities for us all.

[northernsky]

There's going to be a Bono tribute to get through

If it's in the form of a "snippet" of the Laughing Gnome casually tossed into the middle of Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, he'll have made the world a better place. Again.

[Polishgirl]

In public terms at least, what an elegant and dignified way to go. The world has lost a huge portion of creativity and talent, wrapped up as it was in one man.

I do like this, though; one of my friends posted it on FB, quoting his friend's daughter:

"Don't be sad. He had a good life. A really good life. Starred in lots of films, made tons of great music, he had lots of fans. He was a very good man and liked dogs. He looked mad and crazy and great. And he wouldn't want you to be sad, would he? He would have wanted singing."

[ConnyOlivetti]

Tony Visconti
From his Facebook page
"He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life - a work of Art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn't, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry."