Why David Bowie will live forever
Filipino music fans and performers pay tribute to the consummate artist
IREMEMBER my mother dancing to David Bowie’s songs in the living room of our old apartment back in the 1980s.
In my eyes, Bowie was a guy who wore glittery spandex outfits and makeup, who could sing really nice songs, although I couldn’t understand why he spoke of outer space so much.
I had no idea who Ziggy Stardust was, and I was too young to bother understanding what Aladdin Sane meant, but that guy with a lightning bolt on his face certainly caught my fancy.
When the film “Labyrinth” was shown, however, Bowie became more significant as the Goblin King whom I feared and was fascinated with at the same time.
That’s what’s special about David Bowie. He makes a mark and commands respect whatever it is that he does. Even that New York City Police Department mug shot taken in 1976—the Thin White Duke himself, apprehended for possession of marijuana —looked pretty cool.
His flamboyant and androgynous personas created such an impact that celebrities and other artists have dressed in homage to his influence even to this day. And to an extent, Bowie’s pansexual image paved the way for gender neutrality.
Almost surreal
If the term “triple threat” was coined to describe a multi-talented artist, Bowie was more than that: singer, songwriter, music producer, trained dancer, film and theater actor, painter. He was an artist in every sense of the word. It seemed so effortless for him, it was almost surreal.
He hopped from one genre to another—and pulled it off successfully. Even if you’re not a fan of his work, you have to give him credit, as even Beck, Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan felt the need to cover his songs.
Then there were the films, from the wellloved fantasy (“Labyrinth”) to suspensehorror (“The Hunger” and “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me”), and even a satirical comedy (“Zoolander”) where he plays himself.
You don’t even have to look that far. The ’90s kids have “Clueless,” which used Bowie’s song “Fashion” in the scene where Cher flips through her wardrobe. The younger generation has “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” where Emma Watson suddenly finds the urge to stand on a moving vehicle because “Heroes” was playing on the car stereo.
“Guardians of the Galaxy,” on the other hand, has “Moonage Daydream” in its soundtrack, and “Starman” hits the spot in “The Martian.”
Expect Bowie to make a grand entrance and an unforgettable, quiet exit. Nobody, except for close kin, knew he was battling cancer before passing away on Jan. 10. His death came two days after the release of his new album, “Blackstar.”
News of his passing came as a shock to many people, including the musicians he worked with on “Blackstar,” because they said he didn’t look ill at all.
To his legions of fans, Bowie was the consummate artist. To others, his songs were a reprieve from a horrible day at work, the extra push to just hang in there. He was an inspiration whose influence was so immense that it led to bigger hopes and the fulfillment of even bigger dreams.
David Robert Jones may be dead, but David Bowie lives in the hearts of people who have been touched and inspired by his work.
INQUIRER Super presents a collection of sentiments from Bowie fans, local artists and musicians.