Echoes of Bowie...

01/13/16 - Despite having just a fraction of Bowie’s catalogue in my music collection, the news of his passing hit me like a punch in the stomach.  For as long as I can remember, he has been a part of my music universe, coming in waves, directly or indirectly.  To say his influence on music & culture is astronomical would be an understatement.  Almost every single one of my favourite artists was influenced by Bowie in one way or another, and even my all-time favourite movie (Velvet Goldmine) pays homage through fictional character Brian Slade.  Some took inspiration from his innovative sound, others from his stunning & androgynous visual presentation, and many more learned from his fearlessness of going out on a limb & refusing to confine art to a box. He was the king of the misfits & outsiders, for through him, so many others gained the courage to share who they truly are.  From Boy George (a huge Bowie fan since his teens) to Placebo (whom Bowie took under his wing after hearing their early demos), Bowie is & always will be an enduring influence who changed countless lives forever.  Culturally, I truly believe the blurring of gender lines & advancement of LGBTQ rights wouldn’t be where they are today had it not been for Bowie, who was one of the first on the world stage to be so open about his bisexuality & unafraid to play with gender expression. While the latter may have been in the name of art, it meant so much more.  We may have lost an icon this week, but his influence is immortal. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Sir Bowie.  May you rest in peace, wherever you are.

David Bowie

1947-2016

The above collage was compiled via Google search. If you own the rights to any photos above, please let me know, and I'll be more than happy to credit you here.

Placebo featuring David Bowie performing "Without You I'm Nothing" (live).

Brian Molko of Placebo & David Bowie rehearsing "Without You I'm Nothing" backstage at Irving Plaza, NYC, 03/29/99.

Brian Molko covering "Five Years" (live).

Boy George's 1999 cover of "Suffragette City".

Culture Club performing their 1999 cover of "Starman".

The Cure's cover of "Young Americans".

Marilyn Manson's 1998 cover of "Golden Years".  Their "Mechanical Animals" album from the same year was also clearly inspired by Bowie, not just aesthetically but sonically & lyrically.

The much underrated Psychotica, who developed a cult following in the late 90s wore their heart on their sleeve when it came to Bowie's influence, both on stage & vocally.

Suede covering "The Man Who Stole the World" during soundcheck in 1995.

Dead Of Alive's cover of "Rebel Rebel".