RIP David Bowie…
This has shocked music fans around the world…the announcement that David Bowie has died of cancer at the age of 69.
“Look Up Here, I’m In Heaven”
These are the first words of his music video just released…here is the brand new song “Lazarus”:
“Black Star” was released late last week on the singer’s birthday, and it’s a prescient look at what he knew was ahead…
I was just listening to one of my favorite albums of his, and was planning on posting about it…
“They Call Them The Diamond Dogs!”
“Diamond Dogs” was Bowie’s 1974 concept album: a marriage of the novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell and Bowie’s take on a future that was a bit like the film “Escape From New York.”
Bowie had tried to license Orwell’s book for a theatrical play but was denied, and so the album was released, with a song “1984” included.
Here is a live version of the title track from 1996 I found on youtube…an updated feel to the song, but with the same great Bowie theatrics:
The album is also known for one of his biggest hits, “Rebel Rebel”…here is a great version of that song as well – from the era in which it was recorded:
Bowie was also an Artist and a great Actor, with “The Man Who Fell To Earth” his classic sci-fi film…and he wasn’t afraid to be commercial:
His erotic horror thriller with Susan Sarandon, “The Hunger” is good trashy 80’s fun…you can read about it here:
https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/11/the-hunger-sex-blood-bowie-new-music-lusting-for-vampires/
Alex and I saw his art exhibit in Chicago last year, and it only reinforced the various creative facets of his career…
RIP David Bowie…
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johnrieber 
Todd Rundgren and his band mates performed a burning “Rebel, Rebel” as their second of two encore songs tonight at The Fox Theater in Redwood City, California. Needless to say, the crowd went nuts. Happy and sad.
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I was still watching the news when Bowie’s death was announced. What a shock and a loss. I’ve just reserved almost everything my public library has with or about David Bowie (which isn’t a lot) and I will be hibernating as soon as I can pick it all up.
Thank you for your article with excellent references. Over the decades and through the fog of drugs and age, I had forgotten all of the albums of his I’ve spent so many, many hours listening to and immersing my brain in. The varied facets of Bowie changed my life immeasurably.
Thank you once again, John.
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I just added his last music video, “Lazarus” – just released with the first lyrics “look up here, I’m in heaven…” so sad
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David was brave for all of us. Look to Mars.
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