David Bowie is young. David Bowie - biography, information, personal life

David Bowie is a famous British singer and musician who has been involved in musical creativity.

"The Chameleon of Rock Music" David Bowie

“The Chameleon of Rock Music” created the largest legendary cult in the music world and became one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century due to constant innovative transformations in all genres of music. Effectively alternating images from folk singer to alien, he won the title of one of the most successful artists in the history of the British charts and best musicians the last 60 years.

Childhood and youth

David Robert Jones (later David Bowie) was born on January 8, 1947 in Brixton, London, to an Irish woman, Margaret Mary Peguy, who worked as a cinema cashier, and Hayward Stanton John Jones, an Englishman who was a clerk in the human resources department of a charity. It will later be discovered that David was born on the same day as his idol, exactly 12 years after him. According to their zodiac sign, both musicians turned out to be Capricorns, and according to Chinese astrology, their patron was the Pig.

At the time of the birth of their son, David’s parents lived in a civil marriage; only after 8 months they legalized their relationship. WITH early childhood the future rock musician showed his interest in music, and in preparatory school established himself as a talented, purposeful and intelligent boy. At the same time he was quite naughty child with a cocky character, which did not prevent him from receiving high grades in school.

In 1953, David Bowie's family moved to Bromley, where he attended primary school Burnt Ash Primary School. During his school years he began to study music, attended the choir and music club, where teachers noted his phenomenal ability to interpret. After he first heard the compositions of Elvis Presley, David decided that he must become a pop star. He persuaded his father to buy him a ukulele and built his own bass so that he could participate in skill sessions with friends. His passion for music negatively affected his performance at school, as a result of which Bowie failed his final exam and went to study at a technical college.

In college, the future rock star discovered modern jazz and got the idea of ​​becoming a saxophonist. Then he had to work as a loader in a local butcher shop to buy his first pink plastic Selmer saxophone, and a year later his mother gave David a white alto saxophone for Christmas.

At the age of 15, Bowie had an accident - he got into a fight with his friend in college and suffered a serious injury to his left eye. The musician spent the next four months in the hospital, where doctors performed a series of operations to prevent his blindness. Alas, they were unable to completely restore vision, as a result of which the singer partially lost the perception of color, and after the transformation the eye began to see everything in brown color. In addition, the musician remained with signs of heterochromia for the rest of his life; the color of the iris of the injured eye remained darker.

By the end of college, the future legend of rock music could play many musical instruments, including guitar, saxophone, keyboards, harpsichord, electric guitar, vibraphone, ukulele, harmonica, piano, koto and percussion. Considering that the singer was left-handed from birth, he uses musical instruments as a right-hander and plays a right-handed guitar.

Music and creativity

David Bowie's musical career began with the creation of his own The group Kon-rads, with whom he played rock and roll at local weddings and parties. But the ambitions of the aspiring musician did not allow him to stay in its composition, and he moved to the band “The King Bees”. Working with the new team, David Jones wrote a bold letter to millionaire John Bloom, inviting the oligarch to become his producer and earn another million. But Bloom ignored the aspiring musician’s offer and handed over his letter to one of the song publishers, Leslie Conn, who became interested in Bowie and signed his first contract.

Even in his youth, David took the pseudonym Bowie to avoid confusion with Davey Johnson from The Monkees, who was gaining popularity in those years. The star under the name David Bowie was born on January 14, 1966. Then he began performing at the famous club “Marks” as part of the group “The Lower Third”. The singer's first few recorded singles were complete failures, which led to the termination of his contract with Conn. After this, Bowie released his debut album and recorded a sixth single, which also failed to chart.

The first failures in the music arena forced the musician to give up realizing his dream for several years. He plunged into the world theatrical performances and joined the circus. While studying dramatic art, Bowie became completely immersed in creating images, characters and characters with which he later captivated the whole world.

David Bowie's first success in music came only 7 years after the start of his career. His single "Space Oddity" reached the top five of the British charts in 1969, after which he released an album of the same name, which became successful throughout Europe. The musician shook up the rock culture that existed at that time, giving this genre of music progressiveness.

In 1970, Bowie released his third album, The Man Who Sold the World, in which he switched to heavy rock. Critics called this work by the musician “the beginning of the glam rock era.” After this, the singer creates the group “Hype”, in which he gives his first big concert, performing under the pseudonym Ziggy Stardust. He created a real sensation in the music world and elevated the musician to the pinnacle of fame.

David Bowie gained worldwide fame in 1975 after the release of the album Young Americans, which included the musical work “Fame,” which became his first hit in the United States. During that period, he performed on stage as the Gaunt White Duke, performing rock ballads.

In 1980, Bowie exploded again music world the album “Scary Monsters”, which brought the musician not only fame and recognition, but also enormous profit. Then he began collaborating with a popular group, with whom he recorded the song “Under Pressure,” which became a No. 1 hit on the British charts. In 1983, the musician released another album with dance music “Let’s Dance”, which became a bestseller - its sales reached 14 million copies.

In the early 90s, the singer began to experiment with images and genres, securing his status as a “chameleon of rock music.” He, cleverly maintaining his individual image, constantly changes musical styles and the theme of the songs, appearing on stage in different images. During this period, he released a number of albums, the most interesting and conceptual of which was “1.Outside”. In 1997, the rock musician celebrated his 50th birthday at Madison Square Garden, where he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his invaluable contribution to the recording industry.

David Bowie's last album was Blackstar, which he released on January 8, 2016, his 69th birthday. It included 7 compositions, some of which would be used later in the musical “Lazarus” and the TV series “The Last Panthers”. The last two video clips created for the songs “The Stars” and “The Next Day” featured famous artists- , And . The singer’s last appearance on screen was a video for the musical composition “Lazarus,” in which David appeared in the role of a dying old man.

The artist's discography includes 26 studio and 9 live albums, 46 collections. David Bowie also has 112 singles and 56 videos. The rock legend was included in the list of “100 Greatest Britons” in 2002 and received the title of the most popular singer of all times. In 2006, he was awarded a Grammy Award for his contribution to the development of world music.

In addition to music, David Bowie actively acted in films. During the creative Bowie biographies managed to transform from an actor who transforms himself mainly into the images of rebel musicians, into a versatile master of disguises. The musician's credits include the role of an alien in the science fiction film "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and the Goblin King in the American children's film“Labyrinth”, work in the drama “Beautiful Gigolo, Poor Gigolo”.

It’s interesting that David Bowie visited Russia three times. The musician’s first tour took place in the 70s, when David crossed 1/6 of the land from the Far East to Moscow. The second appearance in the Russian capital took place a year later. This time the artist was accompanied by his friend and colleague -.

Well, at the end of the 90s, the rock star was already expected to give a concert in the Grand Kremlin Palace, which he performed brilliantly, although he himself was dissatisfied with the performance.

Personal life

David Bowie's personal life has always interested his fans. This is due to the fact that in the mid-70s he announced his bisexuality in an interview. Since then, David Bowie's sexual orientation has been widely discussed in society, despite the fact that in 1993 he denied these frank confessions, calling them the biggest mistake of life.

The rock musician associated his past interest in homosexuality and bisexuality with the “fashion trends” of the time, and not with manifestations of his true feelings. At the same time, he emphasized that by creating the image of a bisexual, he managed to achieve fame and realize his dreams.

The rock musician was married twice and has two adult children. Bowie first married in 1970 to model Angela Barnett, who gave birth to his son Duncan Zoe Heywood Jones in 1971. Since in those years David Bowie was connected strong friendship Since , fans assume that the rocker wrote the romantic ballad “Angie” in honor of Barnett, although Jagger himself does not confirm this information.

Bowie's first marriage ended after 10 years life together. David's son later became famous in the film industry, directing the films Moon 2112 and Source Code. During these same years there was a time of close collaboration with Iggy Pop, godfather grunge and punk rock, which was later created in the biographical documentary Lust for Life.

In 1992, David Bowie walked down the aisle again - his second choice was the model from Somalia Iman Abdulmajid. Before the wedding, the girl became famous for starring in the “Remember the Time” video. In 2000, the couple had a daughter, Alexandria Zahra. When choosing models as wives, Bowie could afford this, because his height was 178 cm and his weight was 74 kg. The tall, athletic singer looked harmonious in the photo next to each of the chosen ones.

In 2004, Bowie underwent major heart surgery due to a blocked heart artery. He underwent angioplasty, after which he needed time to recover. Then he began to rarely appear on stage and reduced the number of performances. In 2011, information appeared that the “chameleon of rock music” had finished singing career, but in 2013 he again began to delight fans with the release of new albums.

Death

On January 10, 2016, David Bowie died in London. The death of the rock music legend occurred as a result of a 1.5-year battle with cancer. During this time, in addition to his main illness, the artist was attacked by heart problems - he suffered 6 heart attacks. The singer's health problems began in the mid-70s, when he became addicted to drugs.

Despite the fact that the singer managed to get rid of drug addiction, it left an indelible mark on his health - Bowie suffered from memory loss and compared his brain to “holy Swiss cheese.”

It happened in the family circle and with the support of loved ones. Before his death, the singer managed to celebrate his 69th birthday, marking it with the release of his new album “Blackstar”. He left behind a rich musical legacy around the world, having sold more than 136 million of his records and discs.

According to the will, the singer's body was cremated and the ashes were buried in secret place on the island of Bali. Following the example of his friend and colleague, David Bowie did not want to worship his monument, so he insisted on a modest burial, which only his relatives know about.

Memory

Since the musician's death, interest in his personality has not decreased. In 2017, he was awarded the BRIT Awards in the category "Best British Act". Such an award had never before been awarded posthumously. With the help of the Internet, a money collection began for the installation of a monument in honor of David Bowie, but to collect the required amount failed. And only in 2018, a bronze sculpture appeared in Aylesbury, which was called “Earthly Messenger”.

After the death of the star, some fans named his successor Brian Molko, the leader of the group Placebo, a charismatic musician with an androgynous appearance, with whom David Bowie maintained friendly relations.

Discography

• 1967 – David Bowie
• 1969 – Space Oddity
• 1973 – Aladdin Sane
• 1974 – Diamond Dogs
• 1975 – Young Americans
• 1977 – Heroes
• 1983 – Let's Dance
• 1995 – 1.Outside
• 2002 – Heathen
• 2003 – Reality
• 2013 – The Next Day
• 2016 – Blackstar

Celebrity biographies

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08.01.17 10:59

He took 39th place in the prestigious top publication Rolling Stone("100 greatest performers rock music of all times"), sold more than 136 million records, he shocked and surprised, inspired and changed styles - from the “alien” and androgyne to the aristocratic decadent. The biography of David Bowie is unique, and on the 70th birthday of the British songwriter and rock singer, we will remember its main milestones.

Biography of David Bowie

School choir member and fidget

David Robert Jones (this is the musician's real name) was the son of Londoners, his mother worked in a cinema, his father in the personnel department. The Joneses' only son was born on January 8, 1947. At first the family lived in the Brixton area, then moved to Bromley. Even then, when he went to school, David surprised everyone with his desire for self-expression. He was school choir member, took part in concerts with enthusiasm, but did not like lessons very much, and was known as a fidget and a fighter.

He heard the voice of God

David Bowie's life changed when he started buying vinyl records and listening to rock musicians, he was especially struck by Elvis Presley. It was then that the Briton decided that he too would become a singer; he called Presley’s voice “the voice of God.” David began learning to play the guitar, and as a young man mastered acoustic and bass guitars, piano and ukulele. He would later become an outstanding multi-instrumentalist. His first Music band arose back in school - in 1962, the guys performed at parties. Bowie tried to study at college, but after the first year he left there, dreaming of devoting himself only to music.

Androgynous messiah Ziggy

Where did the pseudonym "David Bowie" come from? It's simple: David Jones alone already reigned on the rock scene - he was the lead singer of The Monkees, so our hero began to look for another sonorous surname, and found: “Bowie knife” means “hunting knife”.

David did not follow the beaten path, he invented his own direction, which was later dubbed “glam rock.” Already in the mid-1960s, he appeared on stage in unusual, shocking images, and his music was innovative, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes glamorous. The experiments were successful and not so successful. So, in 1972, Bowie asked everyone to call himself “Ziggy Stardust” and said that he was a science fiction character designed to save our world. Most famous album this androgynous hero was called "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust" and the Spiders from Mars."

Age of the White Duke

But the image of the “Haggard White Duke” became more famous, then Bowie really was emaciated and very addicted to cocaine. The album (and single of the same name) “Young Americans” dates back to this period. It was probably a tribute American singers, which David listened to as a teenager. In 1976, the musician went to travel around Europe and stayed in Switzerland and Germany, where the “Berlin Trilogy” was born (three discs released in 1977 and 1979).

The army of fans grew, as did the influence of the singer’s transformations and creativity on his colleagues. In the early 1980s, the album “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” was wildly popular; it brought the vocalist incredible income. At the same time, David Bowie’s biography began to include more performances with colleagues - he collaborated with many, from Iggy Pop to Cher and Tina Turner. The White Duke was forgotten, as were the drugs.

He could have been Chapman's victim

Bowie was greatly affected by the murder of John Lennon, especially since the psychopath Chapman had targeted David as his second victim. Even in his testimony, the criminal emphasized: if it had not worked out with John, he would have shot David. So David Bowie's death was bypassed that time.

The singer continued to experiment, used soul in his compositions, and enriched them with electronic sound, tried hip-hop, jungle and drum and bass. This is especially noticeable in his concept album “1.Outside” (it was supposed to be the first in the series, but something didn’t work out).

After the release of the disc “Reality” in 2003, during a promotional tour to promote it, Bowie felt ill. David was admitted to the clinic and had surgery (an artery was blocked in the shoulder area). The singer took an indefinite leave of absence; some decided that David Bowie’s creative biography was over. But after a couple of years he returned and toured a lot. True, the release of the new album was delayed - until 2013.

Alien, Gigolo, Vampire, Goblin King, Pilate

Throughout its entire musical career Bowie starred in films quite a lot, although he himself joked that more often he was invited to strange roles - from aliens to transvestites. Indeed, David’s debut on the big screen was the role of the alien Thomas in the science fiction film “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” released in mid-1976.

But, for example, the image of the military man Paul in the drama “Beautiful Gigolo - Unhappy Gigolo” is quite “human”. By the way, this film is the last work of Marlene Dietrich, she played the owner of an underground brothel for old rich women, and Bowie’s hero was one of her “call boys.”

Tony Scott's decadent fantasy drama The Hunger is making waves. This arthouse film was about a couple of vampires (Bowie and Catherine Deneuve) who were faced with a problem: John Blaylock suddenly began to age, although ghouls are immortal. And then his passion found new toy– a pretty doctor (Susan Sarandon).

One of the most bright roles David Bowie's acting biography featured the role of Jareth, the goblin king who kidnapped the little brother of Jennifer Connelly's young heroine (the excellent gothic fantasy Labyrinth). The elaborate suit and long-haired wig made Bowie a charming and irresistible monster. The musician wrote no less beautiful compositions for this Jim Henson film.

In a controversial adaptation scandalous romance“The Last Temptation of Christ”, carried out by Martin Scorsese, the singer unexpectedly appeared in the image of Pontius Pilate.

Joker in the deck of fate

They say that Tim Burton wanted to invite an Englishman to play the role of the Joker in his film “Batman”, but still settled on the candidacy of Nicholson. But Bowie worked with David Lynch (the thriller Twin Peaks: Walkthrough the Fire) and Christopher Nolan. In the thriller “Prestige,” the singer played Nikola Tesla as one of the most mysterious scientists of the Victorian era.

Bowie’s thirtieth studio disc, “The Next Day,” was released in January 2013, and exactly 3 years later, to the same day, the disc “Blackstar” was released. It was timed to coincide with the author's 69th birthday. It turned out that this is the final “joker” in the deck of David Bowie’s life.

Everyone was discussing the stunning video by the British artist “Lazarus” (later the video would be called a terrible prophecy). And 3 days after the 69th birthday of the glam rock icon, the world learned the terrible news about the death of David Bowie. It turned out that for a year and a half the singer struggled with cancer, liver cancer.

Personal life of David Bowie

Stormy youth

Despite the constant rumors about the singer's bisexuality (and even homosexuality), he married twice. David Bowie's first wife Angela lived with him for 10 years. It was a turbulent time, and when the singer decided to settle down and quit cocaine (in 1980), he divorced Angie.

They have a son together, Duncan Jones, born in 1971 (he famous director, who directed “Warcraft”). Later, the singer lamented how little time he spent with his son, but when Duncan grew up, the two got along.

Beautiful Iman and baby Lexi

The divorce from his first wife took place in 1980, and in 1992 the musician walked down the aisle again - it was a very magnificent ceremony in Florence. David Bowie's second wife is the famous model Iman ( full name– Iman Abdulmajid), a native of Somalia. The couple lived either in the USA (in New York, Manhattan) or in London.

The singer was very happy and lavished compliments on his other half, calling her the most beautiful in the world - and not only in appearance.

Thanks to this new turn in his life, David Bowie once again became a father, quite late - at 53 years old. The daughter was named Alexandria - Lexi.

On January 10, 2016, the news that the famous singer, songwriter, film actor and generally cultural icon of the second half of the 20th century died of cancer at the age of 69 caused bewilderment. Literally two days before his death, on his birthday on January 8, David Bowie released a new album, Blackstar, unlike any other. His sudden departure came as a shock - only the narrowest circle of his family and friends knew that the musician was terminally ill. On the day of Bowie's death, social media was filled with endless expressions of condolences and RIPs, video clips and photographs from all periods of Bowie's career.

It sounds cliche, but everyone has their own Bowie. His work had a tremendous influence on pop and rock music, an influence that continues and will continue. At the same time, it is difficult to say in what style he worked - he himself was a style. Ever changing.

Glam Bowie

David Bowie was born in London on January 8, 1947 (symbolically, January 8 is the birthday of another 20th century pop idol, Elvis Presley). David Bowie's real name is Jones. He took the pseudonym in 1966 so as not to be confused with The Monkees frontman Davy Jones. In an interview, Bowie recalled that at first he “very wisely” changed his pseudonym to Tom Jones: “I was Tom Jones for only a couple of weeks and was about to do a photo shoot for the press when the song It’s Not Unusual came out (one of the main hits Welsh musician Tom Jones. - Approx. TASS)".

Then, being a big fan of Mick Jagger, he learned that “jagger” means “knife” in Old English, so David decided to take a similar pseudonym for himself ( bowie knife- a type of hunting knife named after Jim Bowie, one of the heroes of the Texas Revolution). “David Bowie’s” birthday is considered to be January 14, 1966 - it was on this day that he first appeared under that name with the band The Lower Third on the cover of the album Can’t Help Thinking About Me.

At that time, young Bowie looked like an ordinary "mod" boy in a jacket, playing the saxophone in several passing bands. His first solo album was called David Bowie (1967). In 1969, he was signed to a contract by Mercury Records, which released his album Man of Words, Man of Music, later renamed Space Oddity. Actually, this is where Bowie’s first hit came from, the title song about an astronaut named Major Tom. There was space then hot topic, since the Americans landed on the moon in July 1969.

At the same time - the beginning of Bowie's long-term "cosmic" theme, which was successfully continued in the 1972 album, which is now considered a classic - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars ("The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars") - a concept album, the story of a space alien-rock star, told with excellent songs in the style of glam rock. Glam was the hottest thing back then musical style, but Ziggy has become more than just a style. Throughout his forty-year career, Bowie often fit into current style and changed it. In general, we can say that it was then, in 1972, that Bowie as we know him began: an artist bright images. He never looked like a rock star (whatever that means), but always had a fairy-tale quality to him.

Bowie drew ideas from everywhere: from modern art, theater, cinema, fashion. He was interested in everything, so his albums turned out to be multi-layered and rich different meanings. Therefore, in fact, almost the entire discography of Bowie is an unconditional classic. And each of his musical discoveries gave rise to a generation of successors and imitators. By the way, he himself contributed in every possible way to the success of his colleagues. For example, in the same 1972, Bowie produced ex-Velvet Underground leader Lou Reed's solo album Transformer, from which the song Walk on the Wild Side became a worldwide hit. Also in 1972, Bowie discovered a young talent - a failed drummer, punk and brat named James Newell Osterberg, who performed in The Stooges under the pseudonym Iggy Pop. Bowie got him a contract with the Columbia label, produced a number of his albums, performed with him semi-anonymously and, in general, made a name for Iggy Pop.

Interestingly, selfless collaboration with Iggy Pop, who can hardly be called a commercial artist (although for punk he is, of course, just a superstar and a millionaire), brought solid dividends to Bowie himself. Iggy's album was released in 1977 Butt The Idiot, which was produced by Bowie and his guitarist Mick Ronson. Firstly, the work on this eclectic album, combining drum machines and funk, inspired Bowie himself with his experimental "Berlin Trilogy" - the dark, claustrophobic albums Low (1977), Heroes (1977) and Lodger (1979), which reflected both personal Bowie's turmoil and depression, as well as the spirit of the time: tensions in the world, cold war, confrontation between powers, etc. Secondly, it was on “The Idiot” that Iggy Pop’s song China Girl appeared (Bowie was listed as a co-author, but the lyrics were almost entirely written by Iggy Pop, based on his personal experiences). In 1983, Bowie decided to cover it, seemingly so that Pop, who was then in a sad financial situation, would receive good copyright credits. For the Let's Dance album, the song was radically reworked. Funk guitarist Nile Rodgers, leader of the disco band Chic, came up with the now famous catchy "Chinese" riff. The famous blues-rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan played a stunning solo, in his style - meaty vital blues. The song, of course, became a hit (2nd place in the British hit parade), as did the entire album, but we are talking about something else - about Bowie’s incredible ability to connect seemingly incompatible musicians and ideas into one inseparable whole. And to sell these experiments to the widest possible public.

One of the main songs from the time of Ziggy Stardust - Starman

Disco Bowie

The 1980s were the time of disco and synth-pop. Let's Dance and the album Tonight (1984) were precisely in this stream: unbridled fun, dancing and carnal joys. Bowie, who once invented the image of an alien, was always presented as a not entirely human being, a kind of alien.

But he himself was both a lover of life and a businessman (in 1997 he issued his own shares, that is, part of the income from future albums and reissues). He tirelessly trolled the press about his alleged homo- or bisexuality, despite the fact that he was always married to beauties. All sorts of drug stories also excited the imagination. British singer Morrissey, former leader of the influential band The Smiths, recalls Bowie once telling him: “You know, I’ve had so much sex and drugs in my life that I can’t believe I’m still alive.”

By the end of the 80s, Bowie was already an icon and a living classic, but as a solo artist he himself was somewhat lost. He deliberately moved away from commercial pop music on the album Never Let Me Down (1987). A real failure was his strange project - the group Tin Machine with experimental guitarist Reeves Gabrels (now a member The Cure), which existed from 1988 to 1992 and released two albums. The musicians themselves viewed this project as a purely musical experiment for their own pleasure; everyone contributed their ideas, and the fees were divided equally among the four. It is clear that thanks to Bowie, Tin Machine's albums briefly entered the charts, but in general public interest was minimal. Critics were simply annoyed by this story, and, in general, Bowie, in the role of a democrat and experimenter, greatly ruined his reputation.

The famous composition of the 80s Let's Dance

Pop Bowie

Throughout the 90s, David Bowie experimented desperately. It’s a good face against an unimportant game, as if that’s how it should be, that’s how it was intended. Every couple of years a new album appeared and new hit. For example, Jump They Say (from Black Tie White Noise, 1993), The Heart's Filthy Lesson and Hallo Spaceboy (both from the conceptual 1. Outside, 1995). Finally, Bowie's very decisive step towards the end of the 90s was the album Earthling, made in the then-current drum"n"bass style. This, by the way, is truly an absolutely outstanding album in Bowie's discography, in the sense that fans of the singer unanimously hate him, and fans of all electronic dance music from Bowie, if they recognize anything, it's only this the most Earthling. Be that as it may, this shows Bowie’s unique ability to rush headlong into any genre. And also to make songs out of any non-song music. This, by the way, applies to the quasi-free jazz of the album Black Tie White Noise and Blackstar, now, alas, is the last in every sense.

But, no matter what happened to Bowie's hits in the 90s, at that time he was already looked upon as spiritual father many new groups. Let's say, all the fashionable Britpop - Blur, Suede, Pulp and others - are, of course, echoes of early Bowie. Indie sensations of the 2000s like MGMT or Scissor Sisters were also clearly inspired by his images and dance tracks of the 80s. Bowie's messianic and cosmic motifs migrated to the work of rapper Kanye West. Lady Gaga as a character wouldn't exist at all if it weren't for Bowie. And so on. He himself encouraged young people in every possible way, singing duets with Placebo and Arcade Fire. His hits were covered by many, since it was an almost one hundred percent guarantee of success. Let's say The Wallflowers brought Heroes back into the charts in 1998.

David Bowie and Arcade Fire perform Wake Up

Cinema Bowie

Bowie not only entered the history of music, but also became an integral part of modern cinema. His songs are heard in dozens of films: Starman in The Martian, Young Americans in Dogville, Rock & Roll Suicide in The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou - the list is endless. Bowie himself also loved acting: he had almost fifty film roles, some of which were major or key. His first big role there was, of course, a humanoid alien who flies to Earth to save his home planet from a catastrophic drought. This is the plot of the film "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976), which resonates with the Ziggy Stardust album. He was followed by the role of a vampire in "The Hunger" (1983), the goblin king Jareth in "Labyrinth" (1986), Andy Warhol (whom Bowie adored and even dedicated one of his early songs to him) in "Basquiat" (1996), and already in the 21st century - Nikola Tesla in "Prestige" (2006).

Not a single film has been made based on the biography of David Bowie, not counting “Velvet Goldmine” (1998), which refers to the musician’s glam rock period (the title of the film was given by Bowie’s song Velvet Goldmine). True, Bowie himself perceived the film as a lampoon, distorting real facts his biography. His music was supposed to be featured in the film, but he banned its use, as well as the mention of his name. Which, in general, is not surprising, because only Bowie himself could play Bowie. Each of his cameos as himself instantly became the central moment of the film - as, for example, in the comedy Zoolander (2001), where Bowie acted as the judge of a “fashion duel”. If it weren't for Bowie, no one would even remember this film now.

Russian rock Bowie

It cannot be said that Bowie enjoyed mass success in our country. However, he had an undoubted influence on the underground Russian rock that developed in the 80s. The first one that comes to mind, of course, is Boris Grebenshchikov, who at one time even visually resembled Bowie with his bleached bangs. And in general, BG does not hide his passion for the Briton’s work. Our rockers at that time already had the opportunity to watch videos of concerts and videos of Western musicians. The aesthetics of the "new wave" simply revolutionized the locals' understanding of rock music. Dance rhythms, drum machines, a bright carnival image, exotic melodies - all this was one way or another adopted by “Kino”, “Alice”, “Alliance”, “TV”, Nautilus Pompilius, “April March”, “Obermaneken”, “Nastya”, and a little later, Mumiy Troll, which also comes from the 80s, although it became famous in the 90s. That is, the influence spread literally from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Another question is that technically it was very difficult for us to make such music - no free access to the studio, no instruments.

Boris Grebenshchikov, musician

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About a year or two ago, during endless tours through the snowy forests, fields and steppes of our homeland, I started listening to Bowie’s music again, and it was as if a second ear had opened in me

Boris Grebenshchikov, musician

Russia was interested in David Bowie, and Bowie was interested in Russia. It is clear that in Soviet times there was no talk of any concerts for such a scandalous character. He came as a tourist in 1973. I just bought a tour and traveled by train from Vladivostok (where I arrived from Yokohama, having completed the Ziggy Stardust tour) to Moscow.

The trip delighted Bowie: “I was incredibly impressed by Siberia. We spent the whole day driving along majestic forests, rivers and wide plains. I could not imagine that there were still places in the world filled with such virgin nature,” he wrote in one of letters.

David Bowie stayed in Moscow for three days. No sensations or scandals: I went to museums and Red Square. In April 1976, Bowie came to Moscow again, again as a private citizen and in the company of Iggy Pop. And only 20 years later, a David Bowie concert finally took place in Russia. The start of the trip was inspiring (Bowie was greeted with bread and salt at the airport), but the concert itself in the Kremlin was a failure. They say that Bowie was dissatisfied with the abundance of “raspberry jackets” and the sluggish reaction of the audience to the new songs. It is believed that it was after this strange concert that he swore off coming to Russia at all. The company that organized that concert calls these rumors nonsense. A the real reason No one knows that Bowie did not return to Russia.

Blackstar is the title track from Bowie's latest album. The album is actually called ★, the same symbol used for decoration records. Blackstar is the only Bowie album not to feature an image of the musician himself on the cover.

In the 2000s, Bowie gave up show business in general for 10 years. In 2004, during the Reality tour, the singer had a heart attack, and that’s when Bowie began making hit songs. interesting albums(Heathen, and the same Reality), was again a relevant artist, in general, experiencing a revival. However, Bowie didn't just cancel the tour, he actually became a recluse. Until 2013, when The Next Day album was released, he did not give interviews and almost never appeared in public. The energetic, rocking The Next Day, produced as in the best of times by Tony Visconti, began new page in Bowie's discography. In recent years, he did not stop working, because he knew that he did not have long to live. Released on January 8, 2016, the album Blackstar, recorded with New York jazz innovators Mark Juliana (drums) and Donnie McCaslin (saxophone), set, as it now turns out, a bright point in the discography and life of David Bowie.

However, 2016 was not “the year without Bowie”; rather, on the contrary, it was the year of Bowie. His last album topped the charts, YouTube videos received tens of millions of views, he was talked about in the news and on late-night talk shows, his protégés dedicated performances and tributes to him (just look at Life On Mars performed by Lorde during the BRIT Awards). Moreover, after Bowie’s death, the world heard several previously unreleased works by the musician: three new songs written for the musical Lazarus, as well as full album The Gouster, which Bowie recorded during the Gaunt White Duke period - from 1974 to 1976, when the albums Diamond Dogs, Young Americans and Station to Station were released.

Celebrity biographies

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08.01.17 10:59

He took 39th place in the prestigious Rolling Stone list (“100 greatest rock performers of all time”), sold more than 136 million records, he shocked and surprised, inspired and changed styles - from the “alien” and androgyne to the aristocratic decadent. The biography of David Bowie is unique, and on the 70th birthday of the British songwriter and rock singer, we will remember its main milestones.

Biography of David Bowie

School choir member and fidget

David Robert Jones (this is the musician's real name) was the son of Londoners, his mother worked in a cinema, his father in the personnel department. The Joneses' only son was born on January 8, 1947. At first the family lived in the Brixton area, then moved to Bromley. Even then, when he went to school, David surprised everyone with his desire for self-expression. He was a school choir member, took part in concerts with enthusiasm, but did not like lessons very much, and was known as a fidget and a fighter.

He heard the voice of God

David Bowie's life changed when he began buying vinyl records and listening to rock musicians, and Elvis Presley especially struck him. It was then that the Briton decided that he too would become a singer; he called Presley’s voice “the voice of God.” David began learning to play the guitar, and as a young man mastered acoustic and bass guitars, piano and ukulele. He would later become an outstanding multi-instrumentalist. His first musical group appeared at school - in 1962, the guys performed at parties. Bowie tried to study at college, but after the first year he left there, dreaming of devoting himself only to music.

Androgynous messiah Ziggy

Where did the pseudonym "David Bowie" come from? It's simple: David Jones alone already reigned on the rock scene - he was the lead singer of The Monkees, so our hero began to look for another sonorous surname, and found: “Bowie knife” means “hunting knife”.

David did not follow the beaten path, he invented his own direction, which was later dubbed “glam rock.” Already in the mid-1960s, he appeared on stage in unusual, shocking images, and his music was innovative, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes glamorous. The experiments were successful and not so successful. So, in 1972, Bowie asked everyone to call himself “Ziggy Stardust” and said that he was a science fiction character designed to save our world. The most famous album of this androgynous hero was called “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”

Age of the White Duke

But the image of the “Haggard White Duke” became more famous, then Bowie really was emaciated and very addicted to cocaine. The album (and single of the same name) “Young Americans” dates back to this period. It was probably a tribute to the American singers that David listened to as a teenager. In 1976, the musician went to travel around Europe and stayed in Switzerland and Germany, where the “Berlin Trilogy” was born (three discs released in 1977 and 1979).

The army of fans grew, as did the influence of the singer’s transformations and creativity on his colleagues. In the early 1980s, the album “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” was wildly popular; it brought the vocalist incredible income. At the same time, David Bowie’s biography began to include more performances with colleagues - he collaborated with many, from Iggy Pop to Cher and Tina Turner. The White Duke was forgotten, as were the drugs.

He could have been Chapman's victim

Bowie was greatly affected by the murder of John Lennon, especially since the psychopath Chapman had targeted David as his second victim. Even in his testimony, the criminal emphasized: if it had not worked out with John, he would have shot David. So David Bowie's death was bypassed that time.

The singer continued to experiment, used soul in his compositions, imbued them with electronic sounds, tried hip-hop, jungle and drum and bass. This is especially noticeable in his concept album “1.Outside” (it was supposed to be the first in the series, but something didn’t work out).

After the release of the disc “Reality” in 2003, during a promotional tour to promote it, Bowie felt ill. David was admitted to the clinic and had surgery (an artery was blocked in the shoulder area). The singer took an indefinite leave of absence; some decided that David Bowie’s creative biography was over. But after a couple of years he returned and toured a lot. True, the release of the new album was delayed - until 2013.

Alien, Gigolo, Vampire, Goblin King, Pilate

Throughout his musical career, Bowie acted in films quite a lot, although he himself joked that he was more often invited to strange roles - from aliens to transvestites. Indeed, David’s debut on the big screen was the role of the alien Thomas in the science fiction film “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” released in mid-1976.

But, for example, the image of the military man Paul in the drama “Beautiful Gigolo - Unhappy Gigolo” is quite “human”. By the way, this film is the last work of Marlene Dietrich, she played the owner of an underground brothel for old rich women, and Bowie’s hero was one of her “call boys.”

Tony Scott's decadent fantasy drama The Hunger is making waves. This arthouse film was about a couple of vampires (Bowie and Catherine Deneuve) who were faced with a problem: John Blaylock suddenly began to age, although ghouls are immortal. And then his passion found a new toy - a pretty doctor (Susan Sarandon).

One of the most striking roles in David Bowie’s acting biography was the role of Jareth, the goblin king who kidnapped the little brother of Jennifer Connelly’s young heroine (the excellent gothic fantasy “Labyrinth”). The elaborate suit and long-haired wig made Bowie a charming and irresistible monster. The musician wrote no less beautiful compositions for this Jim Henson film.

In Martin Scorsese's controversial adaptation of the controversial novel The Last Temptation of Christ, the singer unexpectedly appeared as Pontius Pilate.

Joker in the deck of fate

They say that Tim Burton wanted to invite an Englishman to play the role of the Joker in his film “Batman”, but still settled on the candidacy of Nicholson. But Bowie worked with David Lynch (the thriller Twin Peaks: Walkthrough the Fire) and Christopher Nolan. In the thriller “Prestige,” the singer played Nikola Tesla as one of the most mysterious scientists of the Victorian era.

Bowie’s thirtieth studio disc, “The Next Day,” was released in January 2013, and exactly 3 years later, to the same day, the disc “Blackstar” was released. It was timed to coincide with the author's 69th birthday. It turned out that this is the final “joker” in the deck of David Bowie’s life.

Everyone was discussing the stunning video by the British artist “Lazarus” (later the video would be called a terrible prophecy). And 3 days after the 69th birthday of the glam rock icon, the world learned the terrible news about the death of David Bowie. It turned out that for a year and a half the singer struggled with cancer, liver cancer.

Personal life of David Bowie

Stormy youth

Despite the constant rumors about the singer's bisexuality (and even homosexuality), he married twice. David Bowie's first wife Angela lived with him for 10 years. It was a turbulent time, and when the singer decided to settle down and quit cocaine (in 1980), he divorced Angie.

They have a son together, Duncan Jones, born in 1971 (he is a famous director who directed Warcraft). Later, the singer lamented how little time he spent with his son, but when Duncan grew up, the two got along.

Beautiful Iman and baby Lexi

The divorce from his first wife took place in 1980, and in 1992 the musician walked down the aisle again - it was a very magnificent ceremony in Florence. David Bowie's second wife is the famous model Iman (full name Iman Abdulmajid), a native of Somalia. The couple lived either in the USA (in New York, Manhattan) or in London.

The singer was very happy and lavished compliments on his other half, calling her the most beautiful in the world - and not only in appearance.

Thanks to this new turn in his life, David Bowie once again became a father, quite late - at 53 years old. The daughter was named Alexandria - Lexi.