The Stars Look Very Different Today
By Jason D. Greenough | Arts & Entertainment Editor
Even as a lifelong bookworm, reading of the ins and outs of Rock n’ Roll, when I hear that a Musician has died, it doesn’t always hit me deeply. When Lemmy Killmister, legendary frontman of Motorhead, passed away just before New Years Eve, it didn’t hit me the way it others because I am, admittedly, not a fan of Motorhead. When Natalie Cole, famed singer and Daughter of Jazz legend Nat King Cole, passed away on New Years Eve, it didn’t hit me the way it may have hit others, because I am, admittedly, not a fan of Natalie Cole. I will admit, however, that I was crushed when I heard the news of Eagles founding father Glenn Frye’s passing, because I was a huge Eagles fan.
But when I heard the news that David Bowie, the visionary rock star who penned such classics as “Space Oddity”, “Changes” and “Under Pressure”, had passed away on January 11th after a shocking revelation of a courageous 18-month battle with cancer, it hit me pretty hard. Even though, admittedly, I am not as well versed of a Bowie fan as many others are.
That’s not saying that I wasn’t a fan at all, though. For me, my affinity for Bowie went well beyond his musical genius, which spanned over 50 years. This entry is shared from the heart of a novice.
Bowie was the vanguard of a movement of outcasts and showed so many that being different was okay. With his glam and flamboyancy, he introduced to the world of Rock n’ Roll excess a streak of real artistry, genuine ingenuity, and a heart for what he was creating. His music touched people and still does. His persona and stage presence influenced the glam rock sub-culture that brought bands like KISS and The Tubes into the spotlight. His stage shows brought showmanship and pizazz to a whole new level, and while he changed with the times, he stayed more true to his craft than most, always putting the heart and soul before the dollar sign.
Starting with Ziggy Stardust in 1972, Bowie created alter-egos for himself that put him in the spotlight, and made it seem as if some guitar-wielding rock star had ascended from Jupiter to blow our minds with Sci-Fi themes, and raw power that was, with no pun intended, out of this world. That birthed the creativity of so many; to try and put a number on it would be an exercise in futility.
Even while secretly dying of liver cancer, he man found a way to record a full-length album, Blackstar, and tell us oh-so subtly “goodbye” through music videos for songs like “Lazarus” and the title track. Both highly recommended jams, both highly heart-wrenching once you realize the significance and the hidden message.
Many of us wouldn’t have picked up an instrument, or screamed into a microphone, or even dressed the way we felt comfortable had it not been for Bowie’s influence on pop culture. I’m still not as well-versed of a Bowie as I wish I was when he was alive, but from a new listener, I say thank you. Thank you, David, for your light, your smile, your voice, your passion, your power, and your heterochromia.
The stars indeed look different today, and it’s because a new star is flying across the night sky in a tin can. Planet Earth is still blue, and there is nothing we can do, but carry on your legacy in us all, and spread love, art, and light.
Thank you, David.
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