Letters / A little bit orphaned
Today the world is just a bit less of an interesting place with the death of David Bowie.
As someone – in their 50s now – who grew up with him, it’s like a little bit of your life just got orphaned.
I saw him at an early peak on the Ziggy Stardust/ Aladdin Sane sprawling tour of 1972/3. When the tour started they were playing pubs, by the time they ended with Bowies famous `This will be the last time we ever play..’ at the Hammersmith Odeon in July 1973 this was major league and a whole world had erupted around the man.
I saw them at the late Coventry Theatre, three weeks before, in June 1973, it was my first gig and I was 15. I remember how bright white the costumes were, I remember Mike Garson’s incredible deliberately dysfunctional piano.
The audience were slow to stand up and start jumping around, Bowie teased us. “I thought you were going to be one of those academic audiences,” he said.
The incredible attack of the whole event and Mick Ronson’s blistering guitars left us breathless. That was one to brag about in double Geography next day. If I close my eyes can remember it like it was yesterday.
Most people my age have grown up with Bowie as a constant and just a fantastic example of not playing by the rules, but being yourself and not be frightened to change.
Others have done it since, he was the first I knew to do it in such a flamboyant and fearless way. I don’t particularly feel like wearing a dress to work this week or gender bending as a statement, but I am going to grow my hair a bit longer and try and do things a bit different that was what the man was about really. Don’t just keep doing the old same old.
The emotion is coming out from all corners this week, but I’m not completely down hearted, for me it was a privilege to be on the planet at the same time and be able to follow the music over 40 years.
As I said, the world is just a little bit less of an interesting place today.
David Priest
Lerwick
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