Saturday, 16 January 2016

In tribute to David Bowie

In which G.M. Norton pays a pictorial tribute to Mr. David Bowie.

My beloved imparted the sad news of David Bowie's death at 7 bells on Monday morning. I was still coming around and she was dashing off to the office. It took a while for it to sink in.

69 years old. And just days after his birthday, when this daguerreotype was taken.

I’m not claiming to be a Bowie super fan but I have the most enormous respect for him and the mark he has indelibly left on British culture. I only possess two CDs - a greatest hits collection and the soundtrack to '80s film The Labyrinth, that was as a gift to my beloved (we both adore the film and our two daughters are now equally as fanatical about it). I also have a slightly scratched Ziggy Stardust vinyl album that I took a chance on at a car boot sale.

I must confess though that Bowie's death has knocked me for six. It's a timely reminder to make the most of every day and moment, chumrades.

I was fortunate to have watched David Bowie headline the Manchester Move festival at the Lancashire Country Cricket Ground in 2002. It was a rainy affair.

I describe it as 'rainy'. It was a torrential downpour of biblical proportions and I had made the grave error of neglecting to wear a coat. If memory serves me correct, I was clad in double-denim at the time too.

After hours of standing outside in the elements with my dear chum, Alastair, we were soaked to the bone. I for one was all shivers and teeth chattering.

And then something strange happened. David Bowie lithely stepped onto the stage and the rain instantly stopped.

At that very moment, I knew he was special. I was mesmerised by his voice, simply incredible, as he weaved through songs including Starman, Heroes and my favourite, the hauntingly magnificent Life on Mars.

I'm forever grateful to have had the chance to witness David Bowie perform. He was such a stylish fellow too. To cheer me up, I've been admiring some of my favourite pictorials of him so thought I would take the opportunity to share them with my esteemed readership.