David Robert Hayward was born on January 8, 1947, in Brixton, London, England. He changed his surname to Bowie in the 1960s to avoid confusion with Davy Jones, then very well known as lead singer of the rock group, “The Monkees”. He struggled throughout the 1960s, dabbling in different musical styles and art forms. Success came in 1969 with his hit song, “Space Oddity,” which was simultaneously released with the moon landing. The BBC publicized the song in their coverage of the event. His career then took a tailspin with his next three albums that were commercial failures.
In 1972, he made a comeback with “Ziggy Stardust”, which was an album about a space-age rock star. Bowie found success with both futuristic and other contemporary themes. By the mid 1970s, Bowie was a heavy cocaine and heroine abuser, but still managed to produce his first big hit in the United States, “Fame.” In 1976, he appeared in his first major film, “The Man Who Fell To Earth.” But drugs were eating away at his inner core, terribly affecting his physical demeanor and causing his behavior to become more and more erratic. He continued to “waste away”, fleeing to Europe and settling in Berlin. But he could not flee from his problem, which he refused to face and, of course, followed him everywhere he went.
Bowie changed musical direction and recorded three of the most influential rock albums of all time, an electronic trilogy with Brian Eno called “Low Heroes and Lodger.” He finally got off the drugs rollercoaster in the late 1970s and continued to achieve monumental success. His life concert acts are regarded as the most theatrical of anyone in the business.
David Bowie has been married twice and has two children, a boy and a girl. His musical career has spanned four decades and his changing, dynamic styles have influenced several generations of musicians.
What are some of YOUR favorite David Bowie songs?