David Bowie

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Birthday:

8 January 1947, Brixton, London, England, UK

Birth Name:

David Robert Haywood Jones

Height:

178 cm

David Bowie is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of pop music. Born David Jones, he changed his name to Bowie in the 1960s, to avoid confusion with the then well-known Davy Jones (lead singer of The Monkees).The 1960s were not a happy period for Bowie, who remained a struggling artist, awaiting his breakthrough. He dabbled in many different styles of music (without commercial success), and other art forms such as acting, mime, painting, and playwriting. He finally achieved his commercial breakthrough in 1969 with the song "Space Oddity," which was released at the time of the moon landing. Despite the fact that the literal meaning of the lyrics relates to an astronaut who is lost in space, this song was used by the BBC in their coverage of the moon landing, and this helped it become such a success. The album, which followed "Space Oddity," and the two, which followed (one of which included the song "The Man Who Sold The World," covered by Lulu and Nirvana) failed to produce another hit single, and Bowie's career appeared to be in decline. However, he made the first of many successful "comebacks" in 1972 with "Ziggy Stardust," a concept album about a space-age rock star. This album was followed by others in a similar vein, rock albums built around a central character and concerned with futuristic themes of Armageddon, gender dysfunction/confusion, as well as more contemporary themes such as the destructiveness of success and fame, and the dangers inherent in star worship. In the mid 1970s, Bowie was a heavy cocaine abuser and sometime heroin user.In 1975, he changed tack. Musically, he released "Young Americans," a soul (or plastic soul as he later referred to it) album. This produced his first number one hit in the US, "Fame." He also appeared in his first major film, The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). With his different-colored eyes and skeletal frame, he certainly looked the part of an alien. The following year, he released "Station to Station," containing some of the material he had written for the soundtrack to this film (which was not used). As his drug problem heightened, his behavior became more erratic. Reports of his insanity started to appear, and he continued to waste away physically. He fled back to Europe, finally settling in Berlin, where he changed musical direction again and recorded three of the most influential albums of all time, an electronic trilogy with Brian Eno "Low, Heroes and Lodger." Towards the end of the 1970s, he finally kicked his drug habit, and recorded the album many of his fans consider his best, the Japanese-influenced "Scary Monsters." Around this time, he played the Elephant Man on Broadway, to considerable acclaim.The next few years saw something of a drop-off in his musical output as his acting career flourished, culminating in his acclaimed performance in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983). In 1983, he recorded "Let's Dance," an album which proved an unexpected massive commercial success, and produced his second number 1 hit single in the US. The tour which followed, "Serious Moonlight," was his most successful ever. Faced with this success on a massive scale, Bowie apparently attempted to "repeat the formula" in the next two albums, with less success (and to critical scorn). Finally, in the late 1980s, he turned his back on commercial success and his solo career, forming the hard rock band, Tin Machine, who had a deliberate limited appeal. By now, his acting career was in decline. After the comparative failure of Labyrinth (1986), the movie industry appears to have decided that Bowie was not a sufficient name to be a lead actor in a major movie, and since that date, most of his roles have been cameos or glorified cameos. He himself also seems to have lost interest in movie acting. Tin Machine toured extensively and released two albums, with little critical or commercial success.In 1992, Bowie again changed direction and re-launched his solo career with "Black Tie White Noise," a "wedding" album inspired by his recent marriage to Iman. He released three albums to considerable critical acclaim and reasonable commercial success. In 1995, he renewed his working relationship with Brian Eno to record "Outside." After an initial hostile reaction from the critics, this album has now taken its place with his classic albums.In 2003, Bowie released an album entitled 'Reality.' The Reality Tour began in November 2003 and, after great commercial success, was extended into July 2004. In June 2004, Bowie suffered a heart attack and the tour did not finish it's scheduled run.After recovering, Bowie did not release any new music, but did a little acting. In 2006, he played Tesla in The Prestige (2006) and had a small cameo in the series Extras (2005). In 2007, he did a cartoon voice in SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) playing Lord Royal Highness. He has not appeared in anything since 2008; however, after a ten year hiatus from recording, he released a new album called 'The Next Day.'Bowie has influenced the course of popular music several times and influenced several generations of musicians. His promotional videos in the 1970s and 80s are regarded as ground-breaking, and as a live concert act, he is regarded as the most theatrical of them all. Show less «

[on whether he thinks he is a good actor] I took you in, didn't I? I rest my make-up case.

[during an interview about his new album in 1999] I have nothing to say about the new album. Can I go now?

Talking about art is like dancing about architecture.

I rate Morrissey as one of the best lyricists in Britain. For me, he's up there with Bryan Ferry.

[on receiving an honorary degree from Boston's Berklee College of Music] Any list of advice I have to offer to a musician always ends with, ...Show more »

[on receiving an honorary degree from Boston's Berklee College of Music] Any list of advice I have to offer to a musician always ends with, "If it itches, go and see a doctor.". Show less «

I know about Kylie [Kylie Minogue] and Robbie [Robbie Williams] and Pop Idol (2001) and stuff like that. You can't get away from that when y...Show more »

I know about Kylie [Kylie Minogue] and Robbie [Robbie Williams] and Pop Idol (2001) and stuff like that. You can't get away from that when you hit the [British] shore, so I know all about the cruise ship entertainment aspect of British pop. Show less «

I'm an instant star; just add water.

[from 1992] It would be my guess that Madonna is not a very happy woman. From my own experience, having gone through persona changes like th...Show more »

[from 1992] It would be my guess that Madonna is not a very happy woman. From my own experience, having gone through persona changes like that, that kind of clawing need to be the center of attention is not a pleasant place to be. Show less «

I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human.

I'm looking for backing for an unauthorized autobiography that I am writing. Hopefully, this will sell in such huge numbers that I will be a...Show more »

I'm looking for backing for an unauthorized autobiography that I am writing. Hopefully, this will sell in such huge numbers that I will be able to sue myself for an extraordinary amount of money and finance the film version in which I will play everybody. Show less «

[in 1976 interview with Playboy] It's true - I am a bisexual. But I can't deny that I've used that fact very well. I suppose it's the best t...Show more »

[in 1976 interview with Playboy] It's true - I am a bisexual. But I can't deny that I've used that fact very well. I suppose it's the best thing that ever happened to me. Fun, too. Show less «

You would think that a rock star being married to a supermodel would be one of the greatest things in the world. It is.

[on his biggest worldwide hit song, "Let's Dance"] I don't know how many times someone has come up to me and said, "hey, let's dance!" I hat...Show more »

[on his biggest worldwide hit song, "Let's Dance"] I don't know how many times someone has come up to me and said, "hey, let's dance!" I hate dancing. God, it's stupid. Show less «

I reinvented my image so many times that I'm in denial that I was originally an overweight Korean woman.

[on being 50] Fab. But, you know, I don't feel fifty. I feel not a day over forty-nine. It's incredible. I'm bouncy, I feel bouncy.

I once asked [John Lennon] what he thought of what I do. He said, "it's great, but its just rock and roll with lipstick on".

I gave up smoking six months before I had the heart attack - so that was worth it, wasn't it! I started to give up when my daughter was born...Show more »

I gave up smoking six months before I had the heart attack - so that was worth it, wasn't it! I started to give up when my daughter was born because I wouldn't smoke in the house with her there so I had to go outside. It's bloody cold in winter in New York, so I just quit. Show less «

[on Syd Barrett] The few times I saw him perform in London at UFO and the Marquee clubs during the '60s will forever be etched in my mind. H...Show more »

[on Syd Barrett] The few times I saw him perform in London at UFO and the Marquee clubs during the '60s will forever be etched in my mind. He was so charismatic and such a startlingly original songwriter. Also, along with Anthony Newley, he was the first guy I'd heard to sing pop or rock with a British accent. His impact on my thinking was enormous. A major regret is that I never got to know him. A diamond indeed. Show less «

[on his pop sound during the 1980s] There was a period when I was performing in front of these huge stadium crowds at that time and I'm thin...Show more »

[on his pop sound during the 1980s] There was a period when I was performing in front of these huge stadium crowds at that time and I'm thinking: "What are these people doing here? Why have they come to see me? They should be seeing Phil Collins." They were definitely Phil Collins type audiences, you know? And then, that came back at me and I thought: "What am I doing here? I should be playing to people who don't look like they've come to see Phil Collins." That's what I'd been used to up until that point. I don't know the guy. There's a certain kind of mainstream field that I'm not comfortable in. I'm just not comfortable in it. Show less «

[from 1983] I get offered so many bad movies. And they're all raging queens or transvestites or Martians.

[in 2002] I had no problem with people knowing I was bisexual. But I had no inclination to hold any banners or be a representative of any gr...Show more »

[in 2002] I had no problem with people knowing I was bisexual. But I had no inclination to hold any banners or be a representative of any group of people. I knew what I wanted to be, which was a songwriter and a performer, and I felt that bisexuality became my headline over here for so long. America is a very puritanical place, and I think it stood in the way of so much I wanted to do. Show less «

[on Elvis Presley] I saw a cousin of mine when I was young. She was dancing to "Hound Dog" and I had never seen her get up and be moved so m...Show more »

[on Elvis Presley] I saw a cousin of mine when I was young. She was dancing to "Hound Dog" and I had never seen her get up and be moved so much by anything. It really impressed me, the power of the music. I started getting records immediately after that. Show less «

[Sigmund Freud] would have a heyday with me.

The whole animal of rock keeps changing itself so fast and so furiously that you just can't plan ahead.

Rock has always been the devil's music.

The only thing I ever got out of fame was a better table in a restaurant. And for that I gave up being able to relate to people.

I think Mick Jagger would be astounded and amazed if he realized to many people he is not a sex symbol, but a mother image.

I like crazy art and, most of the time, out-there music. Rather than having a hit song these days, I like the idea that I'm in there changin...Show more »

I like crazy art and, most of the time, out-there music. Rather than having a hit song these days, I like the idea that I'm in there changing the plan of what society and culture look like, sound like. I did change things; I knew I would. It feels great, and very rewarding. Show less «

"Hunky Dory" gave me a fabulous groundswell. I guess it provided me, for the first time in my life, with an actual audience - I mean, people...Show more »

"Hunky Dory" gave me a fabulous groundswell. I guess it provided me, for the first time in my life, with an actual audience - I mean, people actually coming up to me and saying,"'Good album, good songs.". That hadn't happened to me before. It was like, "Ah, I'm getting it, I'm finding my feet. I'm starting to communicate what I want to do. Now: what is it I want to do?" There was always a double whammy there. Show less «

[speaking in 2002] Of the 26 albums I've made I think there were two when I really wasn't involved and that was "Tonight" and "Never Let Me ...Show more »

[speaking in 2002] Of the 26 albums I've made I think there were two when I really wasn't involved and that was "Tonight" and "Never Let Me Down", the two follow-ups to "Let's Dance". That period was my Phil Collins years. Show less «

[speaking in 2002] It seems to be traditional now that every album since "Black Tie White Noise" is the best album I've put out since "Scary...Show more »

[speaking in 2002] It seems to be traditional now that every album since "Black Tie White Noise" is the best album I've put out since "Scary Monsters". Show less «

[on the song "Dance Magic" from Labyrinth (1986)] In a recording studio, a baby I'd picked from one of the backup singers . . . couldn't put...Show more »

[on the song "Dance Magic" from Labyrinth (1986)] In a recording studio, a baby I'd picked from one of the backup singers . . . couldn't put two gurgles together. And it wouldn't work for me, it wouldn't go, I kicked it, I did everything to make it scream but it wouldn't, it really buttoned its lips so I ended up doing the gurgles, so I'm the baby on that track as well. I thought "What the hell? I've done "Laughing Gnome", I might as well go all the way with that.". I never thought in 20 years I'd come back to working with gnomes. Show less «

[on Freddie Mercury] Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest. He took it over the edge. And of cou...Show more »

[on Freddie Mercury] Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest. He took it over the edge. And of course, I always admired a man who wears tights. I only saw him in concert once and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand. Show less «

[in 1972] Sometimes I don't feel as if I'm a person at all. I'm just a collection of other people's ideas.

[in 1980] I have a lot of reservations about what I've done, inasmuch as I don't feel much of it has any import at all.

[in 1975] I like fast drugs. I hate anything that slows me down.

[on declining the royal honor of Commander of the British Empire in 2000, and turning down a knighthood in 2003] I would never have any inte...Show more »

[on declining the royal honor of Commander of the British Empire in 2000, and turning down a knighthood in 2003] I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that. I seriously don't know what it's for. It's not what I spent my life working for. Show less «

[in 1973] Offstage, I'm a robot. Onstage, I achieve emotion. It's probably why I prefer dressing up as Ziggy to being David.

The lowest point in my life was in 1975, when I was 28, living in Los Angeles. I really did think that my thoughts about not making 30 would...Show more »

The lowest point in my life was in 1975, when I was 28, living in Los Angeles. I really did think that my thoughts about not making 30 would come true. Drugs had taken my life away from me. I felt as though I would probably die and it was going to be all over. My assistant, Coco, got me out of it. Thanks to her, I got myself out of America to Berlin. Best advice, which I wish I had known at 18? Don't do drugs. Show less «

[on Annie Lennox] Most exquisite. Absolutely fabulous.

[at The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness (1992)] God bless Queen.

[on the late Lou Reed] He was a master.

[in 2014] I'm completely delighted to have a Brit for being the best male but I am, aren't I Kate [Kate Moss]? I think it's a great way to e...Show more »

[in 2014] I'm completely delighted to have a Brit for being the best male but I am, aren't I Kate [Kate Moss]? I think it's a great way to end the day. Thank you very very much - and Scotland, stay with us. Show less «

[on Live Aid (1985)] I'd do it again like a shot. This has to become an annual event. It really does. And I think a lot of us would pledge t...Show more »

[on Live Aid (1985)] I'd do it again like a shot. This has to become an annual event. It really does. And I think a lot of us would pledge to do a show like this every year until starvation in many areas of the world, not just Ethiopia, was under some kind of control. Everybody had such a fantastic time, I'd love to do it again. Show less «

All my big mistakes are when I try to second-guess or please an audience. My work is always stronger when I get very selfish about it.

[when advised not to take drugs in his youth] Before I took them, when I took them and afterwards. Every time, that advice was right.

[on declining the role of "Max Zorin" in A View to a Kill (1985), which ultimately went to Christopher Walken instead] It was simply a terri...Show more »

[on declining the role of "Max Zorin" in A View to a Kill (1985), which ultimately went to Christopher Walken instead] It was simply a terrible script; I saw little reason for spending so much time on something so workmanlike. And I told them so. I don't think anyone had turned down a major role in a James Bond movie before. It really didn't go down well at all. People were very touchy about it. Show less «

I have an undying belief in God's existence. For me it is unquestionable.

[on his reputation as a well read intellectual] I'm a born librarian with a sex drive.

I've always cited who my influences are. I felt it was important for people to be able to see how things are put together at any given stage...Show more »

I've always cited who my influences are. I felt it was important for people to be able to see how things are put together at any given stage. I let people know what's going through my head. I've been quite vocal about that through the years. It often amuses me to see bands who lie about who they're listening to, because they don't want people to know who their real influences are. They leave a trail of red herrings. It's disingenuous, to say the least. I've always loved the process - to see how things are put together. Show less «

What I have is a malevolent curiosity. That's what drives my need to write and what probably leads me to look at things a little askew. I do...Show more »

What I have is a malevolent curiosity. That's what drives my need to write and what probably leads me to look at things a little askew. I do tend to take a different perspective from most people. Show less «

[on Kurt Cobain] I was simply blown away when I found out that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and I always wanted to talk to him about his reaso...Show more »

[on Kurt Cobain] I was simply blown away when I found out that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and I always wanted to talk to him about his reasons for covering "Man Who Sold The World." It was a good straightforward rendition and sounded somehow very honest. It would have been nice to have worked with him, but just talking would have been real cool. Show less «

I listen to the radio all the time in New York, on the internet. I wouldn't listen to American radio. God, it's ghastly. But I float about t...Show more »

I listen to the radio all the time in New York, on the internet. I wouldn't listen to American radio. God, it's ghastly. But I float about through the BBC frequencies. Show less «

[on his 1980s music] Commercially I sold an awful lot of albums with work that I now feel was very inferior. Artistically and aesthetically ...Show more »

[on his 1980s music] Commercially I sold an awful lot of albums with work that I now feel was very inferior. Artistically and aesthetically it was probably my lowest point. Show less «

[on the massive success of "Let's Dance" and how it led to a creative low in his career] I was something I never wanted to be. I was a well-...Show more »

[on the massive success of "Let's Dance" and how it led to a creative low in his career] I was something I never wanted to be. I was a well-accepted artist. I had started appealing to people who bought Phil Collins albums. I like Phil Collins as a bloke, believe me, but he's not on my turntable twenty-four hours a day. I suddenly didn't know my audience and, worse, I didn't care about them. Show less «

[on Tin Machine] A glorious disaster. But for better or worse it helped me to pin down what I did and didn't enjoy about being an artist. It...Show more »

[on Tin Machine] A glorious disaster. But for better or worse it helped me to pin down what I did and didn't enjoy about being an artist. It helped me, I feel, to recover as an artist. And I do feel that for the past few years I've been absolutely in charge of my artistic path again. I'm working to my own criteria. I'm not doing anything I would feel ashamed of in the future, or that I would look back on and say my heart wasn't in that. Show less «

I often pull myself back if I feel something is becoming too melodic. But then melody comes in many forms. He'll hate me for saying it but t...Show more »

I often pull myself back if I feel something is becoming too melodic. But then melody comes in many forms. He'll hate me for saying it but the person who is better at hooks than almost anyone is Brian Eno, and the solo on "Virginia Plain" is probably one of the greatest three-note hooks in the history of pop. Show less «

Some people call me pretentious for working like this, but I don't think there's anything wrong with thinking of pop as an art form - you've...Show more »

Some people call me pretentious for working like this, but I don't think there's anything wrong with thinking of pop as an art form - you've just got to think of it without a capital A. Lower-case art is always best. And anyway, a lot of what was considered art in 1978 is now just part of our vocabulary. Show less «

John Lennon was good at telling people off, but not me. Whenever I do didactic stuff it always seems ham-fisted.

I'm just a bloke doing his job, and it's not terribly complicated. What I do is I write mainly about very personal and rather lonely feeling...Show more »

I'm just a bloke doing his job, and it's not terribly complicated. What I do is I write mainly about very personal and rather lonely feelings, and I explore them in a different way each time. Show less «

[on John Lennon] I always had such pleasure talking and being with John because there was nothing that didn't interest him, you know? He had...Show more »

[on John Lennon] I always had such pleasure talking and being with John because there was nothing that didn't interest him, you know? He had a real appetite. Show less «

I've made over 25 studio albums, and I think probably I've made two real stinkers in my time, and some not-bad albums, and some really good ...Show more »

I've made over 25 studio albums, and I think probably I've made two real stinkers in my time, and some not-bad albums, and some really good albums. I'm proud of what I've done. In fact, it's been a good ride. Show less «

What happened at the beginning of the '70s with guys like myself and maybe Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, maybe some of the guys in Floyd (Pink ...Show more »

What happened at the beginning of the '70s with guys like myself and maybe Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, maybe some of the guys in Floyd (Pink Floyd) before us, King Crimson, that nature of band: We were all pretty excited about letting people know what went into our work, that we weren't all trying to be Chuck Berry. I know Ferry was a huge Dada fan, for instance. He even did an album called "The Bride Stripped Bare". Eno and I went, "He shouldn't do that," thinking we should have done it first. We were excited by set design, by the way we dressed, by trying to create a whole landscape for the music we were making. The Beatles had done it to a certain extent because they had John (John Lennon). Show less «

It's unfortunate when musicians qualify their work with "now that I'm married, now that I've got kids, I've got to be more creatively pedest...Show more »

It's unfortunate when musicians qualify their work with "now that I'm married, now that I've got kids, I've got to be more creatively pedestrian". Whereas there's people like myself, Neil Young and Scott Walker who move with the way life flows. Show less «

My idol on saxophone has always been Ronnie Ross, so I looked up his name in the phone book and asked him if he would give me lessons.

When I heard Little Richard, it just set my world on fire.

[on turning down the chance to record a James Bond film theme] To be honest I haven't watched a James Bond film since Sean Connery was in th...Show more »

[on turning down the chance to record a James Bond film theme] To be honest I haven't watched a James Bond film since Sean Connery was in them. I don't really like them. Show less «