David Bowie dies of cancer at 69

David Bowie, the iconic rock star whose career spanned more than half a century and whose influence transcended music, fashion and sexuality, has died aged 69.

The singer’s death was confirmed in a Facebook post on his official page: “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

Writing on Twitter, Bowie’s son, the film director Duncan Jones, 44, confirmed the news. It came as a shock to some – Bowie’s publicist, Steve Martin told the Reuters news agency: “It’s not a hoax.”

Bowie’s latest album, Blackstar, was released last week to coincide with his 69th birthday, and had received widespread critical acclaim.

Tributes were paid on social media to the performer, who was known for hits such as Changes, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Tony Visconti, who produced a series of Bowie’s albums, including Young Americans and his seminal Berlin trilogy, Low, Heroes and Lodger, wrote: “He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life – a work of Art.

“He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry.”

The producer Brian Eno, who collaborated with Bowie, tweeted simply: “Words cannot express: RIP David Bowie”.

Ricky Gervais, the comedian and actor, who convinced the famously private Bowie to star as himself in an episode of the 2006 sitcom Extras, wrote: “I just lost a hero. RIP David Bowie”.

The British prime minister, David Cameron, said: “I grew up listening to and watching the pop genius David Bowie. He was a master of re-invention, who kept getting it right. A huge loss.”

Bowie released 25 albums and notched up many film credits. He was known for experimentation across diverse musical genres, and for his alter egos Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke.

The singer’s latest album, released last Friday, did not, as was usual, feature a picture of him on the album cover, but rather a black star. A dark work, its symbolism suggests he was saying goodbye, particularly the track Lazarus and the video for Blackstar, which opens with the image of a dead spaceman.

An hour after the news broke, fans began to gather near his apartment on Lafayette Street in the Soho district of New York. The first, Kate Corman, left a candle and flowers. “First Lou Reed, now David Bowie. It’s so sad. Unbelievable. New York is really over now.”

‎At Puckfair, a bar across the street from Bowie’s apartment, frequented by the singer, the barman played a string of his hits – Jean Genie, Let’s Dance and Heroes. “It’s hard to put into words what he gave us in his songs,” said late-night drinker Bill Marlborough. “If you don’t feel it, I can’t explain.”

Bowie was born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 in Brixton, south London, to mother Margaret “Peggy”, a waitress, and charity worker Haywood “John” Jones. His older brother’s record collection introduced him to rock music at an early age.

After the family moved to southeast London, he graduated from Bromley technical high school at 16, forming a number of bands and led a group. He called himself Davy Jones, later changing his name to David Bowie to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees. The name was reportedly inspired by a knife developed by the 19^th century American pioneer Jim Bowie.

He released three singles as a solo artist for Pye Records, and a debut album David Bowie, but did not achieve huge success and retreated to a Buddhist monastery in Scotland in 1967.

On returning to London, he started arts troupe Feathers in 1968, then helped create the Beckenham Arts Lab in 1969 before releasing Space Oddity later that year, which was his first UK No 1. The release the following year of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars made him an international star, and he conquered the US with his theatrical stage show.

He produced albums for Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, as well as writing All the Young Dudes, which he gave to Mott The Hoople who had a massive hit with it. In the late 1970s he produced a three-album collaboration with Brian Eno, known as the Berlin trilogy.

He found chart success with songs such as Let’s Dance and the Queen collaboration Under Pressure.

Bowie combined his rock career with appearances in films. His acting career took off with his performance in Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth, followed by roles in films such as Labyrinth, The Last Temptation of Christ and Absolute Beginners. More recently, he appeared as himself in the film Zoolander.

Bowie officially retired Ziggy Stardust in 1973, making the announcement during a London gig. But the hits kept coming with albums including Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs and Pin Ups.

He changed direction with the soul-inspired Young Americans. His first US No 1 was a collaboration with John Lennon on Fame, which topped the charts in 1975. He continued to sell millions of albums and pack out stadiums with the rise of the New Romantic scene in 1980s Britain.

In 1970 he married Angie Bowie, and the couple had a son named Zowie Bowie, now known as Duncan Jones. They split in 1980.

Bowie married model Iman in 1992. The couple had a daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones, now 15, and the following year they settled in New York. Bowie continued to record and tour until 2003, when he released Reality, his 23^rd album, which many assumed to be his last.

In recent years there were a few low-key live appearances – his last at a charity show in New York in 2006 when he performed alongside Alicia Keys – and an acting role in the film Prestige the same year.

In a rare interview in 2002, he explained: “My entire career, I’ve only really worked with the same subject matter. The trousers may change, but the actual words and subjects I’ve always chosen to write with are things to do with isolation, abandonment, fear and anxiety, all of the high points of one’s life.”

After releasing his first hit, Space Oddity, in 1969, Bowie became a global superstar with the success of albums such as Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. In the late 1970s Bowie produced a three-album collaboration with Brian Eno known as the Berlin trilogy. He embraced pop in the 1980s, finding chart success with songs such as Let’s Dance and Queen collaboration Under Pressure.

Bowie’s acting career took off with his performance in Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth, followed by roles in films such as Labyrinth, The Last Temptation of Christ and Absolute Beginners. More recently, he appeared as himself in the film Zoolander and the Ricky Gervais sitcom Extras.

He had kept a low profile in recent years after reportedly suffering a heart attack in the 2000s, and his last live performance was at a 2006 charity show in New York.

“My entire career, I’ve only really worked with the same subject matter,” Bowie said in a 2002 interview. “The trousers may change, but the actual words and subjects I’ve always chosen to write with are things to do with isolation, abandonment, fear and anxiety all of the high points of one’s life.”

Source: The Guardian