Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Free Space
  David Bowie, 'Space Oddity' artist (1947-2016)

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   David Bowie, 'Space Oddity' artist (1947-2016)
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-11-2016 03:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie, whose first hit song "Space Oddity" coincided with the first moon landing in July 1969, died on Sunday (Jan. 10), two days after his 69th birthday.

His death was confirmed by his management:

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.
Duncan Jones, Bowie's son and the director of the 2009 science fiction film "Moon," wrote on Twitter:
Very sorry and sad to say it's true. I'll be offline for a while. Love to all.
Bowie's loss was mourned from space by British astronaut Tim Peake aboard the International Space Station.
Saddened to hear David Bowie has lost his battle with cancer – his music was an inspiration to many.
The European Space Agency further noted:
The stars look very different today. Sad news.
On June 24, 1996, the STS-78 crew on board space shuttle Columbia began their fifth day in space by Mission Control playing Bowie's "Space Oddity." It was the first time the song was played from Earth.

(The song was played for commander Tom Henricks, who before rising to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, had at one time been "Major Tom.")

In 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded a revised version of Bowie's Space Oddity on board the space station.

Ashes to ashes, dust to stardust. Your brilliance inspired us all. Goodbye Starman.

Bowie's own final music video was released on his birthday three days ago. The song, "Lazarus" off his 28th studio album, "Blackstar" begins with the lyrics, "Look up here, I'm in heaven..."

Rick Mulheirn
Member

Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 01-11-2016 03:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rick Mulheirn   Click Here to Email Rick Mulheirn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One of a kind. Legendary figure. RIP.

Tykeanaut
Member

Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 01-11-2016 03:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tykeanaut   Click Here to Email Tykeanaut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

apolloprojeckt
Member

Posts: 1447
From: Arnhem, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2009

posted 01-11-2016 04:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for apolloprojeckt   Click Here to Email apolloprojeckt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

jasonelam
Member

Posts: 691
From: Monticello, KY USA
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-11-2016 04:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for jasonelam   Click Here to Email jasonelam     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

GACspaceguy
Member

Posts: 2474
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 01-11-2016 04:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for GACspaceguy   Click Here to Email GACspaceguy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

uk spacefan
Member

Posts: 168
From: London
Registered: Jan 2007

posted 01-11-2016 05:47 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for uk spacefan   Click Here to Email uk spacefan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

astrobar1
Member

Posts: 112
From: Mishawaka, IN, USA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 01-11-2016 06:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for astrobar1   Click Here to Email astrobar1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

bruce
Member

Posts: 916
From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 01-11-2016 06:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bruce   Click Here to Email bruce     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Farewell Ziggy. And we thank you.

.

Gilbert
Member

Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 01-11-2016 06:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gilbert   Click Here to Email Gilbert     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

ejectr
Member

Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 01-11-2016 06:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

minipci
Member

Posts: 365
From: London, UK
Registered: Jul 2009

posted 01-11-2016 07:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for minipci     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

randy
Member

Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-11-2016 07:58 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for randy   Click Here to Email randy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

mode1charlie
Member

Posts: 1169
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 01-11-2016 09:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mode1charlie   Click Here to Email mode1charlie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

David Carey
Member

Posts: 782
From:
Registered: Mar 2009

posted 01-11-2016 10:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for David Carey   Click Here to Email David Carey     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-11-2016 10:03 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
David Bowie with Jim Lovell on the set of the 1976 film "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
In the scene in which [Thomas Jerome] Newton (Bowie) attempts to board his spacecraft, he is greeted by a crowd that includes real-life astronaut Jim Lovell (commander of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission), playing himself...

sev8n
Member

Posts: 233
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012

posted 01-11-2016 10:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for sev8n     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Incredible talent. Incredible career. He will be missed by many.

.

Norman.King
Member

Posts: 375
From: Herne Bay, Kent, UK
Registered: Feb 2010

posted 01-11-2016 10:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Norman.King   Click Here to Email Norman.King     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Grounded!
Member

Posts: 367
From: Bennington, Vermont, USA
Registered: Feb 2011

posted 01-11-2016 11:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Grounded!   Click Here to Email Grounded!     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Lunar rock nut
Member

Posts: 911
From: Oklahoma city, Oklahoma U.S.A.
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 01-11-2016 11:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lunar rock nut   Click Here to Email Lunar rock nut     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

MarylandSpace
Member

Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 01-11-2016 01:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MarylandSpace   Click Here to Email MarylandSpace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My favorite/favourite David Bowie songs are: Space Oddity, Let's Dance, Fame, and Little Drummer Boy (duet with Bing Crosby).

I certainly enjoy Commander Hadfield's cover of Space Oddity although I thought he could change 100,000 miles (less than four orbits) to 100 million miles. Just a thought.

dom
Member

Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 01-11-2016 02:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
He was certainly a strange man but the world is definitely a lesser place without his unique talents.

Godspeed to one of the true cultural icons of the 20th Century.

mach3valkyrie
Member

Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006

posted 01-11-2016 02:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mach3valkyrie   Click Here to Email mach3valkyrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Glint
Member

Posts: 1040
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-11-2016 02:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Oddity, of course, China Girl, oh yeah and TVC-15 "...transition transmission...".

On edit: Listening to Sirius XM yesterday and heard You Belong In Rock and Roll by Tin Machine. Not bad.

Wehaveliftoff
Member

Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 01-11-2016 03:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Saw David Jones perform 1983, "fame" was highlight, LOVED Bing Crosby duet sung before and just released after Bing's passing.
Close Up in the space helmet shows reflection of older Bowie in this fab Etsy litho:
https://img1.etsystatic.com/035/0/7983919/il_570xN.531730677_mofs.jpg


Henk Boshuijer
Member

Posts: 450
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007

posted 01-11-2016 04:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Henk Boshuijer   Click Here to Email Henk Boshuijer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

star51L
Member

Posts: 340
From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 01-11-2016 05:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for star51L   Click Here to Email star51L     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Grew up with his influences, will grow old with his memories.

dss65
Member

Posts: 1156
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 01-11-2016 08:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dss65   Click Here to Email dss65     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

One really weird dude. Unique. Entertaining. Very sorry to hear of his passing.

Wehaveliftoff
Member

Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 01-12-2016 01:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Talk about an identity crisis, David Jones changed his name because Davey Jones of the Monkees fame exploded just before David started out, then David changed his name to Tom Jones, but The Tom came out with his first smash LP "It's Not Unusual", so he became David Bowie shortly thereafter, and 5 days before the liftoff of Apollo 11 "Major Tom" was launched. And the rest they say, will go down in infamy.

OPOS
Member

Posts: 200
From: Inverness, FL
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 01-12-2016 05:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for OPOS   Click Here to Email OPOS     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Glint
Member

Posts: 1040
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-14-2016 08:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Have you ever heard David Bowie's "Lonely Boy, Lonely Girl"? There's something strangely familiar about it, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Kite
Member

Posts: 831
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009

posted 01-19-2016 03:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kite     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Glint
Member

Posts: 1040
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-23-2016 04:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just an additional and belated point about the final Bowie album. My opinion is Black Star is the album's best song both musically and in a connection to the "Major Tom" character and the treatment of his possible remains. I also found the duct tape-wrapped boot interesting as the tape's usefulness in space exploration was made famous on Apollo 17. (Similar to an old duct tape-wrapped mud boot of mine I still wear occasionally.)


Also the astronomical references including the depiction of a total solar or stellar eclipse, depending on whether the planet depicted is in our own solar system or not.

Aztecdoug
Member

Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 01-25-2016 05:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aztecdoug   Click Here to Email Aztecdoug     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Too bad that we lost him. One of my favorite musical artists. I saw him perform 6 different times including with Tin Machine and playing backup keyboards for Iggy Pop back in 1977.

My favorite songs of his are Drive in Saturday and Heroes.

As for "Black Star" I find it interesting in that it was written with a similar perspective to Warren Zevon's "The Wind" where they both wrote these works knowing their end was near.

I believe that "Black Star," like some of his better works, will need some time for us to appreciate in all of its depth.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement