He spent 50 years on stage not alone —

and we are not talking about his colleagues

I've been reborn

so many times

that I no longer remember who

I was in the beginning

In concerts and music videos, he often appeared in costumes portraying characters invented by him.

They played a significant role in the establishment of David Bowie as a cult musician.

They played a significant role in the establishment of David Bowie as a cult musician.

In concerts and music videos, he often appeared in costumes portraying characters invented by him.

that I no longer

remember who

that I no longer remember

who I was in the beginning

|

I was in the

beginning

Major Tom is sent into outer space. The flight and the start of the mission are successful, but then he loses contact with Mission Control.

Major Tom

In 1969, the world learned about David Bowie’s first hero when the track "Space Oddity" was released.

He wrote the composition inspired by Stanley Kubrick's "A Space Odyssey", but he also put his own experiences into it.

Major Tom is sent into outer space. The flight and the start of the mission are successful, but then he loses contact with Mission Control.

"Here am I floating 'round my tin can
Far above the moon Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do"

and remains lost

in outer space

1969

Ziggy

Stardust

Ziggy Stardust

In 1972, Ziggy Stardust came along.

The story takes place on Earth 5 years before
a catastrophe due to lack of natural resources.
A rock star alien, arrives on Earth with good news. He informs the desperate people that saviors from outer space will soon arrive on the planet.

But as soon as the aliens the Infinity Aliens arrived on Earth, they killed Ziggy. Of course, the aliens wanted to destroy Earth, not save it.

But as soon as the aliens the Infinity Aliens arrived on Earth, they killed Ziggy. Of course, the aliens wanted to destroy Earth, not save it.

In late 1973, Bowie said that Ziggy was an Earthman with whom the Infinities had made contact via radio. The hero took their words as divine revelation and became a messiah.

But Stardust, without even

wanting to, helped

the extraterrestrials

find their way to Earth

the extraterrestrials

find their way to Earth

"Making love with his ego Ziggy
Sucked up into his mind
Like a leper messiah"

The story takes place on Earth 5 years before
a catastrophe due to lack of natural resources.
A rock star alien, arrives on Earth with good news. He informs the desperate people that saviors from outer space will soon arrive on the planet.

But as soon as the aliens the Infinity Aliens arrived on Earth, they killed Ziggy. Of course, the aliens wanted to destroy Earth, not save it.

1972

In late 1973, Bowie said
that Ziggy was
an Earthman with whom
the Infinities had made
contact via radio. The hero
took their words as divine
revelation and became
a messiah.

Aladdin Sane

Aladdin Sane was the first album Bowie wrote from the perspective of a star.

David himself could not let go of thoughts about gradually dying alternative worlds. However, the cause of the demise of the new world was narcotics addiction, cruelty, and the degradation of people.

He considered it all just a game of his imagination, but in the fall of 1972, he came to America for concerts for the first time and realized that his fantasies were not that far from reality.

Aladdin Sane was the American version of Ziggy Stardust. He was supposed to represent more the idea of a decaying world rather than an individual personality.

So, in the year 1973

he emerged

Aladdin Sane

is a play

"A Lad Insane"

on words:

"Who will love Aladdin Sane?
Millions weep a fountain
Just in case of sunrise
Who will love Aladdin Sane?"

1973

Aladdin

sane

So, in 1973, he emerged

Aladdin Sane is a play

on words: "A Lad Insane"

So, in the year

1973 he emerged

When I was born,

the midwife told

my mother:

"This child has been

on Earth before"

When I was born,

my mother:

on Earth before"

the midwife told

"This child

has been

Halloween Jack

In 1974, Bowie wanted to depict a world

in complete decay after the apocalypse

Jack was created during the work on the Diamond Dogs album, which was inspired by George Orwell’s novel "1984".

In the new world, gangs ruled everything, living on the rooftops of skyscrapers and considering themselves the masters of the remaining cities.

In one of them, Hunger City, the Diamond Dogs settled, led by Halloween Jack.

Jack-Halloween lived on the roof of the Chase Manhattan bank and moved around the devastated city using ropes.

Like Aladdin Sane,

Halloween Jack

is another mutation

of Ziggy Stardust

"The Halloween Jack is a real cool cat
And he lives on top of Manhattan Chase"

1974

Halloween

Jack

Bowie wanted to depict the

world after the apocalypse

"The Halloween Jack is a real cool cat
And he lives on top of Manhattan Chase"

In the new world, gangs ruled everything, living on the rooftops of skyscrapers and considering themselves the masters of the remaining cities.

The Thin

White Duke

Bowie’s escalating drug addiction led to the
creation of a new character — the Thin White Duke.

The Duke liked to wear classic attire, slicked his hair back, and leisurely smoked. However, his character left much to be desired.

However, The Duke did not receive an elaborated story but rather performed as a stage persona.

David described him as an unpleasant

and mad character but one who

"The return of the Thin White Duke
Throwing darts in lovers' eyes
It's not the side-effects of the co**ine
I'm thinking that it must be love."

1976

exuded a lot of neo-romanticism

David described him

as unpleasant and

mad but exuding

"The return of the Thin White Duke
Throwing darts in lovers' eyes
It's not the side-effects of the co**ine
I'm thinking that it must be love."

neo-romanticism

Bowie’s fans associate The Duke with the most complex period in the singer’s career.

Bowie’s escalating drug addiction led to the creation of a new character — the Thin White Duke.

2016

The Prophet became the final hero, reflecting the real David Robert Jones.

the Blind Prophet

the Blind

Prophet

The Blind Prophet predicted his own demise. This is revealed in the 'Lazarus' music video, where David lies on a hospital bed and sings about his impending end and life in the heavens.

In 2014(15), Bowie was diagnosed with cancer.

The Blind Prophet suffered from something —perhaps embodying Bowie’s illness.

The Blind Prophet predicted his own demise. This is revealed in the 'Lazarus' music video, where David lies on a hospital bed and sings about his impending end and life in the heavens.

David Bowie passed away two days

after the release of "Blackstar"

"Oh, I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh, I'll be free
Ain't that just like me?"

"Oh, I'll be free Just like that bluebird
Oh, I'll be free Ain't that just like me?"

David Bowie passed

the release of "Blackstar"

away two days after

David's time in this world came to an end,

he turned once again into stardust

He’s Major Tom, he’s Ziggy Stardust, he’s Aladdin
Sane, he’s the Thin White Duke, he’s
an extraterrestrial, he’s the Goblin King,
he’s the "mortal who cannot die.

He’s a replicant’s brother, he’s Lazarus, he’s the
man carrying the black star on his shoulders.
He is the black star itself. He is everything
you can’t imagine.

He’s Major Tom, he’s Ziggy Stardust, he’s Aladdin Sane, he’s the Thin White Duke, he’s an extraterrestrial, he’s the Goblin King, he’s the "mortal who cannot die.

He’s a replicant’s brother, he’s Lazarus, he’s the man carrying the black star on his shoulders. He is the black star itself. He is everything you can’t imagine.

David's time in this world

he turned once again

came to an end,

into stardust

This longread is non-commercial and was created within the framework of a course
by Anya Melnik

All materials are taken from open sources and belong to their respective owners.

Sources