Rest in Peace, Starman: A David Bowie Tribute Post

We all hoped he’d be immortal on Earth, but alas, David Bowie returned to the universe this week.

David Bowie died from cancer on January 10, 2016, aged 69 — two days after his birthday and the release of his latest album, Blackstar.

We’ve talked about David Bowie a lot here at P-Mag, so let me roundup a few of my old posts, plus a few from other writers ’round these parts:

• Record Machine: Hunky Dory by David Bowie — which I bought for a mere $8!
• Record Machine: Live at The Tower Philadelphia by David Bowie (one of my All-Time Favorites)
• 30 Years of Music: 2013 (So Far) — in which I talk about “The Stars Are Out Tonight,” the video he did with Tilda Swinton for the album The Next Day.
  
• 30 Years of Music: 1999 — in which I talk about “Thursday’s Child,” from the album Hours.
• 30 Years of Music: 1997 — featuring my love for “Little Wonder,” from the album Earthling.
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter Z — a story about my hair and Ziggy Stardust
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter U — “Under Pressure” gets an Honorable Mention
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter R — “Rebel Rebel” and my love for the different, the queer.
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter Q — “Queen Bitch,” but of course!
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter I — “I’m Afraid of Americans,” my dad, and a concert I watched on MTV.
• Alphabet Soup: Favorite Songs for The Letter B — “Be My Wife” is one of my All-Time Favorite songs of his.
• Pride Month Film Festival — in which Alyson talks about her love for the fictionalized Bowie film, Velvet Goldmine.
• Persephone Movie Club: The Labyrinth — Hillary shares her love for the film.
• Ayuh Music — former P-Mag writer Dr. Song talks about what the album Low meant to her.

Let my posts about him be my tribute, since it’s hard for me (just yet) to otherwise articulate what he meant to me.

I had a hard time picking which obituary to feature in this post, so let’s just feature a selection:

The Hollywood Reporter has a good video with his film appearances.

Another film tribute from Drew Morton at Film Studies For Free: “For the Starman Who Fell to Earth.”

Charlie Jane Anders at io9 says, “David Bowie Made The World a Safer Place for the Alien in Us All.”

The official BBC New obituary: “David Bowie was one of the most influential musicians of his time, constantly re-inventing his persona and sound, from the 1960s hippy of Space Oddity, through Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke to his later incarnation as a soulful rocker.”

Winner for best obit headline goes to the New York Times: “David Bowie Dies at 69; Star Transcended Music, Art and Fashion.”

Dylan Jones, author of When Ziggy Played Guitar: David Bowie and Four Minutes that Shook the World, writes about the effect Bowie had on his generation and British culture, over at The Independent.

The Telegraph has producer Tony Visconti on how Blackstar was a parting gift for fans, and also a bit on the newly impactful meaning of the song “Lazarus.”

There was already a Bowie tribute concert scheduled at Carnegie Hall — featuring Cyndi Lauper and The Roots, among others — and it will go on as planned.

Bustle takes a look at the effect The Labyrinth had on millennial women.

Born on his birthday, the Cincinnati Zoo named its newest baby penguin “Bowie.”

Even a Catholic Cardinal got in on the tributes:

Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown,
engines on
Check ignition
and may God's love be with you (David Bowie)

— Gianfranco Ravasi (@CardRavasi) January 11, 2016

Autostraddle‘s Maree talks about Bowie’s impact on bisexuals, particularly those who are/were more femme.

Maura Johnston, at Noisey, talks about his contributions to pop music and his early embrace of the internet.

Several writers at the Electric Literature blog — including J. Robert Lennon and Porochista Khakpour — talk about specific Bowie songs and their impact on their life and writing.

The Guardian offers up 20 lesser-appreciated gems, including one of my favorites, “London Bye Ta Ta.”

Conan O’Brien has a playlist of Late Show appearances, which has one of my favorite “SECRETS” segments.

Neil Gaiman posted a short story, “The Return of The Thin White Duke,” which he calls “unabashedly fan fiction.”

Here’s Glen Hansard singing “Ashes to Ashes” at the tribute outside Bowie’s New York apartment:

And church bells in Utrecht, the Netherlands played “Space Oddity:”

Here’s a graph showing the David Bowie songs people are listening to the most after his death. #1 is “Heroes.”

His 2013 list of his 100 Favorite Books has resurfaced, if you’d like an inspired reading list.

And his two-hour 1979 takeover of BBC Radio 1 is floating around again. Some good tunes here!

Oddly enough, David Bowie has never had a #1 album throughout his entire career — until now.

Noel Gallagher posted twice on Instagram about the legend. My favorite is the second image:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAZZ62dSVEe/

The photo is from the ’90s, so God knows indeed!!

What are some of your favorite Bowie moments? Give a shout in the comments.