17 ms·

David Bowie Has Died

1484 points by hccampos 11y ago

aniijbod 11y ago
He was the inventor of continuous public self-reinvention. He saw the job of re-imagining and then sculpting his own public identity as being inseparable from the musical inspiration that propelled it. For him, if any new musical idea he had felt unique enough, he would feel driven to create a new persona to perform it.
elmar 11y ago
Look up here,I'm in #heaven. I've got scars that can't be seen. I've got drama, can't be stolen. http://payload342.cargocollective.com/1/16/514318/9158551/DB-Transformation-Colour.gif http://payload342.cargocollective.com/1/16/514318/9158551/DB...
purpled_haze 11y ago
R.I.P.
rmason 11y ago
There used to be a show on American TV Saturday night called the Midnight Special. In 1973 they turned the entire show over to David Bowie who did a special from London. It was hosted at a seminal rock palace called the Marquee Club. I remember it as one of the best hours of rock on television. Among the artists he invited to perform with him was Marianne Faithful. It made such a deep impression on me that when I visited London for the first time two years later I made certain to visit the Marquee Club. It looked one hell of a lot smaller in person than it ever did on TV. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquee_Club https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquee_Club
- avolcano 11y ago
  the full recording survives in mixed quality, but his performance of I Got You Babe with Marianne is relatively-well preserved. great hidden gem in his back catalogue :) https://youtu.be/EeBTz8n0vzw?t=2085 https://youtu.be/EeBTz8n0vzw?t=2085
ktamura 11y ago
When September 11 happened, I was living in New York City, and like many other NYC residents -American or not- I was distressed. Paul McCartney and Co. put together a concert to cheer us up (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Concert_for_New_York_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Concert_for_New_York_City), and that was the first time I had a chance to listen to Bowie live. It turned out to be the last time. RIP.
- tjl 11y ago
  Wow, I feel old. I saw him in concert over a decade earlier for his Sound + Vision tour.
  - huxley 11y ago
    Me too, on July 2 1990 in New Brunswick. I won't ever forget it not just because Bowie was awesome but because a woman that climbed on stage to grab Bowie's arse leapt over the barriers and landed on my girlfriend, knocking her out. I had to lift Em over the barrier so the roadies could take her off to get medical treatment and I spent the rest of the concert trying to find her. Poor Em was a bit stunned by the blow so when they asked her if she wanted to meet Bowie, she said, "no, I need to find my boyfriend."
    - luxpir 11y ago
      What became of Em?
      - huxley 11y ago
        She was fine, the doctors kept her for observation. Of course, back then we didn't have cellphones so it was tough to reconnect, but eventually the concert staff tracked her down. She and I dated for a few more months but kinda drifted apart as teenagers do, though we're still keep in touch. That's always a fun memory to relive.
LeoPanthera 11y ago
The chances that anyone here hasn't seen it are almost zero, but just in case, if you haven't seen Chris Hadfield's cover of Space Oddity, recorded on the ISS, you really should: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo I don't have a source but I heard that David preferred this version to the original.
- gkoberger 11y ago
  "Bowie has actually praised the cover, calling it 'possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created' back in 2013." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/11/04/with-david-bowies-blessing-astronaut-chris-hadfields-space-oddity-is-back-on-youtube/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/w...
- TuxerLulz 11y ago
  Watched this again yesterday. RIP.
- ptaipale 11y ago
  Oh, good to know that's available again. At some point it was pulled for copyright reasons. http://boingboing.net/2014/05/18/bowies-takedown-of-hadfield.html http://boingboing.net/2014/05/18/bowies-takedown-of-hadfield...
  - chc4 11y ago
    I heard that they arranged a deal for a 1 year lease, and after that year had to take it down. I didn't know that it was back either, that's great news.
    - ptaipale 11y ago
      Seems that this time it's a two year lease, so it's still not going to be available permanently.
siculars 11y ago
"The sun machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party."
jafingi 11y ago
Devastating news this morning. David Bowie is a legend. Was raised with his music. Even named my dog Ziggy after him. His memory will live on with his music. RIP David.
aaronbrethorst 11y ago
This is terrible. He's, by far, one of my favorite musicians of all time. In case you're unfamiliar with David Bowie's music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZRfDhCHlc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZRfDhCHlc
Podwicker 11y ago
Thanks, Ziggy!
jmduke 11y ago
And these children that you spit on / As they try to change their worlds / Are immune to your consultations / They're quite aware of what they're going through ~ from Changes Bowie is a legend.
- jacquesm 11y ago
  Even if I don't have a record player any more I still have that on vynil. This sucks.
somberi 11y ago
A nice Adieu. His latest release Blackstar seems to be well rated. http://www.avclub.com/review/david-bowie-goes-noir-intoxicating-blackstar-230272 http://www.avclub.com/review/david-bowie-goes-noir-intoxicat...
imagex 11y ago
The first and last time I was fortunate enough to see him live was The Glass Spider Tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Spider_Tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Spider_Tour which was performance art like I'd never experienced. Very glad managed to see Blackstar released, it's a fascinating, eerie album. The eponymous track was playing when I read the announcement he had passed. Long Live Bowie.
- tjl 11y ago
  I saw him live for his Sound + Vision tour. That was pretty incredible. It truly was a blend of the two as he put together some great visuals to go with each of the songs. Plus, it was a "greatest hits" kind of tour so you got a wide range of songs. I still regularly listen to my Sound + Vision box set. Unfortunately, I don't have anything that can play the video from my CD-V now.
agumonkey 11y ago
It feels like a golden age is fading away ... What an odd sensation.
- nunodonato 11y ago
  we still have Bieber.. stay strong! /s
  - agumonkey 11y ago
    As easy that joke was, I'm very often wondering about generations these days. I often feel this generation is really cheap. Now, surely most people feel this way about how the new one isn't worth their own, but really there were such iconic periods from the 50s to the 90s (in a westerner point of view) .. and this makes his leaving (among other peers who shaped the 70s) as powerful as hurting.
    - cageface 11y ago
      There's a ton of interesting, adventurous music being made by young people right now but you will never hear it because the music labels still dominate pop music and they've become more conservative than ever. So don't judge the current generation by what you see in the top 40. Dig around on Bandcamp instead and be amazed.
      - agumonkey 11y ago
        It's funny, Bowie did speak about Labels disappearing. As I said above, the top before had more interesting stuff (if you consider The Police, or Dire Straits interesting that is). I'll seek through bandcamp, I rarely hear things intersting these days but maybe I'm under a passeist phase.
        cageface 11y ago
        No idea what your tastes are but here's a bunch of interesting stuff that went under the labels' radar. http://hcmj.tumblr.com/post/135300528373/hcmjs-favorite-albums-of-2015 http://hcmj.tumblr.com/post/135300528373/hcmjs-favorite-albu...
brunorsini 11y ago
Such sad news. Given the Golden Globes is just over, it might be timely to rewatch the classic Extras segment in which Bowie roasts Gervais - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE
- josteink 11y ago
  "This video contains content from BBC Worldwide, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." You just have to love modern copyright.
  - ZeroMinx 11y ago
    Same(?) clip on dailymotion; http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnleeu_extras-david-bowie_shortfilms http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnleeu_extras-david-bowie_s... It's available from Malta, whereas the Youtube one isn't.
  - exodust 11y ago
    not great quality but at least can see it... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x33jt81 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x33jt81
  - deleted 11y ago
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  - deleted 11y ago
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  - mvanvoorden 11y ago
    Silly governments and corporations who think the internet can have borders ;) Use a browser plugin like ProxFlow/ProxTube and never have this problem again :)
  - junto 11y ago
    The rules of globalisation sadly only suit corporations and not individuals.
xxs 11y ago
Yesterday, I was checking "Omikron: The Nomad Soul"(1999), he created the soundtrack. Devastating news. RIP
- brobinson 11y ago
  He also voiced (and digitally portrayed) one of the characters in the game. Additionally, there are three secret concerts which you can attend after finding their fliers at which original songs are played.
supernintendo 11y ago
Very sad news. Bowie's music has brought me so much joy. His influence on rock n' roll (and popular music in general) remains evident to this day.
synthmeat 11y ago
I don’t even know why I would want to be on a label in a few years, because I don’t think it’s going to work by labels and by distribution systems in the same way. The absolute transformation of everything that we ever thought about music will take place within 10 years, and nothing is going to be able to stop it. I see absolutely no point in pretending that it’s not going to happen. I’m fully confident that copyright, for instance, will no longer exist in 10 years, and authorship and intellectual property is in for such a bashing. Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity. So it’s like, just take advantage of these last few years because none of this is ever going to happen again. You’d better be prepared for doing a lot of touring because that’s really the only unique situation that’s going to be left. It’s terribly exciting. But on the other hand it doesn’t matter if you think it’s exciting or not; it’s what’s going to happen. ~ David Bowie, 2002
- npunt 11y ago
  Lets not forget he started an ISP in 1998 (BowieNet). He was always on the cutting edge.
- cageface 11y ago
  If anything labels are more important than ever and music sales are driven by the kind of marketing campaigns that only big records labels can afford. There's a ton of interesting music being made outside their domain but most people will never hear any of it.
  - rplnt 11y ago
    One would think services like Spotify would help, but they only make the music more accessible, they don't help you find it. I don't have pro and only ads I hear (besides the spotify ones that are trying to annoy you into paying) are ones from Universal Music.
    - wyclif 11y ago
      I don't agree—I use Spotify a lot and it's helped tremendously in my finding new music. The "Discover Weekly" and social playlists features always point me to sources of new music.
eropple 11y ago
This sucks. Not because I listened to a lot of Bowie. I mean, I did, but only relatively recently. But because of how insanely influential his stuff is on almost everything we listen to. The ripples of his work are close to incalculable. You don't have to have listened to a minute of David Bowie to go "oh, shit" right now and mean it wholly. > When in doubt, listen to David Bowie. In 1968, Bowie was a gay, ginger, bonk-eyed, snaffle toothed freak walking round South London in a dress, being shouted at by thugs. Four years later, he was still exactly that – but everyone else wanted to be like him, too. If David Bowie can make being David Bowie cool, you can make being you cool. PLUS, unlike David Bowie, you get to listen to David Bowie for inspiration. So you’re one up on him, really. YOU’RE ALREADY ONE AHEAD OF DAVID BOWIE.
- pbhjpbhj 11y ago
  I don't really care beyond it being a point of fact but I thought Bowie was famously bisexual and that he had marketed himself at various points as homosexual. In 1968 Bowie was 2 years off getting married and 3 years from having a son by his wife.
pearjuice 11y ago
Though unfortunate, I don't think this belongs on HN.
- venomsnake 11y ago
  It is wildly known that hackers don't like music geniuses. And geek culture was not shaped by the music of the 70-s and 80-s. And Labyrinth. As long as there is crowd big enough to mourn, it belongs. Otherwise it will just slip from front page. And Bowie was such an artist that he shaped multiple generations.
- DanBC 11y ago
  Compared to your recent submissions?
  - pearjuice 11y ago
    Ad hominem
- kunai 11y ago
  HN's guidelines suggest things hackers would find interesting; Bowie's genius, non-conformity, and willingness to experiment with musical form are certainly characteristics hackers would find interesting. His loss is a loss to the entire world of art and music, and he was one of my favorite musicians — my single favorite for a very long time. May he rest in peace.
  - eterm 11y ago
    The same guidelines suggest, "If TV news covers it, it's likely off topic"
    - kunai 11y ago
      It's not black-or-white.
- exodust 11y ago
  "Unfortunate"... ? When a stone hits your windshield and causes a small crack, that's unfortunate.
mrcsparker 11y ago
I know that I'm not the only one crying. Bowie's music meant a lot to me. He was a weirdo that made it cool to be a weirdo. His music was always on while I was coding, running, having a drink, taking to my daughter. Everyone in the house are asleep - they will be heartbroken tomorrow morning. His music was part of the soundtrack to our lives. My sister got me into Bowie and my older daughter and wife love his music. I thought that Bowie would somehow live forever.
venomsnake 11y ago
It's only forever. Not long at all. -Jared the Goblin King First Lemmy, now David - one hell of a supergroup is gathering in the skies.
slavik81 11y ago
Well, that's bad news for the Labyrinth sequel, unless they've filmed it already.
- ekianjo 11y ago
  That movie was a rumor and was not happening anyway
  - slavik81 11y ago
    I guess I'll just have to rewatch the original.
    - ekianjo 11y ago
      Which is a good thing. It's a pretty fun movie.
paulojreis 11y ago
It was a nice surprise to see this on #1 here on HN. Farewell, Major Tom.
auvrw 11y ago
noooooo!!!! i now understand why some prefer to think Elvis is still alive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUK4FMAGc4M&index=4&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUK4FMAGc4M&index=4&list=PLJ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOETfTI62A&index=2&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOETfTI62A&index=2&list=PLJ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLG10PejwQ&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ&index=3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLG10PejwQ&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRi30GNFMc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRi30GNFMc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP2SS8ggLtU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP2SS8ggLtU
- pygy_ 11y ago
  The first three videos are not available here (France). I think it's his official account https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvY1eVE6lTebXsdFbbXUtkQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvY1eVE6lTebXsdFbbXUtkQ. Edit: Edit: ah, no... "This channel was generated automatically by YouTube's video discovery system."
donkeyd 11y ago
I'ts quite amazing that he died 2 days after releasing his album, even though the release date was announced in October.
deleted 11y ago
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__david__ 11y ago
Ah, man. This probably shouldn't make me sad (I never knew the guy), but it does. I've listened to his music for years and years, seen his songs permeate pop culture and leave his mark upon the world. The guy was a consummate artist and I regret never seeing him live. :-(
- spoondan 11y ago
  Your sadness is completely justified. As John Donne observed nearly 400 years ago, "any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
  - eropple 11y ago
    I never expected to see a John Donne reference on Hacker News. We could use more of it. Thanks.
joe5150 11y ago
"Look up here / I'm in heaven"
elmar 11y ago
Ashes to Ashes https://youtu.be/CMThz7eQ6K0 https://youtu.be/CMThz7eQ6K0
Hydragyrum 11y ago
In terms of Music, I dont think there's been any British artist more influential than Bowie other than the Beatles. Listen to Low and then listen to music today, he was just so far ahead of his time. His constant changes in image, his unapologetic flamboyance and willingness to sacrifice commercial success for his are. I dont think we'll see anyone quite like him again.
ck2 11y ago
69 seems relatively young, cancer is still kicking humanity's butt sadly. Still, his 69 years were far more filled than most. Loved "The Man Who Fell To Earth" - he made it fantastic.
avolcano 11y ago
It's funny, these threads always devolve into comparisons to modern day pop stars, how none of them compare. And you're all right, of course, no one could ever compare. He was the best, period, in my mind, and while he may not be in your mind, but his accomplishments and career are undeniable. But every rock and pop singer today has something from Bowie. Kanye and Gaga found ways to navigate both pop stardom and the art world; bands like Of Montreal incorporated theatricality blended with musicianship in their records and live shows. I could list, so, so many more, from Janelle Monae to St Vincent, but unfortunately I think a list of every rock or pop musician since 1970 would take up significantly more room than I have in this comment box. They created something new using his life and music as inspiration - and that's fine. Because we like to act as if Bowie is this fount of perfect originality, ideas springing from the ether - and, don't get me wrong, he certainly was inventive - but to ignore his influences is to create a myth. We talk about him as the chameleon, but he never morphed into truly untread ground - he always found what was there, and improved, innovated, found new ways to incorporate it. Young Americans followed Philadelphia soul. "Blackout" followed "Nite Flights". The man operated a goddamn ISP in the late 90s, as another comment mentioned. Blackstar followed experimental jazz and had inspiration from everyone from Kendrick Lamar to James Murphy. I wouldn't dare to try to distill his life into a single takeaway, as there's far, far too many angles to cover. But here's the lesson that springs to mind first, which, now that I write it, comes out slightly more inspirational-poster than I'd like, but maybe that's okay: Creative work isn't made in a vacuum, and to try is futile. Embrace what's next, no matter how different, how weird. Keep your eyes forward and your ears and mind open.
- joshschreuder 11y ago
  Beautifully put. Thank you.
ryporter 11y ago
His influence extended well beyond music. He was the first to make use of Celebrity Bonds. [1] While it's true that Bowie Bonds didn't ending doing very well for investors, the principle behind them is sound. By bringing in investors to share his financial risk, Bowie was able to buy the rights to his songs. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_bond https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_bond
pmcpinto 11y ago
RIP David. An amazing creative mind
rogeryu 11y ago
His remains should be sent to Mars. If there's not Life on Mars, at least he is the first to be Dead on Mars.
paublyrne 11y ago
I'll be listening to a lot Bowie today. An artist in every sense of the word.
wyclif 11y ago
If you listen to Bowie's new album "Blackstar" now, it has to rank as one of the greatest "going out with class" artistic moments in pop music. The lead single is called "Lazarus" and the first line of the song is "Look up here, I'm in heaven."
- TheOtherHobbes 11y ago
  The video for Lazarus came out a few days ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 That's one hell of an exit. The video and song for Blackstar are even more astonishing. For various reasons I was never a big Bowie fan, but Blackstar was one of the few tracks from anyone ever that made me think "WTF did I just hear/watch?!" - and I mean that in a good way. Some people make music. Bowie invented mythologies, turned them into sung performance art, and put them out on vinyl and CD.
  - Intermernet 11y ago
    Wow. I'm a huge Bowie fan and I just watched the video clip for Blackstar for the first time. Genres redefined again with masterful production by all involved. I'll be having stranger than usual dreams tonight. > That's one hell of an exit. Yes, yes it is. I'll miss him.
dmoo 11y ago
I bought my first Bowie album probably 35 years ago, I still carry Bowie music around on my phone. Back then buying music seemed like such an important thing. It was both a choice, you could only afford one record out of many, and a statement, your record collection said something about you to your peers. I guess social media takes it's place in that you use it to express who you are and what you like. Back then you listened to every album you bought hundreds of times and really made a connection with the ones you liked. One of my Bowie LP's developed a skip and I still expect to hear it jump when I hear the track now on the radio or spotify.
- nly 11y ago
  Your comparison between this kind of behaviour to social media seems fairly insightful. Is this a realisation you came up with just now, previously, or picked up somewhere?
  - dmoo 11y ago
    I was just thinking of the Bowie vinyl that I had and remembered what the experience of buying it was like. Having 'cool' albums was a thing, it said something about you. Now that I have teenagers myself I don't see that with them. Music is not something they own, it's free (if you don't mind the ads) and anyone can have anything they like. No effort is required and maybe because of that They don't seem to appreciate it the same way. I wouldn't claim that any idea I had was original but for sure I see a similarity between the way people seem to curate their social media profile so that they appear in a certain light to others to the way my peers and I used to curate our record collections to portray something about ourselves as kids
rbanffy 11y ago
"We could steal time, just for one day" :-(
SadismoNoise 11y ago
Who?
- tdsamardzhiev 11y ago
  David Bowie.
jgrahamc 11y ago
At least now there's a starman waiting in the sky. And he did blow our minds when we got to meet him. RIP
gbog 11y ago
Do we all have to share this culture of mourning and condoleances? I have listened to some music made by David Bowie, but I kind of feel not that much about his death. Am I heartless? Or just honest? I mean, listening to some guy's music do not make it a close relative, is it? (If so, then well we all have too many "close relatives" for this mean anything anymore). Or should I just shut up and let the people weep until we go to some other topic? Also, I fail to see what this is doing on HN, sorry.
- dmoo 11y ago
  There are many stories on HN that I don't care about. In those cases I usually find it best to say nothing...
- eropple 11y ago
  > Do we all have to share this culture of mourning and condoleances? Don't, if you don't want to. Nobody's making you care, nobody's going to judge you if it didn't matter to you. But you could do a lot worse than to take that urge to tell everyone how much you don't care and shove it down somewhere deep and dark. And, as it happens, you did.
- onion2k 11y ago
  I think people find it a little too easy to forget that people in startups, and consequently on HN, are human beings with actual feelings. If a slightly off topic thread can remind us of that occasionally then that's not such a bad thing. HN can be about more than just startups without losing what makes it useful and interesting. Plus... I fail to see what this is doing on HN Bowie was a serial entrepreneur in the music industry (and others). He was masterful at looking forward at what was coming next and innovating and iterating his musical art to stay relevant. I'm absolutely certain there's a great deal that startups could learn from how Bowie lived and worked.
- Angostura 11y ago
  > Am I heartless? Or just honest? No, Yes. You just don't happen to feel a close connection to this particular person who has died. That doesn't mean that other people here aren't being similarly honest and do feel a connection.
firstworldman 11y ago
"The future is not only going to be about hard-edged people with metal faces. There will be broken hearts in the future." That's a Bowie quote I think of with unusual regularity. It appeared 16 years ago in Spin Magazine. He was asked why his then newest album wasn't as contemporary sounding as his previous album, Earthling. It's advice that may be applicable to the projects worked on by many here as well.
Shivetya 11y ago
and here I just got down watching him as Tesla from the movie The Prestige; a very good movie about old time stage magicians starring people you would not expect let alone Bowie
Chris64SQ 11y ago
Sorry to hear,his music was to me some good(just a few)...the others well...not,but anyway he came from an era in music that produced great stuff!
Chris64SQ 11y ago
Sad to hear,he made some good music!
arethuza 11y ago
I think this tweet from David Baddiel, read out on BBC Radio 4 this morning, sums it up for me: "Not just upset by Bowie's death but disorientated: like I've woken up and the ... I think I assumed he was immortal."
will_pseudonym 11y ago
FUCK YOU, "THE SYSTEM"! DAVID BOWIE JUST RELEASED A STUDIO ALBUM TWO DAYS AGO! TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, "THE SYSTEM"!
- denom 11y ago
  As kenneth rexroth put it: the value of something is proportional to its loss. To live is to take up and hold some measure of ultimate value. In dying we give up and release _everything_ we hold and love. This is the poetic essence of life: Each breath is dying, and each death a rebirth--always intangible and inaccessible, except as we experience it in that continuing instant. Life is not safe. At each moment we tumble forward into the unknown. Can you take comfort in that?
anatoly 11y ago
https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12259_10207298901805277_3248838247522739236_n.jpg?oh=0da79de20403bc66a978ffe2d83a0a2a&oe=57110E08 https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1...
dougb5 11y ago
Check out his description of some software he used to inspire lyrics which he calls the Verbasizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Sgq0XoxPw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Sgq0XoxPw
MikeNomad 11y ago
A sad way to start my day. His version of Hallo Spaceboy w/ Foo Fighters immediately came to mind. Wrong bit in the article... Tony Sales was the drummer in Tin Machine. His brother is Hunt Sales, who was the bass player in the same band. Bowie has a half-brother, Terry, who passed in the mid-80s.
- MikeNomad 11y ago
  Very sorry, I had Hunt And Tony playing each others instruments...
jrbedard 11y ago
Interview in 1999 with his predictions about the internet, with career/songs comparison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WaPXKfFHms&feature=youtu.be&t=3m4s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WaPXKfFHms&feature=youtu.be...
wilhil 11y ago
I work in Heddon Street, London... This is where the famous album cover was taken. There are so many news crews outside... Pretty crazy. http://i.imgur.com/70Owout.jpg http://i.imgur.com/70Owout.jpg
deleted 11y ago
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apryldelancey 11y ago
I was saddened to hear this when I woke up this morning. I've listened to his music my entire life and can't remember a time without him. Cancer sucks!
MilnerRoute 11y ago
If you haven't seen it, Bowie's 2015 video "Lazarus" is stunning. https://youtu.be/y-JqH1M4Ya8 https://youtu.be/y-JqH1M4Ya8
chiph 11y ago
David Bowie was always ahead of everyone else. Who is going to lead us into the future now?
stplsd 11y ago
http://www.scaruffi.com/vol3/bowie.html http://www.scaruffi.com/vol3/bowie.html
antirez 11y ago
Since I never liked Bowie I spent 60 min listening to him today, in a try-again attempt. No luck. RIP.
- DanBC 11y ago
  This comment reminds me of RAM Album Club. http://ramalbumclub.com/ http://ramalbumclub.com/ > 1) Each week we pick a guest > 2) We give the guest a critically acclaimed album they've never listened to. > 3) The guest explains why they've never listened to it, laying out any potential prejudice in advance. i.e. "I've never liked the cut of Pink Floyd's jib" or "Mark E Smith frightens me". > 4) The guest has to listen to the album at least three times, this acclaimed album that they've never bothered listening to, and then tell us whether it was worth it or not.
finnjohnsen2 11y ago
Just go listen to "Under Pressure" with David Bowie and Freddy Mercury already! Such titans. ps. if you start humming "ice ice baby", thats ok too I guess :D
thomnottom 11y ago
It's cliche to say someone like Bowie was timeless, but it is really true in his case. He was not only ahead of his time, but he was behind his time. The man was able to find new trends but also take old and existing ones and turn them into his own. I remember listening to Earthling for the first time and feeling those hyperkinetic d'n'b beats and thinking "How does this 50 year-old man continue to make himself so relevant?" I tend to have momentary sadness when a celebrity I appreciate passes away, but it feels like this one will last for a bit longer.
gargravarr 11y ago
So shocked to see Bowie passed this morning. Although I wasn only a casual fan, I appreciated his musical talent and most of the musicians in my favourites list were influenced by him. Without any doubt, the 1980s wouldn't have been the same without him. A household name for 50 years, still making music right to the end. I don't think anyone could ask for more. RIP Ziggy Stardust.
jokoon 11y ago
Is it me, or there are too many articles about celebrities dying?
- vox_mollis 11y ago
  No need to complain. Just flag and move on. You and I don't understand why celebrities deserve coverage, but clearly plenty of others do.
  - vixen99 11y ago
    Of course you understand. The media are businesses. As such they provide what the customers want and what they know about. As a personal view, it isn't until one looks at alternative news coverage (which I'll define as 'that which is not one's usual bill of fare') that the partiality of journalists and media empires becomes apparent.
    - vox_mollis 11y ago
      Right, but the OP is likely questioning why HN, which is supposedly a medium at least slightly immune to the vagaries of normal celebrity worship, is covering it.
TeMPOraL 11y ago
Everyone here has probably heard Space Oddity. Until recently that was the only song of David Bowie I've known. But then, thanks to The Martian, I found this one, Starman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRcPA7Fzebw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRcPA7Fzebw Really, go listen to it. It's just beautiful. It captures imagination and hope for the future. And I think it has a perfect message for us, about both his legacy and our responsibility. There's a starman waiting in the sky He's told us not to blow it Cause he knows it's all worthwhile So, "Let the children lose it", and let's build a better world for them. Thank you, David Bowie.
jcrei 11y ago
15 years ago, he predicted the impact of the internet on music and society. https://www.facebook.com/FACTmagazine/videos/vb.52725749686/10153819928364687/?type=2&theater https://www.facebook.com/FACTmagazine/videos/vb.52725749686/...
nerdcity 11y ago
Anyone else remember BowieNet? The man had his own ISP back in 98, for crying out loud... A true visionary of an artist. He really understood technology, and what changes would be wrought by it for people, the arts, social systems, the music business, etc. Dance, magic dance, Mr. Bowie. Dance, magic dance.
pseudonymous119 11y ago
Though I'm certainly saddened to hear David Bowie has died, I think his death is absolutely off-topic for HN. Yet compare the number of points and comments this thread has with this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10832624 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10832624 or this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10557793 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10557793 It seems like HN's content is becoming less and less technical over time and much more political and social, and this thread is a great example. I've also noticed more and more "agenda pushers" posting here, people who can't contribute on the technical threads but aggressively upvote and comment on the non-technical threads. I was about to suggest new, clearer guidelines restricting much of this non-technical content to reverse the decline, but according to the current guidelines, it seems like it's already prohibited: Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. Maybe stricter enforcement would be in order (dang? jascquesm?)
- darkstar999 11y ago
  Except the top comment thread found a way to be very relevant to the interests of HN. It's better to just move on instead of complaining.
  - pseudonymous119 11y ago
    A passing comment about the impact of technology on the music industry is enough to make someone's death relevant here? But you're correct; if I consider HN to be heading inexorably in a direction I dislike, I shouldn't waste my time here. Have fun posting and commenting on celebrity news, articles from the The Guardian and The Intercept without me.
    - abdulhaq 11y ago
      It seems like an idle threat when you are using an anonymous post to protect your karma...
    - Apocryphon 11y ago
      http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-david-bowie-a-video-game-pioneer-as-well-20160111-story.html http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-da...
beat 11y ago
David Bowie was one of the greatest entrepreneurs ever. He singlehandedly changed the direction of the entire music industry - repeatedly - for decades. He pulled in ideas and imagery from the most avant-garde corners of culture, and made it accessible and popular. There's hardly a musician out there in rock music or many other forms that hasn't been influenced directly by him. David Bowie relentlessly delivered bold, daring new products. He never, ever sat on his laurels, never was content with what he'd done before. He produced the best work he possibly could, with the best collaborators. So, so many artists had their finest moments playing on his records or in his bands. His only peer, as far as I'm concerned, is Miles Davis. I'm a musician myself, and it's hard to even describe how I feel about Bowie's music. "Role model" is woefully insufficient. I think I feel about him the way priests feel about saints.
- eblanshey 11y ago
  > He singlehandedly changed the direction of the entire music industry - repeatedly - for decades. Mind expanding on this? I don't know too much about him.
  - beat 11y ago
    In the early 70s, he was the leader of the glam movement, introducing androgyny and bisexuality to the music industry, bringing in visuals from the decidedly underground drag and cabaret scenes. In the mid-70s, he crossed American soul into British pop, creating an image that has been used ever since by thousands of lesser pop musicians. Besides making his own records, he produced albums for barely-controllable outsiders like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, helping them achieve pop crossover success and survive their own demons. In the late 70s, he went to Berlin and cranked out three albums of ambient, experimental music that kicked open doors for radical new sounds that fueled the New Wave movement (again with shallow imitation). But he ignored New Wave himself, and instead made fresh, soulful, pop with Let's Dance. In the 1990s, he got heavily involved in the early internet, putting multimedia content on cds and even founding an ISP. He dialed things back in the 2000s, as age and health took their toll. His two most recent albums were his first in many years. The Next Day was a throwback to his 1970s rock styles. Blackstar brought in jazz and modern hip-hop ideas. One of the most amazing things about his output, besides how many times he forged new sounds and new visuals for the entire industry, is how timeless it all is. Pretty much all of his records, especially the best ones, sound timeless and modern, even decades later.
browseatwork 11y ago
Doesn't this quotation strongly apply to software engineers? I find engineers have more trouble applying the same logic to software engineering, while applying it to artists, especially musicians, without much reflection.
- readymade 11y ago
  There's such a pervasive notion, especially among techies and other white collar types, that artists and musicians either don't deserve a good living or should be happy just to get to do what they do, regardless of income. It's a tremendous sense of entitlement on the one hand, to express contempt for the individual while expecting unlimited access to their work. I believe Astra Taylor made an interesting point about how this idea of the artist as the mandatorily broke but (ideally) self-fulfilled creator is also increasingly extended as a metaphor in recent business press when discussing the plight of graduates, interns and freelancers.
  - Kalium 11y ago
    I think you may have missed the core of the notion. It's not about who "deserves" what at all. It's about providing value. Techies and other white collar types generally provide value by doing bespoke work. Demanding payment to copy non-custom bits because they have a certain color is not providing value in any readily apparent way. What you've also missed is how sick and tired techies are of artists and musicians seeking to "deserve a good living" by controlling techies. To express contempt for our work while expecting unlimited cringing subservience. Why is it that so-called "artists" are so quick to demand creative control over the work of others who work in different mediums? I have a few guesses.
    - readymade 11y ago
      Not at all. Rather, it's that your heuristic of "providing value" breaks down spectacularly in the face of even the most casual observations of consumer demand. Whether value is provided by copying bits is arguable, that artists add value to society is not even worth debating. Producing an album is bespoke labor as well, just work that, as such, typically goes uncompensated. And to the extent that these are merely symptoms of a market in flux, as opposed to the stratifications of a class system, it undermines that analysis to make the tired assertion that poverty wages are the price one pays for "following one's passion" (albeit very specific passions). In any event, I suspect that you don't know many "so-called artists". May you have a long and prosperous career, and retire young before the market value for your passions is reduced to zero.
dools 11y ago
"Chubby Little Loser" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7S6-Ta3yg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7S6-Ta3yg easily my favourite Bowie performance.
SonicSoul 11y ago
Simon Pegg tweeted it nicely: If you're sad today, just remember the world is over 4 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie.
- jazz 11y ago
  Simon Pegg tweeted: A quote attributed to Simon regarding the sad loss of the great David Bowie seems to have originated from tweeter, @JeSuisDean, not Simon. Nice tweet however.
major505 11y ago
"Look up here, I’m in heaven I’ve got scars that can’t be seen I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen Everybody knows me now" We sure know Mr. Bowie. We sure know.
davi 11y ago
"The day will come when David Bowie is a star and the crushed remains of his melodies are broadcast from Muzak boxes in every elevator and hotel lobby in town." - Nancy Erlich, July 11 1971 New York Times (http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/07/11/91304467.html?pageNumber=142 http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/07/11/9130...)
msie 11y ago
You hear promising things about Cancer treatment and yet we couldn't save this man.

1484 points by hccampos 11y ago

He was the inventor of continuous public self-reinvention. He saw the job of re-imagining and then sculpting his own public identity as being inseparable from the musical inspiration that propelled it. For him, if any new musical idea he had felt unique enough, he would feel driven to create a new persona to perform it.

elmar 11y ago

Look up here,I'm in #heaven. I've got scars that can't be seen. I've got drama, can't be stolen. http://payload342.cargocollective.com/1/16/514318/9158551/DB-Transformation-Colour.gif http://payload342.cargocollective.com/1/16/514318/9158551/DB...

purpled_haze 11y ago

R.I.P.

rmason 11y ago

There used to be a show on American TV Saturday night called the Midnight Special. In 1973 they turned the entire show over to David Bowie who did a special from London. It was hosted at a seminal rock palace called the Marquee Club. I remember it as one of the best hours of rock on television. Among the artists he invited to perform with him was Marianne Faithful. It made such a deep impression on me that when I visited London for the first time two years later I made certain to visit the Marquee Club. It looked one hell of a lot smaller in person than it ever did on TV. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquee_Club https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquee_Club

avolcano 11y ago
the full recording survives in mixed quality, but his performance of I Got You Babe with Marianne is relatively-well preserved. great hidden gem in his back catalogue :) https://youtu.be/EeBTz8n0vzw?t=2085 https://youtu.be/EeBTz8n0vzw?t=2085

ktamura 11y ago

When September 11 happened, I was living in New York City, and like many other NYC residents -American or not- I was distressed. Paul McCartney and Co. put together a concert to cheer us up (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Concert_for_New_York_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Concert_for_New_York_City), and that was the first time I had a chance to listen to Bowie live. It turned out to be the last time. RIP.

tjl 11y ago
Wow, I feel old. I saw him in concert over a decade earlier for his Sound + Vision tour.
- huxley 11y ago
  Me too, on July 2 1990 in New Brunswick. I won't ever forget it not just because Bowie was awesome but because a woman that climbed on stage to grab Bowie's arse leapt over the barriers and landed on my girlfriend, knocking her out. I had to lift Em over the barrier so the roadies could take her off to get medical treatment and I spent the rest of the concert trying to find her. Poor Em was a bit stunned by the blow so when they asked her if she wanted to meet Bowie, she said, "no, I need to find my boyfriend."
  - luxpir 11y ago
    What became of Em?
    - huxley 11y ago
      She was fine, the doctors kept her for observation. Of course, back then we didn't have cellphones so it was tough to reconnect, but eventually the concert staff tracked her down. She and I dated for a few more months but kinda drifted apart as teenagers do, though we're still keep in touch. That's always a fun memory to relive.

LeoPanthera 11y ago

The chances that anyone here hasn't seen it are almost zero, but just in case, if you haven't seen Chris Hadfield's cover of Space Oddity, recorded on the ISS, you really should: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo I don't have a source but I heard that David preferred this version to the original.

gkoberger 11y ago
"Bowie has actually praised the cover, calling it 'possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created' back in 2013." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/11/04/with-david-bowies-blessing-astronaut-chris-hadfields-space-oddity-is-back-on-youtube/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/w...
TuxerLulz 11y ago
Watched this again yesterday. RIP.
ptaipale 11y ago
Oh, good to know that's available again. At some point it was pulled for copyright reasons. http://boingboing.net/2014/05/18/bowies-takedown-of-hadfield.html http://boingboing.net/2014/05/18/bowies-takedown-of-hadfield...
- chc4 11y ago
  I heard that they arranged a deal for a 1 year lease, and after that year had to take it down. I didn't know that it was back either, that's great news.
  - ptaipale 11y ago
    Seems that this time it's a two year lease, so it's still not going to be available permanently.

siculars 11y ago

"The sun machine is coming down, and we're gonna have a party."

jafingi 11y ago

Devastating news this morning. David Bowie is a legend. Was raised with his music. Even named my dog Ziggy after him. His memory will live on with his music. RIP David.

aaronbrethorst 11y ago

This is terrible. He's, by far, one of my favorite musicians of all time. In case you're unfamiliar with David Bowie's music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZRfDhCHlc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZRfDhCHlc

Podwicker 11y ago

Thanks, Ziggy!

jmduke 11y ago

And these children that you spit on / As they try to change their worlds / Are immune to your consultations / They're quite aware of what they're going through ~ from Changes Bowie is a legend.

jacquesm 11y ago
Even if I don't have a record player any more I still have that on vynil. This sucks.

somberi 11y ago

A nice Adieu. His latest release Blackstar seems to be well rated. http://www.avclub.com/review/david-bowie-goes-noir-intoxicating-blackstar-230272 http://www.avclub.com/review/david-bowie-goes-noir-intoxicat...

imagex 11y ago

The first and last time I was fortunate enough to see him live was The Glass Spider Tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Spider_Tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Spider_Tour which was performance art like I'd never experienced. Very glad managed to see Blackstar released, it's a fascinating, eerie album. The eponymous track was playing when I read the announcement he had passed. Long Live Bowie.

tjl 11y ago
I saw him live for his Sound + Vision tour. That was pretty incredible. It truly was a blend of the two as he put together some great visuals to go with each of the songs. Plus, it was a "greatest hits" kind of tour so you got a wide range of songs. I still regularly listen to my Sound + Vision box set. Unfortunately, I don't have anything that can play the video from my CD-V now.

agumonkey 11y ago

It feels like a golden age is fading away ... What an odd sensation.

nunodonato 11y ago
we still have Bieber.. stay strong! /s
- agumonkey 11y ago
  As easy that joke was, I'm very often wondering about generations these days. I often feel this generation is really cheap. Now, surely most people feel this way about how the new one isn't worth their own, but really there were such iconic periods from the 50s to the 90s (in a westerner point of view) .. and this makes his leaving (among other peers who shaped the 70s) as powerful as hurting.
  - cageface 11y ago
    There's a ton of interesting, adventurous music being made by young people right now but you will never hear it because the music labels still dominate pop music and they've become more conservative than ever. So don't judge the current generation by what you see in the top 40. Dig around on Bandcamp instead and be amazed.
    - agumonkey 11y ago
      It's funny, Bowie did speak about Labels disappearing. As I said above, the top before had more interesting stuff (if you consider The Police, or Dire Straits interesting that is). I'll seek through bandcamp, I rarely hear things intersting these days but maybe I'm under a passeist phase.
      - cageface 11y ago
        No idea what your tastes are but here's a bunch of interesting stuff that went under the labels' radar. http://hcmj.tumblr.com/post/135300528373/hcmjs-favorite-albums-of-2015 http://hcmj.tumblr.com/post/135300528373/hcmjs-favorite-albu...

brunorsini 11y ago

Such sad news. Given the Golden Globes is just over, it might be timely to rewatch the classic Extras segment in which Bowie roasts Gervais - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE

josteink 11y ago
"This video contains content from BBC Worldwide, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." You just have to love modern copyright.
- ZeroMinx 11y ago
  Same(?) clip on dailymotion; http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnleeu_extras-david-bowie_shortfilms http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnleeu_extras-david-bowie_s... It's available from Malta, whereas the Youtube one isn't.
- exodust 11y ago
  not great quality but at least can see it... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x33jt81 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x33jt81
- deleted 11y ago
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- deleted 11y ago
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- mvanvoorden 11y ago
  Silly governments and corporations who think the internet can have borders ;) Use a browser plugin like ProxFlow/ProxTube and never have this problem again :)
- junto 11y ago
  The rules of globalisation sadly only suit corporations and not individuals.

xxs 11y ago

Yesterday, I was checking "Omikron: The Nomad Soul"(1999), he created the soundtrack. Devastating news. RIP

brobinson 11y ago
He also voiced (and digitally portrayed) one of the characters in the game. Additionally, there are three secret concerts which you can attend after finding their fliers at which original songs are played.

supernintendo 11y ago

Very sad news. Bowie's music has brought me so much joy. His influence on rock n' roll (and popular music in general) remains evident to this day.

synthmeat 11y ago

I don’t even know why I would want to be on a label in a few years, because I don’t think it’s going to work by labels and by distribution systems in the same way. The absolute transformation of everything that we ever thought about music will take place within 10 years, and nothing is going to be able to stop it. I see absolutely no point in pretending that it’s not going to happen. I’m fully confident that copyright, for instance, will no longer exist in 10 years, and authorship and intellectual property is in for such a bashing. Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity. So it’s like, just take advantage of these last few years because none of this is ever going to happen again. You’d better be prepared for doing a lot of touring because that’s really the only unique situation that’s going to be left. It’s terribly exciting. But on the other hand it doesn’t matter if you think it’s exciting or not; it’s what’s going to happen. ~ David Bowie, 2002

npunt 11y ago
Lets not forget he started an ISP in 1998 (BowieNet). He was always on the cutting edge.
cageface 11y ago
If anything labels are more important than ever and music sales are driven by the kind of marketing campaigns that only big records labels can afford. There's a ton of interesting music being made outside their domain but most people will never hear any of it.
- rplnt 11y ago
  One would think services like Spotify would help, but they only make the music more accessible, they don't help you find it. I don't have pro and only ads I hear (besides the spotify ones that are trying to annoy you into paying) are ones from Universal Music.
  - wyclif 11y ago
    I don't agree—I use Spotify a lot and it's helped tremendously in my finding new music. The "Discover Weekly" and social playlists features always point me to sources of new music.

eropple 11y ago

This sucks. Not because I listened to a lot of Bowie. I mean, I did, but only relatively recently. But because of how insanely influential his stuff is on almost everything we listen to. The ripples of his work are close to incalculable. You don't have to have listened to a minute of David Bowie to go "oh, shit" right now and mean it wholly. > When in doubt, listen to David Bowie. In 1968, Bowie was a gay, ginger, bonk-eyed, snaffle toothed freak walking round South London in a dress, being shouted at by thugs. Four years later, he was still exactly that – but everyone else wanted to be like him, too. If David Bowie can make being David Bowie cool, you can make being you cool. PLUS, unlike David Bowie, you get to listen to David Bowie for inspiration. So you’re one up on him, really. YOU’RE ALREADY ONE AHEAD OF DAVID BOWIE.

pbhjpbhj 11y ago
I don't really care beyond it being a point of fact but I thought Bowie was famously bisexual and that he had marketed himself at various points as homosexual. In 1968 Bowie was 2 years off getting married and 3 years from having a son by his wife.

pearjuice 11y ago

Though unfortunate, I don't think this belongs on HN.

venomsnake 11y ago
It is wildly known that hackers don't like music geniuses. And geek culture was not shaped by the music of the 70-s and 80-s. And Labyrinth. As long as there is crowd big enough to mourn, it belongs. Otherwise it will just slip from front page. And Bowie was such an artist that he shaped multiple generations.
DanBC 11y ago
Compared to your recent submissions?
- pearjuice 11y ago
  Ad hominem
kunai 11y ago
HN's guidelines suggest things hackers would find interesting; Bowie's genius, non-conformity, and willingness to experiment with musical form are certainly characteristics hackers would find interesting. His loss is a loss to the entire world of art and music, and he was one of my favorite musicians — my single favorite for a very long time. May he rest in peace.
- eterm 11y ago
  The same guidelines suggest, "If TV news covers it, it's likely off topic"
  - kunai 11y ago
    It's not black-or-white.
exodust 11y ago
"Unfortunate"... ? When a stone hits your windshield and causes a small crack, that's unfortunate.

mrcsparker 11y ago

I know that I'm not the only one crying. Bowie's music meant a lot to me. He was a weirdo that made it cool to be a weirdo. His music was always on while I was coding, running, having a drink, taking to my daughter. Everyone in the house are asleep - they will be heartbroken tomorrow morning. His music was part of the soundtrack to our lives. My sister got me into Bowie and my older daughter and wife love his music. I thought that Bowie would somehow live forever.

venomsnake 11y ago

It's only forever. Not long at all. -Jared the Goblin King First Lemmy, now David - one hell of a supergroup is gathering in the skies.

slavik81 11y ago

Well, that's bad news for the Labyrinth sequel, unless they've filmed it already.

ekianjo 11y ago
That movie was a rumor and was not happening anyway
- slavik81 11y ago
  I guess I'll just have to rewatch the original.
  - ekianjo 11y ago
    Which is a good thing. It's a pretty fun movie.

paulojreis 11y ago

It was a nice surprise to see this on #1 here on HN. Farewell, Major Tom.

auvrw 11y ago

noooooo!!!! i now understand why some prefer to think Elvis is still alive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUK4FMAGc4M&index=4&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUK4FMAGc4M&index=4&list=PLJ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOETfTI62A&index=2&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOETfTI62A&index=2&list=PLJ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLG10PejwQ&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI_px_K27gnzaU6Mr9IbV0cbJ&index=3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLG10PejwQ&list=PLJ8y7DDcrI... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRi30GNFMc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRi30GNFMc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP2SS8ggLtU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP2SS8ggLtU

pygy_ 11y ago
The first three videos are not available here (France). I think it's his official account https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvY1eVE6lTebXsdFbbXUtkQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvY1eVE6lTebXsdFbbXUtkQ. Edit: Edit: ah, no... "This channel was generated automatically by YouTube's video discovery system."

donkeyd 11y ago

I'ts quite amazing that he died 2 days after releasing his album, even though the release date was announced in October.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

__david__ 11y ago

Ah, man. This probably shouldn't make me sad (I never knew the guy), but it does. I've listened to his music for years and years, seen his songs permeate pop culture and leave his mark upon the world. The guy was a consummate artist and I regret never seeing him live. :-(

spoondan 11y ago
Your sadness is completely justified. As John Donne observed nearly 400 years ago, "any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
- eropple 11y ago
  I never expected to see a John Donne reference on Hacker News. We could use more of it. Thanks.

joe5150 11y ago

"Look up here / I'm in heaven"

elmar 11y ago

Ashes to Ashes https://youtu.be/CMThz7eQ6K0 https://youtu.be/CMThz7eQ6K0

Hydragyrum 11y ago

In terms of Music, I dont think there's been any British artist more influential than Bowie other than the Beatles. Listen to Low and then listen to music today, he was just so far ahead of his time. His constant changes in image, his unapologetic flamboyance and willingness to sacrifice commercial success for his are. I dont think we'll see anyone quite like him again.

ck2 11y ago

69 seems relatively young, cancer is still kicking humanity's butt sadly. Still, his 69 years were far more filled than most. Loved "The Man Who Fell To Earth" - he made it fantastic.

avolcano 11y ago

It's funny, these threads always devolve into comparisons to modern day pop stars, how none of them compare. And you're all right, of course, no one could ever compare. He was the best, period, in my mind, and while he may not be in your mind, but his accomplishments and career are undeniable. But every rock and pop singer today has something from Bowie. Kanye and Gaga found ways to navigate both pop stardom and the art world; bands like Of Montreal incorporated theatricality blended with musicianship in their records and live shows. I could list, so, so many more, from Janelle Monae to St Vincent, but unfortunately I think a list of every rock or pop musician since 1970 would take up significantly more room than I have in this comment box. They created something new using his life and music as inspiration - and that's fine. Because we like to act as if Bowie is this fount of perfect originality, ideas springing from the ether - and, don't get me wrong, he certainly was inventive - but to ignore his influences is to create a myth. We talk about him as the chameleon, but he never morphed into truly untread ground - he always found what was there, and improved, innovated, found new ways to incorporate it. Young Americans followed Philadelphia soul. "Blackout" followed "Nite Flights". The man operated a goddamn ISP in the late 90s, as another comment mentioned. Blackstar followed experimental jazz and had inspiration from everyone from Kendrick Lamar to James Murphy. I wouldn't dare to try to distill his life into a single takeaway, as there's far, far too many angles to cover. But here's the lesson that springs to mind first, which, now that I write it, comes out slightly more inspirational-poster than I'd like, but maybe that's okay: Creative work isn't made in a vacuum, and to try is futile. Embrace what's next, no matter how different, how weird. Keep your eyes forward and your ears and mind open.

joshschreuder 11y ago
Beautifully put. Thank you.

ryporter 11y ago

His influence extended well beyond music. He was the first to make use of Celebrity Bonds. [1] While it's true that Bowie Bonds didn't ending doing very well for investors, the principle behind them is sound. By bringing in investors to share his financial risk, Bowie was able to buy the rights to his songs. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_bond https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_bond

pmcpinto 11y ago

RIP David. An amazing creative mind

rogeryu 11y ago

His remains should be sent to Mars. If there's not Life on Mars, at least he is the first to be Dead on Mars.

paublyrne 11y ago

I'll be listening to a lot Bowie today. An artist in every sense of the word.

wyclif 11y ago

If you listen to Bowie's new album "Blackstar" now, it has to rank as one of the greatest "going out with class" artistic moments in pop music. The lead single is called "Lazarus" and the first line of the song is "Look up here, I'm in heaven."

TheOtherHobbes 11y ago
The video for Lazarus came out a few days ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8 That's one hell of an exit. The video and song for Blackstar are even more astonishing. For various reasons I was never a big Bowie fan, but Blackstar was one of the few tracks from anyone ever that made me think "WTF did I just hear/watch?!" - and I mean that in a good way. Some people make music. Bowie invented mythologies, turned them into sung performance art, and put them out on vinyl and CD.
- Intermernet 11y ago
  Wow. I'm a huge Bowie fan and I just watched the video clip for Blackstar for the first time. Genres redefined again with masterful production by all involved. I'll be having stranger than usual dreams tonight. > That's one hell of an exit. Yes, yes it is. I'll miss him.

dmoo 11y ago

I bought my first Bowie album probably 35 years ago, I still carry Bowie music around on my phone. Back then buying music seemed like such an important thing. It was both a choice, you could only afford one record out of many, and a statement, your record collection said something about you to your peers. I guess social media takes it's place in that you use it to express who you are and what you like. Back then you listened to every album you bought hundreds of times and really made a connection with the ones you liked. One of my Bowie LP's developed a skip and I still expect to hear it jump when I hear the track now on the radio or spotify.

nly 11y ago
Your comparison between this kind of behaviour to social media seems fairly insightful. Is this a realisation you came up with just now, previously, or picked up somewhere?
- dmoo 11y ago
  I was just thinking of the Bowie vinyl that I had and remembered what the experience of buying it was like. Having 'cool' albums was a thing, it said something about you. Now that I have teenagers myself I don't see that with them. Music is not something they own, it's free (if you don't mind the ads) and anyone can have anything they like. No effort is required and maybe because of that They don't seem to appreciate it the same way. I wouldn't claim that any idea I had was original but for sure I see a similarity between the way people seem to curate their social media profile so that they appear in a certain light to others to the way my peers and I used to curate our record collections to portray something about ourselves as kids

rbanffy 11y ago

"We could steal time, just for one day" :-(

SadismoNoise 11y ago

Who?

tdsamardzhiev 11y ago
David Bowie.

jgrahamc 11y ago

At least now there's a starman waiting in the sky. And he did blow our minds when we got to meet him. RIP

gbog 11y ago

Do we all have to share this culture of mourning and condoleances? I have listened to some music made by David Bowie, but I kind of feel not that much about his death. Am I heartless? Or just honest? I mean, listening to some guy's music do not make it a close relative, is it? (If so, then well we all have too many "close relatives" for this mean anything anymore). Or should I just shut up and let the people weep until we go to some other topic? Also, I fail to see what this is doing on HN, sorry.

dmoo 11y ago
There are many stories on HN that I don't care about. In those cases I usually find it best to say nothing...
eropple 11y ago
> Do we all have to share this culture of mourning and condoleances? Don't, if you don't want to. Nobody's making you care, nobody's going to judge you if it didn't matter to you. But you could do a lot worse than to take that urge to tell everyone how much you don't care and shove it down somewhere deep and dark. And, as it happens, you did.
onion2k 11y ago
I think people find it a little too easy to forget that people in startups, and consequently on HN, are human beings with actual feelings. If a slightly off topic thread can remind us of that occasionally then that's not such a bad thing. HN can be about more than just startups without losing what makes it useful and interesting. Plus... I fail to see what this is doing on HN Bowie was a serial entrepreneur in the music industry (and others). He was masterful at looking forward at what was coming next and innovating and iterating his musical art to stay relevant. I'm absolutely certain there's a great deal that startups could learn from how Bowie lived and worked.
Angostura 11y ago
> Am I heartless? Or just honest? No, Yes. You just don't happen to feel a close connection to this particular person who has died. That doesn't mean that other people here aren't being similarly honest and do feel a connection.

firstworldman 11y ago

"The future is not only going to be about hard-edged people with metal faces. There will be broken hearts in the future." That's a Bowie quote I think of with unusual regularity. It appeared 16 years ago in Spin Magazine. He was asked why his then newest album wasn't as contemporary sounding as his previous album, Earthling. It's advice that may be applicable to the projects worked on by many here as well.

Shivetya 11y ago

and here I just got down watching him as Tesla from the movie The Prestige; a very good movie about old time stage magicians starring people you would not expect let alone Bowie

Chris64SQ 11y ago

Sorry to hear,his music was to me some good(just a few)...the others well...not,but anyway he came from an era in music that produced great stuff!

Chris64SQ 11y ago

Sad to hear,he made some good music!

arethuza 11y ago

I think this tweet from David Baddiel, read out on BBC Radio 4 this morning, sums it up for me: "Not just upset by Bowie's death but disorientated: like I've woken up and the ... I think I assumed he was immortal."

will_pseudonym 11y ago

FUCK YOU, "THE SYSTEM"! DAVID BOWIE JUST RELEASED A STUDIO ALBUM TWO DAYS AGO! TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, "THE SYSTEM"!

denom 11y ago
As kenneth rexroth put it: the value of something is proportional to its loss. To live is to take up and hold some measure of ultimate value. In dying we give up and release _everything_ we hold and love. This is the poetic essence of life: Each breath is dying, and each death a rebirth--always intangible and inaccessible, except as we experience it in that continuing instant. Life is not safe. At each moment we tumble forward into the unknown. Can you take comfort in that?

anatoly 11y ago

https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12259_10207298901805277_3248838247522739236_n.jpg?oh=0da79de20403bc66a978ffe2d83a0a2a&oe=57110E08 https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1...

dougb5 11y ago

Check out his description of some software he used to inspire lyrics which he calls the Verbasizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Sgq0XoxPw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Sgq0XoxPw

MikeNomad 11y ago

A sad way to start my day. His version of Hallo Spaceboy w/ Foo Fighters immediately came to mind. Wrong bit in the article... Tony Sales was the drummer in Tin Machine. His brother is Hunt Sales, who was the bass player in the same band. Bowie has a half-brother, Terry, who passed in the mid-80s.

MikeNomad 11y ago
Very sorry, I had Hunt And Tony playing each others instruments...

jrbedard 11y ago

Interview in 1999 with his predictions about the internet, with career/songs comparison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WaPXKfFHms&feature=youtu.be&t=3m4s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WaPXKfFHms&feature=youtu.be...

wilhil 11y ago

I work in Heddon Street, London... This is where the famous album cover was taken. There are so many news crews outside... Pretty crazy. http://i.imgur.com/70Owout.jpg http://i.imgur.com/70Owout.jpg

deleted 11y ago

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apryldelancey 11y ago

I was saddened to hear this when I woke up this morning. I've listened to his music my entire life and can't remember a time without him. Cancer sucks!

MilnerRoute 11y ago

If you haven't seen it, Bowie's 2015 video "Lazarus" is stunning. https://youtu.be/y-JqH1M4Ya8 https://youtu.be/y-JqH1M4Ya8

chiph 11y ago

David Bowie was always ahead of everyone else. Who is going to lead us into the future now?

stplsd 11y ago

http://www.scaruffi.com/vol3/bowie.html http://www.scaruffi.com/vol3/bowie.html

antirez 11y ago

Since I never liked Bowie I spent 60 min listening to him today, in a try-again attempt. No luck. RIP.

DanBC 11y ago
This comment reminds me of RAM Album Club. http://ramalbumclub.com/ http://ramalbumclub.com/ > 1) Each week we pick a guest > 2) We give the guest a critically acclaimed album they've never listened to. > 3) The guest explains why they've never listened to it, laying out any potential prejudice in advance. i.e. "I've never liked the cut of Pink Floyd's jib" or "Mark E Smith frightens me". > 4) The guest has to listen to the album at least three times, this acclaimed album that they've never bothered listening to, and then tell us whether it was worth it or not.

finnjohnsen2 11y ago

Just go listen to "Under Pressure" with David Bowie and Freddy Mercury already! Such titans. ps. if you start humming "ice ice baby", thats ok too I guess :D

thomnottom 11y ago

It's cliche to say someone like Bowie was timeless, but it is really true in his case. He was not only ahead of his time, but he was behind his time. The man was able to find new trends but also take old and existing ones and turn them into his own. I remember listening to Earthling for the first time and feeling those hyperkinetic d'n'b beats and thinking "How does this 50 year-old man continue to make himself so relevant?" I tend to have momentary sadness when a celebrity I appreciate passes away, but it feels like this one will last for a bit longer.

gargravarr 11y ago

So shocked to see Bowie passed this morning. Although I wasn only a casual fan, I appreciated his musical talent and most of the musicians in my favourites list were influenced by him. Without any doubt, the 1980s wouldn't have been the same without him. A household name for 50 years, still making music right to the end. I don't think anyone could ask for more. RIP Ziggy Stardust.

jokoon 11y ago

Is it me, or there are too many articles about celebrities dying?

vox_mollis 11y ago
No need to complain. Just flag and move on. You and I don't understand why celebrities deserve coverage, but clearly plenty of others do.
- vixen99 11y ago
  Of course you understand. The media are businesses. As such they provide what the customers want and what they know about. As a personal view, it isn't until one looks at alternative news coverage (which I'll define as 'that which is not one's usual bill of fare') that the partiality of journalists and media empires becomes apparent.
  - vox_mollis 11y ago
    Right, but the OP is likely questioning why HN, which is supposedly a medium at least slightly immune to the vagaries of normal celebrity worship, is covering it.

TeMPOraL 11y ago

Everyone here has probably heard Space Oddity. Until recently that was the only song of David Bowie I've known. But then, thanks to The Martian, I found this one, Starman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRcPA7Fzebw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRcPA7Fzebw Really, go listen to it. It's just beautiful. It captures imagination and hope for the future. And I think it has a perfect message for us, about both his legacy and our responsibility. There's a starman waiting in the sky He's told us not to blow it Cause he knows it's all worthwhile So, "Let the children lose it", and let's build a better world for them. Thank you, David Bowie.

jcrei 11y ago

15 years ago, he predicted the impact of the internet on music and society. https://www.facebook.com/FACTmagazine/videos/vb.52725749686/10153819928364687/?type=2&theater https://www.facebook.com/FACTmagazine/videos/vb.52725749686/...

nerdcity 11y ago

Anyone else remember BowieNet? The man had his own ISP back in 98, for crying out loud... A true visionary of an artist. He really understood technology, and what changes would be wrought by it for people, the arts, social systems, the music business, etc. Dance, magic dance, Mr. Bowie. Dance, magic dance.

pseudonymous119 11y ago

Though I'm certainly saddened to hear David Bowie has died, I think his death is absolutely off-topic for HN. Yet compare the number of points and comments this thread has with this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10832624 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10832624 or this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10557793 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10557793 It seems like HN's content is becoming less and less technical over time and much more political and social, and this thread is a great example. I've also noticed more and more "agenda pushers" posting here, people who can't contribute on the technical threads but aggressively upvote and comment on the non-technical threads. I was about to suggest new, clearer guidelines restricting much of this non-technical content to reverse the decline, but according to the current guidelines, it seems like it's already prohibited: Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. Maybe stricter enforcement would be in order (dang? jascquesm?)

darkstar999 11y ago
Except the top comment thread found a way to be very relevant to the interests of HN. It's better to just move on instead of complaining.
- pseudonymous119 11y ago
  A passing comment about the impact of technology on the music industry is enough to make someone's death relevant here? But you're correct; if I consider HN to be heading inexorably in a direction I dislike, I shouldn't waste my time here. Have fun posting and commenting on celebrity news, articles from the The Guardian and The Intercept without me.
  - abdulhaq 11y ago
    It seems like an idle threat when you are using an anonymous post to protect your karma...
  - Apocryphon 11y ago
    http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-david-bowie-a-video-game-pioneer-as-well-20160111-story.html http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-da...

beat 11y ago

David Bowie was one of the greatest entrepreneurs ever. He singlehandedly changed the direction of the entire music industry - repeatedly - for decades. He pulled in ideas and imagery from the most avant-garde corners of culture, and made it accessible and popular. There's hardly a musician out there in rock music or many other forms that hasn't been influenced directly by him. David Bowie relentlessly delivered bold, daring new products. He never, ever sat on his laurels, never was content with what he'd done before. He produced the best work he possibly could, with the best collaborators. So, so many artists had their finest moments playing on his records or in his bands. His only peer, as far as I'm concerned, is Miles Davis. I'm a musician myself, and it's hard to even describe how I feel about Bowie's music. "Role model" is woefully insufficient. I think I feel about him the way priests feel about saints.

eblanshey 11y ago
> He singlehandedly changed the direction of the entire music industry - repeatedly - for decades. Mind expanding on this? I don't know too much about him.
- beat 11y ago
  In the early 70s, he was the leader of the glam movement, introducing androgyny and bisexuality to the music industry, bringing in visuals from the decidedly underground drag and cabaret scenes. In the mid-70s, he crossed American soul into British pop, creating an image that has been used ever since by thousands of lesser pop musicians. Besides making his own records, he produced albums for barely-controllable outsiders like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, helping them achieve pop crossover success and survive their own demons. In the late 70s, he went to Berlin and cranked out three albums of ambient, experimental music that kicked open doors for radical new sounds that fueled the New Wave movement (again with shallow imitation). But he ignored New Wave himself, and instead made fresh, soulful, pop with Let's Dance. In the 1990s, he got heavily involved in the early internet, putting multimedia content on cds and even founding an ISP. He dialed things back in the 2000s, as age and health took their toll. His two most recent albums were his first in many years. The Next Day was a throwback to his 1970s rock styles. Blackstar brought in jazz and modern hip-hop ideas. One of the most amazing things about his output, besides how many times he forged new sounds and new visuals for the entire industry, is how timeless it all is. Pretty much all of his records, especially the best ones, sound timeless and modern, even decades later.

browseatwork 11y ago

Doesn't this quotation strongly apply to software engineers? I find engineers have more trouble applying the same logic to software engineering, while applying it to artists, especially musicians, without much reflection.

readymade 11y ago
There's such a pervasive notion, especially among techies and other white collar types, that artists and musicians either don't deserve a good living or should be happy just to get to do what they do, regardless of income. It's a tremendous sense of entitlement on the one hand, to express contempt for the individual while expecting unlimited access to their work. I believe Astra Taylor made an interesting point about how this idea of the artist as the mandatorily broke but (ideally) self-fulfilled creator is also increasingly extended as a metaphor in recent business press when discussing the plight of graduates, interns and freelancers.
- Kalium 11y ago
  I think you may have missed the core of the notion. It's not about who "deserves" what at all. It's about providing value. Techies and other white collar types generally provide value by doing bespoke work. Demanding payment to copy non-custom bits because they have a certain color is not providing value in any readily apparent way. What you've also missed is how sick and tired techies are of artists and musicians seeking to "deserve a good living" by controlling techies. To express contempt for our work while expecting unlimited cringing subservience. Why is it that so-called "artists" are so quick to demand creative control over the work of others who work in different mediums? I have a few guesses.
  - readymade 11y ago
    Not at all. Rather, it's that your heuristic of "providing value" breaks down spectacularly in the face of even the most casual observations of consumer demand. Whether value is provided by copying bits is arguable, that artists add value to society is not even worth debating. Producing an album is bespoke labor as well, just work that, as such, typically goes uncompensated. And to the extent that these are merely symptoms of a market in flux, as opposed to the stratifications of a class system, it undermines that analysis to make the tired assertion that poverty wages are the price one pays for "following one's passion" (albeit very specific passions). In any event, I suspect that you don't know many "so-called artists". May you have a long and prosperous career, and retire young before the market value for your passions is reduced to zero.

dools 11y ago

"Chubby Little Loser" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7S6-Ta3yg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7S6-Ta3yg easily my favourite Bowie performance.

SonicSoul 11y ago

Simon Pegg tweeted it nicely: If you're sad today, just remember the world is over 4 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie.

jazz 11y ago
Simon Pegg tweeted: A quote attributed to Simon regarding the sad loss of the great David Bowie seems to have originated from tweeter, @JeSuisDean, not Simon. Nice tweet however.

major505 11y ago

"Look up here, I’m in heaven I’ve got scars that can’t be seen I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen Everybody knows me now" We sure know Mr. Bowie. We sure know.

davi 11y ago

"The day will come when David Bowie is a star and the crushed remains of his melodies are broadcast from Muzak boxes in every elevator and hotel lobby in town." - Nancy Erlich, July 11 1971 New York Times (http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/07/11/91304467.html?pageNumber=142 http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/07/11/9130...)

msie 11y ago

You hear promising things about Cancer treatment and yet we couldn't save this man.