Born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947, David Bowie spent 48 years of his life in the entertainment industry where he worked as a songwriter, singer, producer, actor and style pioneer. Considered the Picasso of pop, Bowie was a restless artist and had a vision for innovation. After introducing his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, he gave pop music a new direction in 1972 and he truly was more than an eyeliner-wearing maverick. A fiercely forward-looking personality, Bowie made a huge impact with his powerful use drama, images and personas in his music while also teaching generations of musicians about how to achieve the same. Bowie created his own style and was known for his significant feats of versatility. A jukebox of talent, understanding Bowie is often considered similar to looking through a kaleidoscope. Every time someone started to define his style, he’d come up with a song or an album right out of left field. Beyond all of his contributions to the musical industry, David Bowie was a man of good heart; simple, yet extraordinary and cool. A progressive composer, Bowie had an all-round personality and he even carved out a successful acting career with roles in movies like The Man Who Fell to Earth, Labyrinth, The Last Temptation of Christ, Cat People and The Hunger. As the world of entertainment mourns the loss of a star, read through these 10 David Bowie quotes you should remember to pay tribute to the icon.
1. I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.
2. Make the best of every moment. We’re not evolving. We’re not going anywhere.
3. Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming.
4. You can neither win nor lose if you don’t run the race.
5. The truth is of course is that there is no journey. We are arriving and departing all at the same time.
6. I find only freedom in the realms of eccentricity.
7. I really like to understand the society that I’m living in and how it works and functions and what people are thinking. You know. You can’t be a writer in any other way, I think. You have to sort of know where you are to write.
8. I’m just an individual who doesn’t feel that I need to have somebody qualify my work in any particular way. I’m working for me.
9. I’m an instant star. Just add water and stir.
10. 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.
David Bowie always had a morphing persona and he was much decorated and adored by several popular musicians including Madonna and Lady Gaga. He was a legend, a star, a friend and a good human being. An artist who portrayed angst and apocalypse, paranoia and media culture all at the same time; he made distance and yearning his lifelong themes while he also had a strong desire to push cult interests into the limelight. An explorer of human impulses, this complexly androgynous personality was a standard-bearer for rock music and his name will always be plated in golden letters for the same reason. Featured photo credit: Jimmy King for David Bowie via instagram.com
