I’ll be offline for a while. The news first came via Bowie’s Facebook page, with a post that stated the musician, “died peacefully …”
Advertisement
Ivo van Hove, director of Bowie’s musical Lazarus, which opened in NY last month, was one of the few people Bowie had informed of his illness, in November 2014, to explain why he would not be able to attend all rehearsals.
Bowie released his final album, Blackstar, this week, just a few days before his death.
Stars from the world of showbiz mourned the loss of the Ashes To Ashes singer as they woke to the news – their grief made more acute by the fact little was known about the extent of his ill-health. It will be hard for him, I know. We were lucky to have had him around all this time. “I had incredible respect for that”. “You’re writing a farewell album”. “I loved that song”.
Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon worked Bowie memories into their monologues, and indie outfit El Vy covered “Let’s Dance” for its Late Show With Stephen Colbert performance.
Bowie’s son Duncan Jones, tweeted, “Very sorry and sad to say it’s true”. The Official Charts Company revealed on Monday that the release had combined sales so far of 43,000 – 25,000 ahead of his closest competitor, Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream.
But fans may be surprised to know that he derived inspiration for his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, from a Lubbock artist.
David Bowie will get the tribute concert he deserves when Carnegie Hall pays homage to the late singer in March.
Bowie with wife Iman, who was not present for his cremation.
Rod Stewart has described David Bowie as the “fearless leader of the pack”.
Advertisement
Since news of his passing, Bowie’s back catalogue has experienced a phenomenal surge in United Kingdom downloads, with 14 of his albums occupying the iTunes top 20.
