Visconti says the very private Bowie had known since last November that his cancer was terminal, but had no idea the end was so near.
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A young organist’s musical tribute to the late David Bowie has been viewed almost three million times since it was posted yesterday.
Bowie is reported to have told his loved ones he wanted to “go without any fuss”, eschewing any funeral service or public memorial.
Bowie’s experimentation with various personas and music styles was one of his most defining traits – his newest album featured a jazz quartet – and rapper Kanye West noted this in his own message about Bowie’s death.
“Blackstar” was released two days before Bowie’s death and has been dubbed his “farewell album”, with mentions of death and heaven throughout its lyrics.
The conversation took place about a week before his death, and Bowie wrote five new tracks for the project.
Prior to his death, Bowie had been working on new stage show dubbed Lazarus with director Ivo van Hove, who has since come forward to share more details about the legendary musician’s secret struggle with ill-health. The star had been famously reclusive during the last decade and a half of his life as he spent time with his wife and young daughter in New York City, withdrawing from the public eye nearly entirely.
Bowie’s representatives have not explained what kind of cancer the 69-year-old died from, only that he died after “a courageous 18 month battle with cancer.” “And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way”, he said.
After David Bowie died, his friend and producer Tony Visconti shared this message: “He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift”.
“Naturally, we wish to honour his extraordinary life and work at the forthcoming Brit Awards and pay a fitting tribute to one of our greatest icons”.
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He also discussed Bowie’s condition during an initial Blackstar session in NY.
