David Bowie: ★ (Blackstar) (2016)

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

Look up here, man, I’m in danger
I’ve got nothing left to lose
I’m so high it makes my brain whirl
Dropped my cell phone down below

Ain’t that just like me

By the time I got to New York
I was living like a king
Then I used up all my money
I was looking for your ass

This way or no way
You know, I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now ain’t that just like me

Oh I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh I’ll be free
Ain’t that just like me

- Lazarus, David Bowie

On January 9th, I held in my hands a copy of ★ (Blackstar) on vinyl. I put it back on the rack, thinking that I would pick it up later because I had something else in my hands that I wanted to buy, though I can no longer remember what that was. The next morning, I looked at the newsfeed on Facebook. The first thing I saw was "RIP David Bowie." I really thought that one of my friends had written a short, macabre review of the new David Bowie record. However, scrolling down the page confirmed that Bowie was dead and I was stunned, absolutely stunned. After all, his new record had just been released.

Over the subsequent hours and days that followed, light was shed on the fact that Bowie had been suffering from cancer and that this record was a parting gift, a last, great piece of art. How many people get to go out like that? He turned his death into art. It's really an incredible and courageous and giving act. But, it is also profoundly sad. I've never felt so upset about a celebrity death since the murder of John Lennon.

Of course, once Bowie died, finding a copy of this record on vinyl or CD was impossible. I had to wait for a repressing, which I finally obtained. I have been listening to it and I really like it, but listening to this record is a profoundly saddening experience. Although I have had a copy for weeks now, it has take me some time to write something about it.

I felt the same loss when Lou Reed died. I heard about his liver transplant, but I still hoped for a new record. I felt that some of his later records were among his strongest: Ecstasy, Set the Twilight Reeling, but not The Raven (well, maybe parts of it). Also, Lulu confounded me, but I will admit that parts of it work. Suddenly, he was gone, like the friends Reed memorialized in Magic and Loss.

But, back to Bowie. The Next Day was a welcome surprise, after Bowie's ten-year absence. When I heard about the new record, I thought that we all could look forward to several more fabulous Bowie records. This is not to be the case, sadly. It's extra sad because I loved the later Bowie output. Many Bowie "fans" were never really fond of his later period, but I loved in all. I really liked Earthling, Hours, Heathen, Reality, and, especially, Outside. I wanted Bowie to keep making records.

I consider myself lucky for having seen Bowie in concert during the Earthling tour in Toronto in a small venue. We saw the David Bowie Is exhibit in Toronto when it came through. That was also really interesting.

By the way, I watched part of Lady Gaga's Grammy's "tribute" to Bowie on Youtube. What a train wreck that was. It was simply horrible and I switched it off after about 2 minutes. To begin with, I really hate melodies. But, more importantly, I think she was the wrong person to do a tribute. I just do not see how anyone could imagine that these two singers have anything in common, despite the theatrical elements. Lady Gaga's music, to my ears is, frankly awful.

Bowie was one of my favourite musicians. He will be missed.

I wrote everything above some time ago, but I delayed in posting is. I think I wasn't entirely comfortable writing about his death. And then, Prince died last week, and we are going through this all over again.  Now I worry about all of my favourite aging rock stars, like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, the remaining Beatles, Stones, and Zeppelin, etc. An entire generation of music will pass away in the next ten to fifteen years. But, Prince was way too young.