Steve Wiley’s Reflections On David Bowie

Monday mornings are bad enough without the news of the passing of a cultural icon.  Referring to David Bowie as a rock star is a woefully inadequate description. He was that, and a lot more, producer, songwriter, actor and performance artist. Bowie's body of work encompasses a broad range of styles, rock, pop, reggae, disco, jazz, punk, post modern, and techno. When he skyrocketed to fame in the early '70s, I was skeptical. The elaborate staging, androgynous costumes, dancers, and acrobats were, in my view, simply a distraction. My friend Gordon Green convinced me to sit back, close my eyes & just listen. I've been a fan since. Shortly after that, I traded a Uriah Heep album to another friend for his copy of Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" LP. My college roommate, Phil Braen and I come from vastly different backgrounds & have divergent tastes. We had no problem agreeing on the Rolling Stones, Springsteen, and Bowie. In 1987, my sister, Jean and I caught his Glass Spider Tour at Mile High Stadium. It was one of the most memorable concerts I've ever attended. I've been to a lot of concerts. R.I.P., Star Man.