David Bowie: Never Getting Old
by Anthony Kuzminski
Artists live in a world where their commercial worth is usually only as good as the sales of their most recent release. Most artists who are blessed to achieve a level of success in the music industry usually fall into a trap of attempting to recreate that perfect record time and time again. Even when acts branch out with determined optimism to reinvent themselves, the past is never far behind and everyone from their record company to their manager to their fans is there to remind them of this. Every once in a while an artist emerges who redefines themselves album after album and no act on planet Earth has done this better than David Bowie.
-"Never Get Old"
David Bowie is a chameleon and an artist I have always held in the highest regard. Yet until three years ago, I considered myself a casual fan. Bowie has changed his sound and look more times than any other act in the history of rock. He's never one to rest on his laurels and since his commercial hey day of the 1980's, he's turned his back on pleasing the masses, instead seeking personal gratification from his music. For most of the 1990's and into the new millennium, David Bowie has made numerous albums die-hard fans hold in high regards while the casual fans scratch their heads wondering when he's going to write another 'Let's Dance'. In December 2003, I met my future wife and while perusing her cd collection, I noticed she had a David Bowie cd, 'The Best Of Bowie' of course…but it was the two-disc version so she immediately received bonus points. When I mentioned this, she responded enthusiastically with "I L-O-V-E David Bowie". Luck had it that the chameleon would be in Chicago in a few weeks for three sold-out shows just outside of Chicago at the Rosemont Theater (whose capacity is a mere 4,500 people). I couldn't think of a better date and I was lucky enough to score a pair of tenth row tickets for the third and final show on Friday January 16th. I surprised my now wife with the gift by merely driving to the theater without dropping any hints. She was ecstatic with joy when we drove by the theater and David Bowie's name lit up the sky. This was the night that I feel in love. My wife sung her lungs shaking her body out to almost every song and was all about giving back to the performer never resting on her laurels. What I loved about her reactions was they came from a fan who appreciated this artist and his talents. Not only did I fall for my future wife, but I also feel under David Bowie's musical spell.
Post a Comment