Bowie first released his famous single Space Oddity on July 11, 1969. Timing turned out to be nothing short of perfect — nine days after it was released, the BBC used the song when they covered Apollo 11’s lunar landing. The hit ended up being Bowie’s first major success in the UK.
The song was inspired by the film “A Space Odyssey,” which is about a fictional astronaut, Major Tom, and his launch into space. In 2013, the song saw renewed popularity when Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield performed the song aboard the International Space Station, which was the first music video ever shot in space!
Ziggy Stardust Raised Some Sanity Questions
Over the years, Bowie had several alter egos, but Ziggy Stardust was the most memorable of them all. In 1972 and 1973, he toured as the glam rock persona until he abruptly announced at a performance that he would be putting Ziggy and the Spiders from Mars to rest.
Bowie later admitted that Ziggy would not leave him alone for years. His alter ego was lingering around, and that is when it soured. “It became very dangerous,” he described. “I had misgivings about my sanity.” Four short years after the Ziggy Stardust period, he then became the Thin White Duke.
The Thin White Duke
It was in late 1974 when an early version of this character started to appear. His hair was still glowing orange but shorter, and his stage costumes went from vivid glam outfits to conventional formal suits.
During his “Thin White Duke” period, he struggled with substance abuse and emotional problems. He was apparently living on a diet of milk and peppers. He did some bizarre things, like keep his urine in his refrigerator so that “no other wizard could use it to enchant him.”
Forward- Thinking
Not only was Bowie considered innovative and forward-thinking when it came to his music, but he also envisioned the potential surge of the internet. In 1999, he discussed the latest invention known as the “worldwide web” with Jeremy Paxman of the BBC. Paxman proposed that the internet’s potential was being “hugely exaggerated.”
Bowie promptly made it clear that he disagreed with him, saying how he was embracing the idea “that there’s a new demystification method between the artist and audience.”
A Match Made in Tabloid Heaven
Seeing the music superstar tie the knot with one of the world’s most recognized supermodels was just part of the package for many fans.
But Bowie’s relationship with Iman Abdulmajid was very private, which is presumably why it lasted so long. Their wedding in 1992 looked like a match made in heaven.