So as we all know Bowie died this week.
Given few people knew he was ill, the news of his death – especially given the release of his latest album and birthday – was particularly shocking.
I loved Bowie.
Not, believe it or not, because he once sang a duet with my favourite band … but because in addition to his music, I loved his commitment to reinvention.
Whereas people like Madonna seem to flock towards whatever trend can help them appear relevant, Bowie did it because he was interested in the unknown.
He never did it in the quest for sales, he did it because he was interested in it … stubborn in his resolve to always do what intrigued him, what he believed in.
Sometimes that incurred the wrath or the laughter of critics – people judging him by their standards, not his – but he didn’t care, because he believed life was about experiences, experimentation and exploration and if people didn’t understand what or why he was doing things, he didn’t really care.
Some may argue you can act that when you are rich, but the fact is he always lived that way.
He never felt he had to convince others of his choices.
He never chased others approval.
In essence, he was the embodiment of ‘his own person’ which is why whatever he did always felt authentic and – to a certain extent – effortless.
Lots of people have written lots of amazing things about him and the response he has received from society – especially in his hometown of Brixton – has been amazing, however if anything highlights how he embraced the future, especially the unknown, the untapped, the unexplored … it’s this comment he made about the music industry back in 2002.
When I look at the ambiguous twaddle so many ‘futurists’ spout, Bowie is articulate, clear and very focused.
You sense that his beliefs were born from serious consideration – never a quest to exercise his ego – which is why he was a refreshing counterpoint to the statements made by so many modern artists today.
Mr Bowie, you have left the World a less interesting place than it was before but we would be in a far worse position had you not been here at all.
The ultimate legacy.