You probably heard about David Bowie's death today. I won't try to eulogize him - as a late-gen-x'er I missed much of his career. But I do appreciate that I was an "indirect fan," since many of the musicians I liked were influenced by him.
So today the news was all-Bowie-all-the-time. I know, that happens every time a major celebrity dies. But given his position in society and the arts, it seems particularly inappropriate. Aside from the fact that he probably wouldn't want the world fawning over him, there is his final album, released last week; it's now acknowledged by his manager that it was recorded knowing it would be good last. That's very fortunate for an artist to get to say goodbye in their own terms. So surely the best way to pay tribute is not to listen to an anchorman reaching for words, but to listen to the music. (Doing that as I type; it's really good.)
But more to a point, the remembrance today has seemed incongruous with our society. For instance, when Michael Jackson died, there was a big deal made about it, and that was understandable. For good or bad, we're living in a Michael Jackson world. But really, if David Bowie had so many fans, then how do you explain this <points at Western Civilization>? A guy who prided himself in eclecticism and reinvention was a major inspiration in a world that keeps repeating itself?
I know, you're probably expecting me to call out non-fans for jumping on the posthumous bandwagon. But I'm going to be a bit more optimistic: I think all these people really do care about Bowie, and they've just lost their way. So everybody, take time to read the quotes and compliments orbiting social media right now and learn from them.
No comments:
Post a Comment