David Bowie dies: From Starman to Blackstar, life and career of British rock legend in pictures
David Bowie was one of the most influential musicians of of all time, known for his ground-breaking changes in musical style and his androgynous style and glittering costumes.
David Bowie has died at the age of 69 after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was one of the most influential musicians of of all time, known for his ground-breaking changes in musical style and his androgynous style and glittering costumes.
He was born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 in Brixton, south London. After gigging with a few bands, he changed his name and went solo, releasing novelty single The Laughing Gnome in April 1967.
On 11 July 1969, five days before the launch of Apollo 11, he released Space Oddity, which eventually reached number five on the UK charts. But it was Bowie's 1972 portrayal of a doomed bisexual alien rock star, Ziggy Stardust, that propelled him to global stardom. Bowie and Ziggy, wearing outrageous costumes, make-up and bright orange hair, took the rock world by storm. Following his death, IBTimes UK takes a look at his life in pictures.
3 March 1965: Davy Jones (before he changed his name to Bowie following the success of the Monkees and their lead singer Davy Jones)Potter/Express/Getty ImagesFebruary 1970: David Bowie is pictured at the Disc and Music Echo Valentine Awards ceremony at the Cafe Royal in LondonHulton Archive/Getty Images1972: David Bowie released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, considered one of the greatest albums of all timeRCA3 July 1973: David Bowie performs his final concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon, LondonExpress/Getty Images9 July 1973: David Bowie is seen off at the station by his wife AngieSmith/Express/Getty Images21 October 1973: David Bowie performs with guitarist Mick Ronson at a live recording for a TV show at The Marquee Club in London with a specially invited audience of Bowie fan club membersJack Kay/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images1973: Make-up artist Pierre La Roche prepares David Bowie for a performance as Aladdin SaneDaily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images2 May 1976: David Bowie standing in a Mercedes convertible at Victoria Station, London, during his Station To Station tour. Moments after this picture was taken, Bowie made a controversial gesture, thought by some to be a Nazi saluteKeystone/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesIn 1977, David Bowie released Low, the first of his Berlin Trilogy, a series of collaborations with Brian EnoRCA15 June 1978: David Bowie playing the City Hall NewcastleColin Davey/Evening Standard/Getty ImagesOctober 1980: David Bowie takes a break from playing the title role in The Elephant Man on BroadwayKeystone Features/Getty Images1983: He released Let's Dance, produced by Nile RodgersEMI20 May 1983: David Bowie performs on stage in BrusselsAFP1986: David Bowie played Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth, a fantasy film directed by Jim HensonLucasFilm20 March 1987: David Bowie gives a press conference to announce his Glass Spider world tourBertrand Guay/AFP3 July 1987: David Bowie performs on stage during a concert in La CourneuveBertreand Guay/AFP1 December 1983: Princes Diana, Patron of the National AIDS Trust, greets David Bowie backstage at Wembley Arena in London, before the Concert of Hope to mark World AIDS Day. In the background are George Michael and Mick Hucknall of Simply RedReuters12 February 1997: David Bowie poses with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bowie had also just released a new album titled EarthlingFred Prouser/Reuters19 February 1997: David Bowie performs during the MGD Blind Date concert at the Vic Theatre in ChicagoReuters8 May 1999: David Bowie jokingly makes devils' horns on his head as he delivers the commencement address at the graduation ceremonies of the Berklee College of Music in BostonReuters25 June 2000: David Bowie headlines at the Glastonbury Festival. This was the first time he had played at Glastonbury since 1971, when the event was only in its second yearReuters15 October 2002: David Bowie performs at the 2002 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New YorkScott Gries/Getty Images17 November 2003: David Bowie sits with Debbie Harry of Blondie, before the first concert of his UK tour in ManchesterIan Hodgson/Reuters13 December 2003: David Bowie performs in Montreal during his first North American concert series in eight yearsReuters7 June 2010: David Bowie arrives with his wife Iman to attend the Council of Fashion Designers of America fashion awards in New YorkLucas Jackson/Reuters28 April 2011: David Bowie and Iman attend a leukaemia benefit gala in New YorkAndrew H Walker/Getty Images for DKMSOn 8 January 2013, on Bowie's 66th birthday, 8 January 2013, the world woke up to the release of The Next Day, his first album in 10 yearsColumbia
Bowie kept a low profile after undergoing emergency heart surgery in 2004. On 8 January 2016, just days before his death, Bowie released his 25th studio album. It was his 69th birthday. The new work features seven tracks, and the title track was released as a single on 20 November 2015. The follow-up single Lazarus was released on 17 December. The newly released video for Lazarus features Bowie bedridden, apparently in an institutional hospital setting.
