I finally felt the weight of the Beatles' verse, "I read the news today, oh boy," when I discovered that David Bowie passed away last night (Jan 10th) after a long and mostly private battle with cancer.

Ziggy Plays Guitar
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The air just escapes your lungs in a sigh, and you have to remember to inhale.  It's a sad day in the history of Rock and Roll, since Bowie brought so much to, and helped inspire the future of, many in the business.

You can see the effect of Bowie's avant-garde style in the music of Alice Cooper, Lady Gaga and a thousand like them in between. And while his own critical and commercial success came mostly in the 70's and 80's, his impact on me as person is a least a decade on either side.

Bowie was my first real concert.  Before that, he unknowingly guided me and countless other artsy freaks through awkward adolescence. He was a beacon of being different.  The first to accept who he was, and then strive to be more. His numerous roles, From Ziggy to Diamond Dog, the thin White Duke and Modern Lover kept him always moving, and his fans always consuming.

And while you can still hear the echoes of his artistry in music of Lorde, and even Def Leppard, you'd be best served to pick up David's most recent album 'Blackstar' and hear it firsthand.  Let him take you on one last journey.

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