Ongoing History of New Music
Episode: Why Bowie Still Matters - Part 1
Host: Alan Cross
Date: November 26, 2025
Episode Overview
Alan Cross embarks on an in-depth chronicle of David Bowie's legacy—examining why, nearly a decade after his death, Bowie’s cultural and musical influence continues to loom large. Part one charts Bowie’s early career, the seismic arrival of Ziggy Stardust, his impact on gender and sexual identity, his influence on punk, and his ability to constantly reinvent both his sound and persona. The episode is rich with anecdotes, historical context, and examples of Bowie's singular place in modern music and culture.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The World After Bowie’s Death
- Alan recounts learning about Bowie's passing and the surreal sense of loss it created (00:36).
- He notes a meme suggesting the world descended into chaos after Bowie’s death—Brexit, Trump, Covid, AI, etc.—while dismissing it as coincidence but underscoring the magnitude of Bowie’s legacy (01:25).
- Quote:
"Bowie, one of the most important musical artists of all time, was gone. ... Yet one thing remains. David Bowie still matters. In fact, he may matter more than ever before."
(01:42, Alan Cross)
2. The Secret Final Act: The Release of “Blackstar”
- Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, released on his 69th birthday, became a swan song, laced with messages about mortality (“Look up here, I’m in heaven…” from "Lazarus") (02:46).
- Alan shares behind-the-scenes stories from Bowie's last days, including a rumored plan to reunite with bandmates and personal anecdotes from Bowie's death (03:30).
- Quote:
"[Bowie] allegedly told Tony Visconti, his longtime producer... ‘I'll see you in Toronto.’ ... But on Sunday... he laid down for an afternoon nap and never woke up."
(03:51, Alan Cross)
- Quote:
3. A Legacy Beyond Music
- Alan outlines Bowie's transformative impact, explaining that his legacy encompasses music, fashion, performance, identity, and more (05:11).
- Detailed is Bowie’s influence across genres—from punk and new wave to goth, grunge, and EDM (05:23).
- Quote:
"Name another artist that was equally as important to Lady Gaga as they were to the Sex Pistols."
(05:38, Alan Cross)
- Quote:
- Bowie’s pioneering visibility for LGBTQ+ individuals and his effect on social politics, particularly in the UK, is highlighted (05:51).
4. From David Jones to Bowie
- Bowie’s inauspicious start as a saxophonist and young hopeful (07:43).
- First TV appearance: Founding the (fictitious) Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long Haired Men (1964). Early evidence of Bowie’s penchant for challenging social norms and gender expectations (06:43).
- Name change origins: Inspired by the character Jim Bowie after conflicts with other Davids in pop culture (09:31).
- Pronunciation clarification (“Bowie, not Bowie”), and a note that the host confirmed this with David himself (10:08).
5. Experimentation and Struggle in the 1960s
- Multiple failed bands, odd day jobs, and bizarre casting choices, including an ice cream commercial directed by Ridley Scott (10:30).
- Early, poorly received singles like “The Laughing Gnome” (11:07).
6. The Breakthrough—“Space Oddity”
- Creation inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey and British cultural oddities; song initially rejected, then championed by RCA just as the Apollo missions captured the world’s attention (12:15).
- IMDb trivia about the song’s tepid North American debut (13:03).
- Quote:
"Who knows what might have happened or not have happened had the BBC decided to use some other song as a theme for their coverage of the main moon landings..."
(12:38, Alan Cross)
7. Androgyny & Social Progressiveness
- Bowie dons a dress for the The Man Who Sold the World (1970) cover; evokes controversy and refuses to apologize for challenging gender norms (13:18).
- This theme recurs throughout his career, radically changing the way masculinity and identity are perceived in rock (16:42).
8. The Birth of Ziggy Stardust and Glam Rock
- Inspired by Mark Bolan of T. Rex and avant-garde fashion, Bowie undergoes a legendary transformation (16:01).
- Adopts the persona of Ziggy Stardust—alien, theatrical, androgynous—and rewires what it means to be a “rock star” (17:27).
- Quote:
“Bowie found a picture of a model in a magazine… the model’s haircut was replicated on Bowie’s head... dyed a bright reddish orange… Ziggy Stardust.”
(16:50, Alan Cross)
- Quote:
- Context on how revolutionary Ziggy and glam rock felt amidst the era of denim-clad hippies (17:49).
- Bowie’s 1972 comment about being gay is described as a cultural bombshell for Britain’s still-phobic establishment (19:29).
- Quote:
“This coming out struck a chord with thousands of people... they went from being afraid and confused and alone to suddenly understanding that there was someone out there, someone famous just like them.”
(20:29, Alan Cross)
- Quote:
9. Influence on Punk & Killing Ziggy
- Punk luminaries like Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols adopt Bowie’s discarded gear after breaking into the Hammersmith Odeon post-Ziggy (22:57).
- Punks idolize Bowie’s don’t-give-a-damn attitude, his flamboyance, and his ability to end artistic eras (23:32).
- Live audio from the final Ziggy show, as Bowie announces the end of Ziggy Stardust on stage:
- Quote:
“Not only is it the last show of the tour, but it’s the last show that we’ll ever do.”
(24:47, David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust)
- Quote:
10. Perpetual Reinvention: Aladdin Sane and Beyond
- Explores Bowie’s move to Aladdin Sane, inspired both by his own troubles and his half-brother’s schizophrenia (25:16).
- Massive creative output: Five studio albums and a live record in just under three years (27:50).
- Bowie’s approach—restless creativity, refusal to repeat himself, and public unpredictability—solidified his status as rock’s leading visionary (30:10).
11. Blue-Eyed Soul and American Success
- The Young Americans period: Infatuation with R&B, collaboration with John Lennon, and a new aesthetic (29:10).
- The anthem “Fame” dispatches Bowie to the top of US charts for the first time (30:39).
- Quote:
“Even though Bowie didn’t really like the song, it was tacked onto the album at the last minute... and it became Bowie’s first ever number one in America.”
(30:47, Alan Cross)
- Quote:
- Despite personal struggles—substance issues, paranoia—Bowie’s influence only grows: cool in punk clubs, disco, and mainstream pop alike (31:10).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Bowie's Cultural Impact:
"David Bowie was one of the most important figures for gay people that pop culture has ever seen."
(05:45, Alan Cross) -
On Ziggy Stardust’s Shock Value:
“The impact of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust on rock is almost incalculable… No one had ever seen anything like Ziggy before.”
(17:27, Alan Cross) -
On Bowie’s Admission of Being Gay:
"This coming out struck a chord with thousands of people who wanted to do the same thing but were too afraid… Bowie gave them the courage to be who they were."
(20:29, Alan Cross) -
On Bowie's Perpetual Reinvention:
"It would have been different had the records been commercial and critical failures, but they weren’t. And it would have been different if it had been just more of the same, album after album. But it wasn’t. Everything was different."
(27:50, Alan Cross)
Important Timestamps
| Time | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:36 | Alan learns of Bowie’s death; the world “after Bowie.” | | 02:46-03:01| Clip of “Lazarus” from Blackstar album | | 06:43 | 17-year-old Bowie on TV advocating for “long-haired men” | | 10:30 | Bowie in a Ridley Scott ice cream commercial | | 12:15 | Early demo of “Space Oddity”/its cultural arrival | | 13:18 | The “man in a dress”—The Man Who Sold the World cover scandal | | 15:44 | The birth of glam, lessons from Mark Bolan (T. Rex) | | 16:50 | Iconic Ziggy Stardust transformation | | 19:29 | Bowie comes out in the press—1972 context | | 22:57 | Bowie’s influence on punk/Sex Pistols anecdote | | 24:47 | Bowie retires Ziggy onstage (“last show we’ll ever do”) | | 25:16 | Transition to Aladdin Sane and the personal context | | 27:50 | Five studio albums + live LP in under three years | | 30:39 | “Fame” – Bowie’s first US #1, with John Lennon |
Conclusion & Look Ahead
Alan Cross wraps up part one emphasizing Bowie’s restless reinvention, his genre-defining experimentation, and his persistent relevance—not just as a musician, but as a broader cultural and social force. Hints are given that part two will explore Bowie’s further evolution, 1980s innovations, and his continued influence on today’s art, technology, and identity.
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