David Bowie died on this day ten years ago, so I watched my favorite music ‘documentary’ once again. It is Moonage Daydream by Brett Morgen, and it is brilliant. Such a dense piece of visual art and storytelling, extremely multifaceted and complex, like Bowie. It took five years to make in total and two years to edit, and it is easy to see why. I also watched the new documentary ‘Bowie: The Final Act,’ and it was good. (If you are in Denmark, watch it here). Also, check out Bowie Bible, what a website (yes, those are still around). And ‘David Bowie – The Last Five Years’ is free to watch on YouTube, recommended.

“At the turn of the 20th century, Friedrich Nietzsche proclaimed that God is dead and that man had killed him. This created an arrogance with man that he himself was God. But as God, all he could seem to produce was disaster. That led to a terrifying confusion: for if we could not take the place of God, how could we fill the space we had created within ourselves?”
David Bowie, 2002

Moonage Daydream starts with this quote which leads into this monologue about the nature of time.

There were many things to like about David Bowie besides the music; he loved art and knew a lot about it, was an okay painter himself, read a lot of books, and last but not least, he had a great sense of humor. Some saw him as somewhat distanced and cold person, but he was often very funny in interviews and seemed to enjoy a good laugh at the absurdity of fame, life, and death.

A favorite moment; Bowie covers Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” for the post 9/11 benefit concert in October 2001. He was a resident of NYC at the time, and it seems to me that he dialed up his english accent, perhaps to empasize the city’s international/immigration vibe. Enjoy this simple performance.