When I first heard David Bowie I knew I was hearing something truly unique. I was right away taken with his music, but it took a number of years before I realized just how important his music and his outlook on life would be to me. He embraced being different, following his own path through life. He made it acceptable to be quirky and creative, to look at the world in a different way.
Waking up to the news of his passing was difficult. It was the saddest of surprises, especially after hearing his hauntingly beautiful album, Black Star. For a man who was still at his creative peak 40 years into his career, it was unthinkable that he was working through what he knew would be his death. And it brings his music into a completely new context, one that shows how cheeky he could be; coyly writing music that we only now realize was his final goodbye.
Out of all of his music "Rock and Roll Suicide" has always meant a lot to me, with its final refrains basically screaming "you're wonderful!" I've listened to dozens of his songs throughout the day today, and will continue to, but this is the one that really made me stop for a second. It brings me back to when I first heard it, brings me back to this past summer cranking this song up to full blast while working at 3am at the Pier with everyone. I think just from looking through Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr you realize how much of an impact he had on people. He brought the outsiders together and made them feel a part of something. You're not alone, you're wonderful.