His closest friends reveal how he kept his 18-month battle with cancer a secret as fans prepare to release his final album Blackstar to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his passing next month.
The world was stunned when news of the Ziggy Stardust legend’s death, aged 69, broke two days after the release of his poignant masterpiece in January 2016.
Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti vividly remembers how Bowie hugged him and told him he had liver cancer. Tony, who worked with the superstar for 50 years, says: “I remember going to his offices and a girl who worked there opened the door and she had been crying.
“Her eyes were red,” she said. She said, “David will be with you in a minute,” and led me into this tiny room with a small table and a seat either side.
“David then sits in front of me and he has got a woolly cap on. He has no eyebrows, which is what I notice first. I said, “I know what that is. It is chemotherapy’. I cried out in my eyes.
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Tony, who produced 14 albums for Bowie including Blackstar, says: “He is my lifetime friend since the 60s. I started mumbling things like ‘don’t worry, we will get through this. We will get the best doctors in the world. You’re strong. You are going to get over this’. I just started blabbering sh*t like that and he comes to my side of the table and he starts hugging me. Given what he knew about his own health, I think he wanted to make the best album of his life.”
Tony, who helped create the iconic hits Heroes, Young Americans, Diamond Dogs, Ashes to Ashes and Fashion, says musicians were sworn to secrecy as they worked on Blackstar in New York. He says: “Before he started the album he said to everyone ‘Guys, I have something to tell you’. He pulls his cap off and he stands there bald in front of them and they are looking at each other like ‘who wants to run away? Who wants to crawl under their piano? What the f*ck do you say?’
” The song I Cant Give Everything Away on the album makes me very tearful. He discusses his illness. Elvis wouldn’t have said it, which would be the worst thing to ever happen to someone who knew he was ill. The Beatles would not have done it. And he ranks alongside the other notable men in the top ten.
Blackstar keyboardist Jason Lindner says Bowie remained professional despite his illness, saying:” We were all pretty nervous and on edge to meet David Bowie. When he entered, we almost sat up as soldiers watched intently. He said, “gentles, sit down and unwind.” David told us in the beginning ‘ I don’t know what this is going to be. We’ll simply create some fantastic music. He would be asked how he was doing, but he refused to give a detailed explanation. He wanted to focus on the music. “
A new documentary, Bowie: The Final Act, which charts his early years, his breakthrough as Ziggy Stardust, his mainstream success in the 1980s, his wild years of the 1990s, and his triumphant comeback at Glastonbury in 2000, tells the story of the superstar’s final days. More than 250, 000 people tuned in to see Bowie as he crossed the millennium by dominating the legendary festival, 29 years after his debut performance as a rising glam rock act there in 1971.
Yet veteran music promoter John Giddings says it nearly didn’t happen, as Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis was unimpressed with Bowie’s dabble with drum ‘n’ bass during the 90s. John, who runs the annual Isle of Wight Festival, says: “In the 90s, David was not over happy with anyone suggesting he should play Ziggy Stardust and the songs that went with it. He felt like it was the past and he was more interested in the future. I had the genius idea of ‘why don’t we play Glastonbury?’ We were playing The Astoria in London with drum ‘n’ bass and I invited Michael Eavis.”
But Michael left half way through – disappointed not to hear his favourite Bowie hits and doubting his suitability as a headline act. John continues, “I was asked if I had any gossip the day after Bowie’s PR, Alan Edwards, invited me to see The Spice Girls.” I came up with the idea that Glastonbury are pleading with David Bowie to play the show next year.
“A week later the newspapers were saying Glastonbury want David to headline and then Michael Eavis gets all these faxes and phone calls and he made me an offer for David to play. I called David, and he responded, “Great.” Many thanks, but I’m unable to do it. I was like ‘ what do you mean you can’t do it? ‘” John continues, “Well, if you don’t do it, someone like Madonna will do it,” in a desperate attempt to persuade him. He eventually expressed his frustration with himself. David Bowie should play Glastonbury ‘”
And he continued to play. Bowie’s performance at Worthy Farm rekindled his career, which had fallen flat in the 1990s after being mocked for “selling out” with hits like Let’s Dance. He was also critically panned for his dalliance with rock band Tin Machine. For 30 years, I accompanied David, John continues. He became a superstar after letting dance create this worldwide following.
However, John believes Bowie preferred to explore various avenues of fame. He adds: “When he did Tin Machine and wanted to play hard rock my heart said ‘ that is a great thing to do ‘ and my head said ‘ financially, it is a disaster'”. Nine years after he disappeared from public life after suffering a heart attack while on his A Reality Tour, Bowie’s Glastonbury gamble paid off, opening the door to acclaimed albums like Heathen, Reality, and his 2013 comeback, The Next Day.
The global jaunt was the longest of Bowie’s career, spanning 112 shows from October 2003 to June 2004, covering Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Sadly, he fell ill during a show in Prague forcing him to cut his set short. The star’s long-time pianist Mike Garson recalls: “As a pianist, there is a connection and I could feel my hands tightening up when I was accompanying him. Something was going on. He was in pain. On a telepathic level I was feeling that. He saw a doctor and they told him it was a muscle spasm.”
Just two days later Bowie collapsed after coming off stage at the huge Hurricane Festival in Germany. His guitarist Earl Slick says: “He looked like hell. His skin colour did not look good I thought ‘Oh f*ck. They are not telling us everything’. He had a heart attack. It was a very weird ending. There was kind of silence for a while…nine years of it.”
Earl, who featured on albums Young Americans, Station to Station, Heathen and Reality, says Bowie also kept his struggles with depression from fans. There were a few different Davids, he claims. The 1970s David, the 1980s David, and the 21st Century David were all present. I loved the 21st Century David to death.
We both had really bad depression at times, despite our older and better health. Really awful Winston Churchill called it The Black Dog. Everyone in the band would try to talk to him when he was like, but I would avoid him. He will figure it out, I said to myself.
Today, Bowie’s band members continue to tour the world in various forms as part of their own way of paying homage to Bowie’s legacy. However, they all acknowledge that they are in need of the Starman, who has always provided new musical direction. The song “Lazaraus on Blackstar” had a lot of grace, according to pianist Mike Garson. He came to grips with death and he was able to express it through his music. He wrote the song’s own requiem. Who is that”?
Bowie: The Final Act runs in selected cinemas from Boxing Day and airs on Channel 4 on January 3 at 9.30pm.
Source: Mirror
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