Inspired by one of the most fascinating lives of our time, DYLAN JONES' engrossing, magisterial biography of David Bowie is unlike any story ever written. The book is a groundbreaking oral history of pop's greatest chameleon, drawn from hundreds of interviews with friends, rivals, lovers, and collaborators, some of whom have never before spoken about their relationship with Bowie. Jones's DAVID BOWIE: A LIFE (CROWN ARCHETYPE; ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12, 2017; $28.00; 978-0-451-49783-3) weaves a hypnotic spell as it unfolds a remarkable rise to stardom and an unparalleled artistic path.
When David Bowie died in January 2016, not only were social media channels flooded with images of Ziggy Stardust, but national newspapers cleared their front pages to cover his life and death, broadcasts dedicated time, and every celebrity and citizen with an iPhone and a Bowie story shared memories and admiration. Headlines blared, tribute concerts were organized, and Bowie's colorful life was mourned. The titillating reportage and accounts that followed suggested a more complicated legacy than was perhaps understood, and yet they barely scratched the surface of a life that had yet to be done justice in print.
Jones, editor of British GQ and author of When Ziggy Played Guitar: David Bowie and Four Minutes That Shook the World, has now delivered the definitive David Bowie biography. The first major collection and most comprehensive publication since his death, DAVID BOWIE: A Life is composed from over 180 conversations with those closest to the star. No Bowie bio has ever been this raw or intimate, or reached deeper into Bowie's vast web of connections in search of the man behind the persona. Containing contributions from those who knew him in all walks of life-from Bowie's landlady to Bono-this tour of a fascinating existence is guaranteed to thrill those just coming to Bowie's story while offering something new to even the most die-hard aficionados. Firsthand accounts draw readers behind closed doors and into studios and private conversations shared with Bowie. Jones documents accounts from people like John Lennon, Peter Frampton, Tommy Hilfiger, Paul McCartney, Mick Ronson, Boy George, Lou Reed, Luther Vandross, Iggy Pop, Moby, Courtney Love, Kate Moss, Martin Scorsese, and many more. Included are testimonies from:
· George Underwood, on Bowie's first U.S. tour: "The audiences on the Ziggy tour of the US just couldn't believe their eyes. Every night was a sensation. . . . We went most places by Amtrak, which is a great way to see the country. He was high rolling on that tour. Every night was a party. . . . It was a rock and roll circus. . . . In the US he was treated as a star."
· Ava Cherry, on recording in Philadelphia: "David was one of the first white artists they'd recorded in Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. David was immediately accepted by the black community. . . . I heard there were some players who didn't want to be on the record because David was white, but I don't believe that. . . . We went in there and just played away. . . . He also did a show at the Tower Theater in Philly, and that was a huge thing for the city. That's where he recorded David Live. It was great singing with Luther Vandross, as he was such a great singer, such an accomplished arranger, and our voices melded together like magic and butter."
· Kristina Amadeus, on growing up comfortably: "I don't remember him being worried about being lower middle class. His father was from a very affluent family. . . . He went to a good public school and inherited money when he came of age. . . . But David did, like Jagger, adopt an almost Cockney accent for a while because it was trendy."
· Angie Bowie, on marriage: "Our marriage was a partnership to accomplish making David a worldwide star."