How can this be real?

[selenak]

There are some people you just don't expect to die, ever. Especially when they're so good at recreating themselves.  Regenerate, as it were, because if there ever was a real life Time Lord, it surely was David Bowie.  And this should read "is David Bowie", and it doesn't, and despite never having been a devoted fan - I like some of the songs I grew up with in the 70s and 80s, and some of the movies he made as an actor - (like a lot of people who were teenagers in the 80s I imprinted on David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King; just a few years ago, I was stunned to later, post-watching, realise he was Nikola Tesla in The Prestige because I hadn't recognised him, and yet the role had been perfect for him and his otherworldly, larger than life quality) - I'm still trying to process the reality of this.

He really was like no one else in the world.

Comments

[st_aurafina]

This is just awful news.

[selenak]

It so is.

[andraste]

I am far more surprised by his being dead than I would have been by a flying saucer turning up to take him back to his home planet :(.

[selenak]

Yes, that's it, exactly.

[rachelmanija]

I like to think that that's what really happened, and we're just hearing the cover story.

[wee_warrior]

I triple-checked the news because I honestly thought it couldn't be possible.

[selenak]

Same here.

[percysowner]

It's so strange, Friday I caught a review of his new album on NPR. Now he's gone. It's like it's surreal.

[selenak]

Though in retrospect, isn't it just like him to make his final exit this way? One of the best tweets I saw yesterday said "David Bowie looked death in the eye and said: I can use this."

[muccamukk]

Holy shit. I didn't even know he was sick. He just released an album.

I saw a bunch of people posting Bowie songs ,and just sort of shrugged and said, "As you do." I did didn't even occur to me that he could/would die.

This really sucks.

[selenak]

Though in retrospect, isn't it just like him to make his final exit this way? Releasing an album on his birthday, and then dying. One of the best tweets I saw yesterday said "David Bowie looked death in the eye and said: I can use this."

[muccamukk]

This is true. Someone else on my flist pointed out that the video for Lazarus could be seen as telling, re he knew what he was about. (Side note, he was gorgeous to the end.) It's not quite as on the nose as Cash's Ain't No Grave, but it's pretty close.

Oh I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh I’ll be free
Ain’t that just like me

[felis]

This NYT article goes in the same direction, an interesting read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/arts/music/david-bowie-allowed-his-art-to-deliver-a-final-message.html?ref=arts

[goodbyebird]

Aww shit. Shit shit shit.

[selenak]

I know. :(