David Bowie served as a major source of inspiration for Kate Bush, the creative force behind the innovative and varied “Wuthering Heights.” This is not surprising, especially considering that both musicians carved out unique careers for themselves in the music industry by defying the conventions of their time and gaining devoted fan bases. Similar to Bush, Bowie established himself as one of the pioneers who broke down barriers in both music and society.
Bowie, who was born in Brixton in 1947, achieved remarkable success throughout a number of generations and eras. He broke many rules, especially starting in the 1970s. Even though David Bowie started his career in the late 1960s, his reputation as a pioneer really took off in 1972. This was with the release of his album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”
The chaotic 1960s and 1970s were a time of great social revolution. It was a period of seismic shifts across diverse cultural landscapes. The burgeoning sense of boundless possibility collided with the established norms of society. The industries that felt the effects of this seismic shift the most strongly were music, fashion, film, and general society norms.
However, a great number of innovators and pioneers were born during this revolutionary period. Bowie and Bush stood out among these luminaries. They shed light on previously unexplored ground with their avant-garde aesthetics and innovative sound experiments. Their outlandish themes and lyrics pushed the boundaries of art and prepared the way for later generations to question the status quo.
Kate Bush spoke honestly in a 2007 interview about the influence Bowie had on her. She spoke movingly of her time spent as one of the crazed, screaming fans at Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ illustrious final show on July 3, 1973. Emphasizing how her first exposure to Bowie’s music had a profoundly transformative effect on her career and personal life.
“I first heard David Bowie when I was sitting in my bath, surrounded by bubbles, listening to Radio Luxembourg,” she recalled. “A starman is waiting in the sky.” I thought his voice was really unique and that the song was really interesting. That song quickly became everywhere, and Bowie’s music started to influence every aspect of my existence.
She went on, “Was it B’wee, Bowie, or Bo-Wie? He had an appealing quality about him. I saw him on Top Of The Pops, and he looked almost like an insect. His clothes were strange and theatrical; was that a dress? I concluded that he was pretty handsome, but no one else seemed to think so. His photo ended up on my bedroom wall, next to the sacred spot set aside exclusively for my greatest love, Elton John.
Adding: “Bowie had it all—he was an incredible songwriter with a voice to match. He was obviously intelligent, very sexy, and just the right amount of weird. Ziggy was a guitar player. And I attended his final performance with The Spiders From Mars in the role of Ziggy Stardust. We were all crying with him at the end because the atmosphere was so intense.
