This week, during a late morning on a lively sidewalk in one of Manhattan’s more artistic neighborhoods, a painfully thin man strolled by, embodying tranquility amidst the chaos surrounding him.
He was clad in a flat cap, wraparound sunglasses, a worn grey hoodie, and held his lunch in a paper bag, largely overlooked by affluent shoppers examining the art galleries’ window displays along the street. It’s a state of anonymity that David Bowie has come to appreciate more and more.
Having not graced the public stage in six years, the once prolific artist hasn’t penned a song since 2003. Perhaps even more astonishing is the revelation from his wife, Somali-born model Iman, that Bowie has discreetly abandoned his well-known adopted stage name in favor of his birth name…simply David Jones.
As he becomes increasingly withdrawn, compounded by a heightened fear of flying that intensified after the 9/11 attacks in New York, the London-born musician seldom departs his adopted city.
His life centers around the $6 million loft in the fashionable SoHo area, complete with a secure ‘panic room’ for his family to retreat to in case of intruders.
Bowie dedicates his time to painting, drawing, and reading, emerging infrequently aside from taking his 11-year-old daughter, Alexandria, to her nearby school.
This year, he refused a request to participate in the Olympics Closing Ceremony, even though his song Heroes became the unofficial anthem of the Games.
Recently, he made a rare comment on Facebook to clarify his lack of involvement in a major retrospective of his clothing and memorabilia set for the Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition in London next spring.
Though Bowie has contributed over 60 iconic stage outfits to the museum, exhibition curators admit they have yet to meet him.
Frequently, he will venture out only to search for 20th-century art in local galleries or to browse through the fashionable bookshop McNally Jackson nearby.
It’s no surprise that those closest to him now openly suggest that Bowie has retired permanently from a music industry that continues to celebrate him as one of its most exceptional and unique talents.
When Bowie celebrated his 65th birthday in January, fans, including Boy George and comedian David Baddiel, gathered online to plead for his long-awaited return. To date, the silence from Bowie has been striking.
The blog he used to update on his personal website hasn’t seen any new entries since 2006. Notably, he was missing in March when a plaque was
unveiled in London to pay tribute to Ziggy Stardust, his former musical alter ego.
It commemorated the 40th anniversary of Bowie posing outside 23 Heddon Street in Mayfair for the cover of his groundbreaking concept album, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.
Bowie declined an invitation to attend the ceremony, leaving the unveiling to one of his celebrity admirers, Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet.
His biographer, Paul Trynka, shared with me: ‘While I hope with all my heart that David will return, my rational side tells me he won’t, and I don’t envisage him touring again. None of the musicians David collaborated with have had any communication from him. He believes he has accomplished his’Mark is content with that, and he feels fine about it.
Those who are in the know share this sentiment. Recently, his long-time tour promoter, John Giddings, expressed that he believes Bowie will not return.
Instead, Bowie, whose last album, Reality, was released nine years ago, appears to be satisfied with living in self-imposed obscurity.
According to those close to him, his seclusion largely stems from his heart attack in Germany during his final tour in 2004. He was rushed for emergency angioplasty, leading to the cancellation of that tour and the scrapping of another one planned for 2007.
Before his near-fatal experience, Bowie, who had been a heavy smoker for years, demanded a full English fry-up every weekend.
Now, his wife of 20 years, Iman, prepares a fat-free Sunday brunch featuring egg-white omelets with shiitake mushrooms and steamed asparagus.
She mentioned on Twitter earlier this year that she has substituted his beloved mashed potatoes with a healthier, although less appealing, pureed cauliflower and non-fat sour cream.
He naturally aspires to be present for his daughter, known as Lexi, as she grows up. In fact, Iman describes their life together in Manhattan and at their expansive country estate in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York as idyllic.
While cooking, David enjoys jamming on keyboards and drums with Lexi, assisting her with homework, and ensuring she reads for at least two hours each evening.
A therapist might attribute Bowie’s all-consuming commitment to fatherhood to the tumultuous parenting of his son, Zowie, from his difficult first marriage to Angie Barnett.
Angie often grappled with jealousy due to his infidelities during their ‘open marriage.’ They divorced in 1980, with Bowie obtaining custody of Zowie. After becoming single again, Bowie slowly transformed into a skeletal addict subsisting on a diet of milk and cocaine.
Due to his drug addiction, he became increasingly paranoid and started moving across the globe—from Japan to Australia and Germany—in a desperate attempt to escape his demons, frequently bringing his son along. In the early 1980s, he relocated to a house in Switzerland, ultimately achieving sobriety and scoring the number one hit, Let’s Dance.
However, it was only when his hairdresser introduced him to the twice-divorced Iman that he found stability.
After their first date in Los Angeles, Bowie surprised her by filling her Paris hotel room with her favorite gardenias.
They wed in Switzerland in April 1992, later relocating to New York, where Iman, now 57, operates a successful makeup and lifestyle company that generates more than $20 million annually.
Recently, she remarked, “I’m not married to David Bowie… I’m married to David Jones. They are two completely different individuals.”
David Buckley, the author of a major biography on Bowie, commented, “While fan support for a new tour would be immense, perhaps he feels he has said everything he needs to say. He missed Zowie’s life and wishes to spend as much time as he can with Lexi.”
It seems Bowie is content to spend his Golden Years distanced from the public eye he once desired.
by Wallace McTavish
