David Bowie. The Loon effect.

[mistermack]

I'm genuinely sorry that Bowie is no more, and I liked lots of his songs, and learned to play some of them.

But effing hell, are they going over the top or what? He wasn't in the John Lennon class of stardom. Nobody is, except McCartney.
He was a big star, very entertaining, etc etc but I haven't seen such wailing and gnashing of teeth since Diana died.
One loony member of the public just said that Bowie's lyrics saved his life.

My cynical nature leads me to think that it's the lack of other news effect. Loon effect for short.

I'm glad I'm not that famous. All this shit would put me off dying.

[Svartalf]

Whaddya expect, either they have nothing else to rave about, or there are other things they'd rather find other news than mention within the public's hearing. Possibly both.

[cronus]

Not seen this level of mass-hysteria since Princess Diana, and it'll take a Elton John to come close after this. Most of David Bowies albums are in the charts on Amazon. So it is real and not simply a media whipped up grieving frenzy. There's more than money moving here. It is some kind of societal 'death fetish' that is bringing folks together in a orgy of Bowie adoration. And don't forget to play Blackstar.

[laklak]

It's conspiracy to distract us from the New World Order. People were getting too riled up about Muslims and ISIS and rapey stuff so the CIA offed Bowie.

Prove me wrong.

[Tero]

Well, it did save them from covering the loons in Oregon today. Not once have they pulled a gun yet.

[pErvinalia]

I'm genuinely sorry that Bowie is no more, and I liked lots of his songs, and learned to play some of them.

But effing hell, are they going over the top or what? He wasn't in the John Lennon class of stardom. Nobody is, except McCartney.
He was a big star, very entertaining, etc etc but I haven't seen such wailing and gnashing of teeth since Diana died.
One loony member of the public just said that Bowie's lyrics saved his life.

My cynical nature leads me to think that it's the lack of other news effect. Loon effect for short.

I'm glad I'm not that famous. All this shit would put me off dying.

Yeah, it's shitting me too. I liked his music and I am a fan. But the media is really pathetic these days. You just know they are sitting there waiting for someone to die and other tragedies. They fucking live for this stuff. They really are a sick industry.

[pErvinalia]

Guardian article just now on my news feed, title: 'His Death Was A Work Of Art". FFS.

[JimC]

I wonder whether he was related to Jim Bowie of the great big knife fame?

[Svartalf]

No, he was related to Davy Jones of locker fame

[Hermit]

His name and song writing activity suggest that he may be a descendant of the legendary author of many psalms.

[rachelbean]

Bowie was the hero for all the freaks, and a lot of people feel a personal connection with his work. I have not paid any attention to the media in general, just my friends posts, but there is definitely more of a sense of loss than I've seen with any other famous person.

For me, and a lot of people I know, his work and presence is synonymous with cornerstones in their lives. I can remember throwing a 50th birthday party for him when I was 17, and what a fantastic day that was, and friends that were there, some of whom have since died as well and I am flooded with emotions. He seemed like a timeless, ageless alien and I think a lot of people never even considered him dying, and especially not passing away from cancer without anyone knowing he had been suffering. The reason they are saying even his death was a work of art was not because of his actual death, but what he orchestrated for the last year of his life, his album release, the music video, all of it knowing he would pass away any day.

From a music point of view, the thought of putting McCartney in the same league as Bowie is insane (but in the opposite direction). He spanned decades with beautiful, progressive, interesting work, and his latest album has just added to that. He never stopped growing or experimenting and the music world was better because of it.

But yeah, I am probably a loon anyway.

[Hermit]

...the thought of putting McCartney in the same league as Bowie is insane...

Yes. Two songs typify McCartney as a creative "artist" for me. This one and that one. Comparing him to Bowie is an insult to the latter. Still, I think the eulogies to David Bowie are a bit over the top. Could be worse, though. I don't look forward to the death of Robert Carpenter.

[Svartalf]

Who's Robert Capenter?

and you just wait for Mc Cartney and the Stones, I predict a wave of suicides by fans who can't live longer than their idols.

[Hermit]

Who's Robert Capenter?

You are intelligent enough to work out who Robert Carpenter is within a minute or two. If not, I'll provide a hint, but I'm sure that won't be necessary.

[Svartalf]

I expect him to be a personality of the music world, but all I find is politicians and sports related people.