Overview

David Bowie is a global superstar. One of the most extraordinary icons of our times, Bowies career spans five decades of popular music. From his first recordings in the sixties, through the invented characters of the seventies (Ziggy Stardust, Aladin Sane and The Thin White Duke), to the stadium rock of the eighties and attempts to recapture his creativity in more recent times, David Bowie has inspired millions of followers and fans the world over. This culturally sensitive re-reading of the life, image and music of David Bowie offers a detailed understanding of his importance to modern times. The story of David Bowie involves questions of comodification, youth culture, history, individualisation, racism and gender and sexual politics. Yet this is also a tale of ambiguity and pleasurable confusion. Among the many talents of David Bowie has been his ability to capture through popular culture key contradictions of the modern era. Through the interpretation of images, music, text and interviews with many Bowie fans this book seeks to unravel some of the mystery that continues to surround the bohemian prince of pop. Nick Stevenson has written a sympathetic and critical study of one of the enduring stars of popular music. David Bowie is a subtle and accessible exploration of the complex cultures of celebrity. This text will appeal to those teaching and studying cultural and media studies, visual culture, sociology and popular culture, as well as to general readers interested in David Bowie.

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[Stevenson's] work is a sociological one, and it as as such that it shines. Popular Music Nick Stevenson paints a fascinating portrait of David Bowie. We see Bowie change with his times, we see him refracted through social, and we see him reflected in the fantasies of his fans. This is a thought-provoking study of one of pop's most intriguing icons. John Street, Professor of Economic & Social Studies, University of East Anglia At last, an intelligent book about David Bowie which elucidates his exotic appeal and pays tribute to his long standing capacity to be one step ahead of the pack in reading popular culture. This is a notable contribution to the growing literature on celebrity culture. Chris Rojek, Professor of Sociology & Culture, Nottingham Trent University

This work stands out in its ability to not only explore the roots of Bowie's star image but also to recognise them throughout his career. Stevenson treats Bowie's career as a totality, as a spectrum rather than distinct periods or disparate images or transofrmations. This is what sets this work apart, and what marks Stevenson's book as worthy of serious consideration Popular Music Nick Stevenson paints a fascinating portrait of David Bowie. We see Bowie change with his times, we see him refracted through social, and we see him reflected in the fantasies of his fans. This is a thought-provoking study of one of pop's most intriguing icons. John Street, University of East Anglia At last, an intelligent book about David Bowie which elucidates his exotic appeal and pays tribute to his long standing capacity to be one step ahead of the pack in ?reading? popular culture. This is a notable contribution to the growing literature on celebrity culture. Chris Rojek, Nottingham Trent University

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Nick Stevenson, University of Nottingham

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