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comment by ButterflyEffect
ButterflyEffect  ·  3243 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: David Bowie dies at 69

I'm not going to try and make you, or try and force you to get it but maybe it would help to put out some thoughts as to why I'm "grieving" (or, listening to his music all day. That's about it.) for someone I've never met.

Bowie is one of those people that has had a profound impact and influence on a lot of peoples lives. He managed to become a mega-star while still being this meld of experimental and pop sensibilities and worked to bridge the gap between the two. His music is his legacy, and for a lot of people he's the reason they started playing an instrument or become deeply invested in music. Plus he was a total weirdo and who doesn't love that. Death isn't about personally knowing a person. It's about the impact someone had on you in your life and development.





briandmyers  ·  3243 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well said.

I know it's odd, that we feel so much for people we never knew. Can't explain it really; but I wept when Nimoy died too, and I never knew him either.

Those of you who aren't grieving - maybe just STFU for a day, ok? It's not about you.

thenewgreen  ·  3243 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Those of you who aren't grieving - maybe just STFU for a day, ok? It's not about you.
this.

I found out this morning and was sad all day, went down into my basement, strapped on my guitar and wailed the first two songs I ever learned how to play, both Bowie tunes. I haven't played with that much force in years, if ever. -I sort of scared myself.

After that, I cried. I didn't cry because a friend of mine died, i cried because a great artist that had a tremendous impact on me's light went out.

People are grieving his loss because of the impact his art had on them. This is a very beautiful thing.

Ive only had this type of reaction to someone I didn't know dying twice before. Kurt Cobain and George Harrison. I harbor no illusions that I knew any of them but I certainly knew their work. -I DEFINITELY knew how their work related to me. So yeah, it's totally a normal thing to grieve the passing of an artist. It makes sense. Not sure how it couldn't.