The Starman Returns To The Stars

The iconic album cover shoot for 'Aladdin Sane' in 1973.

I wasn’t born in the ‘60s nor grew up in the ‘70s when pop culture was at its peak. I was born a decade after Studio 54 as its magical spell had started to wean.

Yes, it was the era when New Wave ruled. Think Yazoo, Cyndi Lauper, A-ha, Police, Michael Jackson, Sinead O’Connor and the unforgettable Madonna – the pop-rock gods and goddesses who ruled the airwaves and TV screens of the ‘80s.
Nevertheless, they can never outdo the allure of the time-transcending icon of pop culture, David Bowie.


Who can Bowie's bold neckties and eye patches? It's a look that only he could pull off with flair and confidence.

Actually, my introduction to Bowie happened in 1998 through Indonesian chanteuse, Anggun. As her globally acclaimed debut, Snow on the Sahara, she recorded a cover version of Bowie’s iconic song, Life on Mars. The song piqued my immediate curiosity – both musically and lyrically.


Bowie quickly became known for his signature Ziggy Stardust playsuits which experimented with structure, pattern and symmetry.



Thanks to the internet and several hundred trips to the library, I began to learn more about him, the man who shaped the landscape of the world’s pop scene in every way possible – music, hairstyle, fashion and make-up. Who could ever forget his Martian alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, and the legendary close-up shot of him with a thunder pattern in red and gold adorning across his face? If Jem and the Holograms derived their inspiration from Ziggy, rest assured I can attest to that! Perhaps the cherry on top of his career and contribution to the fashion world would be the globe-trotting retrospective tribute, David Bowie Is exhibition.



As a songwriter, Bowie’s compositions seem to be brimming with potent messages and tinged with a plethora of themes – something that can be considered a rarity in today’s music industry where talents are either cookie-cutter or mass-produced. Every Bowie album comes with its unique story, especially The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, where, surprisingly, Ziggy’s prediction on how the world would become is exactly what’s happening today; the older generation having lost all touch with reality and the younger generations left on their own to plunder anything. In a way, Bowie was such a true clairvoyant!






Between 1977 and 1979, Bowie sported classic combinations of loose tees and high-waisted trousers — pairing the looks with the occasional sailor hat.

And 10 January 2016 will remain intact in every Bowie fan’s mind as the singer breathed his last after 18 months of battle with cancer. Even at the time this piece was written, I was still in a state of denial. Nevertheless, there is one thing I can assure you — millions out there may try hard to fit into his shoes, but there will never be anyone who can fill in the gap left by Ziggy.



To Sir David Bowie aka Ziggy Stardust, may you have a safe voyage home to Mars, as you live among the stars.


Even Bowie's simpler looks were bold. He became known for his brightly coloured suits, and showed that even when wearing one of society's most commonplace outfits, he can stand out!

by: Shaiful Mukhelas