An overview of the childhood and early education of David Bowie, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, was a highly influential English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Celebrated for his groundbreaking work, especially in the 1970s, he was known for constant reinvention and striking visual presentations. His music and stagecraft profoundly impacted popular music, solidifying his legacy as one of the 20th century's most important artists.
January 1947: Birth in Brixton, London
In January 1947, David Robert Jones was born in Brixton, London, marking the start of his life. He was born to Margaret Mary "Peggy" Burns and Haywood Stenton "John" Jones.
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January 1947: David Bowie's Birth
In January 1947, David Robert Jones, later known as David Bowie, was born. This marks the beginning of the life of the influential singer, songwriter, musician, and actor.
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1953: Moved to Bickley
In 1953, David Bowie and his family moved to Bickley.
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1955: Settled in Sundridge Park and Attended Burnt Ash Junior School
In 1955, David Bowie settled with his family in Sundridge Park and began attending Burnt Ash Junior School.
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1956: First Impression of Elvis Presley
In 1956, David Bowie was first impressed by Elvis Presley when he saw his cousin Kristina dance to "Hound Dog".
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1958: Attending Bromley Technical High School
In 1958, David Bowie began attending Bromley Technical High School, known for its unique atmosphere and emphasis on arts and design.
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1961: Receiving a Saxophone and Lessons
In 1961, David Bowie received a Grafton saxophone and began taking lessons from Ronnie Ross, a baritone saxophonist.
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1962: Eye Injury
In 1962, David Bowie sustained a serious eye injury during a fight, resulting in permanent damage that became one of his recognisable features.
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1963: Early Music Career
In 1963, David Bowie started his professional music career after studying art, music, and design.
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November 1964: Spokesperson for Long-Haired Men
In November 1964, Davie Jones (David Bowie) spoke out against prejudice against long-haired men on BBC's Tonight show. He championed the cause of long-haired men as a spokesperson for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men.
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1967: Interest in Buddhism Begins
Beginning in 1967, David Bowie became interested in Buddhism and considered becoming a Buddhist monk.
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1967: Enrollment in Lindsay Kemp's Dance Class
In 1967, David Bowie met Lindsay Kemp and enrolled in his dance class at the London Dance Centre.
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April 1969: Meeting and Marriage to Angela Barnett
In April 1969, David Bowie met Angela Barnett, whom he married within a year. Her influence on him was immediate and substantial, impacting his career significantly.
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March 1970: Marriage to Mary Angela Barnett
On March 19, 1970, David Bowie married Mary Angela Barnett at Bromley Register Office in Bromley, London.
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May 1971: Birth of son Duncan
On May 30, 1971, David Bowie and Angie Barnett's son, Duncan (initially known as Zowie), was born.
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1971: First trip to the United States
In 1971, David Bowie took his first trip to the United States, an event which the movie Stardust was based on.
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February 1972: Launch of Ziggy Stardust stage show
On February 10, 1972, David Bowie, with the Spiders from Mars, launched his Ziggy Stardust stage show at the Toby Jug pub, marking the beginning of his rise to stardom and the creation of a unique "cult of Bowie".
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1972: Declaration of being Gay
In 1972, David Bowie famously declared himself gay in an interview, becoming a gay icon.
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1972: Ziggy Stardust Emerges
In 1972, David Bowie re-emerged as Ziggy Stardust, marking the beginning of the glam rock era and winning widespread popularity.
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July 1973: Ziggy Stardust's 'Retirement'
On July 3, 1973, David Bowie dramatically and abruptly "retired" his Ziggy Stardust persona on-stage at London's Hammersmith Odeon.
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1975: Abandonment of God
By 1975, David Bowie admitted, "I felt totally, absolutely alone. And I probably was alone because I pretty much had abandoned God."
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1975: Release of Young Americans and Firing of Defries
In 1975, David Bowie released the album Young Americans and fired his manager, Tony Defries. The album was a commercial success and contained the hit song "Fame".
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1975: Severance Settlement with Defries
In September 1975, David Bowie's severance settlement with Tony Defries ended.
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August 1976: Move to West Berlin
In August 1976, David Bowie relocated to West Berlin with Iggy Pop, aiming to overcome drug addictions and escape the limelight, which led to the Berlin Trilogy.
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1976: Affirmation of Bisexuality
In 1976, David Bowie affirmed his stance in an interview with Playboy, stating: "It's true—I am a bisexual."
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1976: Move to Switzerland
In 1976, David Bowie moved to Switzerland and purchased a chalet, decreasing his cocaine use and devoting more time to painting.
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1976: Support for Fascism
In 1976, David Bowie, as the Thin White Duke, expressed support for fascism and admiration for Adolf Hitler in interviews with various publications. These controversial statements later inspired the Rock Against Racism movement.
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October 1977: Retraction of Fascism Support
In October 1977, David Bowie retracted his 1976 statements expressing support for fascism, blaming them on mental instability caused by drug problems. He described himself as "apolitical" in an interview with Melody Maker.
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February 1980: Divorce from Angie Barnett
On February 8, 1980, David Bowie and Angie Barnett divorced, with David receiving custody of their son Duncan.
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1980: Divorce from Angie Bowie
In early 1980, David Bowie and Angie Bowie finalized their divorce after months of court battles.
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1983: Criticism of MTV
In 1983, David Bowie criticized MTV for its lack of coverage of Black musicians during an interview with Mark Goodman.
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1983: Claim of being 'Closet Heterosexual'
In 1983, David Bowie told Rolling Stone writer Kurt Loder that his public declaration of bisexuality was "the biggest mistake I ever made" and "I was always a closet heterosexual".
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1985: Performance at Live Aid
In July 1985, David Bowie performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium and duetted with Mick Jagger on "Dancing in the Street" for Ethiopian famine relief.
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October 1990: Meeting Iman
In October 1990, David Bowie met Iman, whom he later described as a love-at-first-sight experience.
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October 1990: Meeting Iman
In October 1990, David Bowie met Somali-American model Iman in Los Angeles following the Sound+Vision Tour.
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April 1992: The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and Marriage to Iman
In April 1992, David Bowie performed at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. Four days later, he married Iman in Switzerland and found themselves in Los Angeles during the 1992 riots.
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April 1992: Marriage to Iman
On April 24, 1992, David Bowie and Iman married in a private ceremony in Lausanne. Their wedding was solemnised on June 6 in Florence.
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1992: Belief in God
After David Bowie married Iman in 1992, he said they knew that their "real marriage, sanctified by God, had to happen in a church in Florence".
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1992: Marriage to Iman and dissolution of Tin Machine
In 1992, David Bowie married Iman. Following the commercial failure of a live album, Bowie dissolved Tin Machine and resumed his solo career.
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1992: Los Angeles Riots
The 1992 Los Angeles riots occurred, later addressed by David Bowie in his 1993 single "Black Tie White Noise".
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1993: Release of "Black Tie White Noise"
In 1993, David Bowie released the single "Black Tie White Noise," addressing the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
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1993: Belief in God
In 1993, David Bowie said he had an "undying" belief in the "unquestionable" existence of God.
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January 1997: 50th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden
On January 7, 1997, David Bowie celebrated his 50th birthday with a concert at Madison Square Garden, joined by Lou Reed, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, Robert Smith of The Cure, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Black Francis of The Pixies, and Sonic Youth.
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1997: Donation to Save the Children
In 1997, a portion of the proceeds from the Pay-per-view showing of David Bowie's 50th birthday concert was donated to Save the Children.
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1999: Obsessive art buying
In a 1999 BBC interview, David Bowie stated that he obsessively and addictively buys art.
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August 2000: Birth of Daughter Alexandria
On August 15, 2000, David Bowie and Iman had one daughter, Alexandria "Lexi" Zahra Jones.
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February 2001: Concert to support Tibet House US
In February 2001, David Bowie supported the Tibetan cause by performing at a concert to support Tibet House US at Carnegie Hall in New York.
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October 2001: Concert for New York City
In October 2001, David Bowie opened the Concert for New York City, a charity event for the victims of the September 11 attacks, with a performance of "America" and "'Heroes'".
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2002: Retrospective on Bisexuality Claim
In 2002, David Bowie reflected on his earlier claim of bisexuality, stating it was not a mistake in Europe but more challenging in America.
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February 2003: Second concert to support Tibet House US
In February 2003, David Bowie performed at another concert to support Tibet House US at Carnegie Hall in New York, continuing his support for the Tibetan cause.
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2005: Thoughts on Existence of God
Interviewed in 2005, David Bowie said whether God exists "is not a question that can be answered."
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2007: Donation to Jena Six Defence Fund
In 2007, David Bowie donated $10,000 to the defense fund for the Jena Six, protesting racial inequality in the judicial process.
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2014: Support for Scottish Union
At the 2014 Brit Awards, David Bowie, upon winning the British Male Solo Artist award, voiced his support for Scotland remaining in the UK during the forthcoming Scottish independence referendum.
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