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Ashes to Ashes – Diana Style

14th Jan 2016
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David Bowie is dead, and so one could argue – and many people have for some time – is Rock and Roll. It seems to me that Rock and Roll (R ‘n R) now only exists as a branch of the entertainment industry, an O2 sized museum of legacy acts with no cultural relevance, and little to say that transcends middle aged introspection.

Now middle aged introspection (“M A I” from here on in) has its place. The musings of aging rock stars on subjects such as spirituality and death and aging itself (although they have been pretty comprehensively covered by Dylan on “Time Out Of Mind” and “Love and Theft”) are reasonably interesting, but no-one can persuade me that there is any threat, vitality or urgency in R n R anymore. R n R is itself saggy and middle aged – and has probably joined a golf club and is working on its handicap.

R ‘n R joins a large range of artistic genres in the M A I field, a field that is generally much better dealt with in literature (Philip Roth etc), film (American Beauty etc) fine art (the old masters) and poetry.

I have no interest in any new offerings by The Stones, The Who, Springsteen or even Bob Dylan. It’s all been said and done. I was however intrigued by Bowie’s new album, Black Star and had watched the video for the title track and for Lazarus quite a few times, before Bowie’s death was announced this week. And that’s because it and Bowie are so un -R n R.  Bowie stands/stood apart from the foregoing R n R “stars” by being daring and challenging in his choices, not just in music but in acting, performance, dress, gender etc. There is not a guitar or a power chord in sight in Bowie’s latest work and I say amen to that, sir!

I wonder about the “Death of Diana” type behaviour of those souls, old and strangely young, who were drawn to Brixton to lay flowers at the base of a frankly naff, Aladdin Sane/ Bowie mural.  Is this collective grief, tokenism, the new death ceremony of the atheist world, or perhaps an acknowledgement that it is more than David Bowie that is dead but also art – and R n R in particular - as a genuine cultural force and in particular as a force for change? And this at a time when there is so much malevolence abroad.

Bowie challenged stereotypes, the status quo, musicians, his audience and most importantly himself. In the process he inspired and changed us and many of our attitudes.  (And he had great bone structure!) 

Ch,…ch…..ch….. ch…. Changes. Maybe Bowie in some way inspired me to be open to change in my professional life. We have all had to learn to change and adapt as an accountants to the challenges of a dynamic business and regulatory environment. We have moved from being bookkeepers and number crunchers to business advisors and consultants. Well done David!

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