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A new book reveals the length david bowie He hid his terminal illness from the world and claimed he almost died in the years before his death in 2016.
iconic “Gigi Stardust” singer In January 2016, he died at the age of 69 after secretly fighting with others. cancerTen years on, industry insiders recall their surprise when they learned the news a few months ago while working with him on a new record and stage show.
According to biography Lazarus: The Second Coming of David BowieThe singer is believed to have been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2014 and was told it was inoperable in November 2015.
Bowie’s diagnosis inspired him final record, black starand the accompanying stage production, Lazarus — The singer has remained tight-lipped about her situation, telling only those directly affected.
One such person is Lazarus Director Ivo van Hove said that while “none of the actors knew anything because he only came when he felt good”, he “could see in his eyes a heartbroken man”.
“I could see that when he looked at me, he really had in his eyes a troubled person, worried about death and worried about being away from his family,” van Hove added in excerpts from his new memoir published in the journal Science. telegraph.
Playwright Enda Walsh wrote with Bowie Lazarussaid the singer hid his diagnosis well and said in the summer of 2014 he “looked completely normal and in great shape.”
However, shortly before this, drummer Zachary Alford, whom Bowie had hired to work on four new demos, claimed he noticed “a weight on his shoulders,” saying, “He was getting close to the end, but I still didn’t know he was sick.”
while he was recording tracks for his final album black star The following year, many people were unaware that the musician was ill, even though he was undergoing chemotherapy. He covered his bald head with his hat.
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“I was the only person in the room who didn’t know he was sick,” said jazz guitarist Ben Mond. “I think he looks great. I think this guy is very healthy for someone who had a heart attack 10 years ago.”
Bowie disclosed his illness to a handful of people, including director Johan Renck, because the singer was unsure whether he would be able to film the music video for “Blackstar.” According to Lenk, Bowie told him in November 2014: “I’m very sick and I might die.”
Bowie also briefed key figures on the work Lazarus During a Skype call because the message cannot be hidden.
“He was on Skype and he was obviously sick,” Van Hove said. “Then he told us. I was shocked. I don’t think I said two words because it was completely unexpected. But did it have an impact on the work? No. Because from the first time I met him I felt that this project was very urgent and very important to him.”
The biography also reiterates the point Produced in 2014 by Bowie biographer Wendy Leigh – Bowie suffered six heart attacks before his death.
“Physically, he was not just battling cancer – and if that wasn’t enough, he had suffered six heart attacks in recent years,” she told the BBC at the time, claiming she had learned the fact “from someone very close to him”.
The new biography states that an anonymous member of Bowie’s circle confirmed that he “had ongoing health problems in the decade before his death, which were sometimes quite serious.”
The singer was said to be “lucky to survive” an incident a few years before his death.
Lazarus: The Second Coming of David Bowie Out January 1st. Find another excerpt from the book independent Tuesday (December 30).