I heard the news today, oh boy

Woke up to the radio telling us that Bowie had died. One of those moments when you can't believe what you are hearing. Is it a dream? Like hearing about the death of John Lennon, original author of the lines above that Bowie paraphrased on Young Americans in 1975.
Today I was working out in West Lothian, taking pictures of a couple of politicians for them to use on their election campaigning materials. Moving around to different locations to get a range of shots across their respective constituencies. And obviously we talked about Bowie, and our different memories of him. That was the thing - Bowie has been part of the cultural landscape for as long as I have been aware of such things. So everyone has their memories of him as he contributed to the soundtrack of our lives. I was a little young to catch his early seventies albums when they first came out. The first Bowie album I bought was Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), pictured above. I remember carrying it home on the bus back from Dundee and taking it up to my bedroom to listen to. It was when I was at University that I was properly introduced to some of his earlier stuff. I have the strongest memory of listening to Ziggy Stardust for the first time when visiting my school friend Dave Craik in his student room on campus at Brunel Uni in Uxbridge. Listening to Bowie - presumably on cassette - as David prepared home-made chips for a late night meal. Perhaps I had arrived late after my train was delayed? So I bought my own cassette of Ziggy, and of Hunky Dory which were then played repeatedly on my stereo radio cassette box in different student rooms in Durham and London. I can remember arguing with Noel, leader of the Durham YOC group that I helped out with as an assistant leader while I was at Uni, about the cultural and musical significance of Bowie. Someone from the world of modern popular music to stand for all time with the classical composers. I'm not sure if my point was taken, and it remains to be seen if Bowie will indeed last through the centuries. But the range of people, not just of my age, but many much younger, all sharing his music today is some sort of testament to his legacy.
 
Today is actually my 2000th blip but thoughts of a special celebratory blip were swept aside with the news - sometimes events supersede our plans. Such is Blip. Here's hoping tomorrow's  meeting with the current owners goes well and we are indeed well on our way to a community-owned blip, home for another 2000 pictures!