David Bowie passed away in 2016, having kept the diagnosis of his cancer hidden due to his modesty. It has also been ten years since the release of his final album, Blackstar, which was followed by Toy, a project initially rejected by a record label before being released. As an artist, Bowie possessed a remarkable capacity to synthesize contemporary musical trends and served as a sharp observer of his surroundings, even demonstrating an ability to intuit future details. In 1999, during a conversation with BBC journalist Jeremy Paxman, he predicted that life would change radically due to the growing presence of the Internet.
Interviewing Bowie was always an educational experience because he understood the underlying economic transaction of such encounters: offering a portion of his precious time in exchange for space in a media outlet. This approach required him to be sympathetic and provide some revelations or amusing anecdotes. He occasionally staged unexpected situations, such as a 1987 MTV report where he walked through Madrid streets between Santa Ana and Plaza Mayor with Peter Frampton. During this walk, he signed autographs, joked about Spanish painters, and recalled his childhood visit to Francoist Spain, when his parents were warned not to wear red clothing.
Bowie was a highly effective interviewee who knew how to massage the ego of any journalist. In one instance at a hotel on Paseo de la Castellana, his secretary and confidante, Corinne Coco Schwab, informed him that the allotted time had ended. Bowie insisted on granting five extra minutes, claiming he was enjoying the conversation. The journalist felt delighted until leaving and checking Bowie's work schedule, only to discover those extra minutes were already programmed. This theatrical gesture was appreciated, as was his ability to handle difficult situations. In July 1997, after learning that ticket sales for an announced concert with Placebo at Las Ventas bullring were insufficient, he moved the performance to the Aqualung venue. There, he delivered an impeccable show for 2,500 people in a tropical atmosphere.
The last time he was seen was in New York, where he had resided since 1992. Although he claimed to enjoy being anonymous in Manhattan, locals knew he was a regular at The Strand bookstore and Bleecker Street Records near his Lafayette Street apartment. Upon arriving at Virgin offices to discuss his album Hours, his first request was for two packs of Marlboro cigarettes. He then asked about the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Since he detested flying and always traveled by sea, he had calculated that he would pass through the city on a Monday when the museum was closed. The staff reassured him that there would be no problem for him, and indeed, there was none.
Sources: El País Cultura.