Monday, January 11, 2016

5 pieces of creative wisdom from David Bowie

The world said goodbye to David Bowie just two days after his 69th birthday.

On Sunday night, Bowie died after an 18-month battle with cancer that he and his family kept hidden from the public. His death was announced to his fans on Facebook and Twitter:

January 10 2016 - David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with…

Posted by David Bowie on Sunday, January 10, 2016

Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, confirmed the news after many responded with shock and denial at the announcement:

The late musician and actor became the top trend on Twitter worldwide as people shared their favorite songs, music videos and quotations, alongside sentiments and gratitude.

Here are five that speak to creative professionals:

1. “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”

Bowie said this to a crowd in Madison Square Garden on this 50th birthday; it’s since become one of his most-shared quotations.

Bowie was an innovator throughout his more than 40 years of singing, playing multiple instruments, arranging and producing music, acting and painting.

He was well known for his androgynous image in the ’70s and ’80s, which pushed music and fashion boundaries, and he incorporated science, art and literature into his rock and pop songs.

Further illustrating his promise, Bowie once said:

I reinvented my image so many times that I’m in denial that I was originally an overweight Korean woman.

2. “Fame itself … doesn’t really afford you anything more than a good seat in a restaurant.”

Bowie uttered this famous phrase during an interview for Q Magazine in 1990.

It’s an important lesson for creative professionals to keep in mind. Getting caught up in fame (“Fame!”) can kill your creative process by adding unnecessary outside pressures. It can also distract you from your goals and put you on another path.

3. “Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming.”

Bowie’s “carpe diem” quotation can be applied to creative professionals across industries.

Those who pay attention to up-and-coming trends and developments can take advantage of them before anyone else. They can also prepare for and respond to impending crises more quickly.

4. “The minute you know you’re on safe ground, you’re dead.”

Few things kill creativity as quickly as the complacency that accompanies a sense of security in your work. Bowie’s continual progression of sound and lyrical arrangements in his music showed that he was keenly aware of the peril of stagnation.

5. “You can neither win nor lose if you don’t run the race.”

Bowie continued running until the end; he released his latest album, “Blackstar,” days before his death. BBC News reports:

The album, which includes just seven songs, has been well received by critics and was intended as a “parting gift” to the world, according to long-time friend and producer Tony Visconti.

What are your favorite Bowie quotations, PR Daily readers? Are there any that inspire you to dig more into your creative side?

(Image via)



from Ragan.com http://ift.tt/1Ri4Fd3 via web video marketing
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1Q083bm
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)