RIP DAVID BOWIE

“And the internet now carries the flag of being subversive and possibly rebellious, and chaotic and nihilistic….I think the potential of what the Internet is going to do to society both good and bad is unimaginable. I think we’re on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying.” – David Bowie, 2000

RIP DAVID BOWIE, To say that David Bowie was a pioneer was an understatement.  Not only did he redefine music and culture in a way never seen before or since — he even defined how technology was being used to spread culture.

We all know the gender-bending costumes and far out stories he told in his songs, but did you know that David Bowie was an internet mogul too?  He was the first major artist to do an online-only distribution of a song back in 1996. Before sending tweets or liking a YouTube video, you could join BowieNet, which would allow you to chat with the artist, share links, and even launch your own web page.

David Bowie understood that the internet was not just bits and bytes, but a communication channel that connected people in ways never seen in history. He saw how disruptive it was to cultures around the world. Only years later would we all see Bowie’s vision unfold to shape not only music, but all future human interaction.

RIP DAVID BOWIE, Thank you for your vision and inspiration to us all.

Watch this interview of David Bowie discussing the power of the internet back in 2000.