Continually changing his image and musical approach, Bowie's visionary pursuit of original, cutting edge rock styles have kept him at the top for over 35 years, selling over 136 million albums. Prior to making it big, Bowie experimented with numerous, innovative styles - even getting a minor novelty hit with Laughing Gnome - before his breakthrough 1969 hit Space Oddity. He defined the glam rock era of the 1970s with the creation of his flamboyant, androgynous alter-ego and celebrated stage character Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars. Subsequently his changes of direction incorporated soul (Young Americans), minimalism (Low), funk (Diamond Dogs), dance (Let's Dance), techno (Never Let Me Down) and electronica (Black Tie White Noise). From 1989-91 he went back to the grass roots, forming alternative rock touring band Tin Machine and also took up acting, appearing on stage as The Elephant Man (1980) and starring in movies like The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) and Absolute Beginners (1986).Artist biography compiled by BDS/West 10. All rights reserved
