To celebrate the brilliant life and career of musician David Bowie, who died this week, just days after his 69th birthday – here are a selection of things you may or may not have known about him.
- His left eye seemed like a different colour because he got punched in the face in a fight over a girl when he was 15.
- He was afraid of flying.
- He was excited to turn 50, saying “I cannot express to younger people how great it is to be this age. It’s like describing the taste of a peach. They’ll find out when they get here.”
- Singer Little Richard was his role model.
- Bowie’s first hit in the UK – 1969’s Space Oddity – was used by the BBC in its coverage of the moon landing.
- Bowie is believed to have sold in the region of 140 million albums over his career.
- He declined the CBE in 2000 and a knighthood in 2003.
- Bing Crosby recorded his last-ever single with David Bowie. Their duet version of The Little Drummer Boy was recorded for Christmas 1977. It was a hit five years later.
- Bowie drew, painted, sculpted and wrote in his spare time. His favourite artists were Tintoretto, John Bellany, Erich Heckel, Picasso and Michael Ray Charles.
- Bowie turned 69 on 8 January 2016. He released his final album, Blackstar, on the same day.