Chapter Three: Major Tom (1966-1969)

Off The Record: David Bowie

Frustrated by his stalled pop career and emboldened by the creative daring of the psychedelic era, David Bowie begins to embrace more experimental art forms. Mime, movement, avant garde theater and film acting all serve as fascinating artistic detours, and he expands his mind with Tibetan Buddhism. But his first heartbreak makes him feel more alone and adrift than ever, inspiring a song about an astronaut drifting into the black abyss of space. Fusing science fiction with his innermost feelings, “Space Oddity” became his breakthrough hit. But one of David’s biggest supporters — his father — wouldn’t be there to share in the triumph.

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