Music legend David Bowie caused a stir earlier this week by releasing a surprise to coincide with his 66th birthday. (Featured image by matt512)
The Space Oddity singer hasn’t performed live since 2006 and has largely shunned the limelight since then.
So his first new song in exactly 10 years, Where Are We Now?, has surprised and delighted his fans around the world – not to mention the Berlin tourist board.
The nostalgic single harks back to Bowie’s time spent in West Berlin in the late 1970s, where he produced some of his critically acclaimed and enduring work.
“David Bowie’s decision to return to Berlin musically is great news for us and it will of course encourage even more people to come and see the city for themselves,” said Christian Tänzler, a spokesman for the Berlin tourist board.
“He is one of the world’s greatest musicians – and a great hero in Berlin.”
The new single refers directly to a number of iconic locations in the German city, including the Potzdamer Platz and the KaDeWe department store.
Also referenced is the legendary Dschungel club and Bowie’s apartment on Haupstrasse that he shared with Iggy Pop.
The music video for Where Are We Now features gloomy, black and white shots of Berlin with a melancholic Bowie reminiscing about past times.
It’s a far cry from the Berlin-inspired Bowie work of the late 1970s, when the singer collaborated with producer Tony Visconti to produce a trilogy of albums in the city – Heroes, Lodger and the enduringly influential Low.
Berlin is an entirely different city to the one Bowie escaped to in the 1970s. It’s gone from divided to united, unforgiving to inventive and forward-thinking.
The bohemian feel which the city evokes, thanks to the hordes of artists, musicians and creatives that call it home, has made it one of Europe’s most popular cities.
“People love coming here because there is a very special atmosphere and a creative energy,” said Mr Tänzler.
“They also like the fact that Berlin is not finished; there is lots of open space.”
Watch the video:
