Talk:David Bowie

Which infobox image would you prefer?

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  A (1972)
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  B (1983)
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  C (1984)
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  D (1984)
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  E (1990)
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  F (2002)

I feel like I want to do this to make sure what Wikipedians in general would highly prefer, since there are other photographs that have better quality than the 2002 photo but however are mostly B&W. Besides, Ozzy Osbourne and Brian Wilson get the B&W treatment. - RTSthestardust (talk) 04:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

It's less than a year since the last time we discussed this. So I guess a lot of people are unhappy with the current photo. I like F because to me it shows Bowie as a sympathetic human being. The other photos to me show him as an icon. But maybe Bowie's significance is more as an icon than as a human being. To me David Buckley (in Strange Fascination) seems to imply the same thing: "the myth [...] has far greater resonance [...] than stolid attempts to identify some 'true' essence". So I will refrain from again making a choice. Mark in wiki (talk) 08:53, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

Oh ok RTSthestardust (talk) 17:37, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

Most people take issue with the fact that F doesn't show his whole face. I personally have never seen an issue with it, but it's been brought up again and again, with consensus each time for F. I doubt it will change again, but I personally think C is the best of the bunch because it's a well-lit promo shot that clearly shows his distinctive diluted eye, which is something F doesn't. Furthermore, the Tonight era is one period of his career where he didn't have a distinctive "look", compared to A (Ziggy Stardust) and B (Let's Dance). C and D show him in a more neutral image, and C actually features his diluted eye.

I also disagree with Mark in wiki in this case. Michael Jackson, for a long time, had a live photo as the lead image, but that's since been changed to a promo shot. I don't see how a live photo depicts a figure more "sympathetically" compared to a promo shot, but maybe that's just me. The MJ image I also recall was a side view as well. It perhaps is time for a change here... – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 16:26, 15 March 2026 (UTC)

The issue that I have with the current photo in the infobox for David Bowie is that it doesn't really depict his anisocoria very well because you can't really see his left eye. Minermatt122514 (talk) 13:58, 13 July 2026 (UTC)

That's my main issue too. He was known for that and pic C shows that best. – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 14:39, 13 July 2026 (UTC)

I would prefer B, and I honestly feel that F is the worst one. Mazewaxie (talk • contribs) 10:10, 15 March 2026 (UTC)

I get the importance of the argument behind the sympathy transmitted by F. However, I believe that it does not offset the low quality of the picture and the angle of the face, specifically when there are many other options that can still give justice to Bowie’s sympathy and provide a better representation of the icon as well. I would vote for B if we intend to keep both things. Jackilodo (talk) 10:06, 12 June 2026 (UTC)

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  G (1984)

Here's another option that another editor tried to boldy change to. – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 20:14, 6 May 2026 (UTC)

I co-sign @Mazewaxie's contention that F is weakest (photo quality is a little fuzzy, side-view; also not exactly "peak" period for Bowie). I would probably vote E for being in color, with A and C as runners-up. That said, I'd vote for all the other alternatives over F. Beatleswhobeachboys (talk) 21:02, 4 June 2026 (UTC)

See nothing wrong with F and feel it's stood the test of time, but if we were to change I would go for E as another colour one that is not obviously tied to a particular period or image. This is where the Ziggy and 1983 pics fall short for me. Also while I love black and white photography I think colour better represents the subject for a lead image, which is why I'd reject C and D too. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 02:35, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

I would go with B. UWMKEgypt (talk) 19:40, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

As per my comments in the last discussion, I prefer B, C or D to the current one, or E if we absolutely need a color picture. LightlySeared (talk) 17:59, 28 July 2026 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 13 June 2026

Change Nevertheless, Bowie told Rolling Stone writer Kurt Loder in 1983 that his public declaration of bisexuality was "the biggest mistake I ever made" and "I was always a closet heterosexual". to Nevertheless, Bowie told Rolling Stone writer Kurt Loder in 1983 that his public declaration of bisexuality was "the biggest mistake I ever made" and "I was always a closet heterosexual". In 2002, when asked about this in an interview with Blender, he answered "I don't think it was a mistake [to say I was bisexual] in Europe, but it was a lot tougher in America. I had no problem with people knowing I was bisexual. But I had no inclination to hold any banners or be a representative of any group of people. I knew what I wanted to be, which was a songwriter and a performer, and I felt that [bisexuality] became my headline over here for so long. America is a very puritanical place, and I think it stood in the way of so much I wanted to do.' ~2026-34658-56 (talk) 20:47, 13 June 2026 (UTC)

Looks a bit long for a quote? Martinevans123 (talk) 20:51, 13 June 2026 (UTC)

They copied the quote from Blender that used to be there before it was trimmed and moved to Personal life of David Bowie. – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 00:33, 14 June 2026 (UTC)

 Not done: per the above responses. This is already discussed, with a shorter version of the quote, at Personal life of David Bowie. Day Creature (talk) 22:07, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

To add to article

If David Bowie often played a 12-string guitar (often with the high G string removed, since it is hard to keep in tune), as one can see in numerous photos of him, and he owned at least 9 (nine) different 12-string guitars, why is the term "12-string guitar" not mentioned a single time in the current version of this article? That's not very encyclopedic! ~2026-37846-32 (talk) 04:34, 13 July 2026 (UTC)

Hey there. I apologize for the exclusion. The musicianship section certainly needs some work. I'll look through my book sources tomorrow to see if I can find anything. Doing a Google search I didn't come across many sources that can be considered reliable. – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 03:16, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Update: Other than the fact that he played 12-string guitar on a lot of songs, many of my book sources make no mention of the specific guitar he owned or played, other than in passing. I found one website, myrareguitars.com, that discusses in depth all the guitars he played and used, but I doubt the reliability of the source. Other than fan sites, I haven't been able to find your claim that he played 12-strings with only 11. This is probably why the article has never mentioned any specific guitar, because reliable sources don't seem to cover it. While I could use a few book sources to mention that he played 12-string guitars in his early years, it would be better to state that, as you say, he had a preference for them, but the sources I have do not seem to care, annoyingly. – zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 18:22, 15 July 2026 (UTC)