It’s hard to believe that David Bowie has been gone for over two weeks; the music world will be coming to terms with his death for a long time. The latest to share his thoughts on the dearly departed legend: Bono.
In a eulogy penned for Rolling Stone, the U2 frontman talks about the far-reaching effect Bowie had on his life, starting when he first saw Ziggy Stardust perform on Top of the Pops in 1972. “We had one of the first color TVs on our street, and David Bowie was the reason to have a color TV,” he writes.
Bono goes on to discuss the various artists he discovered through Bowie—Bertolt Brecht, William Burroughs, Bruce Springsteen, and of course Brian Eno. He also details their friendship, citing the time that Bowie visited during the mixing of Achtung Baby and remembering the criticisms he had of Bono’s notorious Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark musical.
But more than anything, the eulogy is an exercise in what would be adulation if Bowie didn’t deserve every ounce of the praise. “I’d like to consider myself David’s friend, but I’m more of a fan,” Bono admits. “Bowie’s musical landscape affected you in a way that is completely different from all the other music around it.”
You can read the full eulogy here. And here, you can find our own reflections on the Starman’s passing.