More about: David Bowie
David Bowie was honoured at last night's BRIT Awards, were he received the Icon Award in the wake of his death before a beautiful performance from Lorde and moving speeches from Gary Oldman and Annie Lennox. Check it out below.
Before Lorde took to the stage to perform 'Life On Mars' with Bowie's old live band, the Thin White Duke's old friends and collaborators, singer Annie Lennox and actor Gary Oldman, remembered him.
Oldman, who starred in Bowie's video for 'The Next Day', spoke of Bowie's impact on the world and remembered his final days.
"We are all coming to terms with the magnitude of David's passing," began Oldman. "The Jones family lost a husband and a father, those closest to David lost a dear friend, and the world lost a man - an artist - of transcendent talent."
He added, "Over his career, David challenged and changed our understanding of the medium. In his very unique way, he also reminded us to never take ourselves too seriously. David was funny. He was funny, hilariously so, and the laughs were many and massive, and I shall miss them."
"A few years ago, we were standing on the street corner and he was approached by this big fella, rocker type, and he offered up this piece of paper for David's autograph. David signed the piece of paper, and as he walked away, he said, 'He's gonna be disappointed. I just signed it Gary Oldman."
Oldman went on: "In recent years, David sparingly spoke about music and his process; but in one of these rare instances, he graciously and elegantly expounded," he said before quoting Bowie: "'Music has given me over 40 years of extraordinary experiences. I can't say that life's pains or more tragic episodes have been diminished because of it, but it has allowed me so many moments of companionship when I have been lonely and sublime means of communications when I have wanted to touch people. It has been my doorway of perception and the house that I live in.
"Over his career, David challenged and changed our understanding of the medium, whether in music or life, he emphasized originality, experimentation, exploration, and in his very unique way, he also reminded us to never take ourselves too seriously."
Speaking of his final days, Oldman added: "I can share with you that David faced his illness with enormous courage, dignity, grace and customary humour, even in dire circumstances. When he wrote to tell me the bad news that he had cancer, he added, 'The good news is I've got my cheekbones back.' He was the sweetest soul ever, with the best cheekbones, until it was done. David, we love you and we thank you."
"On the 10th January this year, the world was stunned and shaken by the news that David Bowie had suddenly passed away," said Annie Lennox, introducing Bowie's Icon award. "I suspect that everyone is still trying to proess this sadly unexpected event. Even if they didn't know him personally, many people must feel as if things will never be quite the same agian. He had that special kind of significance. For me it's almost impossible to mention Bowie's name in the past tense. Everything he was as an artist is, and always will be, vital and incredibly present."
She added, "David Bowie is deeply embedded in the heart of British culture, a fixture in the heart of our collective psyche... Like the miraculous moon landing that inspired the song, he drew us away from our suburban lives, turning everything on its head into subversive technicolour. There was no-one and nothing else like him. He was truly unique."
She concluded, "The legacy of his extraordinary sound and vision will be loved and revered for as long as the earth still spins."
Since the show, David Bowie's son and acclaimed film director has spoken out in praise of the tribute - a week after he slammed Lady Gaga's Bowie remembrance at the Grammy's as 'mentally confused'.
More about: David Bowie