A sad day, hearing the news of the passing of David Bowie, an otherworldly genius whose magic was that he was so relatable, so down to earth, yet so not of the earth.
It makes sense that David Bowie’s most famous alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust, was a
futuristic alien on a humanitarian mission to earth.
It was January 29th 1972 when Bowie and his band took to the
stage in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire for a warm up gig for the ’72-’73 Ziggy
Stardust Tour. The chart for that concert* has transiting Sun exactly conjunct
Bowie’s Ascendant at 9 Aquarius, symbolising recognition, praise, and the ego
projecting brightly out into the world through innovative, unconventional Aquarius.
Although Bowie had not yet fully embraced the bisexual alien
rock superstar with a message of hope for a dying human race - all the elements
were in place. The spiky red hair, the futuristic, androgynous costumes and the
ambiguious sexuality**
A Starman was born.
Most of the songs on the Ziggy Stardust album were recorded
when Bowie had transiting Neptune Conjunct his natal Venus, a transit for
beauty, fantasy, creativity and illusion and by the time of the tour, when the
songs were made public, Neptune had moved to his MC. These transits reflect the
album’s themes of salvation, soul love and the struggle to hold onto the dream.
 |
| Click to enlarge |
However, when Neptune had finished with his MC, it was time
for the illusion to end. Bowie’s natal Moon-Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Leo
which straddles his Descendent, foreshadows Ziggy’s very public demise and
indeed, by the time Bowie killed Ziggy off on stage in July ’73, shocking fans
and bandmates alike, transiting Jupiter had crossed his ASC and was making a
series of Oppositions to his natal Moon and Saturn, suggesting that keeping up
the public persona of Ziggy had become frustrating, hard work and emotionally
draining and explaining his need to get out of the rut and expand his horizons.
Transiting Uranus’ Squares to natal Mars and Sun were over
by Autumn ‘72, but they certainly suggest that his desire to kill off his alter
ego was not the spur of the moment decision it appeared to be. Transiting
Jupiter had crossed his ASC in March that year and by July was making a series
of Oppositions to Bowie’s natal Moon-Saturn Conjunction, suggesting that
keeping up the public persona of Ziggy had become frustrating, hard work and
emotionally demanding hard work and Bowie felt the need to get out of the rut
and expand his horizons.
 |
| "Thank You Very Much, Bye Bye, We Love You" |
But the end of Ziggy was just the end of the start for Bowie
and after many years, many albums and many personas later, Bowie has earned his
status as a true legend. And now the Starman’s time on earth has come to an
end, we can look up to the firmament and smile through our tears, for he has
gone home.
“News guy wept and told us
earth was really dying
Cried so much his face was wet
then I knew he was not lying”
earth was really dying
Cried so much his face was wet
then I knew he was not lying”
*7.30pm, 29th January 1972 from original advertising poster
on display at Aylesbury Friars http://www.davidbowie.com/news/aylesbury-friars-exhibition-launches-march-52891
** A married Bowie had declared himself gay in an interview
with Melody Maker magazine just days before
the Aylesbury gig http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody_Maker
David Bowie 8th January 1947, 9.15am Brixton, London.
Source: Astrodatabank. Rodden rating: A
