A Guide to David Bowie’s Many Characters

David Bowie was one of the most distinctive musicians ever–which is interesting given the fact he changed everything about himself every few years. Bowie cycled through a number of personas throughout his storied career. Find a guide to Bowie’s biggest characters, below.

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1. Ziggy Stardust

We all know and love Ziggy Stardust. The iconic lightning bolt makeup will forever be in the annals of rock history. With this character, Bowie brought ostentatious to a new level. The rock star from outer space (and the namesake of Bowie’s 1972 album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) flexed Bowie’s creativity and singular vision. Few artists could pull off such a character.

2. Aladdin Sane

Bowie’s next character was an extension of his first. The same Ziggy aesthetics were seen in Aladdin Sane, but Bowie added new flares that set this era of his career apart. Bowie was never one to do the same thing twice. Bowie credits his brother Terry, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, for inspiring Aladdin Sane–or “A Lad Insane” as Bowie intended it.

3. Halloween Jack

Moving on to a more striking switch-up from Ziggy Stardust, we have Halloween Jack. The eye-patch-donning character was the onus behind Bowie’s Diamond Dogs. The same Ziggy coif and tight spandex were present in this character, but Halloween Jack was more grounded and a little edgier.

4. Thin White Duke

The Thin White Duke is a far cry from any other Bowie personas. Instead of out-there garb and flashy hairstyles, Bowie opted for something more scaled back. In his personal life, Bowie was struggling with cocaine. His bleak outlook on life was translated through this grey-scale character.

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