The identification of David Bowie’s Main Tom has been revealed for the primary time after 56 years, as a handwritten synopsis for a movie referred to as Younger People sheds new mild on the character
That is Floor Management to Main Tom…. simply who’re you precisely? David Bowie’s iconic fictional astronaut has lengthy been part of rock legend, but his full identification has remained a thriller – till now.
A treasure trove of 90,000 objects from the late Starman singer’s archive, now housed within the VandA’s new East Storehouse, reveals a handwritten synopsis for a movie referred to as Younger People that sheds new mild on his identification.
The 2 pages of A4 paper inform the story of “British jet-ace…..Main Tom Brough”, who’s concerned in a scheme to pretend the Moon landings. At one level, Bowie appears to reference his well-known lyric from 1969’s House Oddity by writing: “Floor Management are tense and alert as Tom descends his ladder.”
The proposed movie – which has no relation to the 1975 album of the identical identify – was by no means produced. In House Oddity, Main Tom’s ill-fated area exploration concludes with him adrift in area after shedding contact with Floor Management, the Mirror stories.
Bowie sings on the finish: “Right here am I floating ‘spherical my tin can, far above the moon. Planet Earth is blue, and there is nothing I can do.”
The character reappears in 1980 in Ashes to Ashes, the place Main Tom has fallen sufferer to drug habit and is drifting in area. It is believed that Bowie partially primarily based the lyrics on his personal experiences with drug habit within the Nineteen Seventies.
In 2015, Main Tom makes his closing look in Bowie’s Blackstar video, depicted as a dull determine in an astronaut swimsuit. This fascinating new doc will probably be accessible to all guests when the archive opens its doorways to the general public on September 13.
Treasures within the archive’s embody Bowie’s very first instrument – a saxophone bought by his father within the early Sixties, Jim Henson-crafted life-sized puppets representing Bowie’s varied alter egos for an unreleased music video, and one among his final Ziggy Stardust outfits, by no means seen earlier than within the UK.
Followers can request to look at any piece from the huge assortment freed from cost. The centre has already acquired over 150 requests for supplies linked to the Ziggy Stardust period alone.
“There have been many new discoveries, and we’ve got a complete part particularly about unrealised initiatives of Bowie’s, a lot of which have by no means been seen earlier than,” Dr Madeleine Haddon, the curator at V&A East stated.
This contains the artist’s pocket book, index playing cards and quite a few sticky notes, used while creating The Spectator, a musical set in 18th century London, which was uncovered in Bowie’s workplace following his demise in 2016. The musical would open with the dramatic real-life public execution of the infamous legal, Jack Sheppard, on 16 November 1724.
Followers can discover a few of Bowie’s iconic appears, together with his 1992 Thierry Mugler wedding ceremony swimsuit and the outfit he wore for his fiftieth birthday live performance in 1997.
Different objects obtainable embody the clapperboard from the 1976 movie The Man Who Fell To Earth and Bowie’s authentic cowl designs for albums Hours and Lodger, amongst others.
Artifacts associated to the creation of Bowie’s closing albums, The Subsequent Day and Blackstar, are additionally on show. These embody costumes, posters, and props for The Subsequent Day such because the origami birds Bowie crafted for his October 2013 NME cowl shoot.
Blackstar memorabilia contains Bowie’s personal sketches, a dressing up he hand-decorated for the 2016 ‘Lazurus’ music video referencing a 1975 photoshoot by Steve Schapiro, alongside Bowie’s private art work and awards.
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Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the VandA, expressed: “One of many biggest performers, musicians, artists and innovators of all time, David Bowie’s impression continues to reverberate practically a decade after his demise – whereas his affect on design and visible tradition and his inspiration on creatives immediately is unmatched.”
He continued: “We’re thrilled to take care of Bowie’s unbelievable archive, revealing new insights into his creativity and legacy, and open it up for everybody at VandA East Storehouse, in dialogue with the VandA’s assortment spanning 5,000 years of artwork, design, and efficiency.”
