When we came back, I had a kind of year zero, from which many - not all - cultural and social reference points started. When we came back, the Prime Minister was Mr Heath, the leader of the opposition was Mr Wilson. The Archers was on the radio, along Jack de Manio, and Roy Plomley. Nationwide was on TV, as was Top of the Pops. Newspapers were dirty, black and white, and used to wrap fish and chips. Apart from the Football Pink and Financial Times which were pink.
This is how it was, and I never really considered it might change. I probably never really though too hard about that (or anything else). But then in 1974 there was a seismic change. Suddenly Mr Wilson was PM and Mr Heath leader of the opposition.
Rather strangely, this was the first occasion I recall there being a big change in the status quo. Since then everything has changed. There are some things that have remained in one way of another, but one consistent element left us today.
Over the last 40 years since coming home, David Bowie has been there. I remember seeing Space Oddity on Top of the Pops in the 70's, when Live Aid was on in the 80's , so was he. In the 1990's I saw him at Maine Road (putting aside my natural emnity towards the blue side of Manchester to attend), and so on.
Nobody managed to maintain the fresh innovative and cool vibe, and for so long. He was cool by not 'trying' to be cool, but simply by being interested in the world and pursuing anything that interested him. He always seemed young, he always seemed relevant.
What will we do now? The world really does seem an emptier place without him.
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