JULY 3
IN AN ASTONISHING ANNOUNCEMENT ON JULY 3, 1973, DAVID BOWIE TOLD A CONCERT AUDIENCE IN BRITAIN THAT HE WOULD RETIRE. THE DISCLOSURE WAS A SHOCK TO BOWIE FANS AND THE PRESS ALIKE, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING. DAVID WAS PERFORMING HIS “ZIGGY STARDUST” TOUR AT THE TIME AND MEANT ONLY THAT HIS CHARACTER ZIGGY WOULD RETIRE, KEEPING ITS CREATOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
TRAGEDY MARKED JULY 3RD IN ROCK HISTORY, WHEN IN 1969 FORMER ROLLING STONES GUITARIST BRIAN JONES WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS SWIMMING POOL IN LONDON. TWO YEARS LATER, IN 1971, DOORS SINGER AND ROCK LEGEND JIM MORRISON ALSO DIED, HE IN PARIS. CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS BOTH UNTIMELY DEATHS.