'A fascinating insight into one of the greatest artists of our lifetime' Evening Standard' This is a personal friendship in writing an endearing & powerful tale of a man who conquered the entire entertainment industry with his creative force' Variety His music thrilled the generation it was written for & has entertained & inspired every generation since HERO DAVID BOWIE is an intelligent exploration of the man behind the myths & the makeup told from the very beginning Respected music journalist & biographer Lesley-Ann Jones knew David Jones from the days before fame when he was a young musician starting out frustrated by an industry that wouldn't give him a break & determined to succeed Here she traces the epic journey of the boy from Bromley born into a troubled background to his place as one of the greatest stars in rock history Jones has interviewed numerous friends & associates of Bowie many of whom have never spoken publicly about him before Drawing on this new material & meticulous research the real story of Bowie's family background is told; the true inspiration behind the creation of Ziggy Stardust is revealed & we learn how his marriage to Angie ended in agony following his comeback from a near fatal drug addiction Jones also revisits Bowie's tragic relationship with his brother & his deep bond with T Rex frontman Marc Bolan Bowie's rebellious nature his many sources of inspiration & creativity & his complex intense personality are discussed here creating a unique & compelling portrait of an extraordinary man This is Bowie as you've never seen him before