Time, She Will Be Your Living End (David Bowie Fanfiction)

Let Me Sleep Beside You

19th of March, 1970

It didn't take too long for David to get a band together. After David's performance at The Marquee in February, Mick (or 'Ronno' as David liked to call him) signed on within an instant. He was simply mesmerised by David and his charm, which led on to him being lured back to Haddon Hall with us where the band, in the state it was back then, had a little late night jam and came up with new interesting compositions. One song David started to write for his upcoming album stuck out to me in particular - The Width Of A Circle. It didn't take too long for David to see the talent in Mick that he had been craving since the beginning.

When the band was fully formed they started to do some gigs, a few were just supporting shows and not many people were interested. Something was still missing and David's manager, Ken Pitt, was getting more and more frustrated every day, and in an outburst of frustration he accidentally gave David the most perfect idea. They gained independence and did their own gigs under a new title: The Hype.

Surprisingly, Angie hadn't crawled back with the knowledge that David and his band were becoming their own new thing. But because she was nowhere to be seen I had an advantage and, if I may say so myself, had a wonderful idea to take control of the band's wardrobe. It was all signed and sealed. I quit my job at the publishers and essentially became the wardrobe mistress.

With a small loan reluctantly given to us by Ken and some of the money David made from Space Oddity, I ventured out into London, especially the trusty Carnaby Street, to pick up some clothes the band could wear on stage. David thought it would be a good idea for each member to have a persona, so I added in that they should each have a costume to make them stand out.

I wasn't too sure on how well it would go down. At first it was only David who was willing to wear makeup, leotards, capes and glitter. The others refused and thought it was a stupid idea going up on stage dresses like that. Although it didn't go down amazingly well with most of the crowd, they quickly changed their minds on the makeup and leotards when some girls swooned over them and tried to get backstage.

It was the show at the Roundhouse in late February that went down like a knackered lift on a Monday morning. The crowd, or at least the world, wasn't quite ready for something so glittery and intense. The audience booed throughout almost the entire evening... just like tonight, a month later in March.

The only difference between back then and tonight is that the crowd is much angrier. I don't know why, but David absolutely loves it. He craves a display of hatred and disgust from a crowd watching him perform, but then loathes the fact that he doesn't get too much success when releasing singles and even the last two albums he's done. Space Oddity was a first for him, it was the one to get him enough recognition. He doesn't always understand why his songs don't do well despite the shock factor, but I've always encouraged him to carry on because one day it will land him high above everyone else.

Any way, tonight's audience are louder and much more keen to get across the message that they despise David and everything he's doing. He was tense before the show and even now whilst up on stage, but he wouldn't tell me why. The night started with a few laughs, whistles and unenthusiastic claps but it quickly turned into a monstrosity. The crowd went wild, but not in the way it should. First was the booing, next were the people who were quick to leave the venue, and then there was the outburst. People threw stuff they had in their pockets like used tissues at David and the band, chants and hand gestures of 'wanker' and 'tosser' were quick to rise up as loud as the music. And as they say, that was that.

David gave the audience the middle finger and packed his guitar while the others gathered their instruments together. I waited for David at the bottom of steps to the stage. As I grabbed hold of his hand and he heaved the guitar case a man came up to us and splashed David in the face with his drink. He wiped the liquid from his eyes and his hair dripped with beer.