Woody Woodmansey recalls devastating reality behind Bowie’s final chapter

Woody Woodmansey shared an emotional memory about David Bowie, admitting he never realised how seriously ill the singer was until after his death. 

The 75 year old drummer, who was the last surviving member of Bowie’s Spiders from Mars band, said his final contact with the star came just a day before the music legend passed away in January 2016.

Speaking at the first ever Ziggyfest in London, Woody said: “Tony Visconti knew he was ill, but he didn’t know he was that ill.

I thought he was ill, but nothing serious, I just thought it was a simple problem. Tony thought he got through it. When we went to New York we heard ‘Oh David is coming down to sing with us’. But he hadn’t come," she shared.

Woody was touring with Tony in the tribute band Holy Holy at the time, playing Bowie’s early albums for fans. 

On January 8, 2016, which was both Bowie’s 69th birthday and the release day of his final album Blackstar, they performed in New York and decided to call him. 

The star recalled: “Throughout the concert we thought, ‘Shall we give David a ring?’ we gave him a ring and he answered. And we wished him a Happy Birthday. It was pretty much the next day we heard he was dead.”

He also remembered Bowie revealing his hair loss from chemotherapy. “He was wearing a bowler hat at the time and said ‘Are you ready for it?’ Then he took it off and was completely bald. From the chemo.”

However, the Ziggyfest event celebrated Bowie’s legacy, raising money for charities while fans and friends honoured his life and music.