He sold more than 140 million records over music career spanning nearly 50 years before his death in 2016.
But during his ascent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, David Bowie was involved in a variety of small British bands – including one called the Manish Boys when he was just 18 years old.
And these newly-unearthed archive photographs dating back to March 1965 show the singer when he was starting out, being interviewed by TV producer Barry Langford ahead of a performance on the BBC in London.
Langford was claimed to have disliked Bowie’s long hair, and asked him if he would cut it before appearing on his show, but Bowie told Langford: ‘I wouldn’t have my hair cut for the prime minister, let alone the BBC.’
However, Bowie was allowed to keep his locks for the performance of the band’s song ‘I Pity the Fool’, as long as the group would donate their fee to charity if any complaints were made – of which there were none.
Just one year after the Manish Boys performed on Langford’s BBC Two show Gadzooks! It’s All Happening, Bowie had released his first single ‘Do Anything You Say’ – and his self-titled debut album then came out in 1967.
Bowie died on January 8, 2016, having secretly battled illness for 18 months. His death prompted an outpouring of grief from celebrities, with several significant sites in Europe and the US transformed into memorials.
David Bowie (right), then still known as Davy Jones, speaks to television producer Barry Langford (left) with The Manish Boys in March 1965 ahead of a performance on the BBC Two music programme Gadzooks! It’s All Happening
Bowie (front right) has a hairnet placed on his head by a hairdresser at BBC Television Centre. The other group members are (back, from left) Woolf Byrne, John Watson, Bob Solly, Paul Rodriguez (front, from left), Mick White and John Flux
Langford was said to have insisted Bowie cut his hair before appearing on ‘Gadzooks! It’s All Happening’ – but Bowie refused, telling him: ‘I wouldn’t have my hair cut for the prime minister, let alone the BBC’
Bowie smiles and looks up as he has a hairnet placed on his head by hairdresser Sylvia Halliday before The Manish Boys performed their song ‘I Pity the Fool’ at BBC Television Centre in London in 1965
Bowie was allowed to keep his locks for the performance of the band’s song ‘I Pity the Fool’, as long as the group would donate their fee to charity if any complaints were made – of which there were none
Just one year after the Manish Boys performed on Langford’s BBC Two show Gadzooks! It’s All Happening, Bowie had released his first single ‘Do Anything You Say’ – and his self-titled debut album then came out in 1967
Sporting shaggy hair and an oversized pea coat, Bowie told Langford before the performance at BBC Television Centre in March 1965 that he would not have his hair cut – even for the prime minister
During his ascent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, David Bowie was involved in a variety of small British bands – including the Manish Boys when he was just 18 years old. They are pictured outside BBC Television Centre in London in 1965
Bowie was starting out at the time, being interviewed by TV producer Langford ahead of a performance on the BBC. He went on to sell more than 140 million records over a nearly 50-year career before his death two years ago