UKNY For January 16

Since early Monday morning, when I suddenly woke at 4 with the dreadful feeling that something had gone terribly wrong, quickly checked my phone and read that David Bowie had died, I've spent the better part of the week in a haze of grief, slipping in and out of tears. I simply cannot get my head wrapped around his passing.

I feel as if part of the earth has been swallowed into a gaping void and we are left adrift, lost in deep bereavement for an artist and a man that most of us had never met. But through Bowie's music, interviews, writing, and thrilling performances—guiding us on a journey of love, isolation, fury, mortality, identity and life in all of its permutations—it's as if he always knew us intimately. He spoke to our deepest frailties and most fanciful dreams. Through Bowie, we swaggered through Berlin, soared to the stars, and learned to be misfit parents. For many of us, he was our mentor. To know that he was strolling down the streets of New York and that you could run into him at any time, serendipitously in a book store or a coffee shop (he and Iman lived on my street for a spell), was a fabulous bonus.

Back in the '90s when I worked with former FUV compadre Vin Scelsa, I had the chance to produce an interview that Vin did with David for a syndicated show that never ended up taking off, but I did get to sit in a room with Bowie for one breathless hour. And I do mean breathless: I really don't think I was able to breathe during that 60 minutes ... but I vividly remember the warmth of Bowie's hand as he shook mine and the kindness in those remarkable eyes.

So tonight's UKNY (1/16/16) is dedicated and devoted to David Bowie—his songs and those of some of the artists he loved, like Scott Walker, Mick Ronson and Jacques Brel. Also, the music of those he influenced, like Anohni and Euythmics. Plus new selections from bands that belong in Bowie's karass, like GoGo Penguin and Field Music.

And a salute to the brilliant actor Alan Rickman too, who we also lost on Thursday to cancer, that vicious devil.

You can catch up to UKNY on demand in the FUV weekend archives up to two weeks after broadcast.

Songs played:

1. David Bowie, “I Can’t Give Everything Away,” Blackstar
2. Mick Ronson, “Growing Up and I’m Fine,” Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
3. The Last Town Chorus, “Modern Love,” Wire Waltz
4. David Bowie, “Time,” Aladdin Sane
5. Scott Walker & Peter Knight, “Funeral Tango,” Scott 3
6. Fold, “A Reflection of Us All,” Fold
7. Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian, “Forbidden Colors,” Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (soundtrack)
8. Anohni, “4 Degrees,” single
9. Eurythmics, “Fame,” Touch
10. Field Music, “Disappointed,” Commontime
11. Commonwealth Cut (Australia): Butterfly Boucher feat. David Bowie, “Changes,” Shrek 2 soundtrack
12. GoGo Penguin, “Branches Break,” Man Made Object
13. The Walker Brothers, “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore,” Scott Walker & The Walker Brothers