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David Bowie is one of the most enduring figures in contemporary culture and with a career covering four decades and multiple art forms.

London-born Bowie first started out as a recording artist in the 1960s, but it was the release of ‘Space Oddity’ in 1969 that gave the first sign of how high his star was to rise.

Throughout the 1970s he reinvented himself through characters Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, recording some of the most famous records ever, including ‘Heroes’ and ‘Life on Mars’. By the 1980s, he turned to a more upbeat sound, with Nile Rogers producing the 1983 hit album Let’s Dance.

As well as being one of the most creative musicians of all time, Bowie has produced some of a number of famous albums for other musicians, including Lou Reed’s landmark solo LP Transformer, as well as Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life. His collaborators are also a who’s who of entertainment: Bing Crosby, Queen, Marc Bolan, American composer and performer Philip Glass, Brian Eno and Tom Verlaine, to name but a handful.

Not content with a career in music, Bowie has acted on stage and in film, including in Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ.

The only surprise at David Bowie’s 2002 Meltdown Festival would have been if there were no surprises. Bowie didn’t disappoint, with a line-up that included Philip Glass; the heartbreaking Daniel Johnston; the London Sinfonietta; and, for a little light relief, the comedian Harry Hill. He also appeared himself, performing Low in its entirety.

Proving that Bowie is not an artist who lives on past glories, the 2002 Meltdown line-up stood out for its nod towards artists who hadn’t even picked up a guitar when Bowie was inventing Ziggy Startdust, including the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

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