David Bowie Early Years Documentary Reportedly in the Works
A new documentary movie, set to be released next year, will explore David Bowie’s early career, fan site David Bowie News reported.
Titled The First Five Years, it’s to be a companion film to Five Years, which arrived in 2013, and David Bowie: The Last Five Years, which appeared in 2017. All three productions come from the BBC.
While no production details were made available, it’s likely the subject matter will be the era from 1962-67, for much of which Bowie was still known as Davie Jones. During that period, he left school after telling his parents he decided to be a pop star, worked as an electrician and proceeded through early bands the Konrads, the King Bees, the Manish Boys, the Lower Third and the Buzz.
In 1967, his first solo single, “The Laughing Gnome,” failed to chart, as did his debut album, David Bowie. At one point he declared his intention to quit music and become a mime artist. That interest led to his enrollment in a dance class, which fired his interest in image.
The first two documentaries were made by Francis Whateley, who, during a long career at the BBC, met Bowie a number of times but didn’t feel a strong connection until after he had made the ‘70s-themed Five Years.
“Near the end of his life, he wrote to see how I was doing" with the second film," Whateley told Rolling Stone in 2015. "He said to me, ‘I’m very happy with my lot in life and the new album. What more can any man ask for?’ It really showed the dignity of the man.”