Paul Morley was thirteen when he first heard the music of David Bowie, played late at night by DJ John Peel. Before long, Bowie was taking the 1970s by storm and changing the face of pop music with his Ziggy Stardust tour, and Morley was a dedicated schoolboy fan. Many years later, Morley would be an artistic advisor for the V&A's acclaimed Bowie exhibition, 'David Bowie is', which was still attracting huge visitor numbers around the world when Bowie died at the beginning of this year.

Now, Morley has published his personal account of the life, musical influence and cultural impact of his teenage hero, exploring Bowie's constant reinvention of himself and his music over a period of five extraordinarily innovative decades.

Episode 2/5: Major Tom
Morley describes Bowie's move from support act to novelty hit, from acoustic whimsy to more complex composition, and his immersion in the music, culture and artistic excitement of 1960s London

Abridged and produced by Sara Davies. Show less