Little Known Facts About Singer David Bowie

Back in January, singer David Bowie turned 60. In order to celebrate his 60th birthday, tBBC News found 60 little know facts about the singer. Straight from UK's daily paper, here are those facts.

1. David Bowie was born David Robert Jones in Brixton, London, on 8 Jan 1947. He shares the same birthday as Elvis.

2. Bowie's family moved to Bromley when he was six years old.

3. He went to Bromley Technical High School, now called Ravenswood School.

4. Rock guitarist Peter Frampton was Bowie's friend at school - his dad was head of the art department. He's gone on to play guitar with Bowie many times during his career.

5. His right pupil is permanently dilated - due to his friend George Underwood punching him in the eye while the pair were still at school. The fight was over a girl.

6. Underwood and Bowie remained good friends with Underwood doing artwork for some of Bowie's earlier albums.

7. He started playing the saxophone when he was 12 years old.

PRE-FAME

8. His first ever release was Liza Jane / Louie Louie Go Home in June 1964, under the name of Davie Jones with The King-Bees.

9. He later changed his name to Bowie to avoid confusion with Monkee Davy Jones.

10. Bowie is pronounced to rhyme with Joey.

11. At the age of 17, he was interviewed on a BBC programme as the founder of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-haired Men. He complained: "It's not nice when people call you darling and that".

12. Around 1967, he wrote songs for actor Paul Nicholas of Just Good Friends fame, who was then recording under the name Oscar.

13. He released his debut album, the self-titled David Bowie, in 1967 after playing in a host of pub and club bands.

14. 1967 also saw the release of a single, The Laughing Gnome, which many fans argue is the worst song he has ever recorded.

15. When Bowie suggested that his fans should vote via phone which tracks he should play for his 1990 world tour, The Laughing Gnome was the most requested. He didn't play it.

STARMAN

16. Bowie's first hit in the UK - 1969's Space Oddity - was used by the BBC in its coverage of the moon landing.