Bowie was born in 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton, London.He grew up in Bromley, Kent. He played the saxophone. He was a singer in London blues bands. He used the alias "David Bowie" because "David Jones" sounded too much like Davy Jones (of The Monkees). He took the name "Bowie" from Jim Bowie, who invented the Bowie knife.