David Bowie invited confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, Bowie renamed himself after the 19th-century American pioneer James Bowie and the knife he had popularised. His April 1967 solo single, "The Laughing Gnome", using speeded-up thus high-pitched vocals, failed to chart. Released six weeks later, his album debut, "David Bowie", an amalgam of pop, psychedelia, and music hall, met the same fate. It was his last release for two years. Bowie met dancer Lindsay Kemp in 1967 and enrolled in his dance class at the London Dance Centre. He commented in 1972 that meeting Kemp was when his interest in image
The Hype (David Bowie band) The Hype (David Bowie band) Hype was a band formed by David Bowie in 1970. They were originally called "Harry the Butcher", then "David Bowie's imagination". Bowie settled on the name Hype. Bowie has said he chose the name tongue in cheek. The band has been credited with helping to form the glam rock scene in the 1970s. The band was also the debut for Mick Ronson when they played at the Roundhouse supporting Noel Redding's Fat Mattress on 22 February 1970. Their first performance was badly received, the band was laughed and jeered at as they left the stage.