David Bowie and Red Dwarf: Cosmic Connections You May Have Missed

Today, January 8, we commemorate the birthday of one of the most influential figures in music history, David Bowie. Bowie, known as the „chameleon of rock“ for his constant artistic transformation, would have celebrated his 79th birthday this year. Although his legacy is primarily associated with revolutionary music and visual presentation, there is a fascinating web of threads connecting this artist to the cult British sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf.

A musical riff from the depths of space

The most striking connection is the series‘ opening theme itself. It was written by British composer Howard Goodall, who is a big fan of David Bowie and even contributed to the spectacular David Bowie Is exhibition. When composing the iconic theme for Red Dwarf, Goodall made no secret of his inspiration and borrowed a riff from Bowie’s song „Loving the Alien“ from the album Tonight (1984). Fans thus unknowingly hear an echo of Bowie’s work at the beginning of each episode.

Meeting in Labyrinth

Another connection can be found in the cast. Danny John-Jules, who excels as Cat in the series, had the honor of starring alongside David Bowie in the cult fantasy film Labyrinth (1986). Bowie played the lead role of the Goblin King, while Danny John-Jules appeared as a firey. But that’s not the end of the connection to this film. Charles Augins, who played the despotic computer Queeg in Red Dwarf, was the choreographer of the dance numbers in the film.

Family heritage and recycled sets

Perhaps the most surprising connection concerns Bowie’s son, director Duncan Jones. In 2009, he made the acclaimed sci-fi film Moon, starring Sam Rockwell. To save on production costs, Duncan Jones used older sets that had originally been prepared for the unrealized project Red Dwarf: The Movie. Thanks to this, a piece of the world of Red Dwarf was symbolically imprinted on Bowie’s son’s work.

Kochanski and Toni Visconti

Clare Grogan, singer of the band Altered Images, collaborated with producers Mike Chapman and Tony Visconti in the 1980s. Tony Visconti is an American music producer and musician. He recorded a number of albums with David Bowie, from Space Oddity to Blackstar.

David Bowie left us in January 2016, two days after the release of his final album Blackstar, but his influence continues to permeate pop culture. The connection with Red Dwarf shows how deep his influence reached—from musical motifs to physical backdrops from a corner of the universe where „infinity welcomes careful drivers.“

Comments are closed.