(CNN) — American teenager Brad Miele spent the summer season of 1984 exploring Europe by prepare along with his Sony Walkman on his ears.
Days rummaging by way of Paris file shops and evenings having fun with Berlin’s nightlife had been soundtracked by favourite Miele albums.
Miele’s mom additionally traveled Europe that summer season, however whereas she opted for five-star lodges and excursions of the town’s landmarks, Miele and her brother stayed in hostels and spent their days wandering the aspect streets, in search of the locations to go to. the place your favourite artists performed. .
For Miele, who grew up in New Jersey, the top of music was David Bowie, the cult British singer. Its partitions had been papered with Bowie posters. She took model cues from the person typically often known as Ziggy Stardust. Bowie was the hero of Miele, and being in Europe solely made Bowie’s music resonate much more.
One evening whereas within the UK, Miele and her brother met their mom for dinner. She was staying on the luxurious Savoy Lodge on the Strand, a bustling London avenue lined with theaters and bars.
Miele was in peak Bowie mode that evening: a wide-brimmed grey hat complementing a double-breasted blazer, wide-leg pants, suspenders and a bow tie. On her ft, she wore a snazzy pair of crimson Oxfords, in honor of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” lyric: “Put in your crimson sneakers and dance the blues.”
“I used to be undoubtedly in search of that David Bowie London vibe,” says Miele.
After dinner, Miele went out alone into the evening. She instantly drew her consideration to an alley subsequent to the Savoy, the place a bunch of individuals had gathered.
Mielle says it is bizarre for him to recollect now, however he remembers pondering, “That is clearly David Bowie.”
He walked down the road, towards the Victorian Savoy Theatre.
“It virtually manifested itself to me whereas it was taking place,” says Miele now. “It could not be the rest. After which rapidly I see David Bowie climbing up a drain pipe, above the group of individuals.”
It felt as if Miele had traveled the size and breadth of Europe with the tunes of Bowie of their ears. Now the person behind the music was only some meters in entrance of him.
coming into the body
Bowie was within the midst of filming a music video, “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean,” a 21-minute prolonged film previewing the upcoming single “Blue Jean.” In it, Bowie performs two characters: lanky Vic, attempting to impress a lady, and Screaming Lord Byron, a Bowie-esque rock star.
Miele recollects that a few barricades had been set as much as forestall bystanders from strolling into the shot, however the dozen or so folks watching the footage had been allowed to take action, so long as they did not trigger any disruption.
In “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean”, there’s a second the place Bowie, as Vic, climbs up a drainpipe and tries to get right into a nightclub.
“I got here throughout the taking pictures of that specific scene, which they did over and over with [Bowie’s] double,” says Miele.
On occasion, the director would swap to the actual Bowie. Miele stared, incredulous.
Issues obtained much more surreal when one of many crew approached Miele and requested if she wished to be an additional for the remainder of the shoot.
“I virtually died,” a teenage Miele wrote in his diary the following day.
“I believe I used to be the one one within the crowd that they grabbed, dragged and pointed at,” Miele says at present.
He attributes this to his clothes, suggesting that his Bowie-esque model match completely with the movie’s aesthetic.
Miele was there for the following few hours, filming, watching and stealing glances at her musical idol.
assembly a hero
On the finish of “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean”, the fourth wall is damaged. The viewer can see the movie crew and Bowie breaks character, questioning the ending of the movie.
Miele does not recall seeing that dialogue unfold, so she wonders if she was there the penultimate evening of filming, moderately than the final day. The final scenes she noticed came about contained in the Savoy Theatre, which stood in for the fictional Bosphrous Rooms, the place Bowie’s character Screaming Lord Byron performs within the video.
When that evening’s filming wrapped, the solid and crew opened beers and chatted. It was then that Miele labored up the braveness to speak to Bowie.
“I most likely may have carried out it earlier, however I used to be clearly in shock,” he says now. “I believe perhaps I informed him 20 phrases.”
Miele thinks a few of these phrases may have been about Bowie’s 1977 album “Low,” which was certainly one of Miele’s favorites, however the timing stays a little bit of a blur.
Miele additionally remembers receiving Bowie’s autograph, however has overlooked it within the practically 4 many years since.
Miele returned to her hostel at 6:30 am Later that day, teary-eyed, she wrote in her diary about assembly her idol.
“He is like a standard boy,” Miele wrote.
“He was a form individual within the interactions I noticed from him,” says Miele at present. “And he was good to me, and I believe that was nice.”
“I believe it undoubtedly confirmed me a aspect of him that you do not simply see in musicians, proper? Simply seeing somebody interacting with the world over the course of six or seven hours. It is an fascinating perspective.”
Later that yr, the “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean” video premiered on MTV. Miele’s European journey was lengthy over and she or he first noticed the movie at her greatest good friend’s home in New Jersey. Later, she purchased the video in Betamax, a sort of early video format, so she may watch it at any time when she wished.
In 1985, “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean” gained a Grammy for greatest music video.
Coming into the unknown
At this time, Miele continues to be a fan of Bowie, though she stopped dressing like him just a few many years in the past.
When Bowie handed away in 2016, Miele was stunned at how emotional he was to listen to the information.
“I actually felt it,” he says.
Within the instant aftermath of Bowie’s demise, and within the years since, Miele discovered herself reflecting on her European journey, assembly her idol and every little thing that had occurred in her life since then.
For Miele, the story symbolizes the significance of often getting into the unknown in your travels and in on a regular basis life, as you by no means know what lies forward.
“Lots of people do not do this and preserve their heads up, look straight forward or no matter,” he says. “However in case you do not go into area, issues like it will by no means occur.”