I have always been a David Bowie fan. I loved the outfits, the crazy hair, the weirdness. Mostly it was the music, though. His ever-changing musical styles kept him relevant for so long, although musically the 70s was certainly his best decade, and some of the albums he released in the subsequent two decades were a bit average.

But I also loved how he wasn’t afraid to express himself. His costumes were bizarre, and his sexuality always seemed so ambiguous. He was an inspiration to so many people, because he showed them that they didn’t have to be afraid of who they were, or who they wanted to be. David Bowie gave me the courage to become the person I am today: a white middle-class heterosexual rugby-watching beer-drinking male.

So thanks for that, David Bowie. For Space Oddity, Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, Heroes, and all the other great tunes.

Maybe not so much for The Laughing Gnome, though. I know some people consider it to be a classic of sorts, but it makes me cringe. Also, some of your other really early stuff was a bit naff. And Labyrinth? Where do I begin? But hey, that’s cool. Even a great artist is allowed to have an off day.

But seriously, this whole death thing has been going on for a few days now, and I think I speak for most of us when I say we’d all like you back now.