Tom Hagler on Bowie, the BBC and his Heroes…

In this interview, I speak with Tom Hagler, a reporter and presenter for the BBC World Service and the author of We Could Be… Bowie and His Heroes and Bowie at the BBC. We discuss the BBC’s distinctive place in British public life and the importance it had for musicians beginning their careers when its radio networks had enormous reach. Tom explains how BBC presenters and producers helped keep Bowie before the public during years when his record sales were limited, creating a relationship that continued through later interviews, sessions and broadcasts.

We also consider what those appearances reveal about Bowie’s changing public manner. Tom describes an early Bowie who was often quiet and observant and a later performer who appeared relaxed, humorous and fully in command of interviews and audiences. At the same time, we discuss the difficulty of separating Bowie from the roles he performed, including the possibility that even apparently candid interviews involved a consciously presented version of himself. Tom explains that Bowie’s interest as a subject extended beyond the music to his ideas, conversation, costumes, choreography and understanding of performance, while acknowledging that Bowie could embellish stories or introduce misleading explanations.

Another major theme is Tom’s approach to We Could Be… Bowie and His Heroes, which brings together accounts of Bowie’s encounters and connections with a wide range of public figures. Tom explains his interest in moments when famous people meet and the expected grandeur collapses into ordinary conversation, awkwardness or humor. He discusses stories involving figures including Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, Frank Sinatra and Paul McCartney, and describes Tony Visconti’s work as a consulting editor who checked details and clarified claims.

That leads to a broader discussion of research, evidence and biography. Tom describes the BBC’s two-source standard, the circumstances in which a single detailed witness may still be credible, and the complications created by memory, retelling and the gradual transformation of recollections into coherent narratives. We compare those concerns with the circulation of unverified Bowie stories online and discuss the responsibility to distinguish what can be supported from what remains uncertain.

We also examine Bowie’s complicated relationship with Bob Dylan, including Dylan’s influence on his writing, Bowie’s later willingness to acknowledge Dylan as a source of artistic direction, and parallels between their work. Tom closes by reflecting critically on the structure of his own book and by offering interview advice centered on preparation, honesty, careful listening and following unexpected answers rather than mechanically proceeding through a fixed list of questions.