#cyber song

[thejaymo]

I’m sure you have all seen this clip of David Bowie talking about the Internet back in 1999 “I think we're actually on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying”. 

One of the things that is always missing whenever that clip goes viral is the context from which he was speaking. 

David Bowie was in the Metaverse before most people were even on the web. Here’s an overview

At the time of the recording ALL of the following was already happening and going on in his life:

BOWIE WORLD (1999)

Created by World’s Inc. in 1999, Bowie World was the first 3D virtual world created by a creative artist on Bowienet. Bowie World allowed users to experience the immersive world of David Bowie, interact with fans from around the world, purchase merchandise and meet with David in avatar form.

The 3D environment was powered by worlds.com technology and featured integrated chat room etc.

See this paper from 1996 ACM interactions, Sept-Oct 1996 journal for more details.

"He would never announce it in advance, but he would get on to the chat board and talk to us. The handle he always called himself by was Sailor," says Mr Carrington.

In 2016 daily dot went to visit Bowie World and documented their experience. there were people in the world chatting! Still! 17 years later! 

// If you’re so included you can read my experience of doing something similar. I toured Active Worlds (launched 1995) in the book Lost Zone. Hiking the Dawn of Metaverse //

Cyber Song (1999)

The same year 1999, Bowie recorded the worlds first ‘Cyber Song’.

Fans were invited to send in lyrics to help co-write a track, and 80,000 people responded. The song Bowie chose was by a 20-year-old American, about the idea of having a virtual life on the internet. 

You can find the song on the album Hours...

"What's Really Happening?"

Grown inside a plastic box Micro thoughts and safety locks Hearts become outdated clocks Tickin' in your mind

Fans were invited to watch the track being recorded live via a 360-degree interactive webcast!! back in 1999! 

The chat logs from that session are still online and archived at bowiewonderworld.com

The chat reads like literally any twitch livestream you’d read today:

*** Now talking in #BowieNetChat

Eileen: hmph - pFuRs: looking glass studios Bonster1: I like the hair especially ;) Eileen: (duh) Mechnic: his hair! *sigh* Eileen: I LOVE his hair.. Bonster1: it's getting really long Bonster1: my husband is jealous Eileen: first time in my LIFE I have actually LIKED the way he wears it LdyofDarkness: if I could be anyone's hair in the world, it would be his William: silly old man

Bowie also showed up

TotalBlamBlam: Is that Davis Bowie? Bonster: (David Bowie) yes I smell great

A potion of that chat in addition to the recording session is taken up with discussion about the (then upcoming) adventure game: The Nomad Soul developed by Quantic Dream and published by Eidos Interactive. 

The Nomad Soul (1999)

David Bowie is not only *in* the game and also wrote the soundtrack with Reeves Gabrels from The Cure!

I’ve never played the game but here’s a two line review:

In an alternate reality, all hell is breaking loose. And only one person can stop it - YOU.... sitting at your computer. That's not a witty commentary on video gaming, it's the plot of the game. And that's just the start of this bonkers bonanza. 

Lastly, for completeness I should also mention BowieNet

BowieNet (1998)

From 1998 - 2006, BowieNet wasn’t just David Bowies website with its virtual world, chat rooms, live-streamed concerts etc 

It was also the name of his ISP

Thats right, for 8 years Bowie ran an Internet Service Provider offering high speed and “uncensored” access to the Internet. 

The ISP provided every user with 5MB of web space, encouraging them to create and share their own websites. Newcomers were told they’d need at least a 28k, but preferably 56k modem connection – this was demanding at a time when the commercial WWW infrastructure was still in its infancy.

Through his Ultrastar company he negotiated deals to give users access to music services like the Rolling Stone Network, which livestreamed concerts, and Music Boulevard, one of the first companies to offer paid-for downloadable music tracks. 

For Bowie, this ISP wasn’t just a new means of marketing his material to the masses, it was the realisation of something he’d always understood about music: that the fan response completes the art. 

Anyways, hope his ‘Alien Life Form’ have a little more context. 

Bowie was in the Metaverse way before many of us were even on the web!

[the-meme-monarch]

i love extrapolating on implied interactions to the point where it is thoroughly made up

if you ship scc go away please 👍

[idesani]

[mrmillipede]

perhaps the most fashionable lady in the world!!! jolyne cujoh!!!!!!

[vampansies]

Cybergoth Toki cause I just got back from a kind of local goth community event and it inspired me. Might gothify some other characters l8er

[cyberniix]

Some Pink Floyd song inspired doodles & other sillies

Songs referenced (in order) are What Do You Want from Me, Lost for Words & Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 6-9)

Fourth doodle inspired of an interaction between my partner & I

[venusofthewired]

Japanese cover designs for the "A song of ice and fire" books by Noriko Meguro and Yasushi Suzuki

[honeywafflez1art]

‼️PHANTOM LIBERTY SPOILERS‼️

Wires and chains...

Starting to fade...

Feels like a game...

You can't escape.

[0o111]

kwon soyeong - C.O.C. (choice of cinderella) 1999

[perrchreference]

Ok let's talk about my new AU idea! Where Hisoka is one of the most dangerous hackers who likes to change security codes. When he played with the security code of one of the deadliest known families he created Illumi. Illumi is a virus that possesses intelligence and want to kill Hisoka.

[ethnicbrat-222]

she made me who i am 💖

[free-mari]

⍣ ೋ ˚➶ ｡˚ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ - i can't conceal it, don't you see, can't you feel it? don't you too? i do, i do, i do, i do, i do..

I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA

[abespace]

✿⃞ 30524

[idesani]

🌟Lisa🌟Rockstar🌟

[jaytopia]

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎can't stop, ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎hyperstellar

‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎݁ ˖🛸₊˚⊹♡

[pro-gamer-berdly]

Something I've been thinking about is like; what if there was a Snowgrave version of BIG SHOT? I personally think it would be sick to add more sounds and overwhelmingness to the fight kind of like Your Best Nightmare. I know that would mean Toby would have to make like 7 songs about this stupid fucker but really it would be just be BIG SHOT with added little things. I know the Snowgrave SNEO is quite different from the normal route SNEO but I feel like it would differentiate it more and also would just sound sick