“David Bowie may have saved my life.” How a head-hunting phone call from David Bowie helped one of alternative rock’s most influential musicians pull back from the abyss during his darkest hours
In 1999, David Bowie invited Helmet frontman Page Hamilton to join his touring band after guitarist Reeves Gabrels left. Hamilton later said the opportunity may have saved his life, arriving while he was divorcing, sleeping on his manager’s sofa and caught in a destructive cycle of drinking and late nights. The call gave him a demanding purpose and helped pull him away from what he described as one of the worst periods of his life.
Hamilton had met Bowie at a German festival two years earlier, where Bowie said he was a fan of Helmet. Preparing for the Hours world tour, Hamilton practised for up to 16 hours a day and learnt 30 songs, including Cracked Actor, Rebel Rebel and Changes. Bowie, who had been sober for 12 years at the time, did not know Hamilton’s circumstances, but his example and the work he offered left a lasting impression.
- Bowie’s touring offer gave Page Hamilton direction during a personal crisis.
- Hamilton learnt 30 Bowie songs through intensive practice.
- He later said Bowie “might have saved” his life.
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David Bowie was an English singer, songwriter and performer whose career spanned five decades, from the 1960s until his death in 2016. Known for regularly changing his musical style and stage persona, he worked with many musicians and toured extensively throughout his career.
Page Hamilton is the singer and guitarist in Helmet, an American alternative rock band formed in New York in 1989. Helmet became influential in the 1990s for its heavy, precise guitar sound, which was later cited by musicians in rock and metal.
By 1999, Bowie was preparing to tour his album Hours after his longtime guitarist Reeves Gabrels left the band. Hamilton was asked to fill that role, giving him the task of learning a large back catalogue and performing alongside one of rock music’s most established artists.