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The makings of a heroBerlin, Germany
In a bid to escape the bedlam of Los Angeles, a move to Berlin in the late 70s would be a pivotal experience for David Bowie. While living on Haupstrasse in the quiet district of Schöneberg, he once described his experience of the city to Uncut magazine as a place of “virtual anonymity” and could often be found popping into cafe Neues Ufer for an espresso. The cafe’s name means ‘The New Side’ (formerly it was Anderes Ufer, aka ‘The Other Side’). Coincidence? We think not. During his self-imposed exile, he penned the enduring hit Heroes, which was inspired by a young couple kissing against the Berlin Wall, a moment he was said to have witnessed from a window in Kreuzberg’s Hansa recording studio (he would later reveal the couple was his producer, Tony Visconti, and his girlfriend).
Today, Neues Ufer is one of Berlin’s oldest gay cafes and retains its original ambience, with the addition of a few photos of the famous rockstar. Join the Bowie Berlin Walk by Berlin Music Tours where you’ll discover his other haunts in the Kreuzberg and Mitte districts before finishing off with a bevvy at this enduring favourite.
Visit Berlin
visitberlin.de/en/neues-ufer-hafen
Berlin Music Tours
musictours-berlin.com
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