Five Years

While Bowie didn’t write the detailed narratives of Springsteen, his phrases cut through my mind and they stuck. His melodies carried me on a cloud. He was with me through so many key moments—helping me, informing me, making me feel as comfortable as an angry...

The Song That Doesn’t Stop

The lyrics to the song came to me as soon as I opened the door to the loft, inspiration in an instant. The first was, “Billy!” then, “ No!” then, “Oh, God!” It was my song, those roller coaster off-the-rails screams, that woke up our...

Final Clothes

I had to get this one task just right. I had to. The autopsy took a week. I played out the gruesome things they were doing to him. I still do, sometimes. I had to choose his final clothing once Billy was released to the funeral home. I always told him that he had more...