Watch this musician do impressions of different David Bowie eras, the most brilliantly bonkers thing you'll see all day

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By ( Classic Rock ) published

Peter Rugman spins his own made-up lyrics and songs in the style of different Bowie eras: "I'm a groovy bastard who steals your socks at night!"

Peter Rugman on TikTok doing Bowie impressions
(Image credit: TikTok)

David Bowie, a musical legend of the ages, had arguably one of the most immediately identifiable voices in the rock world. His quintessential English twang gave each of his songs that extra sparkle of quirky charisma, and just like his startling un-matching pupils, it was totally unique.

This distinctiveness however made The Starman one of the hardest musicians to accurately mimic - which is one of the reasons why TikTokker Peter Rugman's Bowie impression series is just so good.

As he takes viewers through the ages, namely from Bowie's 1967 debut self-titled album era through to 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Rugman copies the shape-shifting rocker's vocal tone and sound while making up his own lyrics and songs to match each part of his ever-changing early career.

For Bowie's foundational sound, the musician styles out some hilariously eccentric lines such as 'Mother can't contain herself when the vicar wears his stripey trousers', calling to mind the quaint charm of the rocker's folk novelty single The Laughing Gnome. 

Styling a more Bohemian, hippie-esque shirt for the following video (1969), while strumming on an acoustic guitar, Rugman jangles out another handful of outlandish lyrics, including one of our favourites of the series, 'You're a doo-dee-doo-dee-dah-dee-day, a drift in space on Saturday, and TOMORROW YOU'LL HAVE A ROAST!". We're also top fans of the mischievous line, 'I'm a groovy bastard, who steals your socks at night'.

Anyway, you get the picture.

To watch all the videos, including his final three eras of the series, check them out below. In the meantime, we'll be waiting for his impression of Bowie's '80s period.

You can also check out Rugman's own solo material over on his songwhip link.

Liz Scarlett
Liz Scarlett
Content Editor

Liz manages Louder's social media channels and works on keeping the sites up to date with the latest news from the world of rock and metal. Prior to joining Louder as a full time staff writer, she completed a Diploma with the National Council for the Training of Journalists and received a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music Journalism. She enjoys writing about anything from neo-glam rock to stoner, doom and progressive metal, and loves celebrating women in music.