Ground Control to Major Tom, the iconic astronaut character created by David Bowie, has finally been given a last name. A recently uncovered handwritten synopsis for a film called Young Americans reveals that Major Tom’s full name is Major Tom Brough. The document, part of a vast collection of 90,000 items from Bowie’s archive at V&A’s new East Storehouse, sheds new light on the character’s identity.
The synopsis describes Major Tom Brough as a British jet-ace involved in a plot to fake the Moon landings. Bowie’s reference to his famous lyric from the song “Space Oddity” is evident in the synopsis, where it mentions, “Ground Control are tense and alert as Tom descends his ladder.”
Although the proposed film was never realized, Major Tom’s character reappears in Bowie’s later works, such as “Ashes to Ashes” in 1980. In this song, Major Tom is depicted as struggling with drug addiction while drifting in space, drawing inspiration from Bowie’s personal experiences with substance abuse in the 1970s.
Fans will soon have the opportunity to explore these fascinating artifacts as the archive opens to the public on September 13. The collection includes Bowie’s first saxophone, life-size puppets designed by Jim Henson for unreleased music videos, and rare costumes like one of his Ziggy Stardust ensembles never before seen in the UK.
Visitors can request to view any item from the archive for free, with over 150 requests already received for items related to the Ziggy Stardust era alone. Dr. Madeleine Haddon, the curator at V&A East, mentions the discovery of unrealized projects and personal items like Bowie’s notepad, index cards, and sticky notes used for preparing “The Spectator,” a musical set in 18th century London.
Additionally, fans can explore Bowie’s iconic outfits, props from films like “The Man Who Fell To Earth,” and memorabilia from his final albums, “The Next Day” and “Blackstar.” Dr. Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, expresses excitement about sharing Bowie’s archive with the public, highlighting the artist’s lasting influence on design, music, and visual culture.
David Bowie, a legendary figure in the music industry, passed away at the age of 69 in 2016 after battling cancer.