How David Bowie Saved Helmet's Page Hamilton With Tour Call

In 1999, David Bowie made a phone call that changed Helmet frontman Page Hamilton’s life. Following the departure of long-standing guitarist Reeves Gabrels, Bowie reached out to Hamilton to ask him to join his touring band for the Hours world tour.

At the time, Hamilton was going through a brutal personal period. He had just separated from his wife, was crashing on his manager’s couch, and was spiraling into heavy drinking following late nights out. Reflecting on the moment in a 2016 interview, Hamilton admitted that the unexpected offer pulled him out of a tailspin.

"He didn’t know how I was living before I got the call, he didn’t know that I was going through a divorce," Hamilton said. "And I’ve said this before, but he pulled me out of a real shitty time. He might have saved my life."

Practicing 16 Hours a Day for the Tour

Determined to make the most of the opportunity, the Portland-born guitarist pushed himself to the limit to prepare. Hamilton practiced 16 hours a day, learning 30 songs for the tour, including cuts like "Cracked Actor," "Rebel Rebel," and "Changes."

The two musicians had first crossed paths two years prior at a festival in Germany. When Hamilton introduced himself and mentioned Helmet, Bowie surprised him by saying they "go way back." Hamilton recalled Bowie as an exceptionally gracious person, even laughing off Hamilton’s eager questions about the Ziggy Stardust era when the singer broke his leg on stage.

Though Bowie was sober for 12 years by the time of the tour—a stark contrast to Hamilton’s own self-described struggles with family drinking genes—the guitarist views the gig as a vital turning point. "My tribute to David Bowie would be to say: He’s not like you and me," Hamilton reflected.