Here’s Why David Bowie was Arrested in New York in 1976

Like all rock stars, David Bowie had a long history of partying and acting wild. However, in 1976, Bowie was arrested for drug possession, alongside fellow musician Iggy Pop. Here’s how it went down:

David Bowie and Iggy Pop were both arrested for marijuana possession in 1976

David Bowie's 1976 mugshot. — Music legend David Bowie was arrested in upstate New York in March 1976. I Bureau of Prisons/Getty Images

Bowie is known for his work on stage and screen, but his personal life was just as interesting. In 1976, the musician was arrested in a hotel in Rochester, New York after performing at the Community War Memorial.

He and three other people, including iconic punk musician Iggy Pop, were charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana. An article written at the time by the Democrat and Chronicle reported that police confiscated “about half a pound of marijuana,” which at the time was a “Class C felony, carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.”

“All four were freed on bond — at Bowie’s expense — and were to be arraigned in City Court this morning,” the article continued, before adding that Bowie missed the arraignment to make it to a previously scheduled concert.

Bowie and the others were held at the local jail for a few hours before being bailed out. None of them had a prior arrest record.

Did David Bowie serve time for the drug charges?

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A few days later, Bowie returned to Rochester, where he pleaded not guilty to the felony drug charge. The judge set the preliminary hearing for the next month and allowed Bowie to remain out on bail. A grand jury later decided to pass on the case.

Even though Bowie was arrested, the rock star didn’t hold any grudge towards the police or the town of Rochester. During a short interview after his initial hearing, Bowie called the Rochester Police “very courteous and very gentle…they’ve been just super.”

When asked if his feelings about Rochester had changed now that he had been arrested there, Bowie said, “Certainly not, absolutely not,” adding that he felt “flattered” and “honored” that fans showed up to meet him at the courthouse.

David Bowie’s experience with drug use in the 1970s

Bowie was a drug user at the time and was addicted to cocaine throughout the late 1970s.
“I would say a lot of the time I spent in America in the ’70s is really hard to remember, in a way that I’ve not seen happen to too many other artists,” Bowie said in a 1997 interview. “I was flying out there — really in a bad way.”