British guitarist analyses Mick Ronson, Bowie's right hand man! 

I’m sure that he would have preferred the money…

Nobody underestimates Mick Ronson, he got lots of recognition at the time. He played with Bowie at several very high profile concerts much later.

@joethelion6016 Strongly disagree, it wasn't until long after his death that he started to receive the recognition he deserved. Bowie often traded Ronson arrangers credits to keep him being listed as a co writer. He guested with Bowie on two occasions, the Black Tie tour where he borrowed Earl Slick's guitar at a show in Canada to make a cameo appearance and the Wembley Stadium Freddie Mercury tribute. On both occasions he was already terminally ill but still pulled out the stops to put on a stellar performance. In spite of all this, Ronson seemed to not bear Bowie any malice and they exchanged letters right up until his death in April '93. Bowie declined to attend the funeral.

Were you were into music in the early 70's in the UK? Ronson certainly was 'recognised' as a great guitarist and never underestimated by Bowie and Spider fans. I bought his solo vinyls. Ronson recorded Cream's 'I Feel Free' on the studio *album* Black Tie, White Noise. He didn't just pick up a guitar on stage. 'In spite of all' what? It wasn't down to Bowie that Ronson was unwell. As far as writing credits go, I'd say naming him as co-writer is a bigger accolade than 'arranger'. So I've no idea why you're implying they weren't still friends, maybe you buy into MSM narratives. I have the utmost respect for Ronson. As a Bowie fan of over *50* years the period when Bowie collaborated with him was and will always remain the greatest for me. The only other guitarist who made an impact was Fripp's wonderful input to and 'Scary Monsters' and 'Heroes' albums.

@joethelion6016 I've ben a Bowie fan since 72. Bought both of Mick's solo records the week they came out. Have a look at the movie 'Beside Bowie' and see if you still feel the same.

And he never kicked up a fuss about it, wouldn't happen nowadays as Lawyers would be all over this and Mick would have been rightly rewarded.

Well, I am looking at my original vinyls, not reissues, and ‘Hunky Dory and “Michael Ronson who played guitar and did arrangements marked thus *” (Changes, Life On Mars, Kooks, Quicksand and Fill Your Heart) and then ‘Ziggy’: “Arrangements David Bowie and Mick Ronson” and then ‘Aladdin Sane’: “Arrangements David Bowie and Mick Ronson”, “Mixed by Ken Scott and Mick Ronson”. So he was actually credited on the albums.

He was pure genius and a really great guy. No airs and graces down to earth and very humble. He was so much more talented than he realised or anyone else, except Bowie who tapped into this. Bless you Mick you were (are) BRILLIANT!

Mick WAS Ziggy Stardust, it was such a shame that Bowie "broke up the band"

If it was all down to Ronson, care to explain how Bowie also gave Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Mott the Hoople a lot of success when he helped and worked with them in the same era?

Probably no Ronson and Angie Bowie no "Bowie" she was also unsung. She pushed him and helped develop his look. You can even see her on some early videos where there is like 10 people in the audience and she is there at the front pretending to do the fan bit "screaming and shouting" trying to generate interest.

Totally agree

I agree

I thought he was widely considered to be brilliant?

Similarly no Bowie, no Ronson. They were a phenomenal team while it lasted

Never got paid what he was worth, never got writing credits, mick made a lot stars

yip

William Wilberforce had a good go but yes Mick Ronson and the other two spiders did Hull very proud.

It is my understanding that there is a beautiful metal guitar sculpture in Hull to commemorate Mick Ronson. If you google it, there is a lovely photo of Mick's younger sister Maggi, sitting by the sculpture. I would like to travel there (from here in Canada) one day just to see this sculpture in honor of Mick. I miss him so much.

Agreed - such a moving piece of work!

Well, he’s the only decent thing to come out of hull... there’s nowt else there

@@guitarman1477 The other two spiders Mick Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder? As for Hull it's a fantastic place with the friendliest people in England.

I'm also from Hull and very proud of Mick, Bowie would have been a star at some point but not the same sort of star.

I'm from Birmingham and I'm proud of him. He made Bowie. The Ziggy sound was Mick.

@@strangedean. Agreed. As a Brummie, I’d only every heard sneery comments about KuH - but when I had cause to spend some time there in the 90’s, I was blown away by the friendliness and generosity of everyone I met.

ron valentini cool story something you will always remember how often does something like that happen to us . Great

Thanks for sharing , great story .

Great story, thanks for sharing it 👍

The hell with Woody's, can you get me into the Turnberry Isle Yacht club?

Wow! I'm pretty sure I would have soiled myself. Woody and Mick are among two of my favorite guitarists. That's incredible, good for you!

I cried over so many

Yes I remember hearing of his death on the radio at work . Just could not believe it .

Mick was a humble and gentle man with a genius musical mind. I know his son very well. He is the spitting image of Mick. Beautiful souls.

Cathy the clown

Love the Empty Bed!

Great album

This is for You

"Heaven and Hull" is a great album. I also listen to "play don't worry"another great album.but as far as the guitar God and losing him way to soon I couldn't agree more my friend who knows what Ronno could of accomplished if we didnt lose him at 47 its sad it's like "Lennon"who knows what they would of done by now? Great things I'm sure..

Check out Ian Hunter’s dedication to Mick - ‘Michael Picasso’. If that don’t make you weep, well you must have a heart of stone.

@@davidburne9477 The best thing is that Ian Hunter WAS there for Mick in his last days, a true loyal friend.

Not only that Scott, he also had an amazingly great sound with almost no effects either. I just loved all the sounds of his guitars especially on the Alddinsane album. Such power, but also so sweet too.

Mick Ronson was definitely a top guitarist/ musician arranger etc Bowie did know this that’s why he got hold of him he referred to him as his very own Jeff Beck. Mick wasn’t a lime light grabbing kind of guy in many ways he was quite shy. He changed when he walked-out onto a stage. He also didn’t realise how good he was it was a slight lack of confidence which is why he had been overlooked and given up and gone back to being a groundsman. He was marking out football pitches when he was approached about playing with Bowie. Possibly if Bowie hadn’t had him pointed out to him and recognised his potential he may have finished his life working for Hull Council. So at least he was rescued from the mundane and at least we appreciate him for what he truly was a creative genius who helped others like Iggy pop Mott the Hoople etc

@@waynetykocki3964 lack of confidence are you talking about Mick Ronson? for someone lacking confidence and to have such control of a guitar that's not telling me he's lacking confidence that's telling me he mastered the guitar, he was only shy when he was a kid

@@mikereed8181 not shy but he wasn’t cocky and yes he got going but he didn’t start out as confident he was reassured as to his capabilities. He didn’t know how good he was he ha to be told to enable him to see it

@@waynetykocki3964 iam sorry but i have to beg to differ but you have your opinion and i have the right opinion lol peace lol

He is Ziggy's right hand man.

Yes Ronson was the composer of the music. Bowie had song ideas and lyrics.

HES AWESOME

It maybe so however look at David's body of work and compare it to Mick's. Mick never hit anywhere near the heights that David did even Mick's guitar playing was at a level below what David could get him to do. To that end I really do wonder where the core song writing was coming from? I would even say that about Robert Fripp as well. His work with David was just incredible, a really intelligent player but still his best work was with David. David's songs made these guitarist flourish, it seems it was not quite true of the reverse with their own material.

@@stever128 Bowie needed collaberators to make his ideas shine. None shined his ideas/songs better than Ronno, whose fingerprints are all over Bowie's first five albums with his playing, arrangement and productions. Bowie never gave him the credit he deserved.

Bowie was notoriously cheap and even the end of his life had a hard time reconciling the truth about his debt to Ronson. Most young rock stars in their 20's have big egos.

@@spanishpeaches2930 Guitarists that add hooks or lead solos never get writing credits. Look at Andy Summers, George Harrison, James Honeyman-smith even David Gilmour. Guys, unless the guitarist is writing the song it is just considered doing his part. Mick gets arrangement credit on multiple songs of David's. Did Ken Scott or Tony V ever say he was a coproducer? I didl love the sound of Micks les paul but was Earl Slick and Robert Fripp just not a degree better and more memorable?

@@stever128 Ronson wasn't really a solo artist per say though his solo stuff is excellent. Ronson's work with Ian Hunter was just as good as anything Bowie did at the time. I could only name you two Bowie tracks that come to mind on Fripp playing with Bowie....Fashion and Heroes...Fripp is a great player but Ronson was all over the Bowie albums and not just on Guitar. I don't get how you can say Ronsons guitar playing was at level below what David could get him to do, thats simply incorrect.

His wife was a hairdresser for Bowie and the band. Mick's hair always looked perfect!

There was a better moment, Bowie performed Starman on a programme i think it was called "Lift Off with Ayshea" but looks like it has been lost to time.

@@dandare6865 I think UK tv companies were still taping over video footage in those days. Compare that to USA where you can still see videos of Elvis and Bo Diddley from the 1950s!

Thanks!

I am a big Bowie fan. He recorded Space Oddity pre-Ronson, and made so many good albums post-Ronson as well: Diamond Dogs, Low, Heroes, Scary Monsters and my favourite Bowie album, Station to Station. Bowie was a genius songwriter and his conceptual ideas were just brilliant- don’t get me wrong, Ronson was so important to Bowie’s glam rock/Ziggy period, but to say Bowie owed it all to him really is stretching it- big time.

I'm not saying Bowie didn't have a great career after Ronson, just in my opinion, Ronson assisted him in the early days for Bowie to find his way, image and or images, music sound and arranging that led Bowie to become the Hall of Famer he became.

Bowie had the ability to find the very best musicians and then bounce off they talent

Ronson was an excellent guitarist but the concepts and songs were all Bowie’s. For example he wrote Life on Mars 2 years before it appeared on Hunky Dory. The hippies were not ready for Bowie’s musical hall tributes and garage rock n roll in the late 1960s, the early 70s and glam rock era fitted the Ziggy persona perfectly.

I watched the documentary on Mick Ronson, he was more involved in Bowie songwriting when he was with Bowie.

Mick was an awe-inspiring musician. And you're right, a real down-to-earth guy. I met him once in 1980. Somehow, my band and I (The Maroons, aspiring rockers on the NYC club scene) were able to contact him. We asked if he'd listen to our demo and give us his advice. He actually agreed, much to our astonishment! He was in NYC at the time, and he suggested we send him the demo, and once he'd listened, we could meet at Pete's Tavern in downtown Manhattan. We met him, he gave us some good advice on our material and the music biz, etc., we had a few drinks with him, and chatted just just like regular folks. He offered to pay for our drinks, but we wouldn't let him. What a cool and generous man!

I'm also a guitarist from Hull, Just not a very good one haha

The majority of the population are mostly idiots. He got the recognition where it mattered, but i agree he should have been allowed to mature as a singer songwriter.

Bustin Out is the PPL album you need to hear. The instrumental at the end of side 2 was later used on zs&tsfm

Here is the track ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OaHPqNG5jy8.html

Its the orchestration right at the end of the track

Katie S Ronno played bass on “Aimee”

He played with Bob Dylan in the Rolling Thunder Review tour. That’s not that surprising. The surprising part is that he’s up on stage with Bob and others, all of them dressed in gypsy vagabond clothes, with Mick wearing his glam rock wardrobe.

Joseph Thoma, Canada has some greats: Rush, and April Wine for starters.

Shania Twain..Justin Bieber..Go Canucks

@@beachgirl4583 I stand corrected and you are right, Rush & April Wine are simply to of the best bands this world has to offer! both bands are in my top ten!.....

Bachmann Turner Overdrive? Pronounced Bachmann, LOL. Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, I think Gordon Lightfoot.

@Night-Sparrow Cairns I'm American, but of course lots of good Canadians. In additions to those, there's Rush which is nothing to sneeze at. Five sixths of The Band were Canadian, plus Levon Helm from the US. I always found it interesting that this mostly Canadian band wrote some of the most iconic American roots rock ever. Leonard Cohen of course, who is one of the foundations. Glenn Gould on the classical side of things.

Mark Evrard That was the first thought in my mind. Joe Walsh. Exactly

Mark Evrard Joe was on a chat show, host asked how long had he been drunk, aaaabbbout 25 years said Joe, great lad 🎸🎸🎸☘️☘️☘️

Atlantic crossing. My favorite Joe Walsh song is "Meadows" and it has riffs like "Woman from Tokayo" by Deep Purple

I think this is a Pure Prairie League song

Brian: I have that early take of 'Madman Across The Water' and Mick POSITIVELY SHINES. I prefer it to the released version.

PK: Be sure to check out Bowie's 'Aladdin Sane' ("a lad insane"). The music, stylistically, is all over the place but Mick shows his versatility at every turn. The intro to 'Cracked Actor' is truly apocalyptic and one of my fave "Mick with Bowie" moments.

Oh wow no you didn't...I missed it...also GFR was here But I did see Rush and zz Top in 75..saw Deep purple in 74..Steppenwolf first concert in 71 followed by 3 dog night..fsyetnam

Glasgow 1975 for me, Ronno was absolutely amazing, as was Ian.

@@MrMeadfoot that's awesome man...as Fil says, "Rock"🤘

Used to let Mick and Ian park their tour bus in my parking lot beside my house and nightclub in coincidentily Hull, Mass. Became friends with them and got to talk about all kinds of rock n roll with them. Great guys and awesome talents. The nightclub " Uncle Sams" was a favorite spot for them. They played it at least 6 or 7 times as did I. Broke my heart when Ronno passed. Mott was one of my absolute favorite bands prior to Hunter/ Ronson so those guys meant the world to me. Yeah. Mick was a great guitar player and all around musician

@@jcripp7974 that's awesome man...I love to hear stories like this...yeah man , love Mott The Hoople...just plain fun raw rock n roll..thanks for sharing this!

I was about to make the same suggestion. Was Mick also known s Ariel Bender?

@@rmcellig No, Ariel Bender replaced Mick in Mott, when he left to form Bad Company with Paul Rodgers.

@@rmcellig Ariel is Luther Grosvenor from Spooky Tooth.

What's the remaining 33%?

Colin Dant French, German , Scandinavian, Portuguese , African and Native American ( but from the original ones before they crossed to America). I’m a mutt 😁

@@julieford8788 An interesting mixture!

Well with a last name of Ford, it's little wonder your English

@@julieford8788 That's cool, but I don't put much stock in the DNA characterizations of nationality--overgeneralized speculation as far as I'm concerned. I am lucky enough to be linked to 13 plus generations at geni.com where the goal is to link the world's heritage. So my background is documented and is mostly from the UK (British, Scottish and Welsh) with some Irish and others thrown in. Found out I am 13th cousins to Roger Waters there.

Mick Ralphs weren't bad neither.

I'm from the US and love Ronno. Yes, he went unnoticed here in the US pretty much. He worked with John Cougar also. Finished a big hit for Cougar that John couldn't get finished without Ronno.

Both of those guys are unbelievable. I'm a huge Taylor fan...

You’re a wise man - I have both Mick’s in my top 10 guitarists of all time ✌️

Listen to "Only After Dark". I found Mick's voice on this song simply enchanting!