In Retrospect Series - Mick Ronson

[winston]

This series is dedicated to those who have been influential in their chosen genre and have unfortunately passed on to rock and roll heaven. The subjects can and will be singers, songwriters, musicians, session players, sidemen, producers, recording engineers and arrangers.

If you have someone that you would like us to look at their career in retrospect, feel free to contribute to this series. Keep in mind that the purpose is to discuss an influential individual who was either famous or contributed to the success of others in a profound manner.

"Guitarist, arranger, songwriter, producer and perennial sideman, Mick Ronson made his mark during glam-rock's early '70s heyday but worked consistently with frequent collaborators David Bowie and Ian Hunter till his death in 1993. From 1967-68 he played with a hometown garage rock group, The Rats, in Hull. In 1969, he was discovered by fledgling folksinger and producer, Mike Chapman, who asked him to join his recording band. From there he was on to a collaboration with Bowie beginning with "Space Oddity" in 1969 and lasting through 1973's Pin-Ups. He arranged "Changes" among others on Hunky Dory (1972) and was Bowie's flamboyant guitarist in the Spiders from Mars during the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972) album and tours.

It has remained a mystery as to how much of Bowie's material Ronson wrote in exchange for "arrangement" credits, but his stamp is on some important records of the era: He co-produced Lou Reed's Transformer (RCA, 1972) with Bowie and briefly joined Mott the Hoople after working as an arranger on All the Young Dudes (1972). As glam rock faded, Ronson continued to work with Hunter in the Hunter/Ronson band and as a songwriter, guitarist and producer on Hunter's solo work. He recorded two solo albums for MainMan, Slaughter on 10th Avenue (1974) and Play Don't Worry (1975).

His identifiable wah-wah sound straddled genres outside his beloved glam and hard rock: From Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue to Morrissey's Your Arsenal(1992). Ronson consistently worked with divergent artists from Roger McGuinn and David Johansen to John Mellencamp ("Jack and Diane"). He and Hunter recorded YUI Orta in 1989 for Mercury and in 1990, Ronson was diagnosed with cancer. He was reunited with Bowie for Black Tie White Noise(1993) and that same year appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with Hunter and Bowie. He made one final record with some help from his friends Hunter, Bowie, Chrissie Hynde and Mellencamp, Heaven 'n Hull, (Epic) which was released posthumously in 1994. Just Like This, a two-disc collection of unreleased material, followed in 1999, and Showtime, a collection of live material, arrived the next year."

As a side note, Mick was named the 64th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Mick Ronson was a person who stood in the shadow of others far to long and I feel that he deserves much recognition of his contribution to rock and roll. I trust by sharing this short bio that we are in fact celebrating a life that was full but cut too short by the ravages of cancer.

Source: Denise Sullivan

[mgauction]

I saw him with Bowie on the first Spiders from Mars USA tour. He was a great guitarist!

[ozover50]

Never heard of him but by crikey he's been around a bit!!!

[bitzerguy]

Mick is my all time guitar hero/artist. He was my idea of a guitar idol from the first time I heard him when I was 10 years old until today. I have seen him with Bowie twice and with Ian Hunter many times. Most memorable was at Barrymores in Ottawa in 1989. I will never forget it. He always had his tone and technique perfect, every show. Best guitar tones ever, easily idenfiable in the world of millions of players. I disagree with Rolling Stone magazine about his "ranking", but then I am very heavily biased.

[winston]

I'm glad this retrospective look at Mick's career struck a chord with at least a few of you guys. It would seem that he really was left standing in the shadows as far as most people are concerned. That's too bad. He was a great guitarist and a pretty special person. Apparently he quite often phoned fans who had written letters to him to thank them for their support. I don't recall anyone else in the music business ever doing that. Some fans though would hang up in disbelief thinking that they were the subject of a prank call.

[wints]

Great guitarist, whose contribution to what is essentially Bowie's legacy, cannot be understated.

[whojamfan]

Monster player with a signature tone, and the incredible ability to play for the song. He should have been a household name. It's a shame that all people think about when you mention Bowies guitar players is that Stevie Ray Vaughn played on "Lets Dance". Stevie was great at what he did, but Mick Ronson went so much further, IMHO,than Stevie did in the creativity department. I'm not knockin' SRV at all, but I think Ronson had more going on than blues shuffles and Hendrix covers.