Wow - interesting story! I had a very similar experience with Mick. There was a benefit show in Woodstock, NY and a few different bands were playing at it. All the bands were rehearsing at the rehearsal space at Bearsville Studios. Mick was in the beginning stages of putting together The Mick Ronson Band with singer & good friend Sham Morris. So I rehearsed with the band that I was playing guitar with, and there was change over to Mick’s band. I was having an issue with my amp and was fiddling with it and was still on the bandstand when Mick and his guys started jamming in a riff Mick started to play. So I started to play too. Mick turned and smiled at me. I was basically just playing one note continuously in a counter rhythm to his chords. It went on for just a little bit. Suddenly he stopped playing, and so did everyone else. Then he said to me, “Do you want to be in my band? I never liked playing with another guitarist in a band - but it just sounded so good a minute ago!” I said, “But I was just playing ONE note!” And he said, “Yeah, but it was the right note!” And that’s how I got the gig with him.
Ronson was so underrated in every way and had an amazing career from Bowie-Lou to Dylan, McGuinn and Morrissey to name a few. One of my top ten favorite guitarists and musician. His arrangements were second to none. Garrson is also one of the profound contributors to Bowies illustrious career also and a nice guy. I chatted with him once on MySpace and he was absolutely kind and even humble...
Brings me to tears. Ronson's solos were more like symphonic expressions or passages complementing and elevating the drama of the song. I mean...."..you are not evicting time.." Pterodactyl scream and agonized death! And the poignant wail and yearning at the end of "I'm So Free", the sudden violent outburst in "Who Do You Love", not to mention "I'm the One" with the best attack, tone and aaaahh!! On "The Truth, the Whole Truth.." -- he praises and defiles the heavens. Vibrato of the Gods. In other words, thanks for posting 'cause I kinda like Ronno.
1973 I think, I was a young teenager in Brazil, when I listened for the first time "Lady Grinning Soul" and "Time", that piano arrangement, the guitar's riffs and the songs were so different and intense that all I had listening until now. So it caused so strong effect in my soul that I became a great fan of Bowie and his music. And you MIke Garson and Mick Ronson, you guys, have a lot of responsibility on this. Thanks so much. Make me sad for this young generation that doesn't know almost nothing about these urban legends.
Amazing pianist.Thanks for the memories Mike. I remember my first gig..Mick Ronson at the legendary Glasgow Apollo in '74,and you were there. I was transported to another dimension that night.
Mick Ronson was essential to David Bowie's "blooming" and was the first to realise, in every sense, Bowie's talent and through him, his own, it didn't hurt hanging out/playing with Rick Wakeman and Mike Garson. Without Mick Ronson at the helm to steer and teach Morrissey, Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte, those guys would have floundered around for a few years before fizzing out; but it is again a testament to Mick's impeccable nose for talent and his brilliance as a musical mentor that Morrissey with Boz are now the nucleus of one of the best live bands I have ever seen, both Melbourne last year and Sydney at the Opera House were bloody marvellous.Finally, the most generous artistic gesture of Mick's life (and Bowie's) was to give full composing credits to Lou Reed for Transformer, a collection of the most exquisite Ronson/Bowie arrangements and melodies it's no wonder the hard core Velvets fans were not impressed (boring old hippies), but for a young glam Bowie fan (13) it was seminal, it was David Bowie and Mick Ronson from go to whoa with the intrigue of a legendary New York junkie Factory alumnus, and by then we all knew who Andy Warhol was, so it was perfect in a way only Bowie could have achieved. Thankyou.
Garson is a sweetheart of a guy. This is historic. Goodness me...what an account of the first meeting. Transcript necessary. Otherwise, in 400 years the world will be in the mess that we are about Shakespeare.
Wow - interesting story! I had a very similar experience with Mick. There was a benefit show in Woodstock, NY and a few different bands were playing at it. All the bands were rehearsing at the rehearsal space at Bearsville Studios. Mick was in the beginning stages of putting together The Mick Ronson Band with singer & good friend Sham Morris. So I rehearsed with the band that I was playing guitar with, and there was change over to Mick’s band. I was having an issue with my amp and was fiddling with it and was still on the bandstand when Mick and his guys started jamming in a riff Mick started to play. So I started to play too. Mick turned and smiled at me. I was basically just playing one note continuously in a counter rhythm to his chords. It went on for just a little bit. Suddenly he stopped playing, and so did everyone else. Then he said to me, “Do you want to be in my band? I never liked playing with another guitarist in a band - but it just sounded so good a minute ago!”
I said, “But I was just playing ONE note!”
And he said, “Yeah, but it was the right note!”
And that’s how I got the gig with him.
My favourite pianist talking about my favourite guitarist!!
Mike's playing on Aladin Sane still delights me after 40 odd years. Thanks Mike.
The width of a circle, live. Say no more.
If it wasn't for Ronno i doubt if anyone would even know that David Bowie existed.
Love this. Mick Ronson was a genius.
David Bowie, Mick Ronson and mike Garson...what a combination, sweet holy god, how did this happen!! thankyou!
Mick was great.
Ronson was so underrated in every way and had an amazing career from Bowie-Lou to Dylan, McGuinn and Morrissey to name a few. One of my top ten favorite guitarists and musician. His arrangements were second to none. Garrson is also one of the profound contributors to Bowies illustrious career also and a nice guy. I chatted with him once on MySpace and he was absolutely kind and even humble...
Great to see this.
Beautiful. Thanks, Mike for giving Mick his due.
Brings me to tears. Ronson's solos were more like symphonic expressions or passages complementing and elevating the drama of the song. I mean...."..you are not evicting time.." Pterodactyl scream and agonized death! And the poignant wail and yearning at the end of "I'm So Free", the sudden violent outburst in "Who Do You Love", not to mention "I'm the One" with the best attack, tone and aaaahh!! On "The Truth, the Whole Truth.." --
he praises and defiles the heavens. Vibrato of the Gods.
In other words, thanks for posting 'cause I kinda like Ronno.
+bobgure I kind of like him too. He played guitar mainly for the song, not for the solo. That's a rough thing for a lead player!
bobgure -
1973 I think, I was a young teenager in Brazil, when I listened for the first time "Lady Grinning Soul" and "Time", that piano arrangement, the guitar's riffs and the songs were so different and intense that all I had listening until now. So it caused so strong effect in my soul that I became a great fan of Bowie and his music. And you MIke Garson and Mick Ronson, you guys, have a lot of responsibility on this. Thanks so much. Make me sad for this young generation that doesn't know almost nothing about these urban legends.
Lovely guy Mike, has time for anybody whoever they are, total respect
Amazing pianist.Thanks for the memories Mike. I remember my first gig..Mick Ronson at the legendary Glasgow Apollo in '74,and you were there. I was transported to another dimension that night.
Ronno was the best!! Nice interview ⚡️❤️🎸
Mick Ronson was essential to David Bowie's "blooming" and was the first to realise, in every sense, Bowie's talent and through him, his own, it didn't hurt hanging out/playing with Rick Wakeman and Mike Garson. Without Mick Ronson at the helm to steer and teach Morrissey, Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte, those guys would have floundered around for a few years before fizzing out; but it is again a testament to Mick's impeccable nose for talent and his brilliance as a musical mentor that Morrissey with Boz are now the nucleus of one of the best live bands I have ever seen, both Melbourne last year and Sydney at the Opera House were bloody marvellous.Finally, the most generous artistic gesture of Mick's life (and Bowie's) was to give full composing credits to Lou Reed for Transformer, a collection of the most exquisite Ronson/Bowie arrangements and melodies it's no wonder the hard core Velvets fans were not impressed (boring old hippies), but for a young glam Bowie fan (13) it was seminal, it was David Bowie and Mick Ronson from go to whoa with the intrigue of a legendary New York junkie Factory alumnus, and by then we all knew who Andy Warhol was, so it was perfect in a way only Bowie could have achieved. Thankyou.
The most angelic pianist on the planet
Garson is a sweetheart of a guy. This is historic. Goodness me...what an account of the first meeting. Transcript necessary. Otherwise, in 400 years the world will be in the mess that we are about Shakespeare.
Miss Mick still.x
A National Treasure
Bees...nothing says a great guitarist like bees.
Zzzzzrrrrzzzzzzeeeeee! This ain't rock and roll! This is genocide!
Who is the man interviewing Mike Garson?
Ronno.x