Mick Ronson -

Mick Ronson (May 26, 1946 — April 29, 1993) was an English guitarist and producer who rose to prominence as a member of David Bowie‘s 1970–73 backing band The Spiders from Mars. During this time, he laid licks on select recordings by Lou Reed, Michael Chapman, and Dana Gillespie.

As a solo artist, Ronson released the album Slaughter on 10th Avenue on RCA in 1974, followed by Play Don’t Worry in 1975. During the ensuing 15-year period, he notched production credits on albums by Ian Hunter, Dead Fingers Talk, the Rich Kids, Ellen Foley, Payola$, Urgent, and Dalbello.

Mick Ronson (May 26, 1946 — April 29, 1993) was an English guitarist and arranger from Kingston upon Hull. He played guitar and piano in David Bowie’s 1970–73 bands and wrote orchestral arrangements across five Bowie studio albums. Ronson also produced records, including Lou Reed’s 1972 release Transformer with Bowie.

RCA issued Ronson’s solo albums Slaughter on 10th Avenue and Play Don’t Worry. He later developed a long partnership with Ian Hunter and joined Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue. His production work included albums by Roger McGuinn and Rich Kids, followed by projects with Payola$ and Dalbello. Hunter and Ronson shared billing on the 1989 Mercury album YUI Orta. Epic issued the posthumous third Ronson solo album Heaven and Hull during 1994.

Background

Michael Ronson was born on May 26, 1946, in Kingston upon Hull, the eldest child of George and Minnie Ronson. A neighbor gave him an accordion at age three. He later studied piano and played recorder at school, followed by harmonium in the family church. Ronson took violin lessons as preparation for cello studies but abandoned the instrument after three years.

At age seventeen, Ronson joined the Mariners and made his stage debut at Brough Village Hall. He next entered the Crestas, a Hull group that worked regional ballrooms and hotel engagements. In mid-1965, he moved to London and replaced Miller Anderson in the Voice. A brief spell with the Wanted preceded his return to Hull during 1966.

Ronson joined the Rats with singer Benny Marshall and bassist Geoff Appleby. Drummer John Cambridge later entered the lineup, followed by Mick Woodmansey. The group recorded at Fairview Studios in nearby Willerby, where its sessions included “The Rise and Fall of Bernie Gripplestone,” “Guitar Boogie,” and “Telephone Blues.” Ronson also rehearsed briefly with singer Alan Palmer, who later adopted the name Robert Palmer.

Rick Kemp recommended Ronson for Michael Chapman’s 1970 Harvest album Fully Qualified Survivor. Drummer John Cambridge then brought Ronson to London for an introduction to David Bowie. Ronson met Bowie at the Marquee in February 1970 and joined a BBC Radio One session two days later. Bowie presented the new quartet as the Hype, with bassist Tony Visconti and Cambridge.

Ronson played on Bowie’s 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World and on an early version of Elton John’s “Madman Across the Water.” Ronson also recorded the January 1971 Vertigo single “4th Hour of My Sleep” (b/w “Powers of Darkness”) as Ronno. The session lineup paired singer Benny Marshall with the rhythm section of Tony Visconti and Mick Woodmansey.

Bassist Trevor Bolder joined Ronson and Woodmansey for Bowie’s 1971 album Hunky Dory. Ronson wrote string arrangements for “Life on Mars?,” “Quicksand,” and “Changes,” then remained through The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The same period brought orchestral work on Mott the Hoople’s “Sea Diver” and co-production of Lou Reed’s Transformer with Bowie.

Ronson continued through Bowie’s 1973 albums Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups. Bowie ended the Spiders stage lineup at Hammersmith Odeon on July 3, 1973. Ronson completed the Pin Ups sessions and began planning a solo album under the MainMan arrangement with RCA.

Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Mick Ronson released his debut solo album, Slaughter on 10th Avenue, in March 1974 on RCA.

The album combines two Ronson–Scott Richardson compositions with material by David Bowie and Annette Peacock. Richard Rodgers wrote the title instrumental. Bowie also adapted Lucio Battisti’s “Io vorrei… non vorrei… ma se vuoi…” as “Music Is Lethal” and co-wrote the second half of the “Pleasure Man / Hey Ma Get Papa” sequence.

Ronson sings and plays guitar and piano. Bassist–brass player Trevor Bolder and keyboardist Mike Garson return from the Bowie sessions. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar handles percussion, while David Hentschel adds ARP synthesizer to “Hey Ma Get Papa.” Margaret Ronson sings backing parts, and Sid Sax leads the strings.

“Love Me Tender” smolders through a slow rise and portentous phrasing toward strained delivery. “Growing Up and I’m Fine” vaults through buoyant, exuberant turns. “Only After Dark” struts across hard riffing, tumbling contours and lacquered flash. “Music Is Lethal” swells into bombastic lament through declamatory phrases and baroque drama.

“I’m the One” careens through whiplash lead work, dissonant eruptions and heightened second-half delivery. “Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa” lurches from off-kilter piano display into jaunty figures, jerky sped-up replies and an ARP-guitar duel. “Slaughter on 10th Avenue” erupts as a stylized ballet adaptation with histrionic lead passages and theatrical sweep.

A1. “Love Me Tender” (4:50) – Ken Darby
A2. “Growing Up and I’m Fine” (3:10) – David Bowie
A3. “Only After Dark” (3:30) – Mick Ronson, Scott Richardson
A4. “Music Is Lethal” (5:10) – Lucio Battisti, Bowie

B1. “I’m the One” (5:03) – Annette Peacock
B2. “Pleasure Man / Hey Ma Get Papa” (8:55) – Ronson, Richardson / Bowie, Ronson
B3. “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” (4:41) – Richard Rodgers

Ronson recorded Slaughter on 10th Avenue in July 1973 at Château d’Hérouville near Paris and Trident Studios in London with engineer Dennis Mackay and assistant Peter Fielder. Ronson produced and arranged the sessions. He conducted the orchestral parts. Mackay and Fielder mixed the record with Ronson. The work followed his co-production and orchestration on Lou Reed’s 1972 album Transformer. During the same year, Ronson arranged material for Bowie’s Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups.

Leee Black Childers designed and photographed the sleeve. The front uses a close Ronson portrait against a dark field, with red title lettering above a yellow artist name. Childers had photographed the first Bowie–Spiders tour of the United States for MainMan.

RCA issued “Love Me Tender” in January 1974 (b/w “Only After Dark”). “Slaughter on 10th Avenue” followed in April (b/w “Leave My Heart Alone”).

Slaughter on 10th Avenue reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 63 on the Australian albums chart.

Snapper expanded the album during 1997 with the studio B-side “Leave My Heart Alone” and live material from Ronson’s February 1974 Rainbow Theatre concerts. Cherry Red included the album and its associated recordings in the 2019 four-CD set Only After Dark: The Complete MainMan Recordings.

Play Don’t Worry

Mick Ronson released his second album, Play Don’t Worry, on February 28, 1975, on RCA.

Play Don’t Worry contains four Ronson originals or co-writes and five songs by other writers. Ronson used an unreleased backing track from Bowie’s Pin Ups sessions for “White Light/White Heat.” Bolder and Garson return from the debut album. Ritchie Dharma and Tony Newman divide most of the drum parts. Aynsley Dunbar also appears on the album, while Paul Francis plays on the title track. Reedist Jeff Daly appears across the sessions, while Neil Kernon plays ARP synthesizer on “Billy Porter” and “This Is for You.” Ian Hunter adds backing vocals to “Girl Can’t Help It.”

“Billy Porter” skitters through treated high replies into a cacophonous outro. “Angel No. 9” streaks through swaggering riffs as one urgent guitar solo dominates extended lead work. “This Is for You” hushes into spectral piano flourishes and soothing multitracked harmonies. “White Light/White Heat” barrels from a rolling introduction into overdrive, splintered figures, wrenching feedback and hammering rhythm chords.

“Play Don’t Worry” glides through gentler contours and silvery lead figures. “Girl Can’t Help It” hurtles through full-bore racket as dense mix buries Ronson’s delivery. “Empty Bed” surges through heaving melodrama and broad string arcs.

A1. “Billy Porter” (3:30) – Ronson
A2. “Angel No. 9” (5:31) – Craig Fuller
A3. “This Is for You” (4:30) – Laurie Heath
A4. “White Light/White Heat” (4:07) – Lou Reed

B1. “Play Don’t Worry” (3:15) – Ronson, Bob Sargeant
B2. “Hazy Days” (4:10) – Ronson
B3. “Girl Can’t Help It” (2:45) – Bobby Troup
B4. “Empty Bed (Io me ne andrei)” (5:12) – Claudio Baglioni, Antonio Coggio, Ronson
B5. “Woman” (3:25) – Adam Taylor

Ronson recorded Play Don’t Worry during 1974 at Trident Studios and Scorpio Sound in London. Additional work took place at Strawberry Studios in Juan-les-Pins. Ronson produced and arranged the album for MainMan, then conducted its orchestral parts. Dennis Mackay and Peter Fielder returned as principal engineers. Ted Sharp and Ray Hendrickson handled additional sessions, with Ian Major credited on the album. The project preceded Ronson’s co-production of Hunter’s 1975 debut Ian Hunter at AIR Studios.

Clive Arrowsmith photographed the sleeve. The front catches Ronson onstage with a Les Paul and raised arm against a black field beneath blue-white lettering. Arrowsmith had recently photographed the cover of the 1973 Wings album Band on the Run.

RCA issued “Billy Porter” in October 1974 (b/w the non-album Annette Peacock cover “Seven Days”).

Play Don’t Worry reached No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 92 on the Australian albums chart.

The 1997 Snapper edition added “Seven Days” and five tracks from December 1975 sessions at Sundragon Studios. It also appended alternate takes and the extended “28 Days Jam.” Cherry Red included the album and related MainMan material in the 2019 Only After Dark box.

Hunter, Dylan, and Production Work

Ronson joined Mott the Hoople during 1974 and played on the group’s final single, “Saturday Gigs.” The brief engagement led into a sustained partnership with Ian Hunter. The pair co-produced the 1975 album Ian Hunter, with Ronson serving as guitarist and arranger.

Bob Dylan recruited Ronson for the Rolling Thunder Revue during late 1975. The touring company also included Roger McGuinn, who hired Ronson to produce the 1976 album Cardiff Rose. Ronson used other Rolling Thunder participants on the sessions and played guitar across the record.

During 1976, Ronson formed the Mick Ronson Band in Woodstock and recorded material for a proposed third solo album. Live commitments interrupted the project, and the record remained shelved. The sessions reached commercial release on the 1999 album Just Like This.

Ronson returned to production for the 1978 Rich Kids album Ghosts of Princes in Towers. Early in 1979, he resumed his Hunter partnership on You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic and the ensuing tour. Hunter and Ronson also co-produced Ellen Foley’s debut album Night Out.

John Mellencamp brought Ronson into the 1982 American Fool sessions, where he helped restructure “Jack & Diane” and added percussion. Ronson then produced the Payola$ albums No Stranger to Danger and Hammer on a Drum. His mid-decade studio work included Dalbello’s 1984 album whomanfoursays and two albums by Urgent.

Hunter and Ronson reunited for touring during 1988. Their renewed partnership led to a joint Mercury contract and sessions in New York City.

YUI Orta

Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson released the collaborative album YUI Orta on October 3, 1989, through Mercury.

YUI Orta formalizes the Hunter–Ronson partnership after their 1988–89 tour. Hunter wrote seven songs alone. He collaborated with Ronson on “Women’s Intuition” and “Tell It Like It Is,” then added their “Following in Your Footsteps.” Ronson completed “Sweet Dreamer” with Don Gibson. Bassist Pat Kilbride joins keyboardist Tommy Mandel. Drummer Mickey Curry completes the principal band. Producer Bernard Edwards plays bass on “Women’s Intuition.”

“American Music” (4:12) – Ian Hunter
“The Loner” (4:47) – Hunter
“Women’s Intuition” (6:31) – Hunter, Mick Ronson
“Tell It Like It Is” (4:23) – Hunter, Ronson
“Livin’ in a Heart” (4:34) – Hunter
“Big Time” (4:03) – Hunter
“Cool” (4:30) – Hunter
“Beg a Little Love” (6:26) – Hunter, McNasty
“Following in Your Footsteps” (5:02) – Hunter, Ronson
“Sons ’n’ Lovers” (4:55) – Hunter
“Pain” (4:43) – Donnie Kehr, Hunter
“How Much More Can I Take” (3:48) – Hunter
“Sweet Dreamer” (6:28) – Don Gibson, Ronson

Hunter and Ronson recorded YUI Orta during June and July 1989 at Power Station in New York City with producer Bernard Edwards. The Chic bassist had just co-produced Rod Stewart’s 1988 album Out of Order. David O’Donnell and Matthew Lamonica led the engineering work. Michael Christopher and Roy Hendrickson handled additional recording, while Larry Alexander mixed with Edwards.

Mitchell Kanner directed and designed the package with artwork by Michael Bays and a logo by Scott Townsend. The cover overlaps profile portraits of Hunter and Ronson against orange backlighting, with cyan signatures above the diagonal title. Kanner also directed the package for Marvin Sease’s 1989 album The Real Deal.

Mercury issued “American Music” as a February 1990 single (b/w “Tell It Like It Is”).

Lemon reissued YUI Orta during 2003 with the 1971 Ronno single tracks “4th Hour of My Sleep” and “Powers of Darkness.”

Final Work

Following YUI Orta, Ronson continued to write and record with Hull musician Sham Morris. He also worked with the Swedish group EC2 and settled in Stockholm during 1990. Doctors diagnosed inoperable liver cancer the following year.

Ronson continued studio work during treatment. He produced Morrissey’s 1992 album Your Arsenal and played guitar on Bowie’s version of “I Feel Free” for Black Tie White Noise. His final major concert appearance came at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on April 20, 1992, where he joined Bowie and Hunter for “All the Young Dudes” before playing “Heroes” with Bowie.

The Wildhearts used Ronson’s slide-guitar part on “My Baby Is a Headfuck” from the 1993 album Earth vs the Wildhearts. Ronson also advanced the unfinished solo project that he and Morris had developed under the working title To Hull and Back.

Heaven and Hull

Epic released Mick Ronson’s posthumous third solo album, Heaven and Hull, in May 1994.

The album gathers Ronson’s final studio material with guest lead singers selected for individual tracks. Joe Elliott sings “Don’t Look Down,” while David Bowie handles “Like a Rolling Stone.” Chrissie Hynde fronts “Trouble With Me,” and John Mellencamp shares “Life’s a River” with Sham Morris. Ronson sings “Colour Me.” Ian Hunter and Elliott divide “Take a Long Line.” The closing “All the Young Dudes” comes from Ronson’s final concert appearance at the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute.

“Don’t Look Down” (5:51) – Mick Ronson, Colin Allen
“Like a Rolling Stone” (4:20) – Bob Dylan
“When the World Falls Down” (4:22) – Sham Morris, Ronson
“Trouble With Me” (4:42) – Morris, Ronson
“Life’s a River” (5:20) – Ronson, Morris
“You and Me” (3:09) – Suzanne Ronson
“Colour Me” (4:57) – Ronson, Morris
“Take a Long Line” (3:04) – Rick Brewster, John Brewster, Doc Neeson
“Midnight Love” (3:21) – Giorgio Moroder
“All the Young Dudes” (3:48) – David Bowie

Ronson and Morris produced the studio material across sessions completed before Ronson’s death. Vancouver producer Bruce Fairbairn handled “Like a Rolling Stone.” His contemporary work included Aerosmith’s 1989 album Pump. Joe Elliott helped Morris complete the remaining material for release. David Leonard and Erwin Musper engineered portions of the album. Pete Schwier recorded additional material.

Francesca Restrepo directed and designed the package with assistant Timothy Manteau. The front presents a blue-toned profile portrait of Ronson beneath black serif lettering. Restrepo had recently directed the package for Rosanne Cash’s 1993 album The Wheel. The rear sleeve uses a bridge image tied to the Hull wordplay, although the booklet identifies the structure as a bridge other than the Humber Bridge.

Epic issued “Don’t Look Down” with Joe Elliott during April 1994. The CD single also contains “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” “Billy Porter,” and “Love Me Tender.” “Don’t Look Down” reached No. 55 on the UK Singles Chart.

Lemon reissued Heaven and Hull during 2011 with the single edit of “Don’t Look Down.”

Postlude

Mick Ronson died from liver cancer in London on April 29, 1993, at age forty-six. A memorial concert at Hammersmith Apollo during April 1994 brought together Ian Hunter and David Bowie. Joe Elliott joined other Ronson associates on the bill.

Archival releases expanded Ronson’s solo catalogue during the turn of the century. Just Like This collected the shelved 1976 Mick Ronson Band sessions, while Showtime combined live recordings from 1976 and 1989. The Secret Sessions preserved material cut with Hunter and the rhythm section of Corky Laing and Felix Pappalardi. Ronson’s 2001 release Indian Summer assembled recordings made during 1981–82 for an unrealized film project.

Cherry Red consolidated Ronson’s MainMan period in the 2019 four-CD set Only After Dark: The Complete MainMan Recordings. The collection joins both RCA albums with single tracks, unreleased studio material, and concert recordings.

Discography:

Slaughter on 10th Avenue (1974)
Play Don’t Worry (1975)
YUI Orta (1989 • Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson)
Heaven and Hull (1994)
Just Like This [archival] (1999)
Showtime [archival live] (1999)
The Secret Sessions (1999 • Corky Laing with Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, and Felix Pappalardi)
Indian Summer [archival motion-picture soundtrack] (2001)