By Madeline Bocaro ©
The most important guitar in the world resided (for a time) just one hour away from my home – in Connecticut. The one that played all my favourite songs – the one that reverberates through the decades, through the galaxies and beyond. Sonic sweetness, sorcery and simplicity emanated from its body and infamous face. Mick Ronson’s 1968 Les Paul Custom was in my own humble hands once again, and I could certainly feel his sweet vibes, his greatness and his gentle soul.
My friend Gilly (of Weird & Gilly) from Cleveland was in town to work on a new chapter for the 2nd printing of their Mick Ronson biography, The Spider With the Platinum Hair. I had the pleasure of assisting with her research!
Ronson’s Les Paul was originally a Black Beauty. Ronno had the paint stripped in 1970. A fellow musician suggested that the guitar’s high end might sound better if it could breathe, so off came the paint, and Mick had the only Les Paul around with its natural wood exposed. The wood grain eventually became the ‘fingerprints’ that helped identify and locate the guitar years later.
The public first heard it on ‘The Width of a Circle’ during Bowie’s February 1970 session on John Peel’s BBC radio show, and it rocked out The Man Who Sold the World album when Mick became Bowie’s permanent sidekick on the next four albums. Ronson’s guitar graced Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups with power chords, pop perfection and eloquently streamlined solos.
Mick used this iconic guitar when he toured with Ian Hunter from 1975 through 1980s, and he would let me play it, and gave me short demonstrations! As I held Mick’s precious guitar once again, I could hear it singing the echoes of the past. All my favourite songs played through my mind; ‘Moonage Daydream’, ‘Queen Bitch’, ‘Ziggy Stardust’, ‘Suffragette City’, Lou Reed’s ‘Vicious’ from Transformer, and from Aladdin Sane ‘Watch That Man’, ‘Panic In Detroit’, ‘Time’, ‘Cracked Actor’, all the cover songs on Bowie’s Pin Ups album, masterpieces from Mick’s solo albums. ‘Slaughter on 10th Avenue’, ‘I’m The One/Pleasure Man’, ‘Play Don’t Worry’, ‘Angel No. 9’, Mott The Hoople’s ‘Saturday Gigs’, and ‘Lounge Lizzard’ from Ian Hunter’s 1975 solo album… This wonderful instrument created it all!!! I could picture Bowie kneeling down in front of Mick and playing it with his teeth… and Mick holding it out to hundreds of outstretched hands in the infamous photos of the Ziggy live gigs.
The Ziggy Stardust guitar was rescued from oblivion by one of Mick’s biggest fans, guitar dealer Rick Tedesco. He located it at the Hard Rock Café in Australia. Mick had donated it to the Hard Rock in the late 80s, signed, “I’m still rockin’ – Mick Ronson”. Rick made them an offer they couldn’t refuse, and he now owns and protects the treasured guitar at his home in Connecticut, after 2 years on loan at Cleveland’s Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. I love Rick’s story of finding the UPS package leaning against his house in the shape of a guitar, knowing of the treasure that was inside. Rick opened the package at his parents’ house, in the very room where he first saw Ronno live on TV as a teenager – a broadcast of the Ziggy’s 1973 Hammersmith farewell gig. He said it was a really emotional experience.
Thanks to Rick for the visitation rights, and for a lovely afternoon!
Update:
The guitar now resides in Monte Carlo. Rick, in a very tough and emotional decision, accepted an incredible offer that he couldn’t refuse. The new owner promises to exhibit Mick’s guitar in the future.
THE PHOTOS:
The albums are from Mick’s very own collection. It was very cool to see Mick’s very own copies of Slaughter and Aladdin…and also his Annette Peacock records!
THE AMP: (THE PIG!) – the Ziggy amp that Ronson plugged into on all Bowie records and the live gigs. It’s a Marshall Major 200 watt. He connected to an angled 4×12″ Marshall cabinet. He also used a Cry Baby pedal.
THE BLACK GUITAR: – The Les Paul before the paint was stripped.
THE BLUE TELECASTER: The guitar that Mick used primarily after he gave up the Les Paul in the late 80s.
THE AWARD: Mick received it posthumously in 2008 from Classic Rock magazine, UK.
by Madeline Bocaro – January, 2009
The Black Beauty:
I don’t suppose you know where that blue 12 string acoustic guitar is ? The one Bowie used when playing “Queen Bitch” on the Old Grey Whistle Test
Sorry I don’t know the whereabouts of Bowie’s blue guitar. It was not in his huge David Bowie Is exhibition.
Incredible, I am extremely envious!
Is there any info as to when the headstock paint was also removed – Ronno’s was still black on the cover of Play Don’t Worry
When they did the neck repair they removed all the rest of the black paint … early 80s.
This is fantastic history. I probably sat near his guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe in Sydney. Thank you Madeline for some great information during COVID lockdown. Best wishes to you. Adrienne
It’s a shame the hard rock sold it , Mick donated it so everyone would have chance to see it at one of the various hard rocks round the world ,now of course, owned by very rich guy in Monaco
What a beautiful article. Mick was, is and always will be my favorite. Love his work with Bowie, but even more, I love his other recordings. My how he could make a guitar talk, sing, weep – anything at all. HIs live version of “I’d Give Anything to See You” from the CD titled “Showtime” brings tears of joy to me. How I miss him.
Mick made my teenage years, and made me pick up a guitar, and play till my fingers burnt.
Great Read !!! Mick Ronson is My Favorite Guitarist of All Time and it’s Not Even Close Quoting Andi Sexgang “We’re listening to the Album Ziggy Stardust and reminded of how Mick Ronson could take a single guitar note and make it Sing like a Chorus of Angels”
Mick played on 3 Artists Signature Album’s Bowie Ziggy Stardust Lou Reed’s Transformer Ian Hunter’s Schizophrenic Nuff Said