A snappily jacketed David Bowie & Mick Ronson have scooped the Most Loved vote this week
Last Sunday, January 8 marked the birthday of legendary music maker David Bowie. Reaching 65 years – officially making him a pensioner – all over the world people paid tribute to the icon: Manchester artist Ed Chapman immortalised Bowie in a mosaic made from hundreds of hand-cut pieces of stone tile, an outpouring of fans including several celebrities called for a comeback tour via twitter, and on AnOther Loves prop stylist Fred Butler posted this image of David Bowie and Mick Ronson taken by prolific rock ‘n’ roll photographer Mick Rock in 1973.
Whilst the legendary English musician, actor, record producer and arranger rose to fame in 1969 with top-five single Space Oddity, Bowie is most famous for his 70s glam rock persona Ziggy Stardust (the Aladdine Sane character Bowie created for his 1973 album of the same name has been imitated most recently on French Vogue by Kate Moss). As one of the Spiders from Mars, Mick Ronson – pictured with Bowie – was incremental to the success of Ziggy. As Bowie said in a 1994 interview: "Mick was the perfect foil for the Ziggy character. He was very much a salt-of-the-earth type, the blunt northerner with a defiantly masculine personality, so that what you got was the old-fashioned Yin and Yang thing. As a rock duo, I thought we were every bit as good as Mick and Keith or Axl and Slash. Ziggy and Mick were the personification of that rock ‘n’ roll dualism."
As we join in in celebrating Bowie’s birthday in making this image of the duo the AnOther Love of the week, Mick Rock describes its setting: “Shot in a British Rail dining car, between London and Aberdeen. I travelled up and down the UK during the final Ziggy Tour, but until my book Moonage Daydream, this photo was never published. It’s now one of the most popular things in my exhibitions – something to do with the mundanity of the meal and the ridiculously exotic look of the diners!”
Here we speak to Butler about why she chose this image and all things Bowie-related.
What made you choose this image of David Bowie and Mick Ronson UK 1973 by Mick Rock?
I like to "Love" things on AnOther Loves that are current and as its Bowie's big birthday week, this was perfect. I was also excited that a gallery were actually selling these prints so it would be a good product to share on AnOther Loves for other Bowie fiends like me.
How do you pronounce Bowie: "bo-ee" or "bow-ee"?
I'm of the "bo-ee" ilk. But I also occasionally like to warble my voice in a Mick Jagger way... "D-havid Booooweee".
Are you a big fan of both their music?
I'm only familiar with their combined music, and yes I'm a huge fan. I collect vinyl and I have systematically tried to amass as much Bowie as possible. My favourite sleeve is "Pin Ups" with the misty images of him and Twiggy which sits on top of my turntable. I saw Bowie perform at Glastonbury in 1997 and I've been hooked ever since.
Both men are considered style icons of their time – do you have any favourite looks or particular style elements of theirs?
It's all about the collaboration with Kansai Yamamoto – of which this monochrome stripey jacket is one such classic. Incredible. My favourite costume is the black and gold jumpsuit with the ginormous disc shape pantaloons. The alien absurdity of the Ziggy Stardust chapter was perfection to me – I'm a sucker for a man in makeup and that was a definitive avant-garde invention.
Like Bowie, you are also renowned for your distinct and vibrant style choices – what is the most garish thing you own?
I think the whole of my wardrobe is garish – I'm not afraid of colour or pattern which usually constitutes as crazy. I wore a gold lurex all-in-one as my bridesmaid "dress" for my sister's wedding with spiky hair which was pretty Bowie! The loudest look I own is probably neon yellow with a tulle pom pom AsFOUR bag which makes me look like a construction worker from Bladerunner.
What are your views on the infamous mullet that Bowie sported through much of his career?
Only he can make a mullet sexy. I don't know what the equation of parts is, but no-one else has pulled it off in my opinion. I'm actually partial to his rockabilly quiff with short back and sides from the Absolute Beginners era, phwoar!
What was the last track, CD or record you bought?
I struck gold in Oxfam recently finding a whole bounty of Mark Moore type London dance records from the early 90s. The best for my bedroom dancing antics is Breathing is E-Zee by Ezee Posse/Jeremy Healy with vocals from Tara Newley (daughter of Joan Collins and singer Anthony Newley). The credit to the artwork is a still from a Katherine Hamnett film by Ellen Von Unwerth?! Great track and great cover!
Text by Lucia Davies
