Bowie PDF Book from JFK247

single on Vertigo had sunk without trace. Ronson
brought all his musicians down the A1; they arrived
on the 5th and had one afternoon to rehearse. For
Ronson, Woodmansey and bassist Trevor Bolder –
who had joined Ronno only recently – the one
afternoon was an impromptu, scary, electrifying start
to a journey that would stay that way.
Their nervousness was useful, forcing them to
come up with ideas, and most of the off-the-cuff riffs
they pulled together would survive on David’s
upcoming album. David exuded happiness and
positivity: overjoyed both with the arrival of Zowie
and the thrill of creation. There was no overlooking
his nervous energy, but he projected the conviction
that this was meant to be; this was his man-child
quality, that incredible sense of focus and belief that
everything was simple.
The show united Haddon Hall regulars like Mark
Pritchett, George Underwood and David’s
schoolmate Geoff MacCormack, with Ronson’s
band, whose singer Benny Marshall guested on a
cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Almost Grown’. The Hull
musicians were ‘nervous as hell’, yet much of the
party atmosphere that is audible on the show’s
recording is genuine. At times, the vibe was
surprisingly intimate – as in the rendition of ‘Kooks’,
dedicated to the new Bowie child, and jokey
interactions with John Peel – yet from the moment
David walked into the dressing room wearing jeans
and a t-shirt, and out of it wearing his Mr Fish dress,
exuding glamour, there was no doubt that this was
an accomplished coup de théâtre. At the end, David