Mick Ronson Only After Dark: The Complete Main Man Recordings CHERRY RED
Roger C Reale And Rue Morgue The Collection RAVE ON
Bowie’s star man’s 70s solo work collected, and a new wave album that Ronno guested on.
It’s hard to believe that Only After Dark (9/10) is the first truly definitive collection of Mick Ronson’s classic 1970s solo work, and it’s to Cherry Red’s credit that this is a comprehensive collection with both MainMan albums, live material, demos and even a flexidisc interview from Teen magazine. And having all this music in one place for the first time enables the listener to discern the thread that links the often overly diverse strands of Ronson’s music. Here are Bowie collaborations (Growing Up And I’m Fine, Hey Ma Get Papa) and Bowiesque numbers (Ronson’s superb Only After Dark, the Pin-Ups-slated White Light White Heat), and also dramatic ballads (Music Is Lethal, This Is For You) and unlikely covers (Love Me Tender,). Ronson himself admitted his records were “a bit of a mixture”, and this, combined with the fact that he seemed more comfortable as a sideman than as a lead singer, meant that his solo career never really took off as expected.
That said, this collection – remastered, annotated and excellently compiled
– shows that Ronson’s brilliance lay in his diversity. An astonishing guitarist, brilliant arranger and fine singer, he brought the same passion and commitment to covers like The Girl Can’t Help It as he did to underrated songs of his own like Billy Porter. Over three discs, you can’t help but admire his many abilities. However, it’s no surprise that Ronson decided to carry on his career first as a (temporary) member of Mott The Hoople, and then partner with Mott’s Ian Hunter in the Hunter Ronson Band, as well as producer and collaborator for younger acts such as Rich Kids, Slaughter And The Dogs and The Wildhearts.
It is in his capacity as collaborator that he appears on the second album by Massachusetts new-wavey rockers Roger C Real And The Rue Morgue (7/10), apparently after hearing the band’s debut and being blown away by it. In truth it’s a lesser work, and is outclassed by the rest of the material here: energetic rock’n’roll chug of the superior kind.