Bowie Lead Guitarists: Who's Your Fave?

Any list that includes Marc Bolan winds up with Marc Bolan on top for me! Did he play on anything else by Bowie besides "The Prettiest Star"?

 

Well, he did on that TV show of his in 1977, a couple of weeks before he died. But nothing in the studio, no.

 

Always thought Bowie made a mistake by ditching Mick Ronson especially on Diamond Dogs.

 

Then I will go as far as question if you are really a fan of Bowie.
Maybe you are more a fan of glam and guitar rock?
Bowie's compositions and arrangements took a different direction after 1973.
Mick Ronson, no matter how talentful he was - and he was, became a drag for Bowie's creative output.
Ronson was perfect for Bowie as the Glam-God Ziggy Stardust and the musical style put to it, but it was also a single-minded style Ronson stood for. His solo albums and the work he did with Ian Hunter, are more or less build around the same guitar-oriented Stones-like sound. Bowie searched for something else and it was for the better of it. Maybe he lost some of his glam-fans, but then he gained a whole new audience with his art-rock.

 

The album is one of his best IMO and my favourite from the 69-74 period, so no way, Jose.

 

You're not invited to my party now.

 

Never really liked that album. Very dark and Orwellian (imo). Not sure Ronson would have fit that one anyway.

 

I usually prefer Carlos Alomar's playing... because I'm more into "beautiful" guitars rather than big riffs and so on. My favourite part of guitar on any Bowie song is Wild is the Wind but I have no idea if that's Earl Slick or Carlos Alomar!

But I love Mick Ronson, too, and he did some of the best arrangements Bowie ever had, in my opinion...

I can't stand Belew, though.

 

Sorry. It's as much Bowies fault - really dislike 'Earthling' apart from 'Telling Lies'. If it's any consolation I do like his contribution to 'Survive'. It's the sqwee/ptang/kflunk/squirtle stuff I really dislike and his general tone..

 

I suspect these match the other poll about our favorite Bowie era. My answer does: Ronson by a mile.

Fripp is second, though I have to admit I don't think of him as "Bowie's lead guitarist"--more a peer who was brought on to collaborate.

I'm surprised there aren't more votes for Gabrels. He's not to my taste, but people who love him really LOVE him.

 

Recorded at the same session as The Prettiest Star was the re-recording of London Bye Ta Ta; most likely (?) Bolan plays on that too.

 

Fripp cause he's great. If there had been multiple votes allowed then I would have voted Ronno then Fripp then Belew.

 

Reeves Gabrels. I know the smart money is on Mick Ronson and I do like his guitar but I find myself turning to the Gabrels era work a lot more often these days.

 

Completely agree. Not a fan of Gabrels on the Bowie albums for the most part.

 

Ronson and SRV.

 

So Newton's 3rd law of music says that I have to like an artist's entire output to be a fan?

I like Bowie's output with Ronson, the others not so much. I have several artists who I feel the same way about. They happened to go in a direction I didn't care to follow.

 

Sounds like Slick to me. Why don't you like Belew?

 

Ronson, Gabrels, Slick, Belew were all great, but I had a cat named Fripp, so...

 

I'll take the group of guys who played lead with Alomar-Davis-Murray during the 70's. Those lead parts were innovative and unorthodox (at the time), inspired.

That band (with any of those lead guitar players) is up there with the Funk Bros. as one of the most underrated bands in popular music.

 

I should have said it in another way: I think you are a fan of Glam/Rock and thereby, a Bowie-glam-era fan?

 

When one hears live recordings one realises that the studio recordings of Mick Ronson are considerably tamed. Moonage Daydream on Ziggy, compared to any of the live versions floating around, Panic in Detroit compared to the Feb 15 recording at Radio City Music Hall are two that spring to mind.

I think each of the guitarists in the list are talented, not all to my liking, but only two do something that is much more than complementary to my ears - Ronson lived in the song and Fripp was wild and applied the 'finishing touch', but that's what that music ("Heroes" album especially) required.

Of those not mentioned I think Marc Bolan's guitar on The Prettiest Star is exquisitely beautiful, Mick Wayne's Space Oddity is "just right". It took me some years to appreciate Earl Slick's lead on David Live for what it is.

 

I rarely categorize my listening habits. I listen to many different styles/genres of music. With the sheer volume of music available to choose from why spend time listening to an artist who went in a direction you don't care to follow? It really is that simple......

 

There is a documentary coming out on Ronson. It's called "Beside Bowie" that notes his importance during those five albums with Bowie as arranger, player and, in some situations, uncredited co-writer. Bowie recorded comments before his death for it.

Watch Trailer for New Mick Ronson Documentary, 'Beside Bowie'

Although Mick wasn't my fav Bowie guitarist, there's no doubt about his 1) tremendous talent 2) influence on Bowie 3) chops

 

Me too. I love the rough edge DB brought to a songwhen he did his own leads. Honerable mentions to almost everyone else on this list, especially Ricky Gardener, Fripp & Belew.
Oy and wot about Pete Townshend?!

That said, the only guitar gunslinger that he brought in to play lead that really did not fit was Frampton imho. And I like Frampton...

 

Mick without question (my favorite riff is from the opening to "Queen Bitch"- amazing IMHO).
But the "Station to Station" record would not be "Station to Station" without Earl Slick and of course "Heroes" wound not even be close to its legendary status without Robert Fripp.