Sunday, December 27, 2020

Mick Ronson - Just Like This (1976)

By late 1976 Mick Ronson had finally split with his long-time manager Tony DeFries, and as he wanted to record again he put a band together, and in November 1976 they entered Bearsville Studios to record a new album. Problems with the record company meant that the raw tapes were never mixed, and were subsequently consigned to the vaults, but they were exhumed and mixed in 1993 when the album finally received a limited release, although that issue is now impossible to find. The recent Mick Ronson box set 'Only After Dark' included all the songs from the album, so I've extracted them and slightly updated the artwork so that you can hear it without having to shell out for the whole box if, like me, you already own his other two records. I've always thought 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue' and 'Play Don't Worry' were very under-rated albums, as they both have some great material on them, but this one sounds even better, and it's a mystery why the record company couldn't hear that, as it has some crunching rock guitar, beautiful soaring solos, and just great songs.



Track listing

01 Just Like This (T-Bone Walker)
02 I'd Give Anything To See You
03 Takin' A Train (Jay Davis)
04 Hard Life
05 (I'm Just A) Junkie For Your Love (Ricky Fataar)
06 Crazy Love (Blondie Chaplin)
07 Hey Grandma (Skip Spence)
08 Is That Any Way
09 I've Got No Secrets
10 Hard Headed Woman
11 Roll Like The River (Ronson, Mick Barakan, Bobby Chen, Burt Carey)

All tracks composed by Mick Ronson, except where stated.


10 comments:

  1. I dont have the box set but I seem to have gotten this complete album in 2016 & a 2nd disc of the demos as well-

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  2. The album did belatedly get an official release in 1999, bolstered by some demos, but I can't find it anywhere so it looks like its long gone.

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  3. I like a lot of what you do but this crosses the line into straight theft. Give the record co a chance to recoup costs etc before pillaging what you think you have a right to. Cherry Red are a reissues company giving artists a chance at some extra royalties etc. And yes, as you might suspect, I work in the biz and have had a lot of dealings with Cherry Red.

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  4. This does have a lot of great material, but I can also understand that the record company was hesitant: A lot of this stuff is heavy on riffs (great if you're a fan of that) but low on potential as a hit single and almost everything here runs longer than it needs to. I think some judicious editing would have done this material a world of good.

    "I've Got No Secrets" sounds amazingly like early 90s alternative rock.

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  5. Hi! As PJ has stated these tracks were in a raw and unfinished state due to Bearsville Records pulling the plug,Ronno and Co would have had enough experience to have knocked the Songs into shape via arrangements,editing and overdubs etc, Mainman didn't exactly help Ronno prior to this Session (They didn't even bankroll Bowie's Pinups album !) so the Session came to an impasse and wasn't resumed as funds weren't there to finish it ! Mick deserved so much more than to be treated that way ! He was one of the very best Both as a Briliant Musician and as a Person - A Gentleman ! 😎 🎩

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  6. - Brilliant ! 😎 🎩

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  7. Hi! There were two Sessions - November and December. 😎 🎩

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  8. There seems to be a download problem. Great site by the way.

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