Only After Dark: The Complete Mainman Recordings (4CD)

4CD Box

• When David Bowie announced at the Hammersmith Odeon on 3^rd July 1973 that he (or, as it subsequently turned out, alter-ego Ziggy Stardust) was breaking up the band, manager Tony Defries glimpsed a golden opportunity rather than the end of an era. With the MainMan agency’s main man coming off the road for at least a while, there was, Defries reasoned, space in the rock star firmament for a new Bowie, particularly one who would also be under MainMan’s management…

• Thus it was that Bowie’s faithful right-hand man, Mick Ronson, was thrust into the spotlight. Possibly the most reluctant solo performer ever, Ronno was given three weeks to write and record a debut solo album. With Bowie’s help (he contributed three songs to the set), “Slaughter On 10^th Avenue” was quickly pieced together after the conclusion of the “Pin Ups” sessions. Despite its rushed nature it was a strong effort, and the LP reached the UK album charts Top Ten.

• Buoyed by this success, Ronson then recorded a second album, “Play Don’t Worry” - although before it could appear, he’d accepted Ian Hunter’s invitation to join Mott The Hoople. As a result, Mick’s sophomore solo set was largely overlooked, and his lukewarm attempts to promote it were further scuppered by his and Ian Hunter’s decision to leave Mott and relocate to America.

• Sadly “Slaughter On 10^th Avenue” and “Play Don’t Worry” would be the only solo albums released during Mick’s lifetime: after his departure from MainMan in mid-1976, he largely preferred to work in a group context rather than as a solo performer.

• Nevertheless, he did continue to record sporadically as a solo act. A 4-CD set, Only After Dark chronicles his peripatetic solo work during the rest of the seventies after his split with Bowie, with those two official albums joined by B-sides, alternative versions, outtakes and a plethora of unissued-at-the-time studio recordings (including a handful with Guam, the backing band for Bob Dylan’s legendary 1975 Rolling Thunder tour) and various highlights from his live shows. Featuring some rare photos and a lengthy new essay on his Seventies career, Only After Dark is the most comprehensive anthology to date of a major talent.

Disc: 1
1 Love Me Tender
2 Growing Up And I’m Fine
3 Only After Dark
4 Music Is Lethal
5 I'm The One
6 Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa
7 Slaughter On 10th Avenue
8 Leave My Heart Alone
9 Slaughter On 10th Avenue – Solo Guitar Sections
10 Love Me Tender (Live)
11 Slaughter On 10th Avenue (Live)
12 'Teen Magazine' Interview (Spoken Word)
13 Slaughter On 10th Avenue
14 Angel No. 9
15 F.B.I. (Live)
Disc: 2
1 Billy Porter
2 Angel No. 9
3 This Is For You
4 White Light/White Heat
5 Play Don’t Worry
6 Hazy Days
7 Girl Can’t Help It
8 Empty Bed (Io Me Ne Andrei)
9 Woman
10 Seven Days
11 28 Days Jam (Out-Take)
12 Stone Love (Soul Love) (Out-Take)
13 I’d Rather Be Me (Out-Take)
14 Life On Mars (Demo)
15 Pain In The City (Demo)
16 Dogs (French Girl) (Demo)
17 Woman (Demo - Alternative Version)
18 Seven Days (Demo - Alternative Version)
Disc: 3
1 All Night Long
2 I'd Give Anything To See You
3 Takin' A Train
4 Hard Life
5 (I'm Just A) Junkie For Your Love
6 Crazy Love
7 Hey Grandma
8 Is That Any Way
9 I've Got No Secrets
10 Hard Headed Woman
11 Roll Like The River
12 Angel No. 9
13 Junkie (Demo)
14 All Night Long (Demo)
15 Ronno's Bar & Grill (Studio Outtake)
Disc: 4
1 Hey Grandma (Demo)
2 Crazy Love (Demo)
3 Hard Life (Demo - Ballad Version)
4 I'd Give Anything To See You (Demo)
5 Takin' The Next Train (Demo)
6 Crazy Love (Live)
7 Hey Grandma (Live)
8 (Takin' A) Train (Live)
9 Junkie (Live)
10 I'd Give Anything (To See You) (Live)
11 Hard Life (Live)
12 All Night Long (Live)