In the tranquil suburbs of London back in 1965, 15-year-old Suzanne Fussey embarked on a seemingly ordinary career in hairdressing. Now, over half a century later, she’s Suzi Ronson, residing in New York City’s vibrant West Village, and reminiscing about her transformation into the stylist for global music superstar David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase. She’s also key in recalling her married life with Mick Ronson, a key member of Bowie’s band, The Spiders from Mars.
The link that joined her ordinary beginnings with the world of rockstars was a client in her salon of similar age to her mother, Mrs Jones who sported a tweed skirt, practical footwear, and a standard English cardigan. The woman informed the young stylist about her uniquely creative, top-10 charting son, the maker of the hit Space Oddity. It quickly became apparent to Ronson that the woman was referring to Bowie – who despite his earlier successes, was still performing in local pubs like the Three Tuns.
In 1971, an eventful day marked when Mrs Jones introduced her daughter-in-law, the bold and eccentric Angie Bowie, to the salon. This led to Ronson crafting an eccentric ‘do of bright pink, soft blue and frosty silver streaks. Fast-forward a few months and Ronson found herself at the Bowies’ residence, Haddon Hall, for a styling session where she encountered David Bowie for the first time. He was spotted relaxing in the spacious midnight-blue lounge, casually browsing a magazine clad in a velvet shirt and fitted trousers.
Initially, there wasn’t much talking. “He was rather reserved. Angie was perfect for him—she effortlessly conducted the dialogue,” notes Ronson. However, during one visit, “he proposed a challenge, showing me a snapshot of a model wearing a flaming, sharply cut hairstyle from a publication, asking if I could replicate it.” Despite her uncertainties, she agreed on the spot and after painstakingly working for two nights, she produced a radiant red coiffure that soared like hedgehog spines. “The sight of it caused Angie to shriek while David pranced joyfully about their space, tossing his head, thoroughly delighting in his new look.”
Ronson found the Bowie couple enthrallingly captivating. “At that moment, David was no one special, yet they were endlessly fascinating. They would discuss people unfamiliar to me,” she comments, “the breadth of life they opened up was something I was unaware of until I encountered them. I was merely an ordinary youngster from suburban Beckenham. Trying to keep pace with their chatter proved a challenge—I often just sat quietly, joining the laughter whenever I found something humorous in their discourse.”
Ronson was captivated by Marc Bolan from T Rex. The mention of his name during a conversation with the Bowies had her believing she could finally earn some standing with them. “I expressed my admiration for his looks and couldn’t stop talking about it. When I eventually stopped, there was an uncomfortable silence. Only then did I understand why, despite their companionship, David and Marc were also rivals during that era. David was not fond of my obsession with Marc Bolan. That put me back in my silent corner for another half year,” she recounts, chuckling.
In a conversation marked by candour, Ronson opens up about an intimate encounter with Bowie. She explains that, during a different time period predating the AIDS crisis, she found herself drawn towards the appealing musician. Yet, she insists, her heart didn’t flutter for him. Ronson was intrigued, rather than infatuated.
Addressing her relationship with Angie, Bowie’s spouse at the time, she maintains that no questions were asked about her liaison with the singer. She had by then expressed her yearning to join Bowie’s troupe on the road, not as a groupie but as a professional adding value to the production. She was eager to break free from the stereotype of “that kind of girl”.
Ronson indeed succeeded in landing a job with the band. She was instrumental in crafting the look of the band, including the iconic spiked hairstyle Bowie wore on the cover of his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It was in this role that she crossed paths with her future husband. Their relationship however, did not blossom until after Bowie abandoned his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego, in the leadup to the creation of the Pin Ups album with Mick.
One might presume that given Mick’s sterling guitar skills – exemplified in the hypnotic riff from Starman amongst other tracks – Bowie would have admired his guitarist. However, Ronson claims that Bowie undervalued Mick’s contribution. According to her, Mick lacked self-belief and feared that any sign of protest might result in his being expelled from the band.
This power dynamic was fairly evident in their song writing sessions, Ronson elaborates. A collaboration wherein Mick set the tune and Bowie penned the lyrics, was always eclipsed under the label of ‘Bowie’s song’. She further reveals that Mick was paid a mere £50 per week, a nominal £30 more than her earnings.
There were several memorable moments during their travels. One in particular that stands out was their stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, which was remarkable. Their stay extended beyond a week owing to David Bowie’s decision to drive due to his fear of flying. Meanwhile, they were also joined by Iggy Pop. This period marked their performances in Santa Monica, which were highly applauded.
At this time, a distinct groupie culture was prevalent, especially during tours in the US. As per her descriptions, upon their arrival at the Riot House on Sunset Strip, groupies from the previous visiting band would typically be present. Despite it seeming unappealing, this was simply how things were during this era in the music industry. These band followers usually followed high profile bands like Iggy [Pop], Zepp [Led Zeppelin], The Who or any big band in town.
Out of all the famous musicians she encountered, Bob Dylan left an indelible impression. He had an overwhelming charisma that created a unique energy around him. Despite David possessing a similar aura, Dylan had it in an extraordinary measure. However, they seldom got to spend time with him even when Mick was a part of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour during 1975-76. Dylan had a tendency to keep to himself, spending time in his own Winnebago. Mick revealed that he hardly ever interacted with him. Sometimes Dylan would keep silent for periods extending up to three weeks, which she found amusing and thought was quite peculiar of him.
Maintaining pace with Dylan on stage posed its own challenges, given his unpredictable set lists and unique interpretations of his songs. Suzi humorously emulates Mick struggling with Dylan’s unpredictable nature, particularly his intention to perform ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ in a fast-paced, reggae rhythm which made it unrecognisable.
The pinnacle of these moments may have been experienced, however, a low point was certainly reached on the 3rd of July, 1973 during Bowie’s sudden, final performance of Ziggy Stardust at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. “The farewell to Ziggy was incredibly melancholic,” reminisces Ronson. The Spiders from Mars harboured hopes of travelling to the United States in September. Ronson likens this abrupt ending to something Bowie would typically do. A prior warning would have afforded them some contemplation time on their future course. She describes the shocking abandonment as rather cruel. The most sorrowful part being their belief that they were a team, yet the reality was quite the opposite. These were naive young lads hailing from Hull, living in council homes, who were under the impression they would always be together.
Ronson, however, had been in the know about the disintegration plan for a duration of three months prior. Functioning in the capacity of a stylist provided her with the opportunity to effortlessly blend into the background whilst Bowie partook in confidential discussions. One such conversation was with his manager, Tony Defries, and Mick in a backstage area of Tokyo in April of 1973. “Mick was guaranteed a career, it was logical. They had discussions on separating the band, which made me hope for a change in decision. The information was solely with me. I lacked the close companionship with Mick to discuss it then. It struck me that the other musicians would be informed, but to my surprise, they were not. It was quite the shock.”
Post the closing Ziggy Stardust night, the Bowies had scarcely any presence in the lives of the Ronsons. “The day Mick passed away from liver cancer in 1993, David rang me in tears. The fact that he had not reached out to me when Mick was sick made me bitterly angry,” she states. “I was in London at the time and barely had any consideration for David because he didn’t do anything to assist Mick. Though he did give us a sum of money, it seemed almost dismissive. Mick contributed a lot in shaping David’s career and – in my view – he should have expressed more kindness and generosity while he was ailing, not the day after his death. During that phase, David only seemed concerned about himself.”
Suzi Ronson found herself impoverished following her husband’s death. “I was completely penniless,” she confesses. Following the death of Bolan, Bowie took up the cost of his son’s education, leaving Ronson wondering how she was to finance her own daughter’s studies. To compound matters, she lost her job and was diagnosed with cancer. This is unexpected considering her husband’s illustrious career, as he worked in collaboration with Bowie on Lou Reed’s well-known album, Transformer, as well as contributing the memorable piano tone to Perfect Day.
Despite everything, Suzi expresses gratitude for Bowie’s influence on their lives. “Without David, Mick would’ve been stuck in Hull designing school gardens and I might’ve ended up as a hairdresser. He brought a whirlwind of change into my life. I’m positive Mick would’ve been just as thankful. They truly made an exceptional team.”
Suzi Ronson’s book, Me and Mr Jones: My Life with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars, is due to be released on the 4th of April by Faber & Faber. Additionally, plans are set for Ronson to make an appearance at the Belfast Book Festival on the 9th of June.