Recorded back in 1976 in Woodstock the late Great Mick Ronsons ‘Just Like This’  finally get the release this posthumous collection of recorded songs deserves.  Sure it only contains seven songs but the quality is awesome and the tracks themselves aren’t too shabby either.

The title track is a great riff that just seems to glide as the band hammer down that groove. It sort of sets the tone for what we are about to hear to be fair and on ‘Hard Life’ I love the way the band throws in a snippet of ‘Ziggy’ in the middle of the track as the band is locked in and jamming out.

Ronson is joined by Mick Barakan on Guitar & Backing Vocals, Jay Davis on Bass and Backing Vocals plus lead vocal on Takin’ a Train & Hey Grandma, whilst Bobby Chen plays Drums and Backing Vocals.  The songs are described as having a harder edge which is fair to say but the playing remains the (Not So)  secret weapon and the players involved recollect that they didn’t realise how good Mick was as a player until they got up close to the guy in the studio but you don’t get to work with the likes of Bowie, Hunter and Dylan by being average I guess.  It’s also mad to think that these tapes and songs might never have seen the light of day due to lack of funds at the time and the classic record label unhappy with what they were hearing now that would have been a tragedy had we never have been able to drop the needle on these tunes..

Original ‘1998’ tape restoration & mastering was re-done in 2018 Re-Mastering duties were handled by Anders Peterson at Ghost Mastering & Post, Sweden. It’s great that recordings like this aren’t lost forever and still people care enough to preserve them and sadly in Ronson’s absence us folks out on the high street can finally enjoy some fantastic musicians making music.

Officially endorsed by Ronsons family this edition comes on blood red vinyl and with great sleeve notes reminiscing about the recording of these tracks by the people who mattered but its the music that is captured in the grooves that shine brightest.  I love the laid-back groove of ‘I’d Give Anything To See You’ which has some amazing restrained playing and then to follow it up with ‘Takin’ A Train’ is sublime.

who wouldn’t love the full-tilt groove of ‘Hey Grandma’ but my favourite has to be the epic ‘Crazy Love’ where you can easily get lost inside some fantastic guitar playing. Long live the music of Mick Ronson –  Ronno On! indeed such a cool talent that’s greatly missed.

Buy Just Like This Here 

Author: Dom Daley