Slaughter on 10th Avenue (Mick Ronson album)


Slaughter on 10th Avenue is the debut album by Mick Ronson, released in 1974.
For inspiration, Ronson relied on Annette Peacock's 1972 album I'm the One; he used the title track and her arrangement of Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender". Two songs were co-written by Ronson with Scott Richardson, who had been involved in the Ann Arbor music scene since the mid-'60s and came to prominence as lead singer of the SRC. Richardson was brought into the Bowie camp by Angie Bowie, who met him through Ron Asheton of the Stooges. During the recording of the album, Ronson considered putting together a new band with Richardson, Aynsley Dunbar, and Trevor Bolder, to be called the Fallen Angels, but plans fell through.

Promotion and live shows

Mick Ronson's debut concert came at the Rainbow Theatre, London, with a pair of shows on 22–23 February 1974. His band consisted of Mark Carr-Pritchard on second guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass, Mike Garson on keyboards and Ritchie Dharma on drums. The band were augmented by Thunderthighs on vocals, a five-piece horn section and the London Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by a 13 date tour in April 1974 without the orchestra.

Reception

Dave Thompson of AllMusic praised the album, putting it on par with "any of Bowie's own" and describing it as a "snapshot of a special time, when the triple disciplines of glam, rock, and 'Precious Art' slammed into one another." According to journalist Jim Irvin, "Ronno's best-selling solo set of '74 has exclusive Bowie songs, a cracking band and engaging ideas. But the mixes are odd, some tracks don't lift-off and his vocals lack a distinctive persona." Classic Rock reviewer finds the album "a mixed blessing", too. Some songs sound dated and overblown, but Bowie's penned tracks are "slices of old-school camp given a no-nonsense twist."

Track listing

All credits adapted from the original liner notes.
;Side one
  1. "Love Me Tender" – 4:50
  2. "Growing Up and I'm Fine" – 3:10
  3. "Only After Dark" – 3:30
  4. "Music Is Lethal" – 5:10
;Side two
  1. "I'm the One" – 5:03
  2. "Pleasure Man / Hey Ma Get Papa" – 8:55
  3. "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" – 4:41

    Bonus tracks on selected CD editions

  4. "Solo on 10th Avenue – solo guitar sections" – 2:07
  5. "Leave My Heart Alone" – 4:32
  6. "Love Me Tender" – 4:43
  7. "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" – 4:35

    Personnel