Gibson Guitars hosted a London gathering including Mick’s family and former Spiders from Mars bandmate
Woody Woodmansey, Lisa Ronson and Suzi Ronson at the launch of the limited-edition replica of the 1968 Les Paul Custom, the iconic guitar of the late Hull musician Mick Ronson(Image: supplied image)
Gibson Guitars hosted an intimate event in London to launch a limited-edition replica of the 1968 Les Paul Custom, the iconic guitar of the late, great Mick Ronson. The evening featured a heartfelt Q&A with his family and former bandmate, offering a unique glimpse into the life of one of Hull’s most legendary musical sons.
The conversation, hosted by BBC 6 Music’s Georgie Rogers and featuring Ronson’s wife Suzi, daughter Lisa, and Spiders from Mars drummer Woody Woodmansey, was filled with anecdotes that brought the story right back to Hull. It painted a vivid picture of the city’s vibrant music scene and the raw talent it produced.
Woodmansey recalled first seeing Ronson play in the city. He said: “I first saw Mick play in Hull… they were like the best local band, really the best rock band.”
He later recounted how Ronson, determined to recruit him, had to navigate local loyalties. “He said, ‘Yeah, cuz we’ve promised another six drummers in Hull that there’s an audition, so they’re all like, practising for it. So, you’re gonna have to come along, otherwise it’d be bad for us in Hull.'”
Suzi, who would become Mick’s wife and the band’s stylist, humorously recalled her first encounter with the band’s thick Hull accents. When asking Woody where he was from, the reply was simply “’ull” – a moment of light-hearted cultural exchange that highlighted their proud northern origins.
Even as they were being catapulted to global fame, their identity as “lads from Hull” remained. Suzi said: “I didn’t know about a royalty… these were lads from Hull I didn’t know about and I was from Beckenham.”
In a particularly colourful memory of their first TV appearance in full makeup, Woody joked: “We look like three hookers from Hull.” The collector’s edition guitar unveiling was held at Gibson Garage Fest and among those present was Mick’s sister, Maggi Ronson, along with musicians, producers and artists, including Glen Matlock, Katie Puckrik, Rusty Egan, Colin Newman, Iestyn Polson, Kevin Armstrong and James Stevenson.
The stripped‐finish 1968 Les Paul Custom became a defining part of Ronson’s sound, style, and legacy. Speaking about the guitar, Suzi said “As a family, we’re incredibly proud that Gibson has recreated his most famous guitar. I think Mick would have been really surprised, really honoured and very proud.
“It’s amazing to see an instrument that looks exactly like his, it brings back so many memories. It’s also bittersweet, because I’m so sorry he isn’t here to see it. But I know he would have been deeply touched.”
Lisa said: “It’s been a privilege to work with Gibson on this. My dad was a multi-instrumentalist, producer and arranger, but he’s best known as a guitarist, and this guitar represents such an iconic period of his career. To have an instrument in his name is incredibly special.”
One of rock music’s most distinctive and quietly influential guitarists, Mick Ronson was far more than David Bowie’s right-hand man during the most transformative years of Bowie’s career. His work as an arranger shaped recordings for artists such as Lou Reed, Pure Prairie League, Ellen Foley, and Roger McGuinn, and he contributed to the arrangement of John Mellencamp’s “Jack & Diane”.
It is his work with Bowie on The Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane, however, that cemented his place in rock history. Gibson Garage Fest London is a series of special events celebrating the two-year anniversary of Gibson Garage London – the brand’s first-ever store outside the US.
As part of the anniversary programme, a rare exhibition featuring three original stage-worn Mick Ronson costumes is being held. These include pieces from his Slaughter on 10th Avenue tour, his time performing with Bob Dylan, and the David Bowie Spiders from Mars era – the groundbreaking 1972-73 period when Bowie and his band fused high-voltage rock with theatrical glam and futuristic style.
Only 100 of the Mick Ronson 1968 Les Paul Custom Collector’s Edition from Gibson Custom are available worldwide at authorised dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and at gibson.com