Guitarist
National Rock Star interview oct 23 1976
An interesting interview with Ricky Gardiner during his time of David Bowie’s Low recordings at the Chateau d’Herouville. National Rock Star was a UK music publication at the time. You can find out more: https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Publication/national-rockstar
A recently discovered set of answers to a Q and A from a Spanish music journalist , which Ricky Gardiner typed out, that give an interesting insight into the Low David Bowie session at the Chateau d'Herouville . Go intuit the questions !
Ricky also took this enigmatic kodachrome image (see below ) of the Brain Eno at the Chateau d'Herouville during these sessions
ANSWERS FOR SPAIN
1: DAVID PHONED ME AND ASKED IF I WOULD GO TO THE CHATEAU AND PUT ON SOME LEAD GUITAR. I AGREED.
2: THE IDIOT TOUR WAS GREAT FOR ME, AFTER BEGGARS OPERA, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL FIVE STAR—— MARVELLOUS.
3: I SEEMED TO FIT IN VERY WELL—- TALKING TO CARLOS, GEORGE MURRAY AND BRIAN ENO WAS A LOT OF FUN.
4: I DID PRETTY MUCH AS I WISHED. DAVID SEEMED TO BE TAKEN WITH THE TREMOLO ARM.
5: BREAKING GLASS. I LIKE YOUR DESCRIPTION ‘ LIKE MECHANICAL FUNK’.
6:’WHAT IN THE WORLD’. YOU SAY IT HAD A POWERFUL RHYTHM. IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT TONY VISCONTI, BEING A BASS PLAYER, TOOK DRUMMING VERY SERIOUSLY.
7: ‘SOUND AND VISION’. THIS WAS VERY MEMORABLE BECAUSE MARY SANG SO BEAUTIFULLY ON IT.
8: ‘ALWAYS CRASHING IN THE SAME CAR’. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE SOLOS I OVERDUBBED. I BELIEVE BRIAN WAS THERE. THEY, DAVID, BRIAN AND TONY, SEEMED TO LIKE IT.
9: ‘BE MY WIFE’. I LIKE THE PIANO AFTER THE INTRO. IT STRIKES ME THAT ROY WAS ON SONG THERE.
10: ‘A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN’. THE THING I TAKE FROM THIS IS GEORGE MURRAY’S RIFF ON THE PRECISION BASS AT TWO MINUTES AND TWENTY THREE SECONDS.
11: CARLOS AND I GOT ON VERY WELL. OUR COLLABORATION WAS VERBAL.
12: THE ‘LUST FOR LIFE’ ALBUM JUST HAPPENED. I DO NOT REMEMBER ANYONE DIRECTING AS SUCH.
This atmospheric picture was taken by Ricky Gardiner at the Chateau D’Herouville during his time at the Low sessions with David Bowie. As you can see Mary Hopkin and Brian Eno are at the far end of the breakfast table. David Bowie is seated at the far right in one of two comfortable chairs. In the other chair is Morgan Visconti, son of Mary Hopkin and Tony Visconti, who kindly revisited this image. I love the vintage paraphernalia at the far end of the room: the old TV, video player, which I believe was used to watch Monty Python, the upturned blue heart on the pink poster and the random potted plants.
I think the person next to Brian Eno may be Pat Gibbons who was David Bowie management at the time
The Beggars Opera website offers a Ricky Gardiner bundle of exceptional solo guitar works and collaborations, which includes The Flood.
This interesting doodle was created when Beggars Opera were working on their 2 covers of the Passenger with Virginia Scott on vocals and Andy Milner on acoustic guitar. Such a great song.
A rare photograph of Beggars Opera from 1972 which was first uploaded on Beggars Opera 1969/1972 Facebook group by Martin Griffiths, from one of the last Beggars Opera tours of Germany.
Ricky Gardiner and Gordon Sellar/ Beggars Opera at Brans Hatch live 1973, featuring Ricky Gardiner’s Lombardi Stack.
I am the Passenger
From David Bowie News – I came across this post today about Ricky’s vintage photos of the Low Sessions at Chateau D’Herouville, Paris 1976 taken on his trusty Nikormat.
There are other great images in the film of the musicians who were there, but this one is especially rare as apparently, according to Tony Visconti, it is the only image there is of David Bowie, Tony Visconti and Brian Eno together.
Ricky Gardiner 1948/2022
It is with deep sadness that we annouce the passing of Ricky Gardiner Guitarist Songwriter/ Composer.
Ricky passed away in his sleep ealry in the morning of Friday the 13th of May. He had been suffering from Parkinson PSP for the last 12 years of his life.
We thank you for privacy at this time and welcome donations to https://pspassociation.org.uk to help to raise awareness of this rare condition.
Love and Light
Virginia and all the Gardiner family
Listen to Ricky’s last work ‘Songs For The Electric’ here: https://www.beggarsopera.co.uk
Virginia Scott’s Back Stage Pass for the Idiot Tour Rainbow Performance.
Ricky Gardiner 