February 22, 1975 - Mick Ronson Play Don't Worry

Ronson: don't play, worry

MICK RONSON: "Play Don't Worry." (RCA APL 1 0681).

Mick Ronson (voice, guitars, drums, bass, har-monica, piano, clavinet, re-corder, synthesizer), with assistance from Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Trevor Bolder (bass), Mike Gar-son (piano), Tony New-man (drums), Richie Dharma (drums), John Mealing (piano), Vicky Silva, Beverley Baxter, Miquel Brown (voices), Ian Hunter and the Microns (voices), and others.

Produced by Mick Ron-son at Trident Studios and Scorpio Sound Studios, London.

COR reasons known only to himself,

The gatefold sleeve of "Play Don't Worry" features four shots of Mick Ronson, three of him in underpants, one in Levis, his arms bound with gaffer tape, the roadie's cure-all, striking the kind of agonized Guitar Hero poses thought to have been buried with the last gasps of T. Rex-tasy, circa 1972.

Masquerade eyes screwed up real tight, Mick bends those strings, humping the guitar into his groin with what subtle phallic significance! Spent, he clutches the Gibson's curvaceous body to his bosom, his eyes brim to overflowing, his downturned mouth emits a small sob.

There is nothing to indicate that he possesses either originality or character in any degree. And characterless people inevitably produce characterless music. As a composer, guitarist, and vocalist (we'll discount his lesser abilities on drums and keyboards), Ronson is entirely derivative. Chameleon-like, he adopts unconvincing new poses with each passing track. Where "Love Me Tender" and "I'm The One" on his first album were direct lifts from Annette Peacock, so "Billy Porter," the kickoff track here, "borrows" unhesitatingly.

It's with the album's title track, however, that we descend into what can only be self-parody. The way I read it, this appears to be Ronson reflecting on the pitfalls of success: "Do you remember that dream/Has it come true/Aren't you worried what people gonna think of you?" and advising a close friend, or maybe himself, to just play on and ignore the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism and the grasping hands of big business.

"Keep on going, yeah, buddies, bash on through," sings Mick. Coming from Ronson, such counsel is priceless. After all, the concept of mates lending a helping hand is the very antithesis of what the cult of the English insular glam-rock pop star is all about. If playing music was really the purpose of the exercise, then... why the preposterous poses?

Not only is "Play Don't Worry" shallow, then, but also dishonest, which is worse, of

course. And I could go on, to tell you that "This Is for You" contains breathy close-harmonies straight out of CSNY, or that "Girl Can't Help It" is still more irrelevant revival-ism, but really, what would be the point? - S.L.