O ne Saturday early morning early in the summer months out-of 1971, Suzi Ronson was hectic at the office within Evelyn Paget tresses salon to the Beckenham Standard when two strolled past driving a buggy. The new woman are dressed in black colored shorts and a furry coat, the man was at a flowing gold midi dress. “People rushed out to see,” remembers Ronson, just who then passed their particular maiden label Fussey. “Individuals were particularly nudging, poking each other, inquiring, ‘Who’s one to?’ Following some one whispered, ‘It is David Bowie.’”
He slept that have everyone
Ronson got vaguely been aware of Bowie: the success of their Room Oddity single had made your a good local superstar while the singer’s mom is a client. However, she remembers: “He was inside the a keen arty clique, not my globe.” However Ronson do wind up becoming section of Bowie’s world, the sole working woman in his travel people – while the their own the newest memoir Me and you may Mr Jones relates.
We utilized Schwarzkopf Red-hot. Goodness knows why we had they regarding the spa – not one person otherwise when you look at the Beckenham could have desired it
Bowie and his spouse Angie stayed toward middle flooring regarding a residence called Haddon Hallway, regarding southern London area out-of Beckenham. Stepping with it felt like typing yet another globe. “I would never came across some body such as this ahead of,” says Ronson. “There have been gay men – I had never ever met someone overtly gay before – and there is actually Daniella, who was simply Western Indian that have good cockney Tabaco in Philippines ladies single accent, hair along with out-of an eggs yolk with large brownish eyes. I happened to be just around three kilometers from home it you will just like the well was indeed a different belongings.”
‘He had been a penis having perhaps not informing his bandmates he had been killing out-of Ziggy’ … Ronson now. Photograph: Alecsandra Dragoi/The newest Guardian
And at new middle from it all the were brand new Bowies. Ronson is welcome to Haddon Hallway by Angie, whoever hair she had cut. “They wished to changes David’s search,” says Ronson, “and Angie realized I became willing to experiment.” Bowie presented Ronson a paper picture away from a product utilized by japan designer Kansai Yamamoto. This new model had brief, yellow spiky tresses together with musician questioned if she could content one. Therefore Ronson got to performs. “It was colour that really sold them,” she says. “I used dream colour – Schwarzkopf Red-hot – on health spa. Goodness understands the reason we got all of them during the Beckenham. No one made use of all of them.” You to big date, the newest Ziggy Stardust hair style was given birth to.
David noted their territory
Ronson was asked on the Bowie’s circle, trying to find it both unsettling and you can intoxicating. “I did not has actually an especially delighted youthfulness,” she says. “My family were a little banged up so i left university at the 15 and you will was usually wanting a getaway.” Bowie offered one eliminate and very quickly Ronson are for the payroll since hairdresser to your band. It’s clear of Me and you can Mr Jones how important Angie was into Bowie’s and Ronson’s lifetime and you can work.
“Angie are Western, she are tall, chill and also as bold because brass,” recalls Ronson. “We wouldn’t trust how unbelievable she try.” Angie championed Ronson, to make sure she obtained a premium position by the Bowie’s director – putting some reality Ronson slept having Bowie quite shameful. Bowie got welcome their unique so you’re able to Haddon Hallway basically having an effective haircut but got other aim. “It actually was frightening since the hell,” states Ronson. “I am able to have lost my personal employment easily slept which have your, or if I didn’t. After all, everyone else slept which have David – and you will Angie seemed to encourage it.”