The rise of David Bowie and the Spiders From Mars through the eyes of Woody Woodmansey

The teenage Woody Woodmansey was offered the job of under-foreman in the Vertex spectacle factory in Hull but then got a call from Bowie inviting him to move to London and play drums on his new album - “plus food and somewhere to stay”. It took him all weekend to decide. And involved some cultural readjustment when he did. 56 years later he’s a founding member of Holy Holy and touring the UK in May – along with Tony Visconti and Glenn Gregory – performing songs from Bowie’s breakthrough early ‘70s albums. He talks here about …   … the life-changing sound behind the silver door of an air-raid shelter in Driffield.   … supporting the Kinks in Bridlington and the Herd at Leeds University - and why Peter Frampton told him, “I’ll see you at the top”.   ... his first paid gig at the local girls’ school.   … the Spiders’ instructional group outings to see ballet, mime and theatre.   ... “never more than three takes”: how Bowie wrote and recorded and the sketches he drew for their stage gear.    … life at Haddon Hall and its “Gone With The Wind staircase”.   … Yorkshire to London and the cultural collisions involved.   … what Bowie realised was “the missing ingredient”.   … Woody’s checklist to assess Bowie’s talents when he met him: “He wasn’t Paul Rodgers or Roger Daltrey. He could write. He could communicate.”   … “I’m not wearing that!” The day Mick Ronson packed his bags and left.   Order Holy Holy tickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/tony-visconti-tickets/artist/2003254 Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.