Tony Visconti

Tony Visconti

by Pete Clemons

Born in New York, the producer and bass player has long become a legend in the field of popular music production.

Tony Visconti first came to London during 1968 after a chance meeting with fellow producer Denny Cordell. After moving to the UK, one of the first albums he had a hand in producing was ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ by The Ivey’s, later to become known as Badfinger.

There then began a partnership, for Tony, with Marc Bolan which lasted right from the outset of Tyrannosaurus Rex for seven albums including the classic ‘Electric Warrior’ when the band were now known by the truncated T. Rex.

At the same time Tony was still playing bass and had teamed up with David Bowie. After a short spell in David’s band The Hype, Tony continued work with David by appearing on his ‘Space Oddity’ album then playing bass on and producing his ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ album. Tony would team up with Bowie again around the time of ‘Diamond Dogs’ in 1974. This continued with production work for the ‘David Live’ album and subsequent albums up until and including ‘Scary Monsters’.

Again, and in parallel to his work with David Bowie, Tony Visconti was working with artists and bands such as Osibisa, The Strawbs, Sparks, Ralph McTell, Thin Lizzy and Mary Hopkin.

The 1980s saw Tony’s services were still in high demand, and equally as demanding, as he was now working with Hazel O’Connor, The Boomtown Rats, The Moody Blues and a host of others.

The 1990s were relatively quiet in terms of production but the 2000s saw an upturn for Tony’s services. David Bowie and Tony would join forces again during the early 2000s for David’s four final studio albums.

And now at almost 75 years old Tony has teamed up once more with Woody Woodmansey, drummer on ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ in Holy Holy. Named after a failed single from the very early 1970s Holy Holy have been creating the authentic sounds of David Bowie’s early songs since 2014.

‘We’re not a tribute band; we are the real deal’, they claim as they are performing songs from the 1969 to 1973 period. Opening this tour with ‘The Width of a Circle’ the seven-piece band go on to perform ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ album, which was never done at its time of release. They then follow that up with the ‘Ziggy Stardust’ album in full.

After recording a live album from Shepherd's Bush Empire, during 2015, Tony played it to David Bowie. And apparently the man himself was ‘just grinning from ear to ear’ in acknowledgment.

Admittedly vocalist Glenn Gregory does not ooze the sensuality of the creator of those songs. I don’t think for a minute that is what the audience expects. Woody Woodmansey’s hand speed is, at times, electric. And the twin guitars capture Mick Ronson’s licks perfectly. Between them Holy Holy give truly faithful renditions of David Bowie’s music and are well worth catching if, at all possible.