Mike Garson Q&A & signed Aladdin Sane poster competition!

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Last month we asked you to send in your questions for legendary pianist and long time David Bowie collaborator Mike Garson who had very kindly agreed to a Q&A for DBNews.

Many thanks to everyone who sent in questions, read Mike’s answers to his favourites below…

Viv Jackowski asked:

In the future Mike, fans who have never seen David Bowie live, what would you want fans to know or remember about David?

MG: David was probably the best performer I ever worked with and I’ve had the privilege of accompanying more than a thousand singers. He was magical onstage – larger than life. Extremely unique and very entertaining.

Robert Warrell asked:

“The Man Who Sold the World” was created by jamming in the studio. Is that how it was with you and David Bowie in the recording of the album “Aladdin Sane?” Such a beautiful, and musically rich sound on all of that album, especially those tracks featuring YOU! Please describe the artistic process that created this masterpiece.

MG: Well the tracks were already done when I played the title track, “Time,” and “Lady Grinning Soul.” I superimposed my piano playing on top of them, or what we call an “overdub.” They were all pretty much done in one take. It was almost a miraculous series of recording sessions.

David Jensen & Kristina asked:

Will you tour soon?

MG: Over the next several years, I plan to do many David tributes in many different incarnations such as solo piano, jazz trio, symphony orchestra and I’d love to take them to audiences worldwide.

Erica Gonzalez asked:

What was the moment at which you realized David was a great musician/person?

MG: Within a week of rehearsing with him in 1972. I would sneak into the audience on tour when I wasn’t playing on a song or two. I’d watch him and that really took it over the top.

Kieran Short asked:

Over the years you spent working him, what would you say you have learned from David Bowie?

MG: David helped teach me how to be in the moment and get out of my own comfort zone.

Frankie B asked:

“The Buddha of Suburbia” is one of the best Bowie albums and also one of his personal favorites. Do you have any particular memories or insight into that time period? Do you know why none of its tracks except for “Strangers” were ever played live?

MG: Originally it was done for a 4-part English television miniseries which David composed the music for. To me, it’s totally underrated. Most people just didn’t get how great it was. David spent a long time creating the score and he then brought the tapes to me in Los Angeles. I did all my parts in three hours, improvised without rehearsal or even having listened to the music.

The one that, of course, sticks out in my mind is “South Horizon” which was a total jazz instrumental that David just let me go wild on. It was maybe the second time that I was able to play so wild and free after “Aladdin Sane.” “Strangers When We Meet” is an amazing song and I always adored playing it. I thought it was one of his greatest songs. Even though we did it on a different album, people missed just how good it was. Now many of these great pieces that were not fully known will have their chance to be resurrected.

Erin Murphy asked:

Given your long history working with David Bowie in the studio and on tour, was there a song that you didn’t like very much when you first heard or played it, but grew to appreciate over time?  If so, why and how do you think your experience of the song changed?

MG: Initially, when I heard it on the very first tour with the Spiders, “Hang On To Yourself” didn’t resonate with me. Then I realized it was just another aspect to his music that wasn’t piano oriented and people also liked that more rock n’ roll stuff. It’s not where I live as an artist but I understand why he had songs like it.

Neville Judd asked:

If you could have one day of your time with David again, which day would you choose and why?

MG: Some of our greatest moments were with the Outside album because we improvised as a band with David and Brian Eno and the other guys for two weeks straight, four hours a day. It was just pure magic.

June Connell asked:

What was your most memorable time playing with David Bowie?

MG: Glastonbury, 2000.

Watch the TV broadcast here:

Glastonbury 2000

Gabi Winkler asked:

You were one of David Bowie’s most important collaborators throughout his incredibly diverse career. He was always on the frontier, searching for new inspirations and sounds to express himself. He always worked with wonderful musicians but never hesitated to part ways with them and pick new ones if that’s what his creative process called for.  What was your secret that made him keep coming back to you for decades? You must have influenced him just as much as he influenced you. Can you share your thoughts on that?

MG: I think the truthful answer to that is I’ve been very open to many styles of music since I was very young and studied, in-depth, classical, jazz, pop, fusion, soul and gospel music. So, I had enough ammunition to pull out whatever David needed, when he needed it. Whereas some of the other musicians, all of them so great, were sometimes specialists in one area. The Spiders from Mars were an English rock band and I could play with them but then also play with Luther Vandross, Dave Sanborn, Dennis Davis and Carlos Alomar who is an absolutely brilliant guitarist.

You can hear that on Young Americans on tunes like “Can You Hear Me?” and “Right.” And, of course, the title track “Young Americans” which I set into motion by my little piano playing at the beginning of the tune which sparked the rest of the tune. The background vocals and his voice on that were at the height of singing – as great as it gets actually.

Stowe Gregory asked:

What is your happiest memory during your years with Bowie, whether that be in the studio, as a friend or just through his way of living?

MG: Strikingly enough, all of my experiences with David – in the studio, in rehearsals and both on and offstage over thirty-five years, each and every one of them was enjoyable. It’s uncanny and shouldn’t have been that way. I never had a bad experience. Maybe one twentieth of what I created with David will emerge ultimately. The rest went to the ether.

Rini Hara asked:

I’m just curious as to what type of piano training you had. Did you have the traditional classical music training where you are taught to read and play only what’s on the page? You improvise at such a high level which is amazing to me. It’s something I have always wanted to do and something I’m trying to learn at age 49 after decades of reading sheet music.

MG: I studied classical for the first 10-15 years of my life and learned how to read. I was a great sight reader. I loved reading Bach and Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Stravinsky and on and on. By the time I turned fourteen or fifteen, I got the jazz bug by hearing great artists like Dave Brubeck, Erroll Garner, Andre Previn, Miles Davis, John Coltrane. I was then fortunate to study with the great jazz teachers of New York and prior to that with an amazing Julliard teacher. A gentleman by the name of Clifford Slapper from England recently wrote a biography on my life which really goes into detail on all these things which you might be interested in reading. I had the benefit of really learning how to play the piano as an instrument but then the improvisation took me about fifteen years. Just about when I joined David I had gotten pretty good at it. I’m a better improviser now than I was on the Aladdin Sane album. I don’t always get a chance to do it. You really need the right musicians to do that with.

Deborah asked:

My question has to do with David’s spirituality. Did David ever discuss reincarnation or the afterlife or these spiritual things with you or was there more of an implicit understanding that was shared in the music? I just wonder if David was more of a talker or if truly it was through his art, through music and other media, that he communicated his spiritual messages.

MG: He could do both – but all the very powerful communications were more telepathic, intuitive and ineffable.

Mark Turner asked:

There are some great songs on the Spiders From Mars LP, such as “Prisoner” and “Can It Be Far.” What are your memories of making the record with Trevor and Woody?

MG: The album was fun to make. We had a short tour. I played as well as I could play. There was just something that wasn’t authentic enough about that group or album so nothing really ever happened with it. It was a good try but didn’t really do it.

Ian asked:

How different would those early 70’s recordings have sounded without Mick Ronson’s contribution? He seems to have been a crucial component in everything positive during Bowie’s early years.

MG: That guy was an absolute unsung hero and the greatest contributor to David’s emergence as a rock star. After that you have Carlos Alomar, Earl Slick, Dennis Davis, Sterling Campbell, Zach Alford, Gail Ann Dorsey and myself. But Mick’s voice blended with David’s. Sometimes you didn’t know who was who. It was so powerful. My mouth would be wide open listening to them – especially on stage in ’72 and ’73 when we were at our peak.

Justine Valka asked:

I’ve seen videos of you doing “4 Note Improvisation” and I also enjoy the piano solos you have played on Bowie songs, especially “Battle for Britain (The Letter)” and “Aladdin Sane.” When you sit down at the piano to compose or improvise, what is your thought process?

MG: There has to be a desire and an intention of something I want to communicate. Once I have those, it just flows out. There’s really very little thought. I just have to have something I want to say.

Nick, (David Bowie News) asked:

What was your favourite tour with David and why?

MG: Looking at it from an outside perspective now, I loved the Young Americans tour, the Diamond Dogs, Spiders from Mars, Outside and Reality tours. I used to think I had favorites. But now, with him being gone, I can’t compare them. They were all absolutely magical. There were also a lot of smaller tours that just zipped by. I don’t even know how many people even actually remember them. Looking back, I didn’t appreciate them as I do now – sadly. They were all absolutely special times. At this moment I can’t say I have one favorite, though there were times I thought I did. When I was in each one I thought it was the best and I think that’s how it should be – in the moment. I think comparison and competition are maybe not the right focus or target. I’d prefer cooperation and creativity.

Competition time!

For your chance to win this Aladdin Sane poster signed by Mike, simply email competitions@davidbowienews.com and write Mike Garson competition in the subject line, no questions to answer, competition is open worldwide and closes on Monday 14th March at midnight (UK time)

One winner will be picked randomly from all entries and notified by email, good luck!

The competition was won by Katie Casey, many thanks to all who entered.

Bowie’s Piano Man: The Life Of Mike Garson By Clifford Slapper is available now via Amazon UK/U.S:

You can follow Mike on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mikegarson/?fref=ts

On Twitter: @mikegarson

And via his website: http://www.mikegarson.com/

Many thanks to Mike Garson for taking the time to do this and to Mark Bakalor for facilitating it.