Okey cokey friends, a new, very special, video for your delectation and delight. It is Steve’s rendition of, ‘Space Oddity’. An unusual choice you might think for old Hicksy, a world renowned Ragtime Guitar player, but the crucial element is that Steve is playing it on the actual guitar that Bowie owned when he wrote, ‘Space Oddity’.
The guitar was introduced to Steve during the course of a weekend when Steve and I were playing at a festival in 2019. We were given wonderful hospitality by the guitar’s current owner and his wife and when it came up in conversation over a glass or two of wine that Steve was a luthier the owner produced this battered looking old Gibson 12 string B45. He’d been told that it was beyond repair. Steve looked at it and said that he’d recently restored a couple of guitars in similar condition and he was immediately commissioned to take on the job.
Then came the story of how the owner acquired the guitar from David Bowie back around 1969, swapping his Hagstrom 12 String, which Bowie preferred, for the Gibson B45 12.
I will be producing a documentary video detailing the extent and progression of the repair Steve did and including more of the history of the guitar and an interview with it’s owner.
For now please enjoy Steve’s performance of Bowie’s legendary hit, ‘Space Oddity’, on the the guitar that was most probably used to write it. .. And let’s also celebrate the genius that is Steve Hicks by sharing the video ….. intergalactically!
Best wishes to you all. XXXX