Photo © Mick Rock 1973
This amazing photograph of David Bowie and Mick Ronson on a train to Aberdeen on 15 May 1973 taken by Mick Rock, has always been intriguing to me, as it directly captures the ‘glam’ of the times and how it intersected with the less-glamourous everyday times of 1970s in the North-east of Scotland.
Rock mentions why this particular photo is successful,
“Maybe it’s got something to do with the ridiculously ‘glam’ look of the magic duo and the obviously mundane nature of their British Rail lunch – lamb chops, boiled potatoes, peas with the bread rolls and pats of butter. But also, perhaps something to do with the warm conspiratorial way they are looking at each other. They had the rock scene by the horns and they were savouring it!”[1]
I have been intrigued for years by the location of the train in the photo. On the train route to Aberdeen they must have already left Edinburgh, passed over the Forth Rail Bridge, and through Aberdour, Burntisland, Kirkaldy, Cupar and Dundee. There’s not much to go on to locate the train from what can be seen out of the window. I like to think it is somewhere in the Mearns: they’ve left Montrose and are heading to Stonehaven. I lived in this area, close to Stonehaven. So, just maybe, I like to think that they decided to get off the train at Stonehaven station, before heading on to Aberdeen, to play the 113th gig of the Ziggy Stardust tour at the Music Hall.
“So, Mick, where are we, exactly?” says David
“It’s in Scotland, but not like the Highlands and lochs and all that really, although I can see the sea, let’s see if we can get there” says Mick.
Off they go, walking out of the train station, intent on finding the sea, that they saw. They are dressed in their ‘glam’ clothes, as they want to be seen, to stand out. They are influential rock stars now. They will stand out in this town. Bowie is wearing a stripy jacket and make-up. Ronson is in a satin jacket with a very large satin tie. Both have great hair, David’s cut by Suzi Fussey. Creating the iconic ‘Ziggy style. Ronson has a more ‘feather-cut’ style, still manly though. They were the leaders and drivers, as Rock mentions: the MainMen.
Roxy Music had already been on the Old Grey Whistle test, and T. Rex and Mott the Hoople were having chart hits and on our televisions, so we were aware of the glam music and style that was happening in front us. I loved the glam bands and their music. The authentic ones, like Roxy and Bowie, who were real artists, were the best. There were others though, that were riding the look and style, and having hits, like Slade, Sweet, Mud and Wizzard.
So, Mick and David are strutting down the Arduthie Road, heading towards Stonehaven Beach. The platforms are a bit difficult to walk in but they’re the style, and they need to suffer for it. They can’t be seen without the glam shoes. Some locals look over, David and Mick wave.
“Hello, how’s things going? We’re new in town, are we going the right way to the beach?” they say.
“Aye, eh, yes, that’s right, just keep going down the hill, and turn left down to the square, it’s just behind the town hall, you can’t miss it”
“Thanks, that’s great, have a great day” says Mick.
“Seems a friendly place, maybe we could move here. Give up London, and all the hassle of stardom. Give up on the music, the drugs, the girls, the fame; for an easier anonymous life. What do you think, Mick?” says David.
“Sounds great to me. But what would we do, how would we make a living? We need to find out what goes on here in Stonehaven” says Mick.
“Let’s see when we get down to the beach, let’s have a look around, speak to more locals, find out what the vibe is. Maybe, we could be fishermen, or work in a fish and chip shop, I’d quite like that actually” says David.
They go further down the hill, past the shoe shop and the sweet shop, and into the town square. Tragically, it has turned from a pleasant open and quiet environment in previous years, to be a car park, loaded with cars, what a waste. They stride across the square, between the cars and see the town hall. They go inside. It’s empty, the hall is small but there’s a balcony and stage.
“We should do a gig here” says Mick, “that would be fun, blitz the place, knock out the windows and doors by playing the whole of Aladdin Sane at full volume! – the kids would love it!”
“Possibly, but the tour is all booked, we play Aberdeen tomorrow, then back to Dundee and Edinburgh, then all the way to the Hammersmith Odeon. It would need to be a quick one-off. To be honest, I’m not sure what we are doing next. It’s maybe all over after this tour. We should go and do something else, take time off, recharge, work with other musicians and artists, who knows what might happen. Do you think a gig in Stonehaven is really what we should be doing, right now?” says David quizzically.
“Well maybe not, but it would be wild” says Mick, “I love to play in out-of-the-way places, so, why not?
“Let’s go for a walk along the beach, see what else is here” says David “it’ll be good to breath some fresh sea air for a bit”.
While Bowie and Ronson went for a stroll along Stonehaven beach, I wonder what other famous artists and musicians of the time are doing?
Roxy Music got into their stride with hit singles – Pyjamarama, Do the Strand and Street Life. They set off with great glam style and timeless songs, but Eno, who was key to their early futuristic sound, left on 21st July 1973 to work with Robert Fripp on No Pussyfooting and his solo albums.[2]
Marc Bolan and T. Rex released their single 20th Century Boy but were on their way out from having guaranteed chart hits.
Bowie had met Andy Warhol in New York in 1971. He went to the Factory and played his song Andy Warholto Warhol. Warhol apparently hated it. It was meant to be a tribute to the artist but he thought it was being critical of him, being weird.[3] By 1973, Warhol was looking to make more money. He and his collaborators would come up with various desperate ideas to raise cash to enable his lifestyle. In the early 1970s Warhol produced a number of underground films, which didn’t make money, so he decided to be a portraiturists to the ‘beautiful people’. Chasing down potential subjects at dinners, art openings and discotheques. Initially the subjects were art dealers and collectors, but soon he attracted film stars and other celebrities, which were very profitable.[4]
Change was certainly in the air during 1973. Bowie and Ronson would end their Ziggy tour and embark on new endeavours in their careers as musicians. Later, in September 1973, Ronson would leave Bowie’s Spider’s from Mars and join Mott the Hoople, for only a few months until they too split, then he continued to work with Ian Hunter, Mott’s lead singer. Bowie famously retired his Ziggy Stardust persona in July 1973, but continued to become a music and style icon.
“What’s that over there, Mick? says David
“Looks like an open-air swimming pool, let’s go over, it would be great to have a dip” says Mick.
David and Mick are looking through the elaborate painted metal side-gate and see people in the pool, and lots of people lying on the painted concrete, eating chips and drinking Coke. It’s only May but the suns out. They are in envy of the locals that they have this amazing attraction. Stonehaven outdoor pool has an Art Deco style, the water in the pool is warmed filtered seawater, it’s an exotic place in the everyday-ness of the north-eastern town.
“I’d love to go in, but we don’t have swimming trunks or a towel, and our hair would get wet and lose its shape, we need to keep up the glam persona for our gigs later on. If we stripped off, we would just be normal people. We are glam rockers, Mick, we don’t just do everyday things, even if we want to, it’s a sad situation”says David.
“I know. You are right” says Mick “Let’s just head back to the train station, and travel onto Aberdeen and find our hotel. We need to do our sound-check, be rock’n rollers, as that’s what we are, and always will be”.
© Iain Irving 2026
[1] https://sfae.com/Artists/Mick-Rock/David-Bowie-and-Mick-Ronson-Train-to-Scotland-1972?srsltid=AfmBOopD7USV3uTuBJjtIs_z3_rdP0qHMFD0EDXFd8vhdqitrgl0pZ2L
[2] https://www.bowiegoldenyears.com/1973.html
[3] https://www.moredarkthanshark.org/eno_int_ulclasroc-jul13.html
[4] Bourdon, D. 1989. Warhol. New York: Harry N. Abrams.
Iain Irving 