Earl Slick

Earl Slick (born Frank Madeloni in Brooklyn, New York, October 1, 1952) is a guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Robert Smith, although he has also worked with other artists including John Waite, Tim Curry and David Coverdale, in addition to releasing several solo recordings.

Musical career

In the early 1970s, Earl Slick gained his reputation on New York music scene as a guitarist while playing in a band called Mack Truck featuring both singer-songwriter Jimmie Mack and his brother, drummer Jack Mack. His work with Scottish singer-songwriter Jim Diamond was as the duo Slick Diamond. They toured and gave performances for a short time in the late 1970s.

Slick was initially hired by David Bowie to replace Mick Ronson as lead guitarist for the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974 (the live album David Live was culled from this tour). Slick also played lead guitar on Bowie's Young Americans and Station To Station albums, released in 1975 and 1976 respectively. It was Slick's powerful playing that made the latter album's "Stay" an enduring favourite of fans of Bowie and of guitar virtuosity alike. After running afoul of Bowie's management, Slick was replaced as lead guitarist for the 1976 Station To Station tour by Stacey Heydon. Slick continued working in the studio with former Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter, John Lennon, and Yoko Ono, but also formed his own solo band, releasing both Razor Sharp and Earl Slick Band in 1976. Slick performed on Lennon and Ono's Double Fantasy. During the sessions for Double Fantasy, the material for 1984's Milk and Honey was recorded as well. Slick also joined Ono in the studio for her solo album, Season of Glass.