s 'Dave Bowie' boob tube made in Hull, 1973 - Hull Museums Collections

'Dave Bowie' boob tube made in Hull, 1973

A devoted David Bowie fan has stitched every sequin of this boob tube by hand to make an original creation. It makes a bold statement about her taste in music. Perhaps it was made specially to wear to a concert.

It’s strange that the sequins say ‘Dave’ rather than ‘David’. Maybe this was deliberate. It’s more likely that the person making it ran out of room and had to shorten the name!

David Bowie was born David Jones in 1947. He is a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, producer, arranger and sound engineer. He has been writing and performing music for five decades. David Bowie is known for frequently re-inventing his music and image. He is widely regarded as an influential innovator, particularly for his 1970s work. He has sold an estimated 136 million albums, and is one of the top ten best-selling acts in UK pop history.

David Bowie has also been successful in other areas of the arts. He is an actor, music video director and visual artist. In the BBC’s 2002 poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, David Bowie ranked 29th.

Mick Ronson, a major collaborator with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973, was born on Beverley Road, Hull in 1946. He played lead guitar in Bowie’s Spiders from Mars band. Mick Ronson played many other instruments, as well as being a composer, arranger and producer.

Mick Ronson released three solo albums after leaving David Bowie’s entourage in 1973. He also guested on various artists’ releases. Mick died in 1993 at the age of 46. The Mick Ronson Memorial Stage was built in Queens Gardens, Hull in his memory.

David Bowie played twice in Hull. His first performance was at the ABC Cinema in 1964, when he was known as Davie Jones. His second performance was with his band ‘The Hype’ at Hull University in 1970. The Hype included Mick Ronson on lead guitar.