Bowie’s Big Buddy Article: 1978

Bowie's Bodyguard & Iggy Pop Bond

Published in the UK on January 14, 1978, New Musical Express’s one-page article “Bowie’s Big Buddy” profiled Tony Mascia — David Bowie’s longtime bodyguard — offering a candid, colourful glimpse into Bowie’s life during the Berlin Trilogy era. Mascia shared stories of driving rock stars, working on The Man Who Fell To Earth, protecting Bowie from crowds, and his thoughts on Bowie’s friends (Iggy Pop, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Marc Bolan). The piece highlighted Bowie’s generosity, shyness, and “100% man” persona, with Mascia comparing his role to being Bowie’s “father.”

Article Overview

Publication Details

Magazine: New Musical Express (UK).

Date: January 14, 1978.

Format: One-page feature article.

Exact Text from the Article

W got married on Hudson Street in New York the other day, the band that he hired for the reception asked if they should play some David Bowie. numbers. Tony got rid of them toute sweet. He doesn't specially like pop music, you see; but he does have some unusual friends. Bowie was his best man. Iggy was there too.

Tony Mascia is Bowie's bodyguard (wonder if David had to tag along on the honeymoon for complete protection?). At 47, he's also an ex-fighter with a budding film career.

"It all started," says Tony, "when I was working for a limousine company and taking all these rock stars around and about. I hated it, and the more I hated it the more work I got. I drove the Allmans, The Who, Edgar Winter, and people like that. I used to wait outside while they was singing. Winter was nice to me, and later when I was driving for Bowie he got in and I thought it was a broad David had picked up with long blonde hair."

Tony began working for Bowie around the end of the Diamond Dogs tour. "David," he says, "had an English chauffeur who was scared to drive in New York, so he used to call for me. Me and David got jobs in a movie he was in called The Man Who Fell To Earth, with me as a traitor-chaffeur, which is a thing I wouldn't be in real life. Nick Roeg, the director for the film, don't talk to me no more. I told him I hated it.

"I had to pay to see that picture, you know. I felt stupid standing in line. I sit down. I come om screen, and the guy behind me says, 'What a mean mutha fucker'. I turn around and stare at him, and miss my big shot in the flick."

As a former bodyguard for hoodlums - who were all blown away, putting him out of work for a spell - Mascia doesn't think it's hard work guarding David. "You're dealing with kids, not gangsters, they won't hurt your guy unless he's in a crowd. That's the key. Avoid crowds.

outside, and they got surrounded. My prime concern is David so I get him in the car. He says, 'What about Mick?' I says, 'That's his problem'. He says, 'Go back and get Mick, please, Tony, please'. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to go back into that mob."

Bowie's friends get Tony's seal of approval. "Flo and Eddie are nice people. John Lennon, Jagger, and the one who died in London there Marc Bolan - and Iggy, he's a crazy kid - I love." On this note Thrills asked him if Bowie was gay.

"David's 100% man. But he'll tell anybody anything. When you're coming up you tell them anything they want to hear. Meantime, he goes to the bank with the money. What's he care?"

So what's on the cards for Tony Mascia in the New Year? "I got another picture to make," he says matter-of-factly, "with Michael Caine. The cameraman from the other film told Ivan Passer, who's directing Silver Bears, to call me on the phone. When he called I hung up. I thought it some smart-ass making a joke.

"Then he sent me to Morocco to meet with Caine, to see if we could get along. I went out with them night after night and these people are so boring. All they want to talk about is movies. I finally told Caine he was full of shit. Everybody at the table got quiet till he laughed. Then I liked him.

"I got the part. I play a gangster what else? But I don't like to play the tough guy if I can help it. Like that Leslie West kid, he was rotten. He useta throw lit cigarette butts and beer all over my car. I finally took him by the neck and threw him out.

"But David's a good kid to work for. I got offered twice the money to work for Rod Stewart, but I turned it down. Rod tries to steal everything David has. He's a very competitive kid.

"David's a brilliant guy - the painting, the writing. He's a very generous kid, very shy, but with me he can be himself. I'm like his father."

Tony's own dad was a strongarm in a circus. Like father, like son.

JOE STEVENS

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