Legendary American guitarist Earl Slick – best known for his seminal work with David Bowie and John Lennon – talks about his career, performs extracts from songs and takes questions from the audience at Quay Arts on Friday.

The talk/performance will be followed by an audience Q&A and then photo opportunity and autographs.

The event is being put on by Quay Arts and hosted by Cowes man Andy Barding, who has been Slick's tour manager and is author of a number of books about Bowie.

Slick was initially hired by Bowie to replace Mick Ronson as lead guitarist for the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974 (the live album David Live was recorded during this tour). Slick also played lead guitar on Bowie’s Young Americans and Station to Station albums.

Slick went on to work with former Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter and then with John Lennon, and Yoko Ono. He performed on Lennon and Ono’s Double Fantasy album and was good friends with Lennon at the time of the Beatle's death in 1980.

Earl Slick returned to working with David Bowie on several occasions including playing at Bowie's final UK gig at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2004.

When he spoke to the County Press this week, Slick said he was looking forward to returning here after the Bowie gig of 2004.

"We kicked ass that night. I remember it well. We really set the place alight."

Slick said his early influences had been the British invasion led by the Beatles in the Sixties but his moment of musical awakening came when he first heard The Rolling Stones.

"I could trace their stuff back to the Delta Blues, to Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and all those guys...that's what really got me into rock and roll."

He promises an interactive evening at Quay Arts, with anecdotes, questions and autographs, as well as some music.

"No two evenings are ever the same, so lets see where it goes." he said.

Tickets are still available and the event starts at 7.30pm.