The Ballad of Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter - Album by Album thread

Interview with James Mastro:

Ian Hunter adds to impressive legacy, with the help of James Mastro

“So my friend told he was working with Ian and I said that ‘I gotta be in this band,’ ” says Mastro. “Mott the Hoople was the reason I started playing guitar. But my friend was the guitarist and Ian said he didn’t need another one. I was totally bummed. I called my friend back, though, and said you’ll need a mandolin for ‘I Wish I Was Your Mother,’ ” a ballad and fan favorite from a Mott album released in 1973. I stayed up all night and learned that one song.

"Mastro now occupies a role once held by Hunter’s former musical partners – Mick Ralphs, who played with Hunter in Mott the Hoople, and the late Mick Ronson,"

Tim

 

Probably the Sony "All the Young Dudes" 3 disc in gatefold. Excellent box if you can find it. Normally
north of $100 on Amazon

 

Rumours are breaking today about "Mott The Hoople" appearing at an outdoor festival in Spain this summer...
apparently Ian Hunter with Luther Grosvenor / Ariel Bender and Morgan Fisher.

While this is something we all wanted to see at the time of the original reunions, I'm not sure this will make things right.

Fourth on the bill at an obscure festival is not going generate the same buzz as it would have done at the Hammy in 2009.

 

Further rumours about additional dates in the UK... hopefully not festivals... that could be more interesting.

 

I’m hoping Ian and the band come back to Toronto!! I think the next shows are or were in Boston which of course is right next door to Toronto .

 

I think I'd prefer to see the Rant Band, having said which it could be a great show ... perhaps the trio will tour elsewhere too!

Tim

 

I'm guessing that these shows will still be the Rant Band... including Luther and Morgan as featured guests.

And perhaps without Bosch and Dennis D on stage... maybe having those two filling in the gaps from behind a curtain.

 

A UK date has been announced but it's another festival (Ramblin' Man) and expensive. Holding out for a better one

Tim

 

And the Ramblin' Man announcement confirms the line-up for these shows... it's the Rant Band with Ariel and Morgan.
No curtains involved...

Which is fine... but it also calls it "the classic 1973 / 74 line-up" of Mott The Hoople... that is a huge overstatement.

I'll try and keep an open mind... but this sure comes across as a desperate marketing ploy by Ian's management.
Which is not to say I won't go if I get the chance... would love to see Ariel Bender play those 'Hoople' songs... we shall see.
I hope they announce other UK dates that aren't festivals... or better still, something in the US... NYC or wherever.

 

Michael Picasso ( about Mick Ronson ) is one of the best things he ever recorded, Dandy ( about Bowie ) is one of the worst.

 

Hmmmm I kinda like Dandy, fits into the era perfectly and tells a nice story.

 

Well, the “classic ‘73-‘74” rhythm section is gone (the ‘68-‘77 rhythm section for that matter - Doc Thomas Group through British Lions). Nothing anyone can do about that. I think it’s very sporting of Ian to extend himself to Luther and Morgan, who felt very left out before.

 

According to Ian Hunter, in answer to "‘Are Mott doing any other gigs apart from Spain? Also, any UK for Ian and the Rant Band in 2018?’":

The Rant Band will be in full swing in 2019.
​

So it looks like not much else is planned for the UK this year. Shame.

Tim

 

I'm still hoping for a few UK dates

 

I've done a bit more work on assembling my main posts on this thread on another website:

The Ballad of Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter

This is not the entire thread; I don't feel it is proper to copy other people's posts from here in their entirety without permission so it is mostly my own stuff. On the other hand, it does make it possible for me to index the posts, edit and amend them, which I cannot do here, so there are pros and cons.

I am on the lookout for pictures so if you have any for which you own the copyright and you are happy for me to post them, send them over!

Tim

 

Snippet from Ian Hunter's latest "Horse's Mouth":

Q: Have you any idea of the sheer numbers of us who would like to see a Mott2 Tour?’ A: Dunno. I just wanted to give Morgan and Luther their due.

Tim

 

Pretty great site. Regarding Second Love, I’m pretty sure Ian sings that. Verden sings Soft Ground and he sounds nothing like the singer of Second Love to me.

 

Yep, Ian sings Second Love. Verden wrote it.

 

Definitely Ian. I've fixed, thanks.

Tim

 

any inside info / thoughts on whether this Mott thing will be recorded for release?

 

No inside info. Concert Live who were involved with the 2009 and 2013 releases don't seem to be doing much in the way of new live releases now so probably not them.

Tim

 

No worries. Figured you might have confused the Allen with Hunter because the former wrote the track.

 

Morgan Fisher saw my remarks above on Roll away the Stone and says:

In your review of The Hoople you wrote:

"One thing that has long puzzled me is that on the album version there is obvious distortion (sounds like tape damage) at 2.04 or thereabouts, during the spoken section “ooh will do”. Surely this a fault and should never have slipped through? The single version is perfect."

I just checked both versions on a high-quality system, at the same time refreshing my sometimes misty memory...

First off - the single version has one of the ladies from Thunderthighs doing the chat bit. But on the album, it's the divine Lynsey de Paul. I was there when she did it.

Secondly, on the "Oh" of "Oh will do", Lynsey said it with a sexy, feline rattle in her throat, a bit like Eartha Kitt used to do. Meanwhile the band continues in the background, with no distortion.

That ain't no tape damage mate - that is downright slinky!

Hope you can enjoy it more from now on!​

It still sounds odd to me!

Tim

 

I just gave it a listen. I have the Iconoclassic CD. (I'm never sure which are the best CD versions of Mott stuff - I wish someone would do a proper remastered complete series with bonus tracks in the right places, but that's another discussion.) I think Morgan is right. There's no recording error or tape flaw or digital glitch - just Lynsey doing a sexy little gargle/growl. It probably sounds funny because we are more accustomed to the Thunderthigh's higher-pitched squeal on the single. But it is possible that remastering has brought Lynsey's gargle out a bit more - I remember it being a bit buried on the original vinyl.

I much prefer the single version BTW, simply because it was the original mix, with Mick on guitar. A great song - arguably Mott's best single, with the exception of "Dudes". On The Hoople it further spoils Side 2, which for me was never that great a side.

 

The single version of Roll Away the Stone is on the 3cd Anthology, probably elsewhere too.

Tim