Mott the Hoople: The Unsung Champions of the 1970's

[MottTheWot]

The point with Brain Capers and it's inspiration is it broke all the rules. They went into the studio and just let it rip, no expectations, no frills or endless overdubs, this was Mott The Hoople and it rubbed off on so many fans who then went onto form bands like the Clash and the Pistols. Brain Capers was recorded the same year as Aqualung, Led Zeppelin 4 and Electric Warrior all staples of British rock and they are miles apart sound wise yet Brain Capers manages to capture a band in disintegration at the same time inspiring? it's a unique record in that fact alone, it shouldn't happen that way. The influence on Mick Jones from the Clash and Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols cannot be measured enough, then you have the attitude and Mott had that in abundance, they also had the look. It all ended way too soon for Mott The Hoople. Brain Capers might not be the best album, but it is the album that changed everything for them.

 

[Big Ears]

Although it's a mess, I love Brain Capers. Probably because it is one of the first albums I ever bought (in a WH Smith sale in Oxford). I think Darkness Darkness is a great track and it shows that Mick Ralphs was really good before Bad Co. All the Young Dudes is a more refined album, but when the band became Mott they continued to play tracks from their first album like Rock 'n' Roll Queen. Despite the great Luther Grosvenor joining them, I did not care for the later Mott the Hoople. the only outstanding track is Marionette from The Hoople. Mott, with Ray Major and Nigel Benjamin, were great, until they disappeared up their own arses.

 

[Marbles]

The band of my childhood!

My personal favourite albums are "Mott The Hoople" and "Brain Capers". I didn't care much for "Wildlife" and I never managed to track down a copy of "Mad Shadows" before it came out again on CD. I also love "All The Young Dudes" and "Mott", although I'm less fond of "The Hoople". It was great to finally see them a couple of times at the reunion gigs, as I was a little too young to see them first time around, being only 16 the final time that they toured. I have all the singles from "Honaloochie Boogie" onwards.

I stuck with both Mott and Ian following the split. I actually really liked Nigel Benjamin's vocals, especially on "Shouting And Pointing" - which was a big improvement on "Drive On". When he left and they recruited John Fiddler from Medicine Head and became British Lions I bought the first single but wasn't particularly taken with it and never bought the album. The "Ian Hunter" album was a cracker and I think that I'm about the only person that I know that actually likes "All-American Alien Boy" (although the second side has some dodgy moments). "Overweight Angels", as I once saw it reviewed ("Overnight Angels"), didn't enthuse me but "You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic" and the live album were a return to form with Ronno. I've seen Ian several times over the years but haven't been much taken with the more recent material until "Shrunken Heads" came out - "When The World Was Round" was a fabulous single.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ian again at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London next month and hearing some of the new material.

 

[Big Ears]

Hunter's Once Bitten, Twice Shy was a big seller, but I preferred Mott without him. Drive On and the live shows were great. Shouting and Pointing was okay, but they gave the impression that they were no longer interested in playing properly on stage. I had friend (who was a girl, but not my girlfriend) at the time who claimed Buffin kept looking at her!

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I've tried to get into Mott post Ian but they just don't work for me really. It's not just from Ian's absence though, it's the lack of Mick Ralphs too. Without either of those two the songwriting was just too typical for my blood.

 

[Big Ears]

As much as I love Mott the Hoople, they could be too ramshackle for their own good. Ian Hunter was anything but typical, whereas Mott were reassuringly and enjoyably normal (at least to begin with). Nevertheless, Mick Ralphs was a bit underrated, but managed to blossom with Bad Co. Luther Grosvenor was one of the greats and even he could not rescue them - they even renamed him Aeriel Bender, which was mad! Ray Majors, the Mott guitarist, was very good and went on to work with former Status Quo drummer, John Coghlan.

 

[MottTheWot]

Mott was always in chaos, Hunter was unique, he was much older than the rest of the group and he knew the ropes, he was also tough and was a hot head, leaving many with a black eye or two from a manchester kiss. Look at him the wrong way in the early 70's and you could be in trouble. Dumped by Island, saved by Bowie Hunter lost Ralphs in 1973 because he couldn't sing his songs and Ralphs own voice was a bit weak, it was obvious he had to go with Paul Rodgers. Hunter desperately tried to keep Ralphs from leaving, enticing him with a better royalty split than himself! Ronson should've been the ultimate answer for Mott The Hoople, but he had different management and joined as his first solo album Slaughter on 10th Avenue was released. He also had a big ass ego, remaining aloof and distant from the others. He also encouraged Hunter to dump the band, in retrospect that was a huge mistake. I think Hunter could've quite easily maintained a band and solo career simultaneously. Musicians in the 70's had no idea about the value of the 'brand' name. Lead singer syndrome was rife and Hunter caught the disease along with Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel and Ian Gillan etc. The first Hunter solo album is the perfect follow up to the 'Hoople' album and Once Bitten a great pop single, if this was released as Mott The Hoople they would've been mega big by the end of 1975, alas it wasn't meant to be and in the end Hunter's solo career petered out in the mid 70's and was eventually swamped by the new wave/post punk movement of the 80's. His more recent releases however are very credible and a return to form. Mott The Hoople are one of the most significant acts of the 70's, their legacy is solidly rememebered today. Explosive, chaotic, riotous, indifferent, maddeningly frsutrating but never dull.

 

[Marbles]

I'm surprised that this thread hasn't reappeared, given that tickets for a 2013 Mott The Hoople gig at the o2 in London (18th November) go on sale on Friday!

 

[Sweaty]

I have seen tour dates, might buy a ticket for the Manchester show, that would be great to see them being as the London shows sold out quickly. Tickets for Manchester are £40 plus booking fee...

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I would LOVE to see them but going to England for it is too out of my range.