Quote
loog droog
Another year where Mott The Hoople has been passed over for RnR HoF induction...

Should have happened a long time ago.

Ian should be in there TWICE--for Mott The Hoople and his brilliant solo career.

Hear,hear. Well said!

Ian's Stranded in Reality megabox (28 CDs, 2 DVDs) arrived today. Looks schweet! It's got all his albums through When I'm President and then some. It's even more huge than the recent Lou Reed set (17 CDs).

Quote
ab
Ian's Stranded in Reality megabox (28 CDs, 2 DVDs) arrived today. Looks schweet! It's got all his albums through When I'm President and then some. It's even more huge than the recent Lou Reed set (17 CDs).

Mine is out for delivery tomorrow. Exciting!

Quote
ab
Ian's Stranded in Reality megabox (28 CDs, 2 DVDs) arrived today. Looks schweet! It's got all his albums through When I'm President and then some. It's even more huge than the recent Lou Reed set (17 CDs).

A beautiful box has just arrived today in Tokyo, Japan.

This week, I received Stranded In Reality(30-disc box), Who Can I Be Now? (12-disc box) and Stones in Mono(15-disc box).
The real question now is : How do I make listening time?

By the way,
Ian is saying in the interview about this box set.

"Why has this box become so expensive?
We had to pay royalties of my own song to the label.
It is ridiculous to pay them to Columbia record, the company which young lads who do not even know my name are working for."

Hello,

I saw Ian and the magnificent Rant Band last night at the Royal Northern College of Music- the same venue that I saw them at two years ago. What had changed? Well, Mr. H. seems to be two years younger, unlike the rest of us. Not joking!

The other given seems to be just how great this band is- it's a particular treat to see two brilliant guitarists (Jim Mastro and Mark Bosch are the real deal) for sure. What also pleases is how Ian isn't a heritage act...at 77 years of age, if he ain't now, then I imagine he never will be either! He has just released another album ('Fingers Crossed') and he played a couple of numbers from it last night, along with staples like 'Cleveland Rocks', 'Sweet Jane', 'ATYD' or 'All The Way From Memphis'.

What really floored me was just how much 'Michael Picasso' still means to him...how on earth do you sing that number each night and make it still poignant, painful and beautiful? Just wow...

There were also a couple of entertaining asides: the man is so relaxed onstage and he had everyone laughing as he recounted how he had to learn his first three guitar chords in his local park from a man who was more interested in trying "feel the kids up". Ian said that because F was tricky and therefore time-consuming which would potentially put you in harm's way, he ended-up copying how he saw Eddie Cochrane play. Cue a little demonstration...magic stuff!

The only disappointment for me was that he never appeared onstage sipping from a flute of champagne as in times past: maybe he's gone off the stuff, hah-hah! Anyway, they gave us 110 minutes of fine music for not even £30: they'll be at the Shepherds Bush Empire tomorrow and Holmfirth on Sunday...go, man go, and please Ian, don't stop!











While we're here, this is a great wee interview... [web.musicaficionado.com]

Cheers,

Simon.

Quote
Braincapers

Quote
ab
Ian's Stranded in Reality megabox (28 CDs, 2 DVDs) arrived today. Looks schweet! It's got all his albums through When I'm President and then some. It's even more huge than the recent Lou Reed set (17 CDs).

Mine is out for delivery tomorrow. Exciting!

Cool. Have either of you checked on the cheapest way to get the box set? Price is steep, well over $300 USA. I haven't been able to find it cheaper myself.

Manchester was great and so was Leamington and Glasgow. Looking forward to Holmfirth.

The boxset is only available through Proper Records so there is only one price

Great stuff ! Saw them open for the J Geils Band this summer here in Portland Maine USA--- He was terrific !

One of my favorite Hunter albums has always been "You're Never Alone With a Schizophreniac"

His work with Mick Ronson was also top shelf

SimonN,
Thanks for your report and photos as always.

By the way,
Stranded In Reality is indeed superb. It may be the first time for me to see Ian singing Honky Tonk Women in New York City.

Here is the quote from a gorgeous hardback book in this box:

“I wrote ‘Apathy ‘83’ in response to seeing the corporate machinery and its majesty for the first time. It scared the shit out of me.
I'd just been to see The Stones at Madison Square Garden and who should I meet on the Saturday night down in The Village in New York but Dylan.
It was the first time I ever met him. When asked by Dylan what I thought of The Stones’ concert, I replied, ‘Insipid’.
Dylan said, ‘Yeah apathy for the devil’.
And that’s how ‘Apathy ‘83’ got written. Dylan gave me the idea for the song”.

Quote
Braincapers
...The boxset is only available through Proper Records so there is only one price

Thanks, I was puzzled why it wasn't on amazon.

Quote
pepganzo
I think that his new album is very good.
Very nice music, as always.

It is! The 'dude' is amazing, still writing great songs. I think When Trouble Starts and Stranded are my 2 favorites at this time. Fingers Crossed is also eggcellent!

Stellar review SimonN. Thanks for taking the time to put that together. I had a great time at a recent show in Chicago. IH and the Rant Band are very much worth the time to go see. You won't be disappointed. How can Ian be 77? He doesn't even look 70...

Quote
bob r
Great stuff ! Saw them open for the J Geils Band this summer here in Portland Maine USA--- He was terrific !

I spoke to one the Rant band the other night and he couldn't praise Peter Wolf enough. Apparently Geils were absolutely fabulous to open for

Quote
SimonN
What really floored me was just how much 'Michael Picasso' still means to him...how on earth do you sing that number each night and make it still poignant, painful and beautiful? Just wow...

I've just finished to listen to 8 different versions of Michael Picasso from Stranded In Reality.
Especially, the early version was great.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-06-30 10:32 by Toru A.

I have a spare copy of the 2009 Hammersmith Mott The Hoople reunion gig DVD that I would like to go to a good home. See Hot Stuff section.

He literally is getting better. We like to say this about agin rockers, but with him it is true. The late albums are astounding.

Quote
Palace Revolution 2000
He literally is getting better. We like to say this about agin rockers, but with him it is true. The late albums are astounding.

So true. Its such an overused term that it really doesn't do it justice for people like Hunter who genuinely are.

Hello,

This was probably the shortest journey (about 6 miles) that I have ever made to see one of my favourite artists play...and the ticket price of £24 didn't hurt either, hah-hah!





I'll not bore you with another retread of a review/report (alright then, no need for all that cheering!) but suffice to say, if you look at the setlist then that is why I admire this man and this band so much. They always change it up: this show was fairly story-free and Ian's voice was a little rough for the first couple of numbers (which I filmed from the back of the venue) but for the rest of the 105 minutes he, and they were just marvellous!















Cheers,

Simon.

Thanks for posting the excellent pics and set list!

Take Ian Hunter, Nick Cave, Robert Plant, John Mellencamp, e.g. - these are some of the very best rockers who have been around for many years, and put out top albums, and an excellent live show. Without over-the-top hooplah about them being on the "last tour". What they seem to have in common is band of their peers.
Where do these most excellent guitarists and bassplayers, drummers all come from?
I mean Plant has had like 3 or 4 different bands already.

Fantastic pix Si. Gutted he played Comfortable in Preston. He didn't play it down in Harpenden.

I am going to San Francisco in September and have booked to see Ian at the Fillmore. I can't wait.

Does he ever age? He looks fab.

Thanks for the review, Si!

Been to Frome, Liverpool and Preston with Sheffield tomorrow. He is just awesome. You quite often bump into the Rant Band near the venues and they are always happy to stop and chat.

Love me some Mott. Sure do. After and including stones output espesh '72, fair to say this was my 2nd favorite band no doubt about it at the time. Our young teen band copied lots of their songs. We did Rock and Roll Queen a hundred times in two hundred ways; the song just always works. This was the band we'd take over the juke-boxes with in every bar as soon as we were legal and the local bars were like extended family rooms for certain townies and etc...where I was...everything happened there; everybody met there. Drivin' Sister and a lot of those were much more important to me than mostly anything that would come over on the radio; I really felt a personal connection to Ian's writing and that band. Despite the glam appearance it very basic very raw even dirty band, in the best most complimentary way; as in something that struck me as real and vital; something that could not help being some kind of observational street epiphanies to the stew when you consider Hunter's lyrical acumen. I think even Barry Manilow had a big hit with one of his tunes. 'Everybody hazy shell-shocked and crazy screaming for the face at the window' '...and you look like a star but you're really out on a parole..." "Some spade said rock'n'rollers, you're all the same, Man that's your instrument. I felt so ashamed..." "she's an auto-mo-beat on the street..." "...don't wanna wreck just recreation....' '...So if the going gets rough
Don't you blame us, You ninety-six decible freaks...'

'you gotta stay young man you can never grow old...'
"...rock and roll's a loser's game
it mesermizes and i can't explain
the reason for the sights and the sounds
We went off somewhere on the way
and now I see we have to pay
The rock n' roll circus
is in town..."

his stuff kills me; the alpah omega depths of despair and highest of freeing heights. those guys were bashers and thrashers before bashers and thrasher had any respect; and Ralphs was glorious too; as Bad Company fans know very well. All of them played with heat heart and passion.
They were recording at the same studio as The Stones, in a different room, and were so gassed at the passing contact they went into a furious speed version of JJF at the end jam of one of their biggest songs...
...and it was pure joy you could feel ...love Ian, with and without MTH. A really super important band I took mighty personally in late teens early twenties...despite the "SLade" kinda super glam appearance, the NY Dollish patina of post punk and all that...high heeled boots ala Kiss before Kiss and etc....despite all that they were a dirty little pure rock band with a great songwriter and that's a pretty good deal in this world. Just go ahead and try to find a couple of groups like that these days...
I like the Rant band; He's always going to work with musicians that can do the job and he sure knows what the job is. He's like your UK mini-Dylan, I'm sure his influence on Ian was huge; as it was on everyone; but Ian cultivated, or naturally fit into, that kind of mold; even I guess, down to the wiry hair and sunglasses...
...i'd go see The Rant Band and I'd go see very few 'names' these days, and go thru all of the rigamorale...he's a special dude to me; Never did see Mott live though. A dirty little futuristic band of droogies with a super sensitive and smart writer w street cred. Good deal. Amazing he's working. He's older than dirt. well, alright.

Quote
hopkins
Love me some Mott. Sure do. After and including stones output espesh '72, fair to say this was my 2nd favorite band no doubt about it at the time. Our young teen band copied lots of their songs. We did Rock and Roll Queen a hundred times in two hundred ways; the song just always works. This was the band we'd take over the juke-boxes with in every bar as soon as we were legal and the local bars were like extended family rooms for certain townies and etc...where I was...everything happened there; everybody met there. Drivin' Sister and a lot of those were much more important to me than mostly anything that would come over on the radio; I really felt a personal connection to Ian's writing and that band. Despite the glam appearance it very basic very raw even dirty band, in the best most complimentary way; as in something that struck me as real and vital; something that could not help being some kind of observational street epiphanies to the stew when you consider Hunter's lyrical acumen. I think even Barry Manilow had a big hit with one of his tunes. 'Everybody hazy shell-shocked and crazy screaming for the face at the window' '...and you look like a star but you're really out on a parole..." "Some spade said rock'n'rollers, you're all the same, Man that's your instrument. I felt so ashamed..." "she's an auto-mo-beat on the street..." "...don't wanna wreck just recreation....' '...So if the going gets rough
Don't you blame us, You ninety-six decible freaks...'

'you gotta stay young man you can never grow old...'
"...rock and roll's a loser's game
it mesermizes and i can't explain
the reason for the sights and the sounds
We went off somewhere on the way
and now I see we have to pay
The rock n' roll circus
is in town..."



his stuff kills me; the alpah omega depths of despair and highest of freeing heights. those guys were bashers and thrashers before bashers and thrasher had any respect; and Ralphs was glorious too; as Bad Company fans know very well. All of them played with heat heart and passion.
They were recording at the same studio as The Stones, in a different room, and were so gassed at the passing contact they went into a furious speed version of JJF at the end jam of one of their biggest songs...
...and it was pure joy you could feel ...love Ian, with and without MTH. A really super important band I took mighty personally in late teens early twenties...despite the "SLade" kinda super glam appearance, the NY Dollish patina of post punk and all that...high heeled boots ala Kiss before Kiss and etc....despite all that they were a dirty little pure rock band with a great songwriter and that's a pretty good deal in this world. Just go ahead and try to find a couple of groups like that these days...
I like the Rant band; He's always going to work with musicians that can do the job and he sure knows what the job is. He's like your UK mini-Dylan, I'm sure his influence on Ian was huge; as it was on everyone; but Ian cultivated, or naturally fit into, that kind of mold; even I guess, down to the wiry hair and sunglasses...
...i'd go see The Rant Band and I'd go see very few 'names' these days, and go thru all of the rigamorale...he's a special dude to me; Never did see Mott live though. A dirty little futuristic band of droogies with a super sensitive and smart writer w street cred. Good deal. Amazing he's working. He's older than dirt. well, alright.

Superb rant Hopkins. Drivin Sister yeah. Automo beat on the street.

HBK

'...She's much too much on the clutch...'

Quote
DandelionPowderman
Does he ever age? He looks fab.

Thanks for the review, Si!

Almost 80...that's remarkable.