NEWS - October 2009

IAN HUNTER - "Man Overboard" - new CD!
Ian's latest album "Man Overboard" was produced by Andy York and features Steve Holley on drums and percussion (Wings, Joe Cocker), Paul Page on bass (Dion), Jack Petruzzelli on electric guitar (Rufus Wainwright, Joan Osbourne), James Mastro on electric guitar (Patti Smith, John Cale), Andy Burton on piano and organ (The Db's) and Andy York on guitar and backing vocals. Many of the band members are returning from the "Shrunken Heads" sessions. Regarding "Man Overboard", Ian Hunter stated, "When we did Shrunken Heads, I felt like we had a good thing going so I wanted to revisit the experience before anything changed, and that's what we did". More info

IAN HUNTER - "All The Young Dudes" - new CD and DVD!
Another cash-in on the Mott The Hoople reunion, is this 2CD set which is basically the "The Truth, The Whole Truth And Nuthin' But The Truth" CD from 2007 with a new cover. So unless you forgot to buy it first time around, there is no need to get it again! Apparently this repacking business is the only way to get shops to carry "old releases" these days. They will not re-order older releases, but they will stock the repackages, thinking it is new product! The DVD has also been repackaged in a new cover with no new material. More info CD | More info DVD

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "The Whole Story" - new DVD documentary!
Released shortly before the Mott The Hople reunion in London, is "Mott The Hoople - The Whole Story", a re-issue of the 90-minute documentary "Under Review" from 2007, with the added bonus of an interview CD with band members and friends/associates. It is a shame the interview CD is not available separately, though, since many fans will already own the 2007 DVD. More info

IAN HUNTER - "You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic" - 30th anniversary CD edition!
Ian's classic 1979 album has been released as a Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition 28-track digitally remastered 2-CD set, with 5 bonus tracks added to the original album, plus a bonus CD featuring previously unreleased live performances from the period. This is one beautiful package - the CD set even retains the old UK catalogue number (Chrysalis CHR 1214) and the picture disc CDs looks just like the old vinyl labels! More info

Unreleased versions of "Ships" (early version) and "Just Another Night" (electric) were also remixed for the anniversary edition, but they were left off the CDs due to lack of space, so a decision was made to make them available for download instead! More info

NEWS - July 2009

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "All The Young Dudes - Demos & Live ‘71-’74" - new USA vinyl LP (with previously released material)!
A new Mott The Hoople vinyl album doesn't surface every day! "All The Young Dudes - Demos & Live ‘71-’74" is a special limited edition 12” vinyl only release on Cleopatra Records in the States. It was released on 04 July 2009 and combines 6 previously released live tracks and 3 demos, all taken from the Angel Air release "Two Miles From Live Heaven". More info

BRITISH LIONS - "One More Chance To Run - Live In Germany 1978" - new DVD!
The British Lions DVD was prepared from footage shot for a German TV company in 1978. It has been much sought after over the years and was finally released by Angel Air in 2007, with bonus band members interviews! More info

MOTT THE HOOPLE / IAN HUNTER - CD re-issues released in carboard sleeves!
Ian Hunter and Mott The Hoople's 8 releases on the CBS label was released in Japan in July 2006, in cardboard sleeves which is basically replicas of the original LP covers. Why these cardboard sleeves have become so popular beats me, since you'll need a magnifying glass to read the small print on the sleeve (it was hard enough to read it on the LP!)

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "Under Review" - 2007 DVD!
"Mott The Hoople - Under Review" is a 90-minute documentary film charting the career and music of the band, with obscure film footage, rare interviews and even a never previously seen tour film from the private collection of Mott's keyboard wizard Morgan Fisher! A similar DVD covering Bad Company's first three albums were released in 2006. More info

IAN HUNTER - "Shrunken Heads" - Norway 2CD edition!
Ian Hunter's 2007 CD "Shrunken Heads" is definitely one of his best albums, praised by critics and fans alike! Be sure to pick up the Norwegian edition on Mercury Records which includes the bonus CD which were only available with the initial pressings in USA and UK, and comes with a nice 2CD cover. More info

US re-issue label American Beat also re-issued Ian Hunter's "All Of The Good Ones Are Taken" in 2007, adding the non-LP track "Traitor". More info

Other new additions to the Mott Archive:

- Genya Ravan added to the Mick Ronson discography - More info - Alvin Lee "Pump Iron" CD re-issue featuring a song by Mick Ralphs - More info - introduced new Mick Ralphs cover versions page - More info - added four more Medicine Head picture sleeve singles - More info - added The Alarm's cover version of "Saturday Gigs" - More info - added "The Songs Of David Bowie" compilation CD with three Mick Ronson tracks! More info - introduced new Steve Hyams page - More info

NEWS - May 2009

Mott The Hoople songs included on newspaper giveaway CDs!
British newspapers have been giving away free CDs with their Sunday editions for some years now. I have compiled a discography of giveaway CDs featuring Mott The Hoople songs. More info

VERDEN ALLEN - "My Masochistic Side" - new CD!
Verden Allen has recorded a new solo album with him playing all the instruments. "My Masochistic Side" is released by Angel Air on 13 July 2009, and features eight new recordings plus two re-recordings ("Long Time No See" and "Sweet Sweet Girl"). Interestingly, "St.Tropez" - the new track included on a 2005 Mott The Hoople compilation entitled "Family Anthology" has not been included. More info

3x "I Wish I Was Your Mother" cover versions!
Tim Brickley (2005), Shaky Ground (2006) and Billy Coulter (2008) have all released versions of "I Wish I Was Your Mother" in recent years. Billy Coulter even quotes Ian Hunter on his website: "I have your CD in the Volvo. Nice one!--Ian Hunter, lead singer of Mott the Hoople".... Another newly discovered cover version is Jack O. & The Tearjerkers who covered "All The Way From Memphis" on the various artists album "In The Mood For Memphis Vol.2" in 2005. More info

NEWS - April 2009

Two mp3 only Mott The Hoople compilations discovered!
"Rhino Hi-Five: Mott The Hoople" and "Live Rock Masters: Ready For Love" are two Mott The Hoople compilations currently only available as digital downloads. More digital download news..... Mick Ralphs co-wrote a song called "Flying Hour" with George Harrison for Harrison's 1981 "Somewhere In England" album. The track was never used, but in 2008 it was added as bonus track to the remastered digital version only available on iTunes and other online vendors! More info

Free CD with MOJO magazine no. 186!
"Thunderbuck Ram" by Mott The Hoople and "One More Chance To Run" by British Lions are included on the free 15-track CD that came with issue 186 (May 2009) of MOJO Magazine, entitled "All The Young Dudes" (and featuring a nice picture of Ian Hunter on the cover - pictured right). "Thunderbuck Ram" is the alternate "Bumpers" version, while "One More Chance To Run" is the regular LP version. More info

MEDICINE HEAD - "The Very Best Of Medicine Head" - new CD!
Cherry Red Records releases "The Very Best Of Medicine Head", subtitled "One And One Is One" on 18 May 2009. Highlights include tracks such as "Thou Shalt Not Pass" and "Back To The Wall" never before available on UK CD, and a cover of Robert Johnson's "Walking Blues" - plus 14 other tracks. More info

1967 live recordings featuring Luther Grosvenor and Verden Allen discovered!
Back in 2002, French Jukebox Magazine released a CD documenting the 1st International Festival of pop music in Paris, at the Palais des Sports on 01 June 1967. The CD was called "Festival 67 - Live In Paris" and it included two tracks apiece by the V.I.P.'s (featuring Luther Grosvenor and Keith Emerson), and Jimmy Cliff (featuring Verden Allen). More info: VIP's | Jimmy Cliff

NEWS - March 2009

DEEP FEELING - "Pretty Colours" - unreleased 1966 album featuring Luther Grosvenor!
In January 2009, UK re-issue label Sunbeam released "Pretty Colours", the unreleased 1966 album by Deep Feeling - a band featuring Luther Grosvenor, Jim Capaldi and Gordon Jackson. More info

STOP PRESS! I have completely reworked the Luther Grosvenor discography section - so be sure to check it out! More info

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "All The Young Dudes" - CD compilations!
Back in 2007, the German budget CD labels Black Box (pictured right) and Weton Exclusive released three Mott The Hoople compilations with almost identical track selections entitled "All The Young Dudes". They all contained previously released material, licenced from Angel Air. Great music, pity about the poor packaging! More info

Free CD with CLASSIC ROCK magazine no. 130!
"Walkin' With A Mountain" by Mott The Hoople and "Better By You, Better Than Me" by Spooky Tooth are included on the free 15-track CD that came with issue 130 (April 2009) of Classic Rock Magazine, entitled "Lost Tunes". The songs are the studio versions from "Mad Shadows" and "Spooky Two" respectively. More info

XDAVIS - unreleased 1984 session produced by Mick Ronson!
Mick Ronson produced four songs for New York based Xdavis in 1984. Said Xdavis vocalist Michael Jeremiah: "I knew I would always treasure my time with him and I still do. He was a wonderful, wonderful man". More info

STOP PRESS! Be sure also to check out the biography on www.mickronson.com and look for another previously undocumented Mick Ronson co-production from 1981 for a band called The Proof. Justin Purington recently made contact with one of the band members........ Two such discoveries in one month makes you wonder how much else there is out there, still waiting to be documented. Do not hesitate to get in touch if you know of other unreleased sessions or productions featuring Mick Ronson.

NEWS - February 2009

[Mott The Hoople reunion] MOTT THE HOOPLE 40th anniversary reunion shows - featuring all original members: Verden Allen, Dale Griffin, Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs and Overend Watts

Mott The Hoople announce the final dates of their HMV Hammersmith Apollo residency. The original two nights (2nd & 3rd October) sold out in a weekend, and the first additional night (1st October) has now also sold out. So due to high levels of public demand, Mott The Hoople have added two final shows at the Apollo on the 5th and 6th October.

The return of one of the best loved Rock & Roll bands of all time, it has been 40 years since the highly influential Mott The Hoople formed in 1969. Mott The Hoople return to The Hammersmith Apollo - scene of near riots following their shows in '73 and recorded for the legendary Mott The Hoople Live album. This will be the first time the original line-up has played together for over 35 years.

It is fitting that the 2009 shows are at Hammersmith Apollo - this is where one side of the famous Mott The Hoople Live album was recorded in 1973 and was the venue they had to play twice in one day to satisfy ticket demand, the second show ending in near riot when the curtain came down on their final encore.

Find out more at the official website: www.mottthehoople.com

the Mott archive

a Mott The Hoople website