VERDEN ALLEN singles

"WINE RIDDEN TALKS" UK 7" single | 1973
(Polydor 2058 367) | credited to MOONI

Verden's first single was recorded in July 1973 with Mooni, featuring two of his own compositions. "Wine Ridden Talks" was backed with a re-recording of "Nightmare" which was first recorded by Mott in October 1972. Verden sang the B-side but let Mooni take the lead vocal on the A-side.

"ON THE REBOUND" UK 7" single | 1978
(Jet Records S JET 112) | credited to VERDEN & LUTHER

Verden teamed up with Luther Grosvenor for his second single (aka Verden & Luther). The B-side was "A New Way". Both songs were written by Verden who was backed by Luther on guitar, Norman Jarrett on bass, and Martin Chambers on drums. Both stock copies and A-label promos were issued.

"COLLEEN" UK 7" single | 1982
(Spinit Records VA1)

"Colleen" was the first release on Verden's own private record label, Spinit, limited to 100 copies. The B-side was "Through and Through". Verden sang and played all the instruments himself, helped only by Martin Chambers on drums.

"SWEET SWEET GIRL" UK 7" single | 1982
(Spinit Records VA1)

The second Spinit release was a reissue of "Colleen" backed with new A-side "Sweet Sweet Girl", a song recorded at the 1978 Verden & Luther sessions. The single came with two picture sleeve variants (blue or pink) and it used the same catalogue number as the first (Spinit VA1).

"THIS WAY NOW" UK 7" single | 1983
(Spinit Records VA2)

The third Spinit single coupled the two Allen songs "Tomorrow" and "This Way Now". Both tracks featured Dale Griffin and Overend Watts, who apparently didn't like the credit on the label: Arrangement and production by Mott The Hoople Minus Two. It was available with both solid and push-out centres.

"COME ON BACK" UK 7" single | 1984
(Spinit Records VA3)

"Come On Back" was the first Spinit single to receive national distribution via The Cartel. The B-side was the previously-issued "Sweet Sweet Girl" (featuring Luther Grosvenor, Norman Jarrett and Martin Chambers). The single was pressed on blue vinyl and came with a picture sleeve.

"ABOUT TOMORROW" UK 7" single | 1985
(Spinit Records VA2-RM)

For his final Spinit single Verden remixed the tracks he recorded with Buffin/Watts in 1983 and issed the single with a picture sleeve and made it available on both black and red vinyl. Dale Griffin and Overend Watts are now prominently mentioned on the sleeve.

VERDEN ALLEN albums

"LONG TIME NO SEE" UK CD | 1994
(Spinit Records SPCD 101)

Tracklisting: Long Time No See / Son Of The Wise Ones / Death May Be Your Santa Claus / Fine Time To Love / Soft Ground / This Way Now / Wine Ridden Talks / Hold On To This / Come On Back / Small Change / Knocking On Those Old Back Doors / About Tomorrow / Carry On / The Refrain

The album was re-issued in 1998 (Angel Air SJPCD036, pictured below right) with three bonus tracks: Hypnotized / Two Miles From Heaven / The Chunnel Train

"Son Of The Wise Ones", "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" and "Soft Ground" are re-recordings of songs originally recorded by Mott The Hoople. "Wine Ridden Talks" is a re-recording of Verden's first solo single. Three archive tracks are also found on this CD. "This Way Now" and "About Tomorrow" dates from 1983 - they were recorded with Dale Griffin and Overend Watts in tow and released as a single at the time.

The bonus track "Hypnotized" is a 1975 recording by Verden's band The Cheeks, featuring Martin Chambers and James Honeyman-Scott who both ended up in The Pretenders.

"FOR EACH OTHER" UK CD | 1999
(Angel Air SJPCD040)

Tracklisting: A New Way / If Only / All Over You / E Mail / The Weather Report / On The Rebound / For Each Other / Loving You / Second Love / Sierra Highway / 8 O'clock At The Corner / It's Too Late Now / Hideaway

"On The Rebound" and "A New Way" were originally issued on the Verden & Luther 1978 single. They were re-recorded for this album along with "Second Love" (Mott The Hoople) and "8 O'Clock At The Corner" (recorded by The Cheeks in 1975 but never released).

"20 YEAR HOLIDAY" UK CD | 2002
(Angel Air SJPCD110)

Tracklisting: Do You Want Me 2? / Wheels / When It Comes Easy / One 2 One / 20 Year Holiday / Through And Through / All The Feeling Has Gone / Flat Out / Miracle Man / Colleen

"Through And Through" and "Colleen" are re-recordings of one of Verden's 1982 singles.

"MY MASOCHISTIC SIDE" UK CD | 2009
(Angel Air SJPCD294)

Tracklisting: My Masochistic Side / Find Yourself / It’s A Funny Old World / Don’t Do This To Me / Affected / Baby / Apollo 09 / In The City / Long Time No See / Sweet, Sweet Girl

"Long Time No See" (from the 1994 album) and "Sweet, Sweet Girl" (from a 1982 single) have been re-recorded for this album.

"LOVE YOU & LEAVE YOU" UK CD | 2013
(Angel Air SJPCD405)

Tracklisting: Love You And Leave You / On The Rebound / Find Yourself / Knocking On Those Old Back Doors / Wine Ridden Talks / Hold On to This / Soft Ground / Son Of The Wise Ones / Do You Want Me 2? / Long Time No See / Two Miles From Heaven / Fine Time to Love / A New Way

This was Verden's first album credited to his new band Soft Ground, released in February 2013. The band members are Matthew Blackout (drums), Jamie Thyer (guitar) and Rob Hankins (bass). Most songs are re-recordings of classic Verden Allen material and it could easily have been labelled "Verden Allen Greatest Hits"!

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "Friends And Relatives" UK 2CD | 1999
(Eagle EAGCD 104)

Includes Verden Allen: Hypnotized / A New Way. This excellent 2CD set has 25 tracks by Mott The Hoople, Mott, Mick Ralphs, Ray Majors, Morgan, The Silence, The Rats, John Fiddler, Overend Watts, Steve Hyams, Mick Ralphs and Doc Thomas Group, all licenced from Angel Air's catalogue

"Hypnotized" is culled from the "Long Time No See" re-issue, while "A New Way" is taken from "For Each Other". TRIVIA: all the Mott The Hoople songs on this CD are from Verden's time with the band!

MOTT THE HOOPLE - "Family Album" UK CD | 2000
(Connoisseur VSOP CD283)

Includes Verden Allen: Sweet Sweet Girl. A year later, Connoissseur issued a similar compilation CD featuring Mott The Hoople, Mott, British Lions, Verden Allen, Morgan, The Silence, The Rats, Steve Hyams, Mick Ralphs and Doc Thomas Group. No tracks were duplicated on the two releases.

"Sweet Sweet Girl" actually makes its CD debut here. It was recorded in 1978 during the Verden & Luther (Grosvenor) sessions but not released until 1982 when it was used as a single B-side.

"FAMILY ANTHOLOGY" UK 2CD | 2005
(Angel Air SJPCD196)

Tracklisting: Verden Allen: St. Tropez. Other artists: Mott The Hoople, Mott, Ariel Bender Band, Mick Ralphs, Morgan, The Silence, The Rats, John Fiddler, Overend Watts, Dale Griffin, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Bad Company, Doc Thomas Group, and many more.

"Family Anthology" was released in July 2005 and has a fine mix of Mott The Hoople material and solo efforts by family members. This is the third family type album to feature Mott The Hoople but the first on Angel Air. "Family Anthology" included ten previously unreleased tracks, including a da new song by Verden Allen called "St. Tropez" which is unavailable elsewhere!

VERDEN ALLEN with Jimmy Cliff

"HARD ROAD TO TRAVEL" UK LP | 1967
(Island ILPS962)

Tracklisting: The Reward / Let's Dance / Can't Get Enough Of It / I've Got A Feeling / All I Know About You / Give And Take / Pride And Passion / Searchin' For My Baby / Hard Road To Travel / A Whiter Shade Of Pale / Call On Me / Aim And Ambition

Verden Allen and Mick Ralphs both played in Jimmy Cliff's backing band in 1967, but only Verden played on the album - on the track "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Musicians from Spooky Tooth also reportedly played on the album. "Hard Road To Travel" was later issued in Cliff's home country Jamaica (Beverley's Records BLP 018) in 1970 with a different cover (pictured right).

A French re-issue from 1977 (Island 9101 675) sported a third cover variation: click here

"VARIOUS ARTISTS - Festival 67 Live In Paris" France CD | 2002
(LCD Records 29-2)

Released only in France, this CD has highlights from the '1st International Festival of pop music' in Paris on 01 June 1967. Verden Allen was a member of Jimmy Cliff's backing band at the time and their performance of "When A Man Loves A Woman" and "Give And Take" are included on this collection.

The CD also offers songs from The V.I.P.'s (with Luther Grosvenor), Pretty Things, Ronnie Bird, John Walker, Troggs, and finally - Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.

VERDEN ALLEN with Bill Oddie

"ON ILKLA MOOR BAHT'AT" UK 7" single | 1970
(Dandelion 4786)

Comedian Bill Oddie recorded this Yorkshire folk song in the style of Joe Cocker's arrangement of the Beatles song "With a Little Help from My Friends" in 1970, backed by the Grease Band plus friends: Henry McCullough, Alan Spenner, Jim Capaldi, Verden Allen and Sue & Sunny.

Bill Oddie is a birdwatcher, broadcaster, actor, television presenter, writer, song-writer, musician, conservationist and much more . . . find out at www.billoddie.com

VERDEN ALLEN with Bronco

"ACE OF SUNLIGHT" UK LP | 1971
(Island ILPS 9161)

Bronco vocalist Jess Roden sang back-up on Mott's "Wildlife" LP, and Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs and Verden Allen returned the favour on Bronco's second album "Ace of Sunlight". Hunter/Ralphs played on "Amber Moon", while Verden was on the track "Discernible".

Tracklisting: Amber Moon / Time Slips Away / Some Uncertainty / Woman / New Day Avenue / Discernible / Sudden Street / Joys And Fears

Other collectable editions: US LP: Atlantic 9309 | UK CD (2010): BGO Records BGOCD [in a set together with their 1970 album "Country Home"]

VERDEN ALLEN with Honest John Plain

"NEVER LISTEN TO RUMOURS" mp3 single | 2012
(Cubit Recordings Ltd)

Honest John Plain recorded a new solo album at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth in the summer of 2011 backed by an all-star cast and "Never Listen To Rumours" is the first single taken from the album. It was released in September 2012 in a digital download format only.

Promo CD-singles were distributed to press and media however, and can easily be picked up from eBay.

The promo video for the single featured most of the musicians playing on the album, including Michael Monroe and Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks/New York Dolls), Martin Chambers (The Pretenders), Casino Steel (The Boys), Darrell Bath (The Crybabys/Dogs D’Amour) and Verden Allen.

Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) played bass on the studio version of "Never Listen To Rumours" but he was replaced by Sami Yaffa for the video.

Said Honest John Plain: "Recording with Casino Steel, Michael Monroe, Glen Matlock, Sami Yaffa, Verden Allen, Darrell Bath, Robbie Ruston and all at Rockfield last year was certainly fantastic fun. Being in the same studio that Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody and Pete Stride and I made the New Guitars album all those years ago was a real blast.

Well I have actually worked with most of them previously. Casino Steel in The Boys and numerous other bands/projects over the years, Darrell Bath and Robbie Rushton in The Crybabys and other projects, Glen Matlock with Ian Hunter's Dirty Laundry and Sami Yaffa has played live with me.

I'd never previously met Martin Chambers, Verden Allen or Michael Monroe so it was amazing that they wanted to be involved in the album as I had always admired their work".

UPDATE March 2016: the solo album discussed above has still not been released.