Mott the Hoople -

Mott the Hoople was an English hard-rock band that released four albums between 1969 and 1971 on Island Records, followed by three albums and a live disc between 1972 and 1974 on CBS. After the departure of frontman Ian Hunter, they released two 1975–76 albums as Mott. They reached the UK Top 10 with “All the Way from Memphis,” “Roll Away the Stone,” and the transatlantic hit “All the Young Dudes,” a collaboration with David Bowie.

Members: Ian Hunter (vocals, guitar, piano), Mick Ralphs (guitar, vocals, 1969-73), Verden Allen (organ, 1969-73), Overend Watts (bass, vocals), Dale Griffin (drums, vocals), Ariel Bender [aka Luther Grosvenor] (guitar, 1973-74), Morgan Fisher (keyboards, 1973-76), Mick Ronson (guitar, vocals, 1974-75)

Background

Mott the Hoople stemmed from Hereford beatsters the Doc Thomas Group, which formed in 1966 through a merger of two earlier bands: The Buddies (with guitarist Mick Ralphs and singer Stan Tippins) and The Soulents (with bassist Pete Overend Watts and drummer Dale “Buffin” Griffin). Their singular album, Doc Thomas Group, appeared that year on Interrecord ‎in Italy, where they took up residency alongside conquering expats The Rokes and The Primitives.

Back in the UK, they gigged as The Shakedown Sound. As psychedelia loomed, they changed their name to Silence and shopped demos to several labels. Producer Guy Stevens took them under his wing and insisted they make two changes: a new name and a new singer. They renamed themselves Mott the Hoople after the circus freak show novel by Willard Manus. Tippins became their road manager and Ian Hunter Patterson (aka Ian Hunter) joined as their new singer and piano player.

Patterson (b. 1939) played in the rock n’ roll bands The Apex Group (late fifties) and Hurricane Henry & the Shriekers (early sixties). In 1966, he formed The Scenery with Scottish guitarist Miller Anderson (Keef Hartley Band, Dog Soldier) and drummer Dave Dufort (Kevin Ayers). Their one single, “To Make a Man Cry” (b/w “Thread of Time”) appeared in 1968 on Impact. Before Patterson joined Mott and dropped his surname, producer Mickie Most tapped him for a new band tentatively called The New Yardbirds, named after but unrelated to the latter-day Yardbirds configuration that morphed into Led Zeppelin.

Mott the Hoople

Mott the Hoople released their self-titled debut album on November 22, 1969, on Island.

“You Really Got Me” (Ray Davies) – 2:55
“At the Crossroads” (Doug Sahm) – 5:33
“Laugh At Me” (Sonny Bono) – 6:32
“Backsliding Fearlessly” (Ian Hunter) – 3:47

“Rock and Roll Queen” (Mick Ralphs) – 5:10
“Rabbit Foot and Toby Time” (Ralphs) – 2:04
“Half Moon Bay” (Ralphs, Hunter) – 10:38
“Wrath and Wroll” (Guy Stevens) – 1:49

Recorded May–July 1969
Studio Morgan (London)

Ian Hunter – lead vocals (all but 9), piano, rhythm guitar
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar, backing and lead (9) vocals
Pete “Overend” Watts – bass, backing vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, backing vocals
Verden Allen – organ, backing vocals

Additional personnel
Guy Stevens – piano

Technical
Guy Stevens – producer
Andy Johns – engineer
M. C. Escher – front cover drawing

“Rock and Roll Queen”
Released: October 1969

In the US, Mott the Hoople appeared in 1970 on Atlantic.

Mad Shadows

Mott the Hoople released their second album, Mad Shadows, on September 25, 1970, on Island and Atlantic.

“Thunderbuck Ram” (Mick Ralphs) – 4:51
“No Wheels to Ride” – 5:49
“You Are One of Us” – 2:22
“Walkin’ with a Mountain” – 3:52

“I Can Feel” – 7:15
“Threads of Iron” (Ralphs) – 5:11
“When My Mind’s Gone” – 6:25

Recorded November 1969 – April 1970
Studio Olympic (London)

Ian Hunter – lead vocals (tracks 2-5, 7-9), co-lead vocals (6), piano, rhythm guitar
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (track 1), co-lead vocals (6)
Pete “Overend” Watts – bass, backing vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, backing vocals
Verden Allen – organ, backing vocals

Additional personnel
Guy Stevens – “psychic” piano, “spiritual” percussion

Technical
Guy Stevens – producer
Andy Johns – engineer
Ginny Smith, Peter Sanders – cover design
Gabi Naseman – front cover photography

Wildlife

Mott the Hoople released their third album, Wildlife, on March 19, 1971, on Island and Atlantic.

“Whisky Women” (Mick Ralphs) – 3:34
“Angel of Eighth Avenue” (Ian Hunter) – 4:25
“Wrong Side of the River” (Ralphs) – 5:14
“Waterlow” (Hunter) – 3:00
“Lay Down” (Melanie Safka) – 4:02

“It Must Be Love” (Ralphs) – 2:15
“Original Mixed-Up Kid” (Hunter) – 3:35
“Home Is Where I Want to Be” (Ralphs) – 4:07
“Keep a Knockin'” (live at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, 13 September 1970) (Richard Penniman) – 9:50 – snippets of “I Got a Woman” (by Ray Charles), “What’d I Say” (Charles) and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (Jerry Lee Lewis)

Recorded November–December 1970
Studio Island, London

Ian Hunter – lead vocals (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 9), and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar, lead vocals (tracks 1, 3, 6, 8), backing vocals
Verden Allen – organ, backing vocals
Pete “Overend” Watts – bass, backing vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel
Jerry Hogan – steel guitar on “It Must Be Love” and “Original Mixed-Up Kid”
Jess Roden – background chorus on “Lay Down”
Stan Tippins – background chorus on “Lay Down”
Michael Gray – string arrangements and conductor on “Waterlow”
Jim Archer – violin on “Angel of Eighth Avenue”

Technical
Andy Johns, Brian Humphries, Phill Brown – engineers
Brian Cooke – photography

“Midnight Lady”

On July 9, 1971, Mott the Hoople released the standalone single “Midnight Lady,” a Hunter–Ralphs number backed with the Hunter exclusive “The Debt.”

“Downtown”

On September 17, 1971, Mott the Hoople released the non-album single “Downtown,” a Crazy Horse cover backed with the Wildlife track “Home Is Where I Want to Be” (abbreviated as “Home”).

Brain Capers

Mott the Hoople released their fourth album, Brain Capers, on November 19, 1971, on Island.

“Death May Be Your Santa Claus” (Ian Hunter, Verden Allen) – 4:48
“Your Own Backyard” (Dion DiMucci, Tony Fasce) – 4:12
“Darkness, Darkness” (Jesse Colin Young) – 4:28
“The Journey” (Hunter) – 9:15

“Sweet Angeline” (Hunter) – 4:49
“Second Love” (Allen) – 3:48
“The Moon Upstairs” (Hunter, Mick Ralphs) – 5:00
“The Wheel of the Quivering Meat Conception” (Hunter, Guy Stevens) – 1:15

Recorded August–September 1971
Studio Island (London)

Ian Hunter – guitar, keyboards, vocals
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar, vocals
Pete Watts – bass, vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, vocals
Verden Allen – keyboards, vocals

Additional musicians

Jim Price – trumpet on “Second Love”
Guy Stevens – piano, producer

Technical
Andy Johns – engineer
Zal Schreiber – mastering
Richard Polak – photography

All the Young Dudes

Mott the Hoople released their fifth album, All the Young Dudes, on September 8, 1972, on CBS (UK) and Columbia (US).

“Sweet Jane” (Lou Reed) – 4:21
“Momma’s Little Jewel” (Ian Hunter, Peter Watts) – 4:26
“All the Young Dudes” (David Bowie) – 3:32
“Sucker” (Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Watts) – 5:03
“Jerkin’ Crocus” (Hunter) – 4:00

“One of the Boys” (Hunter, Ralphs) – 6:46
“Soft Ground” (Verden Allen) – 3:17
“Ready for Love/After Lights” (Ralphs) – 6:47
“Sea Diver” (Hunter) – 2:53

Recorded May–July 1972
Olympic (London)Trident (London)

Ian Hunter – lead vocals, guitar, piano
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Ready For Love / After Lights”
Pete Overend Watts – bass guitar, backing vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Verden Allen – organ, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Soft Ground”

Additional personnel
Ariel Bender – guitar, vocals on bonus tracks 6, 7
Mick Bolton – organ on bonus track 7
David Bowie – saxophones, backing vocals, vocals on bonus track 5
Morgan Fisher – organ, Mellotron on bonus track 3; piano, synthesizer, vocals on bonus tracks 6, 7
Ray Majors – slide guitar on bonus track 2
Mick Ronson – strings, brass, arrangement on “Sea Diver”
Buddy Bauerle – pan flute
Mike Walls – Hammond B3 organ
Jeff Hanover – vibraslap

Technical personnel
David Bowie – producer
David Hentschel, Keith Harwood, Ted Sharp – engineer
George Underwood – cover art, colour retouching
Mick Rock – sleeve concept, art direction, photography

“All the Young Dudes”
Released: July 1972
UK Singles Chart 3
US Billboard Hot 100 37

“One of the Boys”
Released: 1972
“Sweet Jane”
Released: 19 January 1973

UK Albums Chart 21
AUS Kent Music Report 61
US Billboard 200 89

1973

Mott

Mott the Hoople released their sixth album, Mott, on July 20, 1973, on CBS and Columbia.

“All the Way from Memphis” – 4:55
“Whizz Kid” – 3:05
“Hymn for the Dudes” (Verden Allen, Hunter) – 5:15
“Honaloochie Boogie” – 2:35
“Violence” (Hunter, Mick Ralphs) – 4:37

“Drivin’ Sister” (Hunter, Ralphs) – 4:42
“Ballad of Mott the Hoople (26th March 1972, Zürich)” (Hunter, Dale “Buffin” Griffin, Peter Watts, Ralphs, Allen) – 5:40
“I’m a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso” (Ralphs) – 7:40
“I Wish I Was Your Mother” – 4:41

Recorded February–April 1973
(except track 1, 22 December 1972)
Studio AIR (London)Abbey Road (London)

Ian Hunter – lead vocals (All tracks except 8); piano (All tracks except 5); acoustic guitar (Tracks 3, 7, 9); rhythm guitar (Track 6); echo vamper (Tracks 7, 9); arrangements
Mick Ralphs – lead guitar (All tracks except 9); backing vocals (Tracks 1, 2, 4); organ (Tracks 3, 5, 7, 8); Moogotron (Track 2); mandolins (Track 9); tambourine (track 1); acoustic guitar (Track 8); lead vocals (Track 8)
Pete “Overend” Watts – bass guitar (All tracks); backing vocals (Track 4); fuzz bass (Track 8)
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums (All tracks); backing vocals (Tracks 1, 3, 4, 6)

Additional personnel
Paul Buckmaster – electric cello on “Honaloochie Boogie”
Morgan Fisher – piano, synthesizer, backing vocals on “Drivin’ Sister” (live)
Mick Hince – bells on “I Wish I Was Your Mother”
Andy Mackay – tenor saxophone on “All The Way from Memphis” and “Honaloochie Boogie”
Graham Preskett – “insane” violin on “Violence”
Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou, Casey Synge) – backing vocals on “Hymn for the Dudes”

Technical
Dan Loggins – production supervisor
Alan Harris, Bill Price, John Leckie – engineer
Roslav Szaybo – art direction, design

“All the Way from Memphis” backed with “Ballad of Mott the Hoople” (26th March 1972, Zürich)”
Released: 5 September 1973
UK Official Charts 10

1973 UK Albums Chart 7
1973 AUS Kent Music Report 57
1973 Billboard 200 35

1974

‘The Hoople’

Mott the Hoople released their seventh album, ‘The Hoople’, on March 29, 1974, on CBS and Columbia.

“The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll” – 3:26
“Marionette” – 5:08
“Alice” – 5:20
“Crash Street Kidds” – 4:31

“Born Late ’58” (Overend Watts) – 4:00
“Trudi’s Song” – 4:26
“Pearl ‘n’ Roy (England)” – 4:31
“Through the Looking Glass” – 4:37
“Roll Away the Stone” – 3:10

Recorded January 1974 – February 1974
Studio Advision (London) AIR (London)

Ian Hunter – vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Pete Overend Watts – bass guitar, vocals, lead vocals on “Born Late ’58”, rhythm guitar, 12-string guitar
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, vocals, percussion
Ariel Bender – lead guitar, vocals, slide guitar
Morgan Fisher – keyboards, synthesizer

Additional personnel
Howie Casey – tenor saxophone on 1 2 3 7
Jock McPherson – baritone saxophone on 1 2 7, tenor saxophone on 1 2 7
Mike Hurwitz – cello on 2
Lynsey De Paul – backing vocals on 3 9
Mick Ralphs – backing vocals on 7, rhythm guitar on 9
Graham Preskett – violin on 8, conductor on 8, tubular bells on 8
Barry St. John, Sue and Sunny – backing vocals on 1 8
Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou & Casey Synge) – backing vocals on 9

Technical
Dan Loggins – production supervisor
Mike Dunne, Paul Hardiman – engineer (Advision Studios)
Bill Price, Gary Edwards, Peter Swettenham, Sean Milligan – engineer (Air Studios)
Roslav Szaybo – sleeve concept, design
John Brown – photography

“Honaloochie Boogie” backed with the non-album “Rose”
May 25, 1973
No. 12

“Roll Away the Stone” backed with the non-album “Where Do You All Come From?”
Released: 9 November 1973 (UK)
UK Singles Chart 8
21 June 1974 (US)

“The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll” backed with the non-album “Rest In Peace”
Released: 15 March 1974 (UK)
UK Singles Chart 16

1974 UK Albums Chart 11
1974 Billboard Pop Albums 28

“Foxy, Foxy”

On June 7, 1974, Mott the Hoople released the standalone single “Foxy, Foxy,” a Hunter original backed with the recent album track “Trudi’s Song.”

“Saturday Gigs”

On October 14, 1974, Mott the Hoople released the standalone single “Saturday Gigs,” a Hunter original backed with a medley of “Jerkin’ Crocus,” “Sucker,” and “Violence.”

Live

In November 1974, Mott the Hoople released Live, culled from recent shows in New York and London.

Side A (Broadway)
“All the Way from Memphis” (Hunter) – 5:05
“Sucker” (Hunter, Ralphs, Watts) – 6:06
“Rest in Peace” (Griffin, Hunter, Watts) – 5:57
“All the Young Dudes” (David Bowie) – 3:49
“Walkin’ With A Mountain” (Hunter) – 5:02

Side B (Hammersmith)
“Sweet Angeline” (Hunter) – 7:03
“Rose” (Griffin, Hunter, Ralphs, Watts) – 4:46
“Jerkin’ Crocus” / “One of the Boys” / “Rock & Roll Queen” / “Get Back” / “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On” / “Violence” (Sunny David, Hunter, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ralphs, Dave Williams) – 16:00

Recorded Hammersmith Odeon, 14 December 1973 and Uris Theatre, Broadway, 8 and 9 May 1974

Ian Hunter – vocals, rhythm guitar,
Peter Overend Watts – bass guitar, vocals,
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, vocals,
Ariel Bender – lead guitar, vocals,
Morgan Fisher – piano, vocals

with:
Blue Weaver – organ (U.S.)
Mick Bolton – organ (UK)
Stan Tippins – vocals on “All the Young Dudes”

Technical
Fred Heller – executive producer
Gary Klein – executive production supervision
Bill Price, Gary Edwards – engineer (Island mobile studio)
James Reeves – engineer (Record Plant mobile studio)
Alan “Pinball Wizard” Harris, Bill Price, Gary Edwards, Peter Swettenham, Peter Wilson, Sean Milligan, Steve Nye – remix engineer
Roslav Szaybo – sleeve design
Dagmar Krajnc – front cover photography

Drive On

Mott released their eighth studio album, Drive On, in September 1975 on CBS and Columbia. This is their first of two albums under the abbreviated name after the departure of Ian Hunter.

“By Tonight” – 3:46
“Monte Carlo” – 4:35
“She Does It” – 3:26
“I’ll Tell You Something” – 4:30
“Stiff Upper Lip” 4:30

“Love Now” – 2:45
“Apologies” (Ray Major) – 0:50
“The Great White Wail” – 5:06
“Here We Are” – 5:25
“It Takes One To Know One” (Dale Griffin) – 4:30
“I Can Show You How It Is” (Watts, Griffin) – 2:30

Studio Clearwell Castle, Gloucestershire, England
Nigel Benjamin – lead vocals (tracks 1-4, 7-11), backing vocals (tracks 5, 6, 11) acoustic guitar (track 7)
Ray Major – lead guitar (tracks 2-6, 8-11), rhythm guitar (tracks 2, 3, 10), slide guitar (track 1), backing vocals (track 10)
Morgan Fisher – piano (tracks 1-6, 9-11), synthesizer (tracks 2-4, 8), organ (tracks 2, 4, 10), Davolisint (tracks 2, 8), electric piano (tracks 4, 8, 9, 11), backing vocals (tracks 2, 5, 10), glockenspiel (track 5), bass (track 8)
Pete Overend Watts – bass (tracks 1-6, 9-11), rhythm guitar (tracks 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), backing vocals (track 2, 3), lead vocals (tracks 5, 6), acoustic guitar (track 9)
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums (tracks 1-6, 8-11), backing vocals (tracks 2, 6)

Additional personnel
Stan Tippins – backing vocals (tracks 2, 10, 11)

Technical
Mott – producer, arranger
Alan Harris, Geoff Emerick, Ron Fawcus – engineers
Arun Chakraverty – mastering
Art Direction – Roslav Szaybo
Gary Edwards, Geoff Emerick, Pete Henderson – mixing engineers
Mike Putland, Peter Lavery – photography
Roger Bamber – photography [Front Cover]

“Monte Carlo”
Released: 22 August 1975 (Europe only)
“By Tonight”
Released: 31 October 1975 (Europe only)

Shouting and Pointing

Mott released their ninth and final studio album, Shouting and Pointing, on June 7, 1976, on CBS and Columbia.

“Shouting and Pointing” (Morgan Fisher, Pete Overend Watts) – 4:31
“Collision Course” (Watts) – 3:25
“Storm” (Fisher, Ray Major, Watts) – 5:31
“Career (No Such Thing as Rock ‘n’ Roll)” (Nigel Benjamin, Fisher) – 5:26

“Hold on, You’re Crazy” (Watts) – 4:31
“See You Again” (Watts) – 4:22
“Too Short Arms (I Don’t Care)” (Fisher, Major) – 4:00
“Broadside Outcasts” (Fisher, Watts) – 3:18
“Good Times” (Harry Vanda, George Young) – 3:57

Recorded February–March 1976
Studio The Manor Studio, Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England

Nigel Benjamin – lead vocals, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Ray Major – lead and slide guitars, backing vocals
Morgan Fisher – piano, backing vocals, organ, synthesizer
Pete Overend Watts – bass, backing vocals
Dale “Buffin” Griffin – drums, backing vocals, percussion

Technical
Mott – producer, arranger
Eddie Kramer – producer, engineer
Mick “The Mint” Glossop – engineer
Bill Price, Ric Stokes – mastering
Roslav Szaybo – design
Alan Messer, Dale Griffin, Gered Mankowitz – photography

Discography: