An Introduction
Wednesday, 08 April 2009 19:53 | 
Author: The Grouch | 
Mott the Hoople began life in the late 1960s (circa 1968) the best known members of the band were Mick Ralphs who went on to form Bad Company and Ian Hunter who went on to form Ian Hunter.
I just recently started to get into these guys when I downloaded An Introduction to Mott the Hoople (Legally of course). Prior to this LP the only thing I really knew about Mott the Hoople was that they did a song called All The Young Dudes which despite of its overt Homo-erotic theme was still a song worthy of radio airplay in Detroit since the late 1960s.
Check out WRIF:The Home of Rock and Roll
Its funny if I think about it now; we were so homophobic then, but I can still remember kids rocking out to songs with lyrics like "You! You're his friends bring him to me. How does it make you feel SICK!"
This LP is a live LP made of cuts from shows in different venues throughout the United States. The first track opens with a nice boogie piano riff that leads into a power chord onslaught - the song does rock. I was surprised at how much I like it. Just by looking at the name of the track which is Thunderbuck Ram I didn't know what to expect. The song ends with Ian Hunter telling the crowd in a very Spinal Tap voice that the crowd is "very exciting" then thanks them.
The second track which also has a really good groove is called Whisky Woman. It seems to be about a skanky groupie as Ian Hunter doesn't want her to come near him since he doesn't know where she has been…
Track three is The Original Mixed-Up Kid this song is basically a country balled - I give it a thumbs down.
I skip over this one - yawn. The best thing about it is at the end when he says that was a nice quiet one, now here is a nice loud one
Track four Walking with a Mountain is a Chuck Berryesque rocker. It's a good song that was written by Hunter. The thing that I really like about the song is that it is easy but has some killer leads. When I listen to this tune I end up thinking that this song like Johnnie B. Goode or You Really Got Me while simple are packed with energy. I kind of like the fact that the band doesn't sound particularly tight on this track - in fact it seems to fall apart for a bit before the chorus changes into a medley of the Stones' Jumping Jack Flash /Satisfaction before moving back into the actual song. This composite reminds me on an album - The Great Rock and Roll Swindle by the Sex Pistols on which the Pistols try to play Johnnie B. Goode it sounds OK until Johnny Rotten can't remember the words so he directs the band to go into Roadrunner. He keeps telling them to play Roadrunner but doesn't pay attention enough to realize that they heard him and are now playing the intro to Roadrunner…I digress
Track five is called Death May Be Your Santa Clause all in all a good track. Again not difficult, but the band is tighter - the only lyrics I can understand are "I don't care what the people may say" I feel that I just don't know what he is saying.
Track Six is a power chord filled number called One of the Boys. I like this song a lot. The verse starts off I grew my hair to scare my teacher" I think this song was written by Mick Ralphs. It oozes R and B soul and feels like a Bad Company tune although I don't know enough about Bad Company it sounds a lot like
Can't Get Enough from the 1974 LP Bad Company and leads into Ready for Love; a song that made it onto that LP. This version of Ready For Love is quite different than what became the Bad Company song. The Mott version has an extended although disjointed groove in the middle. Ralphs pulls off some really nice gritty leads though, so while in some ways the extended part of the song doesn't sound "quite right" there are some searing riffs that make it all OK
Track Eight is titled Sweet Angeline : A good song with disturbing lyrics. I'm not sure if he is singing about Rape or S&M or just mumbling nonsense. The music is good grungy blues based edginess however. I swear I can here some Sex Pistols in there. At one point the Spinal Tap voice reemerges and tells Philadelphia to not be shy. Then he asks a guy in the crowd if he minds if he talks to the man's bird.
OK I saw Backbeat I remember when, in the movie, John Lennon beat up a guy who asked Lennon how the vacation in Spain with his "new bird" Brian. What I'm not sure of is if this bird was male or female.
In any case it makes the song more interesting.
Track Nine A Hymn for Dudes is quite mellow and a bit boring although it perks up at the end.
Honestly I don't care for this song much -it is a skipper even if there is an homage to Bob Dylan in the lyrics.
Track Ten Sucker A good song with disturbing lyrics. He is singing about a woman they call the Sucker.
Musically it is a bit like the grittiness of Honkey Tonk Woman I like the song, however the vocals really do suck. Once again the guitar saves the day with killer bolts of lightening.
Track Eleven Roll Away the Stones - Sweet Jane this song starts with a riff that reminds me of While My Guitar Gently Weeps this song rocks - the music is engaging although the vocals do not fit; oddly that is part of what makes the song so infectious. It makes you think "Am I the only one who hears this?? Maybe I could be a singer after all." Quite often it seems the vocals just stink but the massive attitude pulls it off - once again we hear the Spinal Tap voice ask is "there anyone who has ever played a part who faked it"
Track Twelve All the Way from Memphis A bluesy tune with a catchy refrain of "From the Liverpool Pubs to the Hollywood Bowl - all the way to Memphis" I like this song. It sounds very familiar I think Hanoi Rocks the glam metal band from Finland covered this tune. All in all, good music (killer guitar) and good vocals. As they said in the old days "Its got a good beat to dance to Dick"
The Last Track All the Young Dudes penned by David Bowie. What can I say? This is far and away Mott the Hoople's biggest hit - camp, crass and full of irreverent fun. All that and a good guitar line - what's not to love?
This LP has a Grouch rating of 3.5 scowls out of 5
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Last Updated (Wednesday, 08 April 2009 19:56)