The Glam-Rock makeover of
the early seventies produced a handful
of sparkly diamond studded masterpieces
topped by the likes of David Bowie’s “Ziggy
Standust”, Slades’ string of storming
anthems, and Marc Bolan & T Rex created
the odd little gem. Mott the Hoople were
right in there, too, and here their post
humously released live album captures
them on a couple of hot nights on either
side of the Atlantic. Side one is taken
from their week of sell out shows at the
Broadway Theater in New York, the second
side comes from their Christmas show at
the Hammersmith Odeon.
Side one opens up bursting out the gates
with rocking barrel house piano and crunching
guitars introducing the infectious “All
The Way To Memphis”, one of a handful
of great rockers from the English Quintet.
Frontman Ian Hunter, he of the charmingly
roguish dylanesque sneer (“I felt sooooo
ashamed”) wears his heart on his glittering,
shimmering sleeve with songs such as “Rose”
and “Rest In Peace”, whilst the slag-rap
in the middle of “Angeline” is a great
example of audience participation and
cockney humour.
This is creative, challenging hard rock
that transcends the usual limitations
of the genre and here, in the bands natural
habitat, the stage, with a baying crowd
of the converted, they live the life to
the full.
The boys in the back line keep the foot
flat on the floor, allowing the frontline
to really go for their lives. Master of
this (continuously trying to steal the
spotlight from the others) was the ultimate
Rock ‘n’ Roll show man lead guitarist
Ariel Bender. He succeeds in splendid
style on the rockers like the fabulous
Medley of Mott classics from Hammersmith
that closes the show or the song that
would always be associated with Bender’s
contributions to Mott the Hoople “Walkin
with a Mountain”.
If you want an album that sounds like
it was recorded in the sterile atmosphere
of the studio, then this huge audience
participation plastered over the top of
them is perhaps not the album for you.
But if you like to take your music raw
and feel as though you’re right there
in row A seat 10 then step right up because
this is the little cookie for you. This
album was recorded when the world of rock
rolled with a passion often missing these
days. Do yourself a favor and get yourself
a slice of hot Mott to add to your collection.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
