The album from Mott the
Hoople that was considered by most fans
to be the End, the Beginning and the End.
Confused? Let me explain. After four critically
acclaimed, but poorly selling albums,
numerous sell out shows all across Europe
and early forays into the United States,
the group of five musicians collectively
known as Mott the Hoople decided to call
it a day after a particularly disastrous
concert in Switzerland. “The End”.
Upon hearing this, David Bowie a huge
Mott the Hoople fan, persuaded them to
keep at it, gave them the song “All The
Young Dudes”, offered to produce their
next album, persuaded Tony Defines to
take the band onto his management label
Mainman, buy them out of their contract
with Island, and got them re-signed on
a new contract to C.B.S. The Beginning.
Although all this brought Mott the Hoople,
and particularly Ian Hunter, international
success, it also hastened the departure
of keyboard player Verden Allen, never
to be heard of again on the international
rock scene; and guitar player/second vocalist
Mick Ralphs, who went off to form “Bad
Company” with Paul Rodgers and we all
know what’s happened to them. The End.
But free from the pressures of their Island
contract, Mott, under Bowie’s guidance,
produced an absolute corker.
Opening with a Rockin cover of Lou Reed’s
“Sweet Jane”, taken much faster than “Velvet
Underground” would ever have dared, gave
the album an eye opening start. Mott had
never heard the original version before
recording it just following what Bowie
strummed on guitar. In fact, bass player
Overend Watts thought the song was called
“C.J.” until he saw the song title written
down on the album cover. Nonetheless,
a great song and a particular favorite
of Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll, the D.J. at Tahitian
Queen.
After hard rockin’ self-composed track
“Momma’s Little Jewel” comes the Bowie
song “All The Young Dudes”, released as
a single proceeding the album it had been
a top ten hit all over Europe and Motts
first top thirty hit in the United States.
Although a Bowie written song, Mott had
made it their own with Mick Ralphs’ guitar
playing and Ian Hunter’s fantastic rap
outro. The album continues with three
Mott rockers, all staying in their live
set in one form or another until their
demise three years later.
Then comes Verden Allen’s moment of glory,
his first solo composition to be released
under the Mott the Hoople banner. Unfortunately
it foretold of future trouble, as the
title suggests poor old Verden felt he
was on “Soft Ground”. It is still one
of my favorite Mott the Hoople tracks
and is undoubtedly one of the heaviest
keyboard sounds ever laid down in a recording
studio. The lyrics perhaps tell their
own story.
“Too many people about,
Telling me what to do with myself,
It’s hard to get around
Walking on soft ground”.
Mick Ralphs’ contributed a superb composition
with “Ready For Love”, essentially one
song with two hook lines, which Mick later
took and re-recorded for Bad Company’s
debut album.
The album closes with the emotional “Sea
Diver” (which was to give its name to
Mott the Hoople’s fan club). For this
David Bowie brought in his co-producer
and lead guitarist Mick Ronson, who arranged
and conducted dramatic strings and brass
for this Ian Hunter composed song ironically
written about the difficulty of writing
a hit single.
The album entered the U.K. charts on 23
September and stayed for four weeks reaching
number 21. The Critics acknowledged that
it was a much cleaner sounding Mott the
Hoople and predictably noted a Rolling
Stones “feel” on many tracks. The British
album release contained black and white
group photos, the back of the U.S. Jacket
featured colour live shots of the band
members. The original album sleeve concept
had comprised a photo of a young boy brandishing
a cardboard cut out guitar by Bob Rock.
However, for some reason better known
to record company executives, it was changed
to a rather bland illustration of three
finely attired but slightly threatening
“Young Dudes”. See which album cover you
think suits Mott the Hoople best. Nonetheless,
a ground breaking album setting Mott the
Hoople on the fast lane to Rock ‘n’ Roll
stardom.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
