After a successful
nationwide tour of the British Isles,
the boys from Mott spread their wings
and journeyed over the Atlantic Ocean
to try their luck with their American
brothers, who had always given them such
a fine welcome in their days when they
had Hoople tagged onto their name. As
expected, musical conquest was almost
instant; although it was a little disappointing
that their American agents did not have
the confidence to put them into bigger
concert halls rather than the small clubs
they were asked to play. However, with
increased sales of their debut album 'Drive
On' they were soon moved up the pecking
order by the record company and put on
bigger and more prestigious gigs, supporting
the likes of Kiss, Aerosmith, and Canadian
prog rockers Rush.
Things were on the up and up, and if
anybody deserved it, this bunch of eccentric
British musicians deserved every slice
of luck that was coming their way, as
they had certainly paid their rock 'n'
roll dues over the years.
So when Christmas and New Year 1975 loomed,
it was decided to return home to Blighty
for the festive season for rest and recreation,
re-uniting with loved ones, and hopefully
a bit of industrious writing to record
the next album in January. So far so good.
This time the onus was not solely on Overend
Watts to write all the songs as various
ideas had been worked by various members
of the band whilst out on the road. Add
to this the necessary recording and road
time that had been spent to let the new
guys, Ray Major on lead guitar and Nigel
(the Dome) Benjamin, to feel like part
of the band, and not like the ‘new
guys’. So it was with great optimism
that they returned to recording in February
1976, after further rehearsals. The prestigious
Manor Studios in Oxford was booked and
the great Eddie Kramer was moved in to
do the major part of the production work.
This time the band knew what they were
going to record before they went into
the studios. So when 'Shouting and Pointing'
was released in June that year, it was
an absolute corker. Even the artwork for
the cover was of the highest standard
with the Band in full stage regalia, emerging
from a futuristic rubbish dump - naturally
‘shouting and pointing’.
The album was split into the two sides
of the vinyl, side one 'Shouting' and
side two 'Pointing.' The opening title
track is an all time classic rallying
call for futuristic Hot Motts, very similar
in feel to the Who's 'Won't Get Fooled
Again'. Only with Benjamin's high pitch
wail beseeching you to listen, while Morgan
Fisher frantically pounds the piano as
if his very soul depends upon it. A gut
ripping solo from Ray Major hammers Mott's
intention to the mast. Of course, after
all these years the rhythm section of
Watts and Dale is never going to let you
down. The whole album is a real party
album with each new track breaking out
from the speakers. All of them could be
ripped up and roared out live in concert.
Mott even closed the album with the stage
favorite, the old easy beats number 'Good
Times' (after being deluged by request
from fans for a recorded version).
All this is witnessed by Angel Air's
posthumously released 'Mott, Live - Over
Here And Over There, 75/76.' The only
ballad on the album is a Benjamin/Fisher
penned number entitled 'Career (No Such
Thing As Rock 'n' Roll)', a song about
the dangers of the business side of the
music business. This, coupled with the
fact that Overend Watts decided to take
lead vocals on his own song 'Hold On Your
Crazy', was all rather prophetic.
Although another U.K. tour followed by
another visit to the States, they were
moderately successful. The band felt that
they were not making any further head
way. The reasons for this was firmly put
at the feet of the record company and
the Dome, who was perhaps getting a little
delusional in his own role in the band,
wishing to take them off into some form
of Progressive Rock Story telling band
venture, when the rest of them just wanted
to get out and rock. The record company
smelling a rat, backed off dramatically
financially. In December it was announced
that Nigel Benjamin had left Mott. A couple
of new vocalists were tested, but without
much enthusiasm. Mott was put to rest
before the end of the year.
A great shame to a band that had huge
potential. Mind you, the arrival of Punk
Rock didn't help. but it took more than
that to put these British lions down.
Within six months all remaining four of
the Mott's had regrouped around John Fiddler,
ex Medicine Head, to have another reach
for the stars. However, that's another
story, for another day. Get out there
and do some ‘Shouting and Pointing'.
Smeared by Mott he Dog
Rectified by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
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1
