Reviews

REVIEWS, PRESS CUTTINGS AND STUFF:

Starting with my own review of a recent gig by Ian Hunter in Brighton, UK - written for Two Miles From Heaven the Mott The Hoople fan club magazine.

Ian Hunter and The Rant Band. The Komedia, Brighton. Tuesday October 30th, 2007.
Brighton - ah, bitter sweet memories of 1985. Onstage at the Brighton Centre with Dexys Midnight Runners. Dear old Vincent Crane hammering away at the Steinway grand. Kevin Rowland marching across the stage in his brogues demanding: "Give it to me, give it to me" as the band chant: "R-E-S-P-E-C-T." The 11-piece juggernaut shudders to a sudden halt. Kevin turns to the audience and pleads simply: "Respect - you know?!" A couple of weeks later the band split up and Kevin had to wait well over a decade till the Don't Stand Me Down album was re-released and finally got the respect it deserved. I seem to remember that Kevin had a lot of respect for Ian Hunter - in fact it was because I had played Hammond organ with Mott the Hoople that he gave me an audition.

The last time I had seen Ian was at the final concert of our UK tour in 1973 - yes, the legendary Hammersmith Odeon gig featuring a safety-curtain, an angry mob and a guitarist who didn't know when to run for his life. Thirty four years later, as he walked into the Komedia in Brighton for the last night of another UK tour, my old boss had hardly changed at all, but it took him a moment or two before he recognised his former employee. We talked for a few minutes before the gig and he told me that he had been having a great time on this tour. He had met a lot of old friends including Mick Ralphs and Verden Allen who had both joined him onstage a couple of nights before in Shepherds Bush. He seemed pleased to hear about the various bands I had been with and that I was still playing regularly.

A few acoustic guitar chords from Ian led into Ballad Of Mott The Hoople - a great slow-building opener with its comments about various Mott members. When it came to the line about Overend he changed it to "and Mick Bolton's still a rock and roll star". If only, Ian! Once Bitten Twice Shy followed without a break - surely one of the greatest rock and roll songs ever - and as the Rant band crunched into top gear for the first time it was like being run over by a truck, but a lot more fun. As the last chord faded Ian whipped off his guitar and said: "that's it, I'm off." If he had left the stage after just those two songs it would still have been worth the admission price - although I might have begrudged the fifteen quid I had to pay for the car park! Fifteen quid?!

Ian looked cool and relaxed in a casual short sleeved shirt with broad horizontal brown and white stripes - something he would only have worn in '73 if his stage gear had been lost in transit or if he was trying to avoid being recognised by the fans. In between songs he talked to the audience as naturally if he was chatting with an old friend, expressing delight and pride at the success of the Shrunken Heads album but not ashamed to admit that, except for a few songs, he didn't think much of his 1980s output. The superb Seeing Double was one of those exceptions. He told us the story of how a young friend of the family had given him the fright of his life by putting a large pet snake around his neck. What started as a funny story finally led into the tragic Twisted Steel - 'and if I cry it makes no difference, and if I don't I lose my innocence' - she died in one of the twin towers. I remember that Ian always dealt quite dismissively and efficiently with hecklers and tonight was no exception: "Ah, I see we have a wit in the audience. Listen mate, I played in Liverpool last week - there's nothing you can do to me."

The songs from Shrunken Heads showed that Ian's writing is as strong as ever - the powerful Soul Of America, the quirky Words (Big Mouth), the monumental title track and the brilliant single When The World Was Round.

That unique rasping voice was in great form throughout - aided by a packet of throat lozenges that he unashamedly popped in his mouth from time to time. They should employ him to advertise them - they certainly seem to work. At one point he hit a high note that he held so loud and long that it drew a ripple of applause.

Of the Mott The Hoople material my favourite was a swaggering performance of Angeline - quintessential early MTH; rough, ragged and gloriously devoid of any attempt at subtlety. Roll Away The Stone, the song that I remember getting a few moronic yells of "sell-out" when we first played it on the UK tour, was pure fun. Jesse Malin, who had earlier been the excellent support act, joined in on backing vocals. Ian stepped aside to allow him to sing the lead on one of the verses (which he did brilliantly) and he played the Thunderthighs role in the spoken section. The second biggest cheer of the night came when Ian hammered out the piano intro to All The Way From Memphis. I had played these songs many times but this was the first time I had seen and heard them performed from the audience's perspective. No wonder those who saw Mott The Hoople still rave about them if that's what the band sounded like. I lost count of the songs that had the audience punching the air and joining in on the chorus. It's a lethal combination really - a bunch of great rock and roll songs, with choruses you can sing along to, played very very loud by a great band. And the Rant Band are a great band, individually and collectively. Mark Bosch was mesmerising - just a stunning guitarist, knowing exactly when to stay faithful to the original, as in All The Way From Memphis where he captures Mick's guitar phrasing and tone perfectly in the opening verses; and when to cut loose, as he does later in the same song.

I must have been the only one in the audience who had never even heard the brilliant Saturday Gigs. I've got quite a lot of catching up to do. Finally the biggest cheer of the night greeted those famous descending guitar notes and a triumphant All The Young Dudes closed the concert with Ian's daughter Tracie contributing to the backing vocals. It was good to see his wife Trudy again too after all those years. She seemed to be very much involved in the 'family business' - taking charge of the merchandising counter and dealing with other matters backstage.

After a performance like that I expected Ian to be too exhausted to receive visitors after the show, so it was nice to be invited into the dressing room and even nicer when I went to shake hands and say goodnight along with the other guests but was invited to stay instead. We sat and talked for a good half hour about the old days, the break up of the band, the time they almost reformed and lots of stuff that I'm sure you would love to know…but my big mouth is staying shut.

What a great night. I almost felt able to forgive the car park attendant on the way out. But - fifteen quid??!!

Mick Bolton