Mott The Hoople / Ian Hunter - Old Records Never Die: The Mott The Hoople/Ian Hunter Anthology [2014] (2 x CDs)

MOTT THE HOOPLE

Previously posted January 26, 2020

Mott The Hoople / Ian Hunter - Old Records Never Die: The Mott The Hoople/Ian Hunter Anthology [2014] (2 x CDs)

Old Records Never Die: The Mott the Hoople/Ian Hunter Anthology Review by Thom Jurek

After all these years, Mott the Hoople and their iconoclastic frontman, Ian Hunter, may not have gotten the true box set they deserve, but finally there is a cross-licensed double-disc anthology courtesy of Shout Factory. These two discs contain 32 cuts referencing Mott from the hardscrabble Atlantic years through their Columbia Records heyday and into Ian Hunter's critically celebrated solo career (he did score a hit album with 1979's You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic), which was immortalized by the hit "Cleveland Rocks," a version of which became the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. The first disc is completely devoted to Mott, showcasing one tune each from their Atlantic albums (including "Death May Be Your Santa Claus," "Rock and Roll Queen," and "Walking with a Mountain"). The set then dives headlong into the glorious Columbia albums and virtually every song you'd ever want is here -- "All the Young Dudes," "Sweet Jane," "Roll Away the Stone," "Honaloochie Boogie," "All the Way from Memphis," etc. -- with the exception of two: missing are the sultry original Mott version of the Bad Company hit (writer Mick Ralphs was in both bands) "Ready for Love" and the poignant lament "I Wish I Was Your Mother." These are tough omissions, but you won't notice when listening. Disc two is devoted to Ian Hunter's solo material, again across label lines, so Columbia as well as Chrysalis tracks are here -- including a cut each from the never issued in the United States LPs All American Alien Boy and Overnight Angels, all the way through to his Yep Roc debut, 2007's Shrunken Heads. Sure, there are a few cuts that might have made the grade but that's quibbling, since all of what's here does deserve to be. This is an excellent collection with great sound and good historical notes and is sold for a dynamite price point. (AMG review by Thom Jurek)

===========================================================

ALL 

or

ALL 

===========================================================
Track Lists

CD1
01    American Pie (Intro) 1:25
02    All the Young Dudes    3:34
03    Jerkin' Crocus    4:03
04    It'll Be Me    2:58
05    The Golden Age of Rock & Roll    3:27
06    Rose    3:59
07    Drivin' Sister    3:54
08    Mental Train (The Moon Upstairs) 4:59
09    Marionette    5:06
10    Sucker    5:03
11    Ready for Love/After Lights    6:48
12    All the Way from Memphis    5:01
13    Long Red    3:49
14    Sweet Angeline    4:54
15    Lounge Lizard    4:22
16    Honaloochie Boogie    2:46
17    The Road to Birmingham    3:29
18    Born Late '58    4:01
19    Foxy Foxy    3:31

CD2

01    Ohio (Live) 4:49 02    One of the Boys    6:48 03    Sea Diver    2:57 04    How Long? [Death May Be Your Santa Claus) 3:55 05    Rest in Peace    3:57 06    Roll Away the Stone    3:11 07    Rock & Roll Queen    5:10 08    Hymn for the Dudes    5:26 09    Walkin' With a Mountain    3:53 10    Sweet Jane    4:24 11    I Wish I Was Your Mother    4:52 12    Crash Street Kidds    4:33 13    Ballad of Mott the Hoople (26th March 1972, Zürich) 5:26 14    Thunderbuck Ram    4:51 15    Saturday Gigs    4:29 16    The Journey     9:47 17    Blowin' in the Wind (Outro) 0:33
============================================================= =============================================================