Mott The Hoople

Crimson Gold presents Ian Hunter & Mott the Hoople Gold. Led by singer-songwriter Ian of sixteen UK and us singles. CD 1 opens with the David Bowie penned 'All The Young Dudes' from 1972. Hunter, Mott the Hoople burst on to the seventies rock scene with classic tracks such as 'All The Young Dudes', 'Roll Away The Stone' and 'All The Way From Memphis'. This essential compilation features the very best of Mott the Hoople alongside classic tracks from Ian Hunter's solo albums across three CDs, plus an exclusive introduction from Mott and Hunter biographer, Campbell Devine. Gold contains a total The song shot to #3 in the UK singles chart and has been acclaimed as a timeless rock anthem. Other classic Mott the Hoople tracks on this disc include the Top Ten hits 'All The Way From Memphis' And 'Roll Away The Stone'. CC 2 features more hits including 'The Golden Age Of Rock & Roll', 'Saturday Gigs', 'Foxy, Foxy' and 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy'. CD 3 rounds off this definitive collection with fan favorite tracks from Ian Hunter's classic solo albums including 'All-American Alien Boy', 'England Rocks' and 'All Of The Good Ones Are Taken'.

Mental Train: The Island Years 1969-1971 is a deep dive into the wild, wooly years before Mott the Hoople discovered glam. In other words, it's Mott the Hoople before they had anything resembling a hit but were still one of the hardest, heaviest, and weirdest rock bands to roam the land – and one of the most prolific, too. This six-disc box set covers a mere three years, but it was three years where they released four albums, piling up B-sides and other strays along the way. Mental Train rounds up what seems to be every surviving scrap and adds them as bonus tracks to Mott the Hoople, Mad Shadows, Wildlife and Brain Capers, and presenting two discs of non-LP material: a disc of unreleased music and a disc of live material…

Just at the moment Mott the Hoople were calling it a day, David Bowie swooped in and convinced them to stick around. Bowie spearheaded an image makeover, urging them to glam themselves up. He gave them a surefire hit with "All the Young Dudes," had them cover his idol's "Sweet Jane," and produced All the Young Dudes, the album that was designed to make them stars. Lo and behold, it did, which is as much a testament to Bowie's popularity as it is to his studio skill. Not to discount his assistance, since his production results in one of the most satisfying glam records and the title track is one of the all-time great rock songs, but the album wouldn't have worked if Mott hadn't already found its voice on Brain Capers.

Mad Shadows was the second album by Mott the Hoople. It was recorded in 1970 and released in the UK on Island Records in September 1970 (catalogue number ILPS 9119) and in the US by Atlantic Records (cat. no. SD 8272). It was subsequently re-released by Angel Air in 2003 (SJPCD158). As with their debut album, it was produced by Guy Stevens.The original pressing reached No. 48 in the UK Albums Chart in October 1970.

As the “Swinging Sixties” limped wearily into its final twelve months, an ambitious (but still flat broke) South Midlands rock group called Silence was preparing for one last tilt at breaking into the London gig scene. The group at this time consisted of organist Terence Verden Allen, drummer Terence Dale Griffin (Buffin), guitarist Michael Geoffrey Ralphs, bassist Peter Overend Watts and vocalist Stan Tippins. Early in May 1969 Watts spied a likely ad in Melody Maker — “Tough Aggressive bass player required for Island Records group.” A quick phone call identified the group as Free or rather as Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke, who were looking for new musicians following a temporary split with Rodgers and Fraser. With Mick Ralphs along for moral support, Watts travelled up to London for the audition, but on arrival at the rehearsal room in Gerrard Street, Soho, he was dismayed to find a long queue of tough aggressive bass players all in German helmets waiting to be seen.