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mahatmakanejeeves

(56,887 posts)
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 08:46 AM Jun 2020

Happy 81st birthday, Ian Hunter.

Mon Jun 3, 2019: Happy 80th birthday, Ian Hunter.

The Wikipedia calendar page says he was born in 1940, but Ian Hunter's official website says it's 1939. The page is locked, so I can't edit it.

Ian Hunter’s 80th Birthday Celebration

Ian Hunter (singer)

Ian Hunter Patterson (born 3 June 1939), known as Ian Hunter, is a British singer-songwriter and musician who is best known as the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople, from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and at the time of its 2009 and 2013 reunions. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before joining Mott the Hoople, and continued in this vein after he left the band. He embarked on a solo career despite ill health and disillusionment with commercial success, and often worked in collaboration with Mick Ronson, David Bowie's sideman and arranger from the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars period.

Mott the Hoople achieved a certain level of commercial success, and attracted a small but devoted fan base. As a solo artist, Hunter charted with lesser-known but more wide-ranging works outside the rock mainstream. His best-known solo records are "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", later covered by Great White, and "Cleveland Rocks", a cover version of which by The Presidents of the United States of America became the theme song for the American TV series The Drew Carey Show.
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Mott the Hoople years



Ian Hunter in 1973 as a member of Mott the Hoople

By 1969, Hunter had two children, but was still hoping for a return to making music full-time. Meanwhile, guitarist Mick Ralphs joined organist Verden Allen in Jimmy Cliff's backing band, The Shakedown Sound. Eventually Ralphs, Allen, vocalist Stan Tippins, bassist Overend Watts, and drummer Dale Griffin united to become Silence, who auditioned for British impresario Guy Stevens. Silence renamed themselves after Willard Manus' 1966 novel, Mott the Hoople. The band lacked a credible singer with stage presence, and the seasoned Hunter, who had by this time taken to wearing his trademark sunglasses, auditioned on a lark and was given the position. They were a critical success in the UK, where some of their most dedicated early fans included future members of the Clash. However, they could not sustain their commercial appeal, and their American tours were slow in building a following. Mott released several LPs and attracted enthusiastic live audiences, but experienced dismal sales despite the svengali-like leadership and promotion of Stevens. After a 1972 concert in a "gas cylinder" in Switzerland, the band announced their end.

David Bowie, a fan of the band, then offered them a song he had just written. As Hunter recalled in a 2004 DVD interview, "He offered us "Suffragette City", which I didn't think was good enough. And then he sat down on the floor, Regent Street it was, in a publisher's office, and plays 'All The Young Dudes' on an acoustic guitar." It reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and revived the band, who were appreciative of Bowie's rescue. Guitarist Ralphs relates that Bowie taught Mott studio tricks, but one of the best-known sounds during the period was a 'hand-clap-in-the-toilet' routine that relied more on Hunter's vision than it did on Bowie's clearly more experienced studio abilities. Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson also significantly contributed to Mott's sound, a fact noticed by Hunter, who would later collaborate with Ronson a great deal.

The post-Bowie Mott the Hoople had notable commercial success with the albums All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie); Mott (1973) and The Hoople (1974). The band experienced financial success with songs such as "Roll Away The Stone", "Golden Age of Rock´n´Roll", "Honaloochie Boogie", "All The Way From Memphis", "Saturday Gigs", and especially "All The Young Dudes". Hunter chronicled the highs and lows of touring in Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, his journal of a chaotic five-week American tour in November–December 1972. Ralphs left in 1973 to form Bad Company, and Hunter began to play guitar until Luther Grosvenor took over. Hunter at the same time was increasingly pressured to write hits for the band.
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Here's my favorite Mott the Hoople tune.

Television man is crazy saying we're juvenile delinquent wrecks; Oh, man, I need TV when I've got T.Rex.



That doesn't work. Try again:



Mott The Hoople All The Young Dudes Live Video 1973 1
253,807 views•Sep 4, 2012

Dominic Croch
496 subscribers



One more:



For old time's sake:

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Happy 81st birthday, Ian Hunter. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Jun 2020 OP
I saw Ian around 1980 - great show! bluedigger Jun 2020 #1

bluedigger

(17,077 posts)
1. I saw Ian around 1980 - great show!
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 08:56 AM
Jun 2020

He opened for Bad Company, so I guess there was no bad blood. He was better, too.

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