The Ballad of Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople are one of the greatest, most underappreciated bands in the history of rock 'n' roll. Adored by a cult-like fan base, ignored by just about everyone else, their nasty mix of heavy metal, glam rock, and Dylanesque cynicism resulted in music that was wildly imaginative and invigorating at a time when bands like America, Three Dog Night, and Bread dominated the charts.
With their Jerry Lee Lewis-style of knock-the-piano-into-the-front-row anarchy, their Stonesy vibe and Velvet Underground sneer, Mott were probably the best pre-punk band to come out of the UK. They influenced such legendary groups as The Clash, the Sex Pistols, and Queen, and amassed a loyal following by virtue of their explosive live shows. But despite this, and having scored a number of hits in the early '70s, Mott the Hoople never quite connected with the mainstream.
A couple of thirty-something Brits named Chris Hall and Mike Kerry have just released the documentary The Ballad of Mott the Hoople. The feature-length film tells the tale of this scrappy band from Herefordshire, England—from their inception at the hands of their madly brilliant producer Guy Stevens to the band's dissolution at the height of their career in 1974. It screened to rave reviews earlier this year in Liverpool and as part of both Portland, Oregon's Reel Music and the New York Film Festivals.
For someone who was just learning to walk when Mott the Hoople split up, Hall says he was first introduced to the band via the 1974 Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, which features the band's classic, All the Way from Memphis. He and Kerry made The Ballad of Mott the Hoople as a tribute to this great rock band who many feel have been grossly overlooked in the annals of rock history.
The duo uncovered a trove of obscure interviews and concert footage for the film, including rare vintage clips of a pre-Ziggy Stardust David Bowie introducing Mott at a 1972 gig in Philadelphia, as well as bits from their shows on Broadway with Queen as the opening act. There is a candid, unguarded quality to the movie, from the testimonies of band members Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale "Buffin" Griffin, and Ariel Bender to rock stars like Mick Jones of The Clash and Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who were huge Mott fans back in the '70s. Frontman Ian Hunter, with his leonine mane and ever-present shades, gave the directors full access to the whole Mott experience once he saw the free-form work they had done on their previous documentary, Love Story, a film about the American rock group Love. "He knew we were fans, not just boring BBC guys," says Hall. "One of the best things about Ian—in the movie and real life—is there's no bulls**t. He may mythologize the band in song, but he's disarmingly frank about the story when he discusses it. I think he enjoyed setting the record straight."
Mott the Hoople's roots can be traced back to two Herefordshire beat bands of the early 1960s—The Soulents, with Pete "Overend" Watts on guitar and Dale "Buffin" Griffin on drums, and The Buddies, featuring Mick Ralphs on guitar and Stan Tippins on vocals. By 1966, Ralphs, Tippins, and Watts, now on bass, had all joined forces in a band that was first called The Doc Thomas Group, then The Shakedown Sound, and later, Silence. The group were offered a recording contract with an Italian label and released an eponymous album in January 1967. By the following year, drummer Dale Griffin and organist Verden Allen had joined the band.
Despite heavy touring, things didn't begin to jell for Silence until they caught the ear of legendary producer Guy Stevens (Procol Harum, The Clash), whose first order of business was to rename the band Mott the Hoople after a Willard Manus novel he'd read while in prison in 1968 on drug charges. Stevens then decided there was one vital element missing. Original singer Stan Tippins didn't fit his vision of the perfect rock group so he advertised for someone "image-minded and hungry." The replacement, after much persuasion to even attend an audition, would come in the form of struggling singer-songwriter-pianist, the charismatic Ian Hunter. Tippins meanwhile assumed the role of road manager. Manus's book, by the way, is about an eccentric who works in a circus freak show.
Mott the Hoople released their self-titled debut album in 1969. Recorded in a week, the album was a cult success and included covers of Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me" and an instrumental cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me." Although sales of Mott the Hoople were poor, the band nevertheless continued a grueling touring schedule, something that caused no small amount of stress. This coaxed a much darker sound from them, which was captured on their follow-up record in 1970, Mad Shadows. The album also sold poorly and received generally negative reviews.
Looking for a change in sound from Guy Stevens' production, Mott decided to produce the next album themselves. After the edgier rock of their first two albums, Wildlife, released in 1971, had a much softer, country-rock feel to it. Wildlife remains the only Mott the Hoople album to feature Mick Ralphs, rather than Ian Hunter, as the primary songwriter. Once again, despite heavy touring, sales remained weak for the band. In early 1971 they postponed a tour of the US and ventured back into the studio, this time with Guy Stevens back onboard. Mott returned to heavier rock territory with their fourth album, Brain Capers, which was released in late 1971. That album, too, failed to sell.
Mott worked very hard as a band. They struggled for every inch of their success. They couldn't go on as it was, feeling as burnt out from touring as they did. With Brain Capers proving to be yet another commercial failure, it seemed the writing was on the wall for Mott the Hoople. Falling into debt, and with disinterested management, the band decided to call it a day. Fate, however, had other plans.
David Bowie was a rising pop star and fan of the band when he heard Mott were about to split up. He persuaded the group to stay together and offered them "Suffragette City" from his then yet-to-be-released Ziggy Stardust album. They turned it down. Bowie next offered Mott All the Young Dudes, which they accepted. Released in July 1972 on the album of the same name, the song became their biggest hit and ultimately saved their career. Later that year Mott were going to record another Bowie song, "Drive-In Saturday," but the band's intended arrangement didn't satisfy Bowie and their professional relationship effectively ended. Another casualty in the wake of "Dudes" was Verden Allen, who departed before the release of the group's next album, Mott, in 1973. That album cracked the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and became Mott's best selling album to date in the US. It produced two hits, "Honaloochie Boogie" and "All the Way from Memphis," both featuring Andy Mackay of Roxy Music on sax.
Mott the Hoople released their seventh studio album in 1974. The Hoople, as it was called, marked the band's highest chart rating in the US at #28. It was the first album to feature Spooky Tooth guitarist Luther Grosvenor on guitar, replacing Mick Ralphs who left to form Bad Company with Paul Rodgers. For contractual reasons, Grosvenor changed his name to Ariel Bender. The Hoople spawned the hit single The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll.
In the afterglow of The Hoople, Mott quickly put out a live album after which Mick Ronson, best known for his work with David Bowie, replaced Bender. Verden Allen's departure from the band a year earlier had set off a series of reformations that continued to splinter the band. Hunter ultimately left with Ronson to form a duo in late 1974, leaving an ever-changing cast of band members to carry on under the names "Mott" and "British Lions." Neither version succeeded commercially. The Mott fans knew and loved effectively died in '74. What was left of them dragged on for a time but then eventually succumbed.
In October 2009, all five of the original members of Mott the Hoople reunited for a string of sold-out concert dates at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Due to declining health, however, Dale Griffin was replaced by The Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers for the shows. The Ballad of Mott the Hoople captures the band's reunion among many other insightful bits. The film is being praised for its accuracy and is being called "rock history at its finest." The DVD set, which can be had from many online retailers, contains a 12-page booklet with sleeve notes by Morrissey, another Mott fan, and a number of DVD bonus features and extras, as well as a limited edition 5-set of postcards. Check it out.
