Mott the Hoople (album)
Encyclopedia
Mott the Hoople is the debut album by the band of the same name
. It was produced by Guy Stevens
and released in 1969 by Island Records
in the UK, and in 1970 by Atlantic Records
in the US.
Stevens, the group's initial mentor and guide, wanted to create an album that would suggest Bob Dylan
singing with the Rolling Stones
. This was partially achieved, with the album including several Dylanesque cover versions along with aggressive rock originals. Years later, vocalist Ian Hunter
- who had only just joined the band prior to Mott the Hooples recording and had yet to play live with them - would insinuate, in a 1980 Trouser Press
magazine interview, that the Stones' 1971 track "Bitch
" bore more than a passing resemblance to this album's "Rock and Roll Queen." (Both songs are in the key of Am, and use the pentatonic scale.)
An instrumental version of The Kinks
' "You Really Got Me
" introduces the album, though a vocal version was recorded and is available on Mott's compilation release Two Miles From Heaven
. Doug Sahm
's "At the Crossroads" (originally recorded by Sahm's Sir Douglas Quintet
in 1968) and Sonny Bono
's "Laugh at Me" (originally issued by Sonny & Cher
on their second full-length album in 1966, but without vocals from Cher
) are suitably reminiscent of Bob Dylan, as is Hunter's "Backsliding Fearlessly." Initial copies of the album were wrongly pressed with "The Road to Birmingham," the flip side of their debut single, replacing "Rock and Roll Queen."
The album's cover is a colourised reproduction of M. C. Escher
's lithograph "Reptiles
." In an interesting coincidence considering Guy Stevens' desire for Mott to sound like the Rolling Stones, in early 1969 Mick Jagger
had approached Escher wanting to commission a painting for the cover of the Stones' upcoming album Let It Bleed
; Escher declined the request.
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
. It was produced by Guy Stevens
Guy Stevens
Guy Stevens worked in a number of different roles in the British music industry including producer and manager. He gave the rock bands Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names....
and released in 1969 by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in the UK, and in 1970 by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in the US.
Stevens, the group's initial mentor and guide, wanted to create an album that would suggest Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
singing with the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. This was partially achieved, with the album including several Dylanesque cover versions along with aggressive rock originals. Years later, vocalist Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter (singer)
Ian Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...
- who had only just joined the band prior to Mott the Hooples recording and had yet to play live with them - would insinuate, in a 1980 Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
magazine interview, that the Stones' 1971 track "Bitch
Bitch (Rolling Stones song)
"Bitch" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones from their 1971 album Sticky Fingers.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Bitch" was recorded during October 1970 at London's Olympic Studios, and at Stargroves utilising the Rolling Stones Mobile studio.The track was featured on...
" bore more than a passing resemblance to this album's "Rock and Roll Queen." (Both songs are in the key of Am, and use the pentatonic scale.)
An instrumental version of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' "You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
" introduces the album, though a vocal version was recorded and is available on Mott's compilation release Two Miles From Heaven
Two Miles from Heaven
Two Miles From Heaven is a compilation album of tracks recorded by British underground rock band Mott the Hoople during their period with Island Records from 1969 to 1972. It features the original band line-up of Ian Hunter , Mick Ralphs , Peter Watts , Dale Griffin and Verden Allen...
. Doug Sahm
Doug Sahm
Douglas Wayne Sahm , was an American musician from Texas. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was a child prodigy in country music, but became a significant figure in blues rock and other genres. Today Sahm is considered one of the most important figures in what is identified as Tejano music...
's "At the Crossroads" (originally recorded by Sahm's Sir Douglas Quintet
Sir Douglas Quintet
Sir Douglas Quintet was a rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite their British sounding name, they came out of San Antonio, Texas. Their career was established when they began working with Texas record-producer Huey P. Meaux, after which the band relocated to the West Coast...
in 1968) and Sonny Bono
Sonny Bono
Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
's "Laugh at Me" (originally issued by Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop music duo, actors, singers and entertainers made up of husband-and-wife team Sonny and Cher Bono in the 1960s and 1970s. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector....
on their second full-length album in 1966, but without vocals from Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
) are suitably reminiscent of Bob Dylan, as is Hunter's "Backsliding Fearlessly." Initial copies of the album were wrongly pressed with "The Road to Birmingham," the flip side of their debut single, replacing "Rock and Roll Queen."
The album's cover is a colourised reproduction of M. C. Escher
M. C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
's lithograph "Reptiles
Reptiles (M. C. Escher)
Reptiles is a lithograph print by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher which was first printed in March, 1943.It depicts a desk on which is a drawing of a tessellated pattern of reptiles. The reptiles come to life and crawl around the desk and over the objects on it to eventually re-enter the drawing...
." In an interesting coincidence considering Guy Stevens' desire for Mott to sound like the Rolling Stones, in early 1969 Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
had approached Escher wanting to commission a painting for the cover of the Stones' upcoming album Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States...
; Escher declined the request.
Track listing
- "You Really Got MeYou Really Got Me"You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
" (Ray DaviesRay DaviesRay Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
) 2.55 - "At the Crossroads" (Doug SahmDoug SahmDouglas Wayne Sahm , was an American musician from Texas. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was a child prodigy in country music, but became a significant figure in blues rock and other genres. Today Sahm is considered one of the most important figures in what is identified as Tejano music...
) 5.33 - "Laugh At MeLaugh At Me"Laugh At Me" was a one-hit wonder for Sonny Bono as a solo artist under the name Sonny. The song was released in 1965 and became a #1 hit for Bono in Canada on the RPM national singles chart , and a top-40 hit in the U.S., peaking at #10...
" (Sonny BonoSonny BonoSalvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
) 6.32 - "Backsliding Fearlessly" (Ian Hunter) 3.47
- "Rock and Roll Queen" (Mick Ralphs) 5.10
- "Rabbit Foot and Toby Time" (Mick Ralphs) 2.04
- "Half Moon Bay" (Mick Ralphs, Ian Hunter) 10.38
- "Wrath and Wroll" (Guy StevensGuy StevensGuy Stevens worked in a number of different roles in the British music industry including producer and manager. He gave the rock bands Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names....
) 1.49
2003 CD bonus tracks
- "Ohio" (Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
) 4.26 - "Find Your Way" (Mick Ralphs) 3.30
Personnel
- Ian HunterIan Hunter (singer)Ian Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...
- lead vocals, piano - Pete "Overend" WattsPeter Watts (musician)Peter Overend Watts is a bass guitar player and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople....
- bass - Mick RalphsMick RalphsMichael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
- lead guitar, vocals - Verden AllenVerden AllenVerden Allen is an organ player and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople...
- organ - Dale GriffinDale GriffinDale "Buffin" Griffin is an English drummer and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople....
- drums
Charts
Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Pop Albums | 185 |