Verden Allen
Encyclopedia
Verden Allen is an organ player and founding member of 1970s rock band
, Mott the Hoople
. Before that band formed, he had in the middle 1960s been in a rhythm and blues
cover
band called The Inmates and recorded with Jimmy Cliff
.
He left Mott after their breakthrough 1972 album
, All the Young Dudes
, because Hunter was reluctant to record most of the songs he had written ("Second Love" on Brain Capers
and "Soft Ground" on Dudes are the only songs in the Mott the Hoople canon written entirely by Allen). He is featured singing on a few Mott songs, including the demo
version of "Nightmare", released on the album Mott, as well as "Soft Ground". Another song of his, "Son of the Wise Ones", was going to be recorded for Mott, but when Allen left he refused to give the song to the remaining members.
After he left Mott, he joined up with future Pretenders
members James Honeyman-Scott
and Martin Chambers
in a band called Cheeks. They disbanded after in 1976 after failing to get a record deal, after which Allen spent the late 1970s and early 1980s in a number of short-lived bands on his own record label, Spinit. From 1983 until 1994, Allen was entirely out of the music business, when he made a low-key comeback with a new band named after one of Mott's earliest songs, Thunderbuck Ram. They released only one album, Long Time No See, before disbanding. On his 1999 solo album, For Each Other, Allen played all the instruments himself and the album was released by Angel Air
Records, who reissued all the classic Mott the Hoople albums during the early 2000s.
In January 2009 it was confirmed that Allen and the other original members of Mott the Hoople would reform for two 40th anniversary reunion concerts in October 2009. This was later expanded to cover five dates, all at the Hammersmith Apollo
.
in 2011 Verden Allen will re-launch his band Soft Ground which features Rob Hankins, Bass, Graham Masters, Guitars, vocals , Matthew Blakout (formally of Tigertailz) drums/vocals and Martin Chambers
of the Pretenders guesting at selected shows. Live shows and more recordings are promised into the new year.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, Mott the Hoople
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...
. Before that band formed, he had in the middle 1960s been in a rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
band called The Inmates and recorded with Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
.
He left Mott after their breakthrough 1972 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes is an album by Mott the Hoople, released in 1972. Their initial album for the CBS Records label , it was a turning point for the then-struggling British band. They were about to break up when David Bowie stepped in and gave them the song "All the Young Dudes"...
, because Hunter was reluctant to record most of the songs he had written ("Second Love" on Brain Capers
Brain Capers
Brain Capers is the fourth album by the band Mott the Hoople.It was originally released in November 1971 in the UK by Island Records and was reissued in 2003 by Angel Air . It was released in the US on Atlantic Records Brain Capers is the fourth album by the band Mott the Hoople.It was originally...
and "Soft Ground" on Dudes are the only songs in the Mott the Hoople canon written entirely by Allen). He is featured singing on a few Mott songs, including the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
version of "Nightmare", released on the album Mott, as well as "Soft Ground". Another song of his, "Son of the Wise Ones", was going to be recorded for Mott, but when Allen left he refused to give the song to the remaining members.
After he left Mott, he joined up with future Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
members James Honeyman-Scott
James Honeyman-Scott
James Honeyman-Scott , commonly referred to as "Jimmy", was an English rock guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the band The Pretenders....
and Martin Chambers
Martin Chambers
Martin Chambers is the drummer in the rock band, The Pretenders. In addition to playing the drums with the group Chambers sings backing vocals and plays percussion...
in a band called Cheeks. They disbanded after in 1976 after failing to get a record deal, after which Allen spent the late 1970s and early 1980s in a number of short-lived bands on his own record label, Spinit. From 1983 until 1994, Allen was entirely out of the music business, when he made a low-key comeback with a new band named after one of Mott's earliest songs, Thunderbuck Ram. They released only one album, Long Time No See, before disbanding. On his 1999 solo album, For Each Other, Allen played all the instruments himself and the album was released by Angel Air
Angel Air
Angel Airlines, trading as Angel Air, was an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand, which was operational between 1997 and 2006.-Fleet:Over the years, Angel Airlines operated the following aircraft types:...
Records, who reissued all the classic Mott the Hoople albums during the early 2000s.
In January 2009 it was confirmed that Allen and the other original members of Mott the Hoople would reform for two 40th anniversary reunion concerts in October 2009. This was later expanded to cover five dates, all at the Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
.
in 2011 Verden Allen will re-launch his band Soft Ground which features Rob Hankins, Bass, Graham Masters, Guitars, vocals , Matthew Blakout (formally of Tigertailz) drums/vocals and Martin Chambers
Martin Chambers
Martin Chambers is the drummer in the rock band, The Pretenders. In addition to playing the drums with the group Chambers sings backing vocals and plays percussion...
of the Pretenders guesting at selected shows. Live shows and more recordings are promised into the new year.