Mott - Without any of The Hoople-la
“And I take notice...”
Those were the first four words uttered by Mott singer Nigel Benjamin on the opening number (‘By Tonight’) of their 1975 album Drive On.
Unfortunately, not enough of us did take notice and Drive On, along with the follow up Shouting & Pointing, became two of the most under-rated and under-the-radar rock albums of the seventies.
By Tonight (1975)
“And I take notice...”
Those were the first four words uttered by Mott singer Nigel Benjamin on the opening number (‘By Tonight’) of their 1975 album Drive On.
Unfortunately, not enough of us did take notice and Drive On, along with the follow up Shouting & Pointing, became two of the most under-rated and under-the-radar rock albums of the seventies.
By Tonight (1975)
The great British rock and glam band Mott the Hoople had, in effect, disbanded at the end of 1974 when their legendary and charismatic front man Ian Hunter left to form a collaborative partnership with guitarist Mick Ronson, who had joined the Hoople earlier that same year.
It would seem impossible that any form of Mott the Hoople could continue without Hunter, such is his association with the band since their 1969 debut, but in 1975 the Hoople-less Mott surfaced to continue a brand of glam hard pop and roll that their predecessors had so successfully performed during the early seventies.
Replacing Hunter and Ronson were Nigel Benjamin and guitarist Ray Major, while original Hoople musicians Pete ‘Overend’ Watts and Dale ‘Buffin’ Griffin were still very much driving the rhythm of bass and drums respectively.
Keyboard player Morgan Fisher, who had joined Mott the Hoople in 1973, completed the quintet.
Mott released two albums in two years but with punk just around the corner and many believing the Hoople story to be over when Hunter left, they were never given the recognition they deserved.
Drive On charted, but charted low (#45 in the UK, #160 in the US), a poor showing in comparison to Mott the Hoople’s last two studio albums, which had been top 10 and top 20 UK successes respectively.
However numbers can be deceptive and as I’ve written in many an article good doesn’t always equate with fashionable, or successful.
Whatever the success, or lack thereof, there is no questioning the level of high-energy fun rock and roll contained within the grooves of those two records.
And neither album was short in the great hooks and catchy chorus departments.
Drive On and Shouting & Pointing are excellent little albums and primary songwriter Overend Watts came up with some great hard pop, a ballad or two and a few proto-punk pieces.
All backed by a pretty able band.
Nigel Benjamin’s vocal could be an acquired taste if truth be told, although high tenor singers would soon be more than acceptable in rock and roll.
Although he never had the range of the Geddy Lee’s of the rock world and was perhaps a little thin in overall delivery, he wasn’t as shrill as the Rush vocalist, certainly when comparing Lee’s vocal from the same time-frame.
It would seem impossible that any form of Mott the Hoople could continue without Hunter, such is his association with the band since their 1969 debut, but in 1975 the Hoople-less Mott surfaced to continue a brand of glam hard pop and roll that their predecessors had so successfully performed during the early seventies.
Replacing Hunter and Ronson were Nigel Benjamin and guitarist Ray Major, while original Hoople musicians Pete ‘Overend’ Watts and Dale ‘Buffin’ Griffin were still very much driving the rhythm of bass and drums respectively.
Keyboard player Morgan Fisher, who had joined Mott the Hoople in 1973, completed the quintet.
Mott released two albums in two years but with punk just around the corner and many believing the Hoople story to be over when Hunter left, they were never given the recognition they deserved.
Drive On charted, but charted low (#45 in the UK, #160 in the US), a poor showing in comparison to Mott the Hoople’s last two studio albums, which had been top 10 and top 20 UK successes respectively.
However numbers can be deceptive and as I’ve written in many an article good doesn’t always equate with fashionable, or successful.
Whatever the success, or lack thereof, there is no questioning the level of high-energy fun rock and roll contained within the grooves of those two records.
And neither album was short in the great hooks and catchy chorus departments.
Drive On and Shouting & Pointing are excellent little albums and primary songwriter Overend Watts came up with some great hard pop, a ballad or two and a few proto-punk pieces.
All backed by a pretty able band.
Nigel Benjamin’s vocal could be an acquired taste if truth be told, although high tenor singers would soon be more than acceptable in rock and roll.
Although he never had the range of the Geddy Lee’s of the rock world and was perhaps a little thin in overall delivery, he wasn’t as shrill as the Rush vocalist, certainly when comparing Lee’s vocal from the same time-frame.
Drive On and Shouting & Pointing by Mott, two of the most under
rated and under-the-radar rock albums of the seventies decade.
rated and under-the-radar rock albums of the seventies decade.
It’s hard to make a call between the two albums.
Drive On probably edges it in consistency but Shouting & Pointing probably contains Mott's finest musical moments, such as the highly-charged title track.
Shouting and Pointing (1976)
Drive On probably edges it in consistency but Shouting & Pointing probably contains Mott's finest musical moments, such as the highly-charged title track.
Shouting and Pointing (1976)
Drive On varied between in-your-face rock songs and the melodic pop rock and roll of tunes such as ‘Stiff Upper Lip,' which musically, lyrically and title-wise only a British rock and roll band could have come up with.
The album also featured the the wonderful ‘Monte Carlo,’ a catchy little number that in a different era would have been a great soundtrack for the classic British ‘cops and robbers’ comedies of the fifties.
Mott also delivered some great rock ballads, including 'I’ll Tell You Something' and 'Here We Are,' but the pick of the bunch is ‘Career (No Such Thing as Rock and Roll)’ from Shouting & Pointing.
'Career' is almost autobiographical, telling the tale of artists that are promised the world, or know they are good enough to have a piece of the pie, only to be shafted one way or another.
A song and sentiment that never ages, sadly.
Career (1976)
The album also featured the the wonderful ‘Monte Carlo,’ a catchy little number that in a different era would have been a great soundtrack for the classic British ‘cops and robbers’ comedies of the fifties.
Mott also delivered some great rock ballads, including 'I’ll Tell You Something' and 'Here We Are,' but the pick of the bunch is ‘Career (No Such Thing as Rock and Roll)’ from Shouting & Pointing.
'Career' is almost autobiographical, telling the tale of artists that are promised the world, or know they are good enough to have a piece of the pie, only to be shafted one way or another.
A song and sentiment that never ages, sadly.
Career (1976)
Shouting & Pointing also contains little gems such as the acoustic sing-along number 'See You Again,' which borders on country rock, and the ridiculously infectious honky tonk rock of 'Too Short Arms (I Don't Care).'
But with Shouting & Pointing a non-charter the writing was on the wall and Nigel Benjamin left later in 1976 to be replaced by John Fiddler.
The band subsequently became the British Lions, but had even less success than Mott during their short performing and recording life.
However good bands and good albums are good bands and good albums no matter what sales figures say.
And I’m pleased to say that some thirty-five years on Mott and their songs were back in fashion – and getting an airing via another rock and roll source…
First, Mott’s material received a deserved re-release via Wounded Bird Records, who re-issued both albums in CD some ten years after the unheralded CD issues of the late nineties.
Then, in October 2009, the original members of Mott the Hoople got together for a select number of highly successful reunion shows, with the 70 year old Ian Hunter out front to Roll Away the Stone and the years.
Joe Elliott, Def Leppard’s front man and a huge Mott the Hoople fan, put together the Down ‘n’ Outz to open for Hoople on the last of their London reunion shows.
Such was their own success that in 2010 Elliott recorded an album with the Down ‘n’ Outz featuring tracks by Ian Hunter, the British Lions and Mott.
'By Tonight' (2010) - Joe Elliott's Down 'n' Outz (from My ReGeneration)
But with Shouting & Pointing a non-charter the writing was on the wall and Nigel Benjamin left later in 1976 to be replaced by John Fiddler.
The band subsequently became the British Lions, but had even less success than Mott during their short performing and recording life.
However good bands and good albums are good bands and good albums no matter what sales figures say.
And I’m pleased to say that some thirty-five years on Mott and their songs were back in fashion – and getting an airing via another rock and roll source…
First, Mott’s material received a deserved re-release via Wounded Bird Records, who re-issued both albums in CD some ten years after the unheralded CD issues of the late nineties.
Then, in October 2009, the original members of Mott the Hoople got together for a select number of highly successful reunion shows, with the 70 year old Ian Hunter out front to Roll Away the Stone and the years.
Joe Elliott, Def Leppard’s front man and a huge Mott the Hoople fan, put together the Down ‘n’ Outz to open for Hoople on the last of their London reunion shows.
Such was their own success that in 2010 Elliott recorded an album with the Down ‘n’ Outz featuring tracks by Ian Hunter, the British Lions and Mott.
'By Tonight' (2010) - Joe Elliott's Down 'n' Outz (from My ReGeneration)
It's nice to think that when Mr Elliot declared "And I take notice," many people did, some three and a half decades after the fact.
Ross Muir
July 2010
The audio tracks have been provided to accompany the above article and to promote the work of the artist/s. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Ross Muir
July 2010
The audio tracks have been provided to accompany the above article and to promote the work of the artist/s. No infringement of copyright is intended.
