Ian Hunter (1975)

Posted By : capt.evil1 | Date : 31 Oct 2009 02:06:16 | Comments : 0 |

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Ian Hunter (born 3 June 1939, Oswestry, Shropshire, UK) is a singer-songwriter and musician. 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 he continued in this vein after he left the band. As the leading figure in Mott The Hoople, but facing ill-health and disillusioned with commercial success, he embarked on a solo career, often in collaboration with Mott The Hoople's guitarist Mick Ronson, who was well-known as David Bowie's sideman and arranger from the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars period.

After leaving Mott the Hoople, Hunter quickly threw himself into recording this eponymous solo debut. Not surprisingly, it contains a lot of the glam rock charm of Hunter's old group: "The Truth, the Whole Truth, Nothing But the Truth" and "I Get So Excited" are fist-pumping tunes that combine punchy hard rock riffs with intelligent lyrics in a manner similar to Mott the Hoople's finest moments.

However, Ian Hunter pulls off this grandiose sound without the overtly ornate production that defined the final Mott the Hoople albums because Mick Ronson's cleverly crafted arrangements manage to create a big wall of sound without utilizing a huge amount of instruments or overdubs.

As a result, Ian Hunter's lyrics shine through in each song and show off his totally personalized mixture of attitude and intelligence: the legendary and oft-covered "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" is a cheeky, clever exploration of rock & roll's ability to corrupt the innocent, and "Boy" is a critique of a rocker who has allowed his pretensions to overpower his heart (many say this tune was aimed at fellow star and onetime Mott the Hoople producer David Bowie).

Another highlight is "It Ain't Easy When You Fall," a moving tribute to a fallen friend that gracefully builds from delicate verses into a soaring chorus. The end result is a memorable debut album that gives listeners their hard rock fix and manages to engage their brains at the same time. Anyone interested in the finest moments of 1970s glam rock should give this classic a spin. ~ Allmusic

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Track list:

01. "Once Bitten Twice Shy" - 4:44
02. "Who Do You Love" - 3:51
03. "Lounge Lizard" - 4:32
04. "Boy" - 8:52
05. "3,000 Miles from Here" - 2:48
06. "The Truth, the Whole Truth, Nuthin' But the Truth" - 6:13
07. "It Ain't Easy When You Fall/Shades Off" - 5:46
08. "I Get So Excited" - 3:48

Musicians:

* Ian Hunter: Vocals, Rhythm guitar, Piano, Percussion, Backing vocals
* Mick Ronson: Lead guitar, Organ, Mellotron, Mouth organ, Bass guitar
* Geoff Appleby: Bass guitar, Backing vocals
* Dennis Elliott: Drums, Percussion
* Pete Arnesen: Piano
* John Gustafson: Bass guitar on "Lounge Lizard"

EAC Log

Part 1 | Part 2