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Mott The Hoople Roll Away The Stone

4:31 PM GMT 07/10/2009

SINCE MOTT ANNOUNCED their reunion back in January, websites have buzzed about the setlist, plane tickets been purchased as far away as New Zealand and California while fans who've waited 35 years for the original People's Band to return worked themselves into a lather of anticipation.

More cynical elements feared it could go spectacularly wrong. It would not, after all, be out of character for the band who once sang "you can never grow old" to make a rusty pig's ear of their eternal teenage anthems. But, as a euphoric Bobby Gillespie, howling in the front rows at his own expense for three of the five nights, said, "It doesn't matter how old they are; nobody today plays rock'n'roll like these guys. Maybe the Stones but..."

Over the course of what came to be known as Mott Week, one word repeatedly reverberated across the jungle telegraph: emotional. Speaking as someone who followed the band religiously during its five-year lifespan, that barely describes the waves of unbridled joy which greeted every lurch in Mott's schizophrenic two-hour rocker-ballad rollercoaster ride.

As the slow-building Hymn For The Dudes crashed into Rock And Roll Queen, the band were obviously having a blast. Sprightly septuagenarian singer Ian Hunter strutted around the stage, tempering the old macho stance with humble deprecation and humour, while Overend Watts, a mere 62, scampered around with his Gibson Thunderbird bass like it was 1971, teasing the front rows and striking the bass titan poses which inspired the New York Dolls' Arthur Kane.

Last Thursday's first night nerves and gremlins were obliterated by the sheer disbelieving joy of seeing Mott's original line-up back on a London stage for the first time since 1972 (with The Pretenders' Martin Chambers depping for ailing drummer Dale "Buffin" Griffin). But fluffed endings were small beer in the face of such a triumphant reunion, the brainchild of Hammond organ maestro Verden "Phally" Allen, "the first asshole that left Mott The Hoople" according to Hunter.

"That was good, wasn't it?" beamed Phally afterwards. "It just feels great to be doing it again with the guys after so long. I mean, we had to..."

Shows 2 and 3, on Friday and Saturday, saw rock'n'roll's longest-slumbering kraken wide awake and going hell-for-leather through rockers like Walkin' With A Mountain (Hunter brandishing replica Maltese Cross guitar) and One Of The Boys. Yet it was the ballads that carried the greatest emotional resonance, including The Ballad Of Mott The Hoople and an 'unplugged'-style stools-out drift through The Original Mixed Up Kid. The cataclysmic life-reflection of The Journey followed a burst of Like A Rolling Stone ("My audition song for Mott," revealed Hunter), signalling the singer's switch to electric piano for the final sweep through the glam-era hits.

Most poignantly, Buffin joined Chambers on second drum-kit for the encores, gamely participating in his old mates' reunion. On the first show he was hesitant, but closing Tuesday night's fifth and final show he hammered the tom-toms with a gleeful relish.

"A tad knackered" was a pink-shirted Hunter's verdict on his own performance last night, although it didn't show as he cackled around the stage gripping his champagne-Red Bull cocktail. Bowie rumours proved unfounded but a choir of band offspring and legendary original Mott singer-turned-road manager Stan Tippins coped manfully with All The Young Dudes and Def Leppard's Joe Elliott grandstanded his way through the second verse. There was an air of "mission accomplished" about the whole night. "It's been a long week; it's been pretty hard, but we've had a great time," declared Hunter during the final bow.

There's no doubt the gigs went better than anyone could have dreamed. While Hunter seemed emphatic when he inserted a curt "There won't be a next time" into Keep A Knockin', Phally Allen's been wondering about Glastonbury. Stranger things have happened - as has just been proved - but for now the "goodbye" coda from the closing Saturday Gigs still rings around the old Hammersmith Odeon, and the oddly-elevated memories of those lucky enough to witness this most beautiful of reunions.

Kris Needs

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Setlist

Hymn For The Dudes
Rock And Roll Queen
Sweet Jane
One Of The Boys
Sucker
Moon Upstairs
Knockin' On Heaven's Door/Original Mixed Up Kid
I Wish I Was Your Mother
Ready For Love
Born Late 58
Ballad Of Mott The Hoople
Angeline
Walkin' With A Mountain
The Journey
Golden Age Of Rock'N'Roll
Honaloochie Boogie
All The Way From Memphis

Roll Away The Stone
All The Young Dudes
Keep A Knockin'

Saturday Gigs

---------------------------------------

Photos courtesy of Simon Fernandez

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 4:31 PM GMT 07/10/2009

Related MOJO content:

Ian Hunter , Mott The Hoople

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  • Well said, sir, from one of the formerly young dudes...

    Posted by Anonymous at 9:06 PM GMT 07/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • I saw the band at their very first reunion show in monmouth and again a week later in Hammersmith. The improvement in the space of a week was immense, partiularly Mick Ralphs. I went wanting to see a band I neve rmanaged to see as I was too young back then. What I didn't expect was to see a band on fire - truly superb and uplifting. Ian Hunter is officially the coolest 70 year old on the planet.

    Posted by Francis Brown at 11:42 AM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • As a Mott fan from 1970 & an ardent Hunter follower over the years I had long since given up any hope of seeing MTH live again. So when the Reunion shows were launched tickets were duly purchased & the drive down from Birmingham to Hammersmith for Thursdays first show was filled with the unknown - Not really knowing what to expect. However, the whole evening, including the opportunity of purchasing a CD of the show ten minutes after they left the stage left me spell bound.
    Just simply thanks for so many memories... In the word's of Ian Hunter "It's a pleasure doing business with you"!

    Posted by Anonymous at 5:57 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • As a Mott fan from 1970 & an ardent Hunter follower over the years I had long since given up any hope of seeing MTH live again. So when the Reunion shows were launched tickets were duly purchased & the drive down from Birmingham to Hammersmith for Thursdays first show was filled with the unknown - Not really knowing what to expect. However, the whole evening, including the opportunity of purchasing a CD of the show ten minutes after they left the stage left me spell bound.
    Just simply thanks for so many memories... In the word's of Ian Hunter "It's a pleasure doing business with you"!

    Posted by Anonymous at 5:58 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • I got into Mott The Hoople when I was 15 and before I could see them live they had split. So I followed the remnants - Mott, Hunter, Overnight Angels, Hunter and Ronson, for 35 years - then the boys did it - to mark my 50th year they got together. I was there - all the way from Manchester - at the first Hammersmith show. It was glorious - I sang every song, watched in awe at the power of One of the Boys; Rock n Roll Queen, Death May Be Your Santa Claus, smiled at the odd shambolic bits, failed to surpress tears for Saturday Gigs...I love em, pre-punk punks, dylanesque stones, they don't require smart descriptions - they are and were a great rock n roll band. Lads I can die happy - thank you.

    Posted by Neal Keeling at 9:17 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • I got into Mott The Hoople when I was 15 and before I could see them live they had split. So I followed the remnants - Mott, Hunter, Overnight Angels, Hunter and Ronson, for 35 years - then the boys did it - to mark my 50th year they got together. I was there - all the way from Manchester - at the first Hammersmith show. It was glorious - I sang every song, watched in awe at the power of One of the Boys; Rock n Roll Queen, Death May Be Your Santa Claus, smiled at the odd shambolic bits, failed to surpress tears for Saturday Gigs...I love em, pre-punk punks, dylanesque stones, they don't require smart descriptions - they are and were a great rock n roll band. Lads I can die happy - thank you.

    Posted by Neal Keeling at 9:17 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

    Reply to this post

  • I got into Mott The Hoople when I was 15 and before I could see them live they had split. So I followed the remnants - Mott, Hunter, Overnight Angels, Hunter and Ronson, for 35 years - then the boys did it - to mark my 50th year they got together. I was there - all the way from Manchester - at the first Hammersmith show. It was glorious - I sang every song, watched in awe at the power of One of the Boys; Rock n Roll Queen, Death May Be Your Santa Claus, smiled at the odd shambolic bits, failed to surpress tears for Saturday Gigs...I love em, pre-punk punks, dylanesque stones, they don't require smart descriptions - they are and were a great rock n roll band. Lads I can die happy - thank you.

    Posted by Neal Keeling at 9:18 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

    Reply to this post

  • I got into Mott The Hoople when I was 15 and before I could see them live they had split. So I followed the remnants - Mott, Hunter, Overnight Angels, Hunter and Ronson, for 35 years - then the boys did it - to mark my 50th year they got together. I was there - all the way from Manchester - at the first Hammersmith show. It was glorious - I sang every song, watched in awe at the power of One of the Boys; Rock n Roll Queen, Death May Be Your Santa Claus, smiled at the odd shambolic bits, failed to surpress tears for Saturday Gigs...I love em, pre-punk punks, dylanesque stones, they don't require smart descriptions - they are and were a great rock n roll band. Lads I can die happy - thank you.

    Posted by Neal Keeling at 9:18 PM GMT 08/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • I've loved Mott the Hoople all my life, I would have to loved to see them play, but alas, I live on the wrong side of the great pond. I did manage to see the videos from the show, and you all truly had a blast, especially Joe, I don't think he's ever been higher, lol! Ian, you are the coolest dude ever :)

    Posted by jane arend-denko at 3:15 AM GMT 09/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • The most beautiful of reunions? Who would argue with that? Exactly the right balance of business-as-usual, sentimentality,and good-natured self-deprecation. Those who've seen his solo shows will know just how marvellous a front man Ian Hunter is, but it would be a mightly blinkered IH fan who failed to note how much he raised his game for this. Can't be it,surely?

    Posted by Paul H at 8:47 AM GMT 09/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • I wasn't at the Mott concerts, though I'm sure I would have loved it! But what I hope and pray for, is that such dedication and love of playing music LIVE, enthuses a younger generation to do the same, and to do whatever they think is great, not to sell themselves to businessmen with no soul! Because ultimately it's about creativity first, last and always, and don't forget it!

    Posted by James Moseley at 6:34 PM GMT 09/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • As spectacular as the Monmouth & Hammy Odeon gigs were, bravest bloke of the whole event was Joe Elliott. Can you imagine doing British Lions, Mott and Overnight Angels songs live, knowing full well that Watts & Hunter would be watching from the wings? Not much pressure there then! Man's got balls like an orangutan! Nuff respect.

    Posted by Gleadless Mafia. at 10:13 PM GMT 10/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • What a reunion...

    Posted by Anonymous at 2:20 AM GMT 28/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • What a reunion...

    Posted by Anonymous at 2:21 AM GMT 28/10/2009 Report Abuse

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  • RE: Gleadless Mafia.
    Joe Elliott bought Ian H the Maltese Cross guitar for his birthday!
    Suffice to say, they have been buddies for years.
    So no resentment, just mutual admiration and friendship!

    Posted by Anonymous at 6:13 PM GMT 02/11/2009 Report Abuse

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  • RE: Neal Keeling

    Yes
    I`m completely with you on that. My big brother started bringning home MTH records and I started digging them at the same age as you. In Lund, Sweden MTH did one of their last gigs. I missed it and have been waiting ever since. I have been to London, Copenhagen and various places in southern Sweden just to enjoy Ian Hunter with bands including Mick Ronson, but when a friend of mine told me about the reunion we ordered tickets right away. Being there we visited the first and third gig. Shame there won`t be a DVD to mark the event. Best of all. I also celebrated my 50th anniversary the week before.

    Posted by Göran Hagsund at 8:36 AM GMT 12/11/2009 Report Abuse

    Reply to this post

  • RE: Neal Keeling

    Yes
    I`m completely with you on that. My big brother started bringning home MTH records and I started digging them at the same age as you. In Lund, Sweden MTH did one of their last gigs. I missed it and have been waiting ever since. I have been to London, Copenhagen and various places in southern Sweden just to enjoy Ian Hunter with bands including Mick Ronson, but when a friend of mine told me about the reunion we ordered tickets right away. Being there we visited the first and third gig. Shame there won`t be a DVD to mark the event. Best of all. I also celebrated my 50th anniversary the week before.

    Posted by Göran Hagsund at 8:37 AM GMT 12/11/2009 Report Abuse

    Reply to this post

  • I just started getting into Mott the Hoople after buying Mambo Sons Heavy Days cd which has the song Overend Watts. I did a wikipedia search on Overend Watts and lo and behold, I've discovered this treasure trove of British Music. I am 18 and just bought All the Young Dudes, Mott and The Hoople discs and I can't believe they weren't bigger, especially here in the U.S.

    Posted by Tony at 9:31 PM GMT 13/11/2009 Report Abuse

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