Mott The Hoople Reunion gigs in London...

Tonight was the last of the five gigs at the Hammersmith in London (5 in 6 nights). During the week, several Rock'n'Roll legends were seen in attendance, including Jimmy Page, Dave Gilmour, and Mick Jones (who use to follow them around as a teen).

This was supposed to be just two shows, but got expanded to 5. Given the reception and the success of the gigs, the rumor is there may be more to come. It's the original lineup , except drummer Dale Griffin has been very ill and could only play the encores along with Martin Chambers from "The Pretenders" who played the entire set.


There's some great vid's available. This one guy made em' in great quality. Here's a few of his.

Ian Hunter (Lead Vocals, guitar)
Mick Ralphs (Guitar)
Pete "Overend" Watts (Bass)
Verden Allen (Organ)
Martin Chambers (Drums)

This was from tonight's gig (Tues Oct 6).
Moon Upstairs
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RF6kGJUVj8M&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RF6kGJUVj8M&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

This is from the 3rd gig on Saturday Oct 3.
Ballad of Mott The Hoople
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aTaL1wlSQwU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aTaL1wlSQwU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Also from Sat. Oct 2
Hymn For The Dudes (which was the set opener)
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tUbJ4i4imWM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tUbJ4i4imWM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

They were one of the first to ever cover this song (with Lou Reed's blessing on the 1972 All the Young Dudes album). It's amazing that Ian Hunter is 70 years old.
Sweet Jane (From tonight Oct 6)
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CVaEZUr2Dpk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CVaEZUr2Dpk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

I remember seeing Ian Hunter as one of the performers at the freddie mercury tribute concert on tv and thinking he was very cool (I was probably 12 or so, at the time). Very good first impression, albeit a short one.

celticGreen said:

I remember seeing Ian Hunter as one of the performers at the freddie mercury tribute concert on tv and thinking he was very cool (I was probably 12 or so, at the time). Very good first impression, albeit a short one.

Click to expand...

Not sure if you are aware, but when Mott The Hoople toured the UK in Nov and Dec of 1973, they used Queen as their opening act. They got on so well that when they toured the USA in the spring of 1974, Queen was once again the opening act. That was Queen's first tour in the U.S. In early May of that tour, they were the first band to ever play a Broadway theater and did a week's worth of shows in NYC. The Queen song "Now I'm Here" is about that tour (written by Brian May). Unfortunately, following the Broadway shows, it was discovered that Brian may had contracted hepatitus and Queen dropped off the tour. I had tickets for the next gig that followed in Boston (at the Orpheum) and it was disappointing to discover that Queen wasn't going to play. Saw them a year later (1975) at the Orpheum as the headliner. Sadly, by the end of 1974, Mott The Hoople had broken up.

These reunion gigs are the first time they all played together since (actually since 1972 with the original lineup).

Great group.

These guys were great......Didnt Mick Ronson play with with this band.

Joedogs said:

These guys were great......Didnt Mick Ronson play with with this band.

Click to expand...

Yes. Mick Ronson joined the band sometime after the 1974 U.S. tour. Mick Ralphs had left at the end of August 1973 to form Bad Company. He was hastily replaced by Luther Grovsenor of Spooky Tooth who played on one album and 2 tours (UK in 1973 and U.S. in spring 1974). When Ronson joined the expectations were enormous. They put down a few studio tracks with Ronson and had about a dozen or so shows on a European tour in the fall of 1974. However, the band fractured with Hunter and Ronson on one side.

Here's the basic setlist for all of these Reunion shows

Here's Overend Watts with the awesome footware circa 1974



And here's his footware from last Saturday (notice the extra letters beneath the 'O' and the 'W')

I saw Lou Reed in the early 80s at the whiskey a go go in California.hell of a show,nice small setting.When Reed played Sweet Jane It brought the house down......Still cant believe Ian Hunter is 70 years old.

Another video from the first night (Oct 1). This one's really cool and must be right in front of the amps for the organ.

Angeline
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLd6PSM7I_c&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLd6PSM7I_c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>