Friday, May 7, 2021

"To Boa Or Not To Boa": A Mott The Hoople Weekend Mix

 


 

I listened to Mott The Hoople's third record "Wildlife" this week, mostly because it was in front of me and it's the only Mott record I don't like. It had to have been 25 years or more since I last played it and I wanted to see if I felt the same way. 

I do. It's weak.

As I said in an Instagram post, "Wildlife is Mick heavy and Ian light, and I prefer Mott in boas, sequins and platforms over their fake Neil Young tunes." The reaction was mostly "Yay" for the Columbia years, with a few "Yays" for the Atlantic years. This is not to say I don't love the pre-Bowie Atlantic records. I do, just not "Wildlife" and not nearly as much as I love the three Columbia records.

I imagine there will be fans of both, as well as those who prefer one or the other.

This mix avoids most of the obvious. But there were a few I just couldn't leave out.

It includes seven tracks from each of the two labels. These songs are personal faves and not necessarily definitive representations of both eras, though I think the 14 tracks work well together.

TRACKLIST
Sweet Angeline
Jerkin' Crocus
Backsliding Fearlessly
Alice
Angel Of Eight Avenue (Alt. Take)
The Moon Upstairs
Foxy Foxy
Laugh At Me
Honaloochie Boogie
When My Mind's Gone
Until I'm Gone
I Wish I Was Your Mother
One Of The Boys
Saturday Gigs

zip

 



16 comments:

A Walk In The Woods said...

I have never gotten on the Mott train, and I know that is to my detriment... maybe this will help! Thanks for this mix Sal.

Stu said...

Thanks, Sal. Yep, I'll stick with All The Young Dudes, Mott, and The Hoople, mix it together with the best T.Rex stuff from Electric Warrior, The Slider, and Tanx, and get to work on a 12-pack. Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Nice mix, Sal! It includes a few of my MTH favorites: I Wish I Was Your Mother, Saturday Gigs, Honaloochee Boogie, and One Of The Boys. Never got to see MTH live, but had the good fortune to see Ian with Mick on the Short Back and Sides tour.

Tim Lee (of the Windbreakers) and Maria McKee both do decent covers of I Wish I Was Your Mother that are worth checking out.

- Paul in DK

Sal Nunziato said...

I LOVE Maria McKee's version of "I Wish I Was Your Mother."
Wilco does a decent job of it, too.

Jim H. said...

great stuff!! Tho pretty sloppy, I always LOVED the intro to "Keep A'Knockin", which seems to pride the later punk rock guitar sounds!

Anonymous said...

i'm in the Atlantic camp (formative years and all), tho I can still remember the first time I heard "All the Young Dudes" on the radio and thought it was a John Lennon record. I have never owned a copy of Wildlife that would tempt me to play it, thank goodness.

steve simels said...

God, that stuff is great, and thanks for posting. Haven't listened to much Mott in years, but I saw Ian live three or four years ago and he not only still had it, he was singing better than ever.

Anonymous said...

Never got on the Mott train, either (like A Walk In The Woods above), but the ones I like (Dudes, Mother, All The Way From Memphis, Sucker and Thunderbuck Ram) I like lots, so I am looking forward to this, too.
For the record, Stu, there is no 'best stuff' from Electric Warrior, The Slider and Tanx, as all three of those are essential listening.
C in California

Anonymous said...

angel of eigth avenue beauty at its best

dogbreath said...

Thanks for a jolly fine Mott-mix, and not wishing to be contrary (although my mother said I was always exactly that) the "Wildlife" album is one of my favourites, containing as it does the aforementioned "Angel of 8th Avenue", "Waterlow" (probably the standout track for me) and "The Original Mixed Up Kid" plus I rather like the other tunes too, including Mick Ralphs' contributions. Apologies for the rather long sentence. Weekend - enjoy! Cheers...

cmealha said...

Boas is better!

ken49 said...

Mott ruled in my music friends' world for quite a spell. Got on the band wagon early as the FM station in SF were playing them quite often. For me their creative career started with Brain Capers. Just loved the sound of that one. Then they really blossomed to into great writers, music as well as lyrically.

Michael Giltz said...

Wait, you make musical pronouncements on Instagram, too??!! More Sal to follow and enjoy.

Michael Giltz said...

Ahh, so THAT'S what that image on the left is all about! I'm old.

Anything Should Happen said...

Coincidentally Sal, I'm currently writing a magazine piece on The Hoople, the other end of Mott The Hoople's career. It is an album that I loved as a kid and gradually lost interest in as it then seemed so throwaway apart from the magnificent, Alice.

Revisiting it there is still a bit of dross, but taking into account the Glam era, it is one of the better Glam albums.

Wildlife wise, I always thought of it as Mick Ralph's album although Hunter's writing is among some of his best on it with Waterlow and Angel On Eighth Avenue. I will always be a Mad Shadows and Mott sort of guy.

HD said...

"Born Late '58" overlooked again...

We need more Mott. Classic.