Ian Hunter has announced tour dates in April and May 2010. These include three gigs at the City Winery in New York City (Apr 21, 23, 24); Teh Sellersville Theater in Sellersville PA (Apr 25), Milano Italy (4 May) and Roma Italy (May 5). More European dates are expected to be announced soon. See www.ianhunter.com for deails.
Mott The Hoople were recognized by Classic Rock magazine with the 2009 Comeback of the Year award. Mick Ralphs and Martin Chambers were in attendance at the event, and Ian Hunter made an appearance through a videotaped segment
As part of the New Yorker Festival, Ian Hunter, Graham Parker, and Ben Greenman were featured at an event called Ian Hunter and Graham Parker talk with Ben Greenman: A Conversation with Music. This was a public discussion, followed by short live performances by Ian Hunter and Graham Parker. The show was held at October 17, 2009 at Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, New York NY.
Ian Hunter appeared on National Public Radio's World Cafe radio show with host David Dye on 15 Oct 2009. The show was recorded over the summer and features and interview and music from Man Overboard. (Ian's segment appears during the second hour of the show).
Mott The Hoople at last confirmed long-standing rumors of a reunion. They played five shows at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London on 1,2,3,5 &6 October, 2009. This was the first time that the original lineup of Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale Griffin, and Overend Watts had performed in over 35 years. The group also played two warmup gigs at the Blake Theater in Monmouth, Wales on 25-26 September. Martin Chambers played drums for most of the set, with Buffin only joining in for the encores due to health reasons.
On 21 September, EMI Records in the UK will issue a special edition of Ian Hunter's classic 1979 album You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic. They are marking the 30th Anniversary of this amazing album with a deluxe re-mastered package containing the original LP with bonus tracks plus an extra disc featuring unreleased live performances of the period.
Mott The Hoople were featured with a 6-page 'Comeback Special' cover story in the September issue of Classic Rock magazine (UK). 'One Of The Boys' appears on the free CD that came with the issue.
Ian Hunter appeared at the City Winery in New York City on 23 July 2009, with Amy Speace in support. His band included Mark Bosch, James Mastro, Paul Page, Andy Burton, and Steve Holley.
Ian Hunter release a new studio album, Man Overboard, on 21 July 2009 . The album was produced by Ian Hunter and Andy York, and was issued by New West Records.
Ian Hunter played a free outdoor concert at Rockefeller Park appear in New York City on 24 June 2009. The Rant Band featured Mark Bosch, Andy Burton, Steve Holley, and James Mastro. Joe Elliott of Def Leppard joined Ian for a verse or two of 'All The Young Dudes'.
Mott The Hoople were added to the Mojo Magazine Hall of Fame at the 2009 ceremony unveiling the Mojo Honours List, held at the Brewery in London on 11 June 2009. The band were inducted by Def Leppard vocalist Joe Elliott, one of the group's most prominent fans. In addition to Mott The Hoople, The Zombies' Odessey And Oracle took home the Classic Album Award, Phil Lynott received the Icon Award, and Yoko Ono received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Derrick Thompson has just published Have Guitars ... Will Travel, which takes the reader on a magical music tour through Northampton during the golden years of 1957-66 From 1957, began a never-to-be-forgotten ten years of skiffle, rock `n` roll, & R&B when local groups lit up the town’s pubs and dance halls; national groups visited for one-off shows, and international stars packed out the ABC cinema. The music scene of the late 50’s and early 60’s was vivid, vibrant and volatile. Relive those years with those who were there! The book contains many previously unseen photos of Ian Hunter from the 1950s, playing with The Apex and other local groups. For those outside Northampton, the book will be available on EBAY UK from 8 June 2009.
Verden Allen's new album is My Masochistic Side, and will be released on 13 July 2009 (UK Angel Air SJPCD294).
On 25 March 2009, Sony in the UK issued a Mott The Hoople 5-CD set, consisting of all five Mott The Hoople and Mott studio CDs (Dudes, Mott, The Hoople, Drive On and Shouting and Pointing).
The May 2009 issue of Mojo Magazine (UK) has a 12-page Mott The Hoople feature article, written by former fan club president and Zig Zag editor Kris Needs. The issue comes with a free CD that includes a Mott The Hoople track.
On 25 March 2009, Sony in Japan released a limited edition Blu-Spec CD of All The Young Dudes. Blu-Spec a new audio CD format using Blu-Ray technology, playable on all CD players.
Verden Allen is featured in Parts 1 and 2 of Talk Of The Town, two video interviews in which Verden remembers Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. Here are links to Part One and Part Two.
Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter: The Golden Age 1969 - 1997 is a new 2009 Australian 2 CD compilation album from Raven Records (RVCD295). The first disc features 11 Mott The Hoople tracks from the Island and CBS years, and the second disc features 7 Ian Hunter tracks from Ian Hunter through Artful Dodger.
Verden Allen returned to Rock The Mike on Bradford Community Broadcasting in February 2009, and updated fans on the progress of the Mott The Hoople reunion.
A new Mott compilation was released by Angel Air on 9 Feb 2009, entitled By Tonight - Live 1975/76. It is a single CD containing live tracks recorded at Friars Aylesbury and Leeds Polytechnic in the UK, and The Forum, LA and Agora Ballroom, Cleveland in the USA. These tracks were originally released on the Live: Over Here and Over There two-disc set.
Start Productions in the UK are working on a Mott The Hoople documentary film, similar to their recent film about the band Love (Love Story). It is tentatively scheduled for a 2009 release. Click here for more information.
Ian Hunter sings duets on two tracks from the upcoming Amy Speace album The Killer In Me, which will be released in March 2009. The title track features Ian singing, and could be heard in the fall of 2008 on the Paste Beat Channel on American Airlines' inflight entertainment radio.
Verden Allen was interviewed by Rock The Mike on Bradford Community Broadcasting in September 2008. In this interview, Verden is the first band member to publicly announce the plans for Mott The Hoople to reunite in 2009.
On 4 Aug 2008 Angel Air releases In Performance 1970-1974, a four-disc boxed set of live material with a 48 page booklet. The box is a hardcover clamshell (similar to the Sony All The Young Dudes boxed set from 1998. The booklet has liner notes by Keith Smith, and is crammed with rare photos supplied by the band members. The live material is a repackaging of three previous Angel Air releases. Disc One contains the Fairfield Halls Croydon 1970 disc, plus the Konserthuset Stockholm 1971 concert. Disc Two has the Tower Theater Philadelphia 1972 show. Discs three and four contain the Two Miles From Live Heaven, with live material 1973 and 1974, as well as various demos and live tracks dating as early as 1969. The set is limited to 2000 copies.
Shout! have scheduled a 2 CD retrospective of Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter for August 2008. Old Records Never Die is a comprehensive set covering everything from Mott The Hoople's debut to Ian Hunter's latest album, Shrunken Heads. Teh first disc is dedicated to Mott The Hoople and contains a nice overview of their Island and CBS years. The second disc is devoted to Hunter, and manages to hitevery album except . The 16 page booklet contains a few unpublished photos, and excellent liner notes by former Creem editor and current mojo correspondent Ben Edmonds. The label was started by ex-employees of Rhino Records and are known for quality releases.
Ian Hunter completed an acoustic tour of the UK in February 2008, playing ten dates in a trio that included James Mastro and Steve Holley. He unveiled a few unusual songs, including Where Do You All Come From, Rain, and Where Do You All Come From, Scars and Sweet Jane. Amy Speace played in the support slot.
Mick Ronson received the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award from Classic Rock in a ceremony at the Landmark Hotel in London. Suzi Ronson, Lisa Ronson, Ian Hunter, and Mick Ralphs were all in attendace.
Ian Hunter's album Shrunken Heads was nominated for Album of the Year by Classic Rock Magazine, and the winner was voted on by the fans. (It did not win). But Ian Hunter and Mick Ralphs were present at the awards ceremony at the Landmark Hotel in London on 5 Nov 2007, where Mick Ronson received the Tommy Vance Inspiration award.
Ian Hunter played two dates with the Rant Band in the USA in December 2007: The Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY on Friday, 14 Dec 2007 and the Trocadero, Philadelphia PA on Saturday, 15 Dec 2007. These dates followed an October 2007 tour of the UK by the Rant Band.
Jerkin' Crocus in the UK has issued the first single from Ian Hunter's critically acclaimed album Shrunken Heads on 26 Nov 2007 (set back from 22 Oct 2007). 'When The World Was Round' will be available in three formats: a 7 inch picture disc, a CD single, and a DVD single. Each format will be on sale for £1.99, or all three can be bought for £3.99. The picture disc includes 'When The World Was Round' (radio edit) b/w 'Words (Big Mouth)' (live 2007). The CD single contains 'When The World Was Round' (radio edit) b/w 'Once Bitten Twice Shy' and 'Twisted Steel' (live 2007). The DVD will include 'When The World Was Round' (animated video), BBC Paul Franks interview 2007 (audio), and a photo gallery of Ian Hunter and the Rant Band. Pre-orders are available now from Townsend Records.
A new live Mott The Hoople CD was issued by Angel Air on 1 Oct 2007. Fairfield Halls Live 1970 (UK Angel Air SJPCD 250), finally makes available the legendary 13 Sep 1970 show by Mott The Hoople at Fairfield Halls in Croydon UK, which was recorded for a live album at the time, but only one track was ever issued (Keep A' Knockin' on Wildlife). The disc is filled out with the previously-issued 16 Feb 1971 show recorded in Stockholm Sweden.
Three new Mott The Hoople compilations were issued toward the end of 2007. Super Hits is a USA re-package of the 1997 title of the same name, with a new cover. All The Young Dudes - Their Best is a single-disc compilation from Holland, with tracks culled from the A Tale of Two Cities album. Finally, All The Young Dudes - Demos and Live '71-'74 is a 12 inch red vinyl album issued by Cleopatra, containing tracks licensed from Angel Air.
Ian Hunter appeared on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on 12 June 2007, performing Words (Big Mouth) and sitting down with Craig for a very entertaining interview.
Ian Hunter played a few USA dates in June 2007: Las Vegas NV Four Queens Hotel (June 14), Agoura Hills CA Canyon Club (June 15), San Juan Capistrano CA Coach House (June 16), Los Angeles CA Key Club (June 17).
