Mott The Hoople have confirmed long-standing rumors of a reunion. They will play five shows at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London on 1,2,3,5 &6 October, 2009. This will be the first time that the original lineup of Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale Griffin, and Overend Watts in over 35 years.
Ian Hunter will appear at the City Winery in New York City on 23 July 2009.
Ian Hunter has a signed a worldwide deal with New West records for his new album, Man Overboard. The release date has been set for 21 July 2009.
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.
The debut CD by drummer/producer Rich Pagano features a guest appearance by Ian Hunter. A free sampler from the album was given out at the Fab Faux's gig at Radio City Music Hall on 20 Sep 2008, and is also available from Rich's website.
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.
Martin Briley produced, played and programmed two tracks for American Mall, a new MTV production from the executive producers of High School Musical which premieres on MTV on Monday August 11th at 9pm ET/PT. the tracks are 'Get Your Rock On' and 'Every Ten Seconds'.
On 17 April 2008, Ian Hunter appeared at the opening of John Varvatos' 315 Bowery (the space that formerly housed CBGB's). The show was a benefit for VH1 Save The Music and featured Ian Hunter, Jesse Malin, D Generation, CJ Ramone, Cheetah Chrome, Alan Vega, Clem Burke, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ronnie Spector, and many other special guests.
April 2008 saw the relase of an Ian Hunter album called Behind The Shades, containing one disc's worth of material edited down from the The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nuthin' But The Truth CD. This is live material recorded at the Astoria Theater in London in May 2004, and features Andy York (guitar), Mick Ralphs (guitar), Gus Goad (bass), Ian Gibbons (keyboards), and Steve Holley (drums). There is also a live acoustic version of All The Young Dudes included as a bonus track.
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.
On 12 February 2008, Amerian Beat Records in the USA issued a two-fer CD pairing All American Alien Boy and Overnight Angels. The non-LP single England Rocks is the only bonus track.
The December 2007 issue of Classic Rock (Led Zeppelin cover) has a bonus CD that includes When The World Was Round, the new Ian Hunter single. There is also a review of the recent Mott The Hoople Live at Fairfields Hall, Croydon 1970 CD, which was issued by Angel Air in October (UK Angel Air SJPCD-250)
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's song 'How's Your House?' is featured on Redefine 8/29, a benefit album for the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund (NOMRF), a grass-roots fund that is still making grants directly to musicians affected by Hurrican Katrina. You can donate to NOMRF HERE, and watch a video for Ian's song HERE.
Radio shows: My Planet Rocks: On 21 Jul 2007, Ian Hunter appeared on Planet Rock, for an hour-long show called My Planet Rocks. On Wednesday 27 June 2007, Ian Hunter was interviewed on the Nights With Alice Cooper radio show, hosted by the one and only Alice Cooper. Ian Hunter was featured on the WXPN Free At Noon concert series, performing in Philadelphia PA on Friday, 22 June 2007. Ian Hunter appeared on the Steve Jones radio show on 13 June 2007. Ian Hunter appeared on the syndicated radio show Rockline on 2 May 2007, answering phone calls and previewing his new album.
Ian Hunter performed just before the start of the Cleveland Grand Prix in Cleveland OH on Sunday, 24 June 2007.
