IAN HUNTER YOUR’E NEVER ALONE WITH A SCHIZOPHRENIC
I can remember exactly when I matured from a kid to a teenager, I was 14 years old going out with my first girlfriend who I’d met at a youth club , who coincidentally became a big city fan I discovered years later.We used to spend time in her parents lounge listening to her favourite band The Osmonds( The things we do for love).Her parents were pretty well off compared to my one parent family and they had a Stereo.! We just had an old Dansette my brother played his albums on.Anway I decided to sell my beloved bike and buy a second hand Sterero, it was’nt very Hifi, I’m not even sure the output was in stereo but it had two speakers and sounded a lot better then the Dansette.
The first two albums I bought were ‘Sing It again Rod’ (Great Cover) and ‘Mott’ by Mott the Hoople.
I played both albums to death,but Ian Hunter soon became my first musical hero.I went on to buy most of their albums when I could and watched them on Top of The Pops and other Tv shows.I then went to see them live at The Opera House supported by Queen.
MTH had been around as a rock band in the late sixties but only got a breakthrough after Bowie gave them ‘All The Young Dudes’ to record and shortly after they joined the glam rock scene and had hits with the likes of ‘Honaloochie Boogie’ ‘Golden Age of RocknRoll,’ Roll away the Stone’ and others.It was evident that IH knew how to write a pop hit but the albums showed he was an excellent song writer.
After leaving MTH he went on to record many solo albums a number with the late Mick Ronson, Bowies side kick.I was fortunate to meet them both after a number of gigs, two of the nicest rockers I have ever met.Ian’s 84 and still recording,!OB1 picked one from his latest for the Xmas playlist and despite suffering from Tinnitus he’s still got it.
Anways onto the album, I could’ve picked a number of IH albums but imo this is probably his best, The personnel backing him are superb,obviously MR is on it along with members of the E Street band.
It starts with a rocker ‘Just Another Night’ Co written by MR which has shades of MTH’s ‘All the way from Memphis’this sets the album up nicely on to two more rockers the third being ‘Cleveland Rocks’ which might be familiar as it was the theme song to ‘The Drew Carey Show’ but covered by ‘The Presidents of The USA’.Then we get a ballad which again should be well known as Barry Manilow had a hit with it.’When The Daylight comes features MR on dual lead vocal.The tracks continue to show case Mick’s guitar playing and Ian’s song writing which suits his voice, not the best vocalist in rock but very distinctive.The albums ends with the epic ‘The Outsider’
I think MR did a fine job with the production, it’s a rock album so play loud!
The bonus tracks are worth a listen too.