Today is the birthday of (amongst others) Ian Hunter (87 years ago, if you care). The first time I met Ian it was after a Mott The Hoople gig at The Beaufort in Ebbw Vale. Later in life (after attending another Mott gig at the Flamingo in Hereford), Ian walked into the bar around the corner where I was enjoying a post-gig packet of crisps and a pint of shandy. He pulled up a seat beside me and we chatted for ages.
Ian’s work didn’t start and end with Mott The Hoople; his many collaborations continue to this day, as does his solo work. I’m pleased to hear a blue plaque is being installed in Oswestry, to commemorate his birthplace.
Out of all of his/their catalogue, the best (in my opinion) Mott The Hoople track is (Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs. I award the track this accolade for neither the vocal nor the musical content, but for the band’s autobiographical story embedded in the lyrics. (Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs might not be many people’s choice of a listen, but the story it tells is all about the music business and how fickle it is:
And then we went to Croydon!