Defiance Part 1

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Mott the Hoople ’74 are disappointed to have to announce the cancellation of their fall 2019 U.S. tour. The group’s singer and guitarist Ian Hunter has recently developed a severe case of tinnitus and has been advised by his doctors to discontinue performing until this condition subsides.

IAN HUNTER songs and albums | full Official Chart history IAN HUNTER songs and albums | full Official Chart history

Kris Gray, who was Ian Hunter's manager in the late 1990's, is writing his memoirs. He hopes to have them published by the end of the year, despite describing it as "a mammoth task"! He hit the strings on his guitar, laid it on the floor, had the amp cranked and left his studio – and left it on for days. That was his torture test”: Eddie Van Halen’s rig builder Dave Friedman discusses the guitar legend’s gear testing regimeFormer Kinks and Ian Hunter Band keyboard player Ian Gibbons has passed away after a short illness. He was a member of Ian's touring band from 1997 to the mid-2000's and featured on the Astoria live DVD ( Just Another Night) and CD ( The Truth...). I understand he had been suffering from bladder cancer. I’ve been in Sun Studios a couple of times,” he adds, “and I don’t know what it does for anybody else, but it’s a great feeling being in that room, a very strange feeling. We went down there with The Rant Band and there’s all these original instruments – guitars hanging on the wall, there’s Jerry Lee’s piano, a little drum kit and stand-up bass. Before we knew what we were doing, we were all playing in Sun Studios. But it does have almost a ghostly vibe to it.” To Hunter’s delight, the project began escalating, with a galaxy of stars clamoring to be involved. With time on their hands due the pandemic, his fellow musicians took the demos and stems that Hunter and York put together in his basement and added unforeseen power and creativity through their own trademark talents. Fellow octogenarian Ringo Starr (82) keeps the beat on the following “Bed of Roses” which pounds out with the force of the best Mott grinders as guitarist Mike Campbell provides gutsy six-string support. In the thumping “I Hate Hate” ( it’s spreading like an epidemic), his gruff voice adds to the song’s irritation about negativity in society. But close to the end, Hunter delivers a statement of purpose in “This Is What I’m Here For.” Even though he says, “I ain’t nothing special, an average kid,” he says “all I wanted a song I could sing, a little music and a band that could swing, these are a few of my favorite things.” Taking on the age question, he adds “when I was 30, I was over the hill/but 50 years later I still kill ‘em all, I ain’t through… I never listen to the prophets of doom/too busy turning up the volume/from the womb to the tomb… this is what I’m here for/so I might as well enjoy it.” And from all the signs, Defiance, Pt. 1, finds Hunter and his all-star collaborators having he time of their lives. Pt. 2 is promised to follow, which will similarly feature a crew of world-class special guests, says Hunter, but likely “heavier and more political.”

Ian Hunter: Defiance Part 1 album review | Louder

Songs like “I Hate Hate” and the cathartic “Guernica” – the latter of which sees Hunter manifesting the spirit of Pablo Picasso as he recalls the creation of his 1937 anti-war masterpiece – offer indisputable evidence that Hunter’s lyrical voice remains as uncompromising and provocative as ever before. Exclusive editions of key new releases as well as selectively chosen classics and archival releases Show the kids out there how it's done”: Watch Keith Richards play Rolling Stones classics on a 5-string guitar with Jimmy FallonI’m a songwriter,” he says. “That’s what I do for a living. And after 20 years with the Ranters, I felt like doing something different anyway. And then the Covid hit and it was like, you’re either going to go mad, or you’re going to do something. So I just went at it. I didn’t really write depressing songs, because I figured things were depressing enough as it was.”

Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter news Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter news

I know this puts people out – believe me, I know. I just hope you’ll understand. You’re great fans and I’ll always appreciate you following me – I’m not everybody’s cup of tea!! Obviously the Ranters are bummed out as is Morgan ’n’ the Great Ariel Bender, to say nothing of the crew and business people involved. Thank you, Mike and Frank for your understanding. Their music was played at every party, bush bash, and camp fire you would go to": Fully Completely by The Tragically Hip - Album Of The Week Club reviewThe ultimate feat”: Pedal Pawn has reverse engineered one of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Tube Screamer pedals to produce the “juiciest mid-hump overdrive tone ever” I’ve always had him down as a kind of British Bob Dylan, and “Bed Of Roses” (Ringo Starr and Mike Campbell on this one) underlines it with its glorious rambling poetry. It was a fluke,” Ian Hunter says. “ This was not planned. Really, I’m serious. I really couldn’t believe some of them. I mean, it’s amazing what’s happened. It’s been such a buzz.” It was a fluke,” Hunter, says in the album’s Jan. 20 announcement. “This was not planned. Really, I’m serious. I really couldn’t believe some of them. I mean, it’s amazing what’s happened. It’s been such a buzz.” Mott's three CBS-era albums, All The Young Dudes, Mott and The Hoople have been released in SACD format. These will play on a normal CD player, but also on SACD players which will give listeners audiophile sound quality. More significantly, however, is the fact that The Hoople is available in quadrophonic sound (again, for listeners with suitable audio gear). This is the first time it has been available in this format in the digital age.

Ian Hunter assembles historic line-up for ‘Defiance Part 1’ Ian Hunter assembles historic line-up for ‘Defiance Part 1’

The first four Mott The Hoople albums have been reissued on 180g vinyl. Mott The Hoople (1969), Mad Shadows (1970), Wildlife (1971) and Brain Capers (1971) were issued by Universal (except in the USA) on 13th September 2019. They are cut from the Andy Pearce masters that were used for the Mental Train box set and the artwork faithfullys reproduce the original LP sleeves, right down to the 'zorro' mask included with Brain Capers. Although the word "audiophile" is not used, 180g vinyl tends to be used for such releases so sound quality should be very good indeed.There are a lot of reasons for calling this album Defiance,” says Hunter. “It’s like, people my age shouldn’t be making records, blah, blah, blah. But we’ve still got a bit left.” Having spent the better part of two years on the project, Hunter isn’t done yet. As its title promises, DEFIANCE PART 1 will be followed by the arrival of DEFIANCE PART 2. The second chapter will feature an equally stunning range of special guests while projecting an entirely different thematic approach and songwriting aesthetic.