Ian Hunter & The Rant Band
Whilst his achievements during his first decade as a recording artist would have been more than enough to ensure his iconic status, Hunter has never been one to coast on past glories. Indeed, in the past dozen years, he’s made a series of riveting albums that stand with his best and most resonant work, while making a decisive return to touring, delivering incendiary live performances that show his fire to be burning as brightly as ever.
He was already a veteran of the London music scene by the time he joined Mott The Hoople in 1969. With Mott, by the time they hit international stardom with the glam-rock anthem for a generation, the David Bowie penned, “All The Young Dudes”. The band’s artistic and commercial success continued with “Mott” and “The Hoople”, between them, containing the hits, “All The Way From Memphis”, “Honaloochie Boogie”, “Roll Away The Stone” and “The Golden Age Of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. On their final tour, they took out a then little known band, Queen, who would have a hit single with a song about their experiences, “Now I’m Here”. It would be the only time Queen would open for anyone and the band members would stay long term friends with Ian, contributing backing vocals to his “All American Alien Boy” album. Mott have also been credited by John Lydon (Sex Pistols) and Mick Jones (The Clash) as being one of the pioneers and inspirations behind the burgeoning punk / new wave movement. Later on, Ian would go on to produce Generation X’s “Valley Of The Dolls” album and The Clash would play on Ian’s “Short Back ‘n’ Sides” release. Not many, if any, other artists could claim to have influenced bands as diverse as Queen and the Sex Pistols.
Mott disbanded in 1974 and Ian moved to New York, segueing into a celebrated solo career and quickly building a formidable body of solo work. The albums, “Ian Hunter”, “All American Alien Boy”, Overnight Angels”, “You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic”, “Short Back ‘n’ Sides” and “All Of The Good Ones Are Taken” between them featuring such diverse talents as the aforementioned Queen and The Clash, Mick Ronson, the then unknown jazz sensation, Jaco Pastorious and The E Street Band, of Bruce Springsteen fame.
But, as always, whilst proud of his past achievements, Ian would prefer to focus on the future. “To me, music is holy” Hunter asserts, adding “For the first fifteen years of my life, I had no idea what I was here for. But then Elvis came out and it was, “Oh, that’s what I am here for”. Rock ‘n’ roll got me out and gave me a great life and I don’t know what I would have done without it. It’s all I know and my identity is all tied up with it”.
Ian Hunter’s latest studio album, Fingers Crossed unveils ten new, self-penned songs including his much-anticipated homage to David Bowie ‘Dandy’. Recorded at HOBO Studios in New Jersey, and co-produced by Hunter and Andy York, the record features his magnificent Rant Band and is the follow-up to 2012’s acclaimed “When I’m President”. Released on September 16th on JJM Records.
Whilst his achievements during his first decade as a recording artist would have been more than enough to ensure his iconic status, Hunter has never been one to coast on past glories. Indeed, in the past dozen years, he’s made a series of riveting albums that stand with his best and most resonant work, while making a decisive return to touring, delivering incendiary live performances that show his fire to be burning as brightly as ever.
He was already a veteran of the London music scene by the time he joined Mott The Hoople in 1969. With Mott, by the time they hit international stardom with the glam-rock anthem for a generation, the David Bowie penned, “All The Young Dudes”. The band’s artistic and commercial success continued with “Mott” and “The Hoople”, between them, containing the hits, “All The Way From Memphis”, “Honaloochie Boogie”, “Roll Away The Stone” and “The Golden Age Of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. On their final tour, they took out a then little known band, Queen, who would have a hit single with a song about their experiences, “Now I’m Here”. It would be the only time Queen would open for anyone and the band members would stay long term friends with Ian, contributing backing vocals to his “All American Alien Boy” album. Mott have also been credited by John Lydon (Sex Pistols) and Mick Jones (The Clash) as being one of the pioneers and inspirations behind the burgeoning punk / new wave movement. Later on, Ian would go on to produce Generation X’s “Valley Of The Dolls” album and The Clash would play on Ian’s “Short Back ‘n’ Sides” release. Not many, if any, other artists could claim to have influenced bands as diverse as Queen and the Sex Pistols.
Mott disbanded in 1974 and Ian moved to New York, segueing into a celebrated solo career and quickly building a formidable body of solo work. The albums, “Ian Hunter”, “All American Alien Boy”, Overnight Angels”, “You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic”, “Short Back ‘n’ Sides” and “All Of The Good Ones Are Taken” between them featuring such diverse talents as the aforementioned Queen and The Clash, Mick Ronson, the then unknown jazz sensation, Jaco Pastorious and The E Street Band, of Bruce Springsteen fame.
But, as always, whilst proud of his past achievements, Ian would prefer to focus on the future. “To me, music is holy” Hunter asserts, adding “For the first fifteen years of my life, I had no idea what I was here for. But then Elvis came out and it was, “Oh, that’s what I am here for”. Rock ‘n’ roll got me out and gave me a great life and I don’t know what I would have done without it. It’s all I know and my identity is all tied up with it”.
Ian Hunter’s latest studio album, Fingers Crossed unveils ten new, self-penned songs including his much-anticipated homage to David Bowie ‘Dandy’. Recorded at HOBO Studios in New Jersey, and co-produced by Hunter and Andy York, the record features his magnificent Rant Band and is the follow-up to 2012’s acclaimed “When I’m President”. Released on September 16th on JJM Records.
Scott McCaughey is a singer/songwriter/musician of sorts doing business as The Minus 5, in the Young Fresh Fellows, The Baseball Project and Filthy Friends, and has often been seen as well with R.E.M., Alejandro Escovedo, Tired Pony, M. Ward, Robin Hitchcock and many others. He is probably the only artist in Coach House history to have performed an entire set in a sleeping bag. He currently resides at The Dungeon Of Horror, Portland, Oregon.
http://thebaseballproject.net/
http://www.yeproc.com/artists/the-minus-5/