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LINER NOTES

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2008

"Old Records Never Die: The Mott the Hoople/Ian Hunter Anthology," recently released by Shout! Factory, isn't the final word on either Mott or its frontman's solo career. The two-CD set devotes a 16-track disc each to Mott and Hunter, far too little for either.

Still, for anyone whose knowledge of Mott and Hunter begins and ends with "All the Young Dudes," it's a worthwhile introduction.

Especially nice are the liner notes by Creem/Mojo scribe Ben Edmonds, whose passion for rock 'n' roll is as evident in his writing as Hunter's is in his songs.

One phrase in Edmonds' notes stopped me dead in my tracks. It's when he describes Hunter as "one of the most distinctive voices our music has produced."

Our music.

It's been a long time since I thought about rock 'n' roll - and Mott the Hoople made rock 'n' roll, no sub-genre-designating prefixes necessary - as a unifying force.

And it's been a long time, to almost quote Led Zeppelin again, since I really thought about rock 'n' roll, as opposed to the more generic term, rock.

There's a world of difference.

Rock can be pretty much any music that's loud and made with guitars and drums, or computers made to sound like guitars and drums.

Rock 'n' roll implies something a little earthier, a lot less rigid and a whole lot more human.

Rock 'n' roll can bring together Bob Dylan, Little Richard, glam, boogie and the blues, as did Mott the Hoople.

Rock 'n' roll swings. You can dance to it. It's sexy even when it isn't about sex, which it kind of always is anyway. And it's joyous, even when it's angry, even when it's sad. It makes you feel alive. There's precious little music these days that has these qualities.

Listen to Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter and hear what the true believers say. Maybe you'll become one yourself.

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