Ian Hunter- Just Another Night (REACTION//DISCUSSION) 

One thing that unfortunately never seems to said about Ian Hunter: in my opinion he is one of the greatest lyricists in music.

Ian Hunter is a genuine musical genius. Imagine being able to write Ships, Irene Wilde, Michael Picasso, Just Another Night, Rain, Now is the Time and Guernica from his new album. And that’s a small percentage of his great songs!!

This whole album is great. Mick Ronson plays guitars, keys and sings throughout. I saw them on this tour. To me, Ronson is a dark Rock n Roll version of Steve Hackett. Other great songs from Mott the Hoople: Violence, Golden Age of Rock N Roll, Marionette, I Wish I Was Your Mother. Solo: Death of a Nation, Wash Us Away, Once Bitten Twice Shy, Irene Wilde. Enjoy.

Mott The Hoople produced some the most transcendental rock and roll ever, and Ian Hunter is one of the form's most marvelous poets. I beseech you to check out the albums Brain Capers through Mott. There is so much heart and soul, and humor to boot.

JP - Seeing this pop up today was a joy - you really made my day listening to the great Ian Hunter. Check out his brilliant live album Welcome to the Club, again with Mick Ronson on guitar. It's all kinds of rock and roll awesome.

Well no comments yet???? Ian Hunter is one great rocker with great vocals. I saw him during his Welcome to the Club tour years ago. And being that I started listening to him when he was singing with Mott the Hoople, All the Young Dudes and All the way from Memphis are great tunes. Thanks for sharing Justin, have a great rest of your day 😎

Hi Justin. Great to see you finally discovering Ian Hunter. He was the lead singer in Mott the Hoople for years. Between 1969 - 71 they put out 4 albums on Island/Atlantic records with modest success. After those 4 albums they were ready to pack it in and break up. Enter David Bowie (Hence the Mick Ronson connection). Bowie was a fan of the band and told them he'd help them and produce their next album. They signed with Columbia records and Bowie/Ronson produced the album "All the Young Dudes" with Bowies title track becoming an international hit single. That song saved the band. They released 2 albums after that with 1973's "Mott" being considered their pinnacle and greatest album. In 1975 Ian Hunter went solo releasing his debut album "Ian Hunter". I think it's one of the best albums ever recorded and once again features Mick Ronson on guitar. It's one of the finest showcases ever for his guitar. On songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", "Who Do You Love" and "Lounge Lizard" Ronson's blistering guitar attack is truly breath taking. He's solid throughout and Ian's songs are amoung the best he ever wrote and he wrote many great songs! I urge you to check out both Mott the Hoople and Ian hunter solo. You will not be disapointed

Don't forget the connection between Bowie and Mott the Hoople. He wrote, played and produced "All The Young Dudes" for them. Total glam glam.

Yay!! You finally cracked open Ian Hunter, and your introduction to Mott coming soon! You MUST, MUST listen to “Who Do Yo Love?” - perhaps the most PERFECT rock and roll song of this entire era of music.

‘You ain’t gotta touch a man to make a man bleed...’. Huge rabbit hole that I hope you will go down! Ian is one INCREDIBLE songwriter and performer....one of the best. Mott was fantastic too. ROCK N ROLL!. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do more hunter (hunter/Ronson). From this album, my favorite is ‘The Outsider’. THIS is how you write a cowboy song, and Ronson’s guitar is phenomenal...one of my favorite Ronson solo’s, plus as usual, the way he colors the song throughout is just beautiful. Whole album is great BUT, for my money, Ian’s first solo album (Ian Hunter) is an ESSENTIAL rock n roll album. Killer, start to finish with Ronson at his ‘les Paul through Marshall’ snarlingest best! Not a bad song on there. It’s got the original (and only version that matt ers) version of ‘Once Bitten, Twice shy’. I’ve read articles that have argued that Ronno’s solo on this one was one of the best solos ever). Also ‘lounge lizard’, ‘the truth, the whole truth,nothin but the truth’, and ‘ Boy’, gorgeous, deep ballad that MIGHt Be about Bowie...or hunter...or others’. Aside from that, the song ‘all American alien boy’ is a raver with one of the best bass solos ever courtesy of Jaco Pastorius. Also ‘when the world was round’. I could go on for days. As for Mott...again...SO much so I’ll kerp it short(ish). Of course ‘all the young dudes’ , a true anthem if ever there was. Also...’the ballad of Mott the Hoople’ AND....the 16 minute Medley off of Mott the Hoople Live. As good as Balls to the wall rock n roll gets! Enjoy brother!

So surprised to see this song. One of my favorite albums growing up. Should really do the first two songs together they go into each other. Love you

The song “Life after Death” is off this album, I believe- great song, great Ronson guitar

Brilliant songwriter...it's all good...it's 'Where do you even start" good...although this is a solid start!

Ian's cool. Well respected. Good representation of his vocal style. Try 'All the way to Memphis' by Mott the Hoople. Mick Ronson was awesome. Wait! You haven't heard Meatloaf?

Yes, Ian Hunter's great song about getting arrested in Indianapolis! Sweet! Mott the Hoople was _very_ seminal and influential in the UK (it was a Mott concert that led the Albert Hall to ban rock shows for decades.); Hunter was primary songwriter and frontman. "All the Way From Memphis " is a great starting place for Mott; Scorcese used it over the opening credits of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." For Hunter solo work, try the live version of "Irene Wilde" or "Once Bitten Twice Shy."

Glad to you see Ian Hunter here. One of my favorite singer songwritter. I suggest All The Way From Memphis from Mott The Hoople, a glam gems.

I saw Mott The Hoople quite a lot during the early 70s. (Before Bowie). There's a long Rock'n'Roll medley recorded live on their album Wildlife which is worth checking out.

Definitely look into Mott, JP - great band with Ian as front man. Their guitarist, Mick Ralphs left to form Bsd Company with Boz Burrell from early-era King Crimson. The All The Young Dudes album gets a lot of love because of Bowie giving the title track to the group to help them on the charts, but I've always preferred the album Mott, kicking off with All The Way To Memphis. Ian's solo LP All American Alien Boy deserves your attention, too. Good stuff!👍🏼

Ian’s one of my favorite artists. Check out Once Bitten, Twice Shy of his solo debut album!

Mott the Hoople, All the young dudes is a must, a glam anthem for a generation! Also All the way from Memphis, Roll away the stone are also great tracks… his solo work I would recommend Once bitten Twice shy just for Mick Ronson’s guitar break alone

Ian has always been a real rock 'n' roller and was the singer and frontman for Mott. A great vocalist and songwriter, he's earned his place for sure.

My first concert! Ian Hunter opened for Blu Oyster Cult...Ian blew the socks off BOC!!

I forgot Ellen Foley sang on this. Ellen has a great powerful voice and has released five albums of her own as well as sung on many works of other artists. She has also acted on stage, film, and TV throughout her career. Most people who know of her do so mainly from her singing on Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell" album, especially the track "Paradise By the Dashboard Light", or her one season on the TV show "Night Court" playing a public defender.

Mick Ronson and Ian Hunter were very close. Mick became a member of Mott The Hoople but they broke up before a new album was released. When Mick died Ian wrote a heartfelt song about Mick which he did at most of his live shows. It’s called Michael Picasso. Great song which may bring a tear to your eye. His live versions are better than the studio version. Sometimes you can hear the anguish in his voice.

Ian Hunter is a high octane performer. This is also done live. You should check it out.

I love the duh du-duh duh Dragnet theme reference at the beginning. Ian is such a brilliant and witty songwriter.

Hi JP , Ok Mott the Hoople was my very first concert I was in my early teens . There was about a 5 year period where they were enormously popular & decided to do a week worth of concerts in a small Broadway theater in NYC . They had several big hits & big albums at the time & did kind of a cross between R & R concert & Broadway show there was a lot of special FXs, marionettes , & even early muppet characters the show was incredible & after that I was hooked .My first of hundreds of concerts later ,oh by the way the opening act was Queen for the Queen ll album who Totally blew me away . I still have the show program book they gave away at the show . ✌️😎

My favorite Ian Hunter/Mott the Hoople tracks... Violence, Hymn For the Dudes, All the Way From Memphis, Once Bitten Twice Shy. But there are many, many more great ones.

Oh man, Ian Hunter is in my Top 10 fave artists. Mott The Hoople and his solo career. I still crank his live "Welcome To The Club" album (featuring the amazing Mick Ronson). Only caught him once (at Barrymore's) but it was awesome. ALSO: Should mention one of Ian & Mick's proteges, Ellen Foley and her song "Young Lust" produced by them.

Someone in the comments also mentioned the "Short Back N Sides" album, and I agree its a great album to check out..... Two members of The Clash (Mick Jones & Topper Headon) is on it, as well as Elle Folley. Ian Hunter was a bit of a hero to Mick Jones

I've always much preferred his solo music to MTH. His most recent stuff is even better. Stranded in Reality, When the World was Round, Dandy (a song he wrote as a Bowie tribute), so many others.

Hi JP. Dave from Beyond The Sea. Yes, this is a straight rock 'n roller, sung in Ian's strange accent - sounds like cross between Damon Albarn's 'Mockney' and Mike Scott's cod Celtic. Much prefer his old band Mott The Hoople - some great glam rock singles, but I also remember their earlier Mad Shadows album, and a friend playing the brilliant opening rocker Thunderbuck Ram at full volume.

I would have suggested doing Mott The Hoople first, so much classic stuff to choose from. Ian Hunters best known solo track "Once Bitten Twice Shy"

My first concert in northern Maine, 1980, Ian Hunter opened for Blue Oyster Cult. Ian rocked!! I'd never heard of him, until I discovered he was in Mott the Hoopel.

JP - Check out the Mott songs recommended in the comments, you can't go wrong. Maybe start with All the Young Dudes. Bowie loved this band, they were going to break up because they weren't getting anywhere. So he helped them out by giving them this song and basically pulled them out of the gutter. Love this band, please do more!

Unique voice and very astute writer. Read his Diary of a Rock and Roll Star for a great portrait of life on the road in the Glam era. Mott songs to listen to: Saturday Gigs, The Ballad of Mott..., Hymn for the Dudes all neatly skewer the pretensions of the rock and roll business, as does All the Way From Memphis.

This song's about a night Ian Hunter (silent "H", so almost "Nunter") suffered under arrest in Indianapolis. I know that because he's introduced it that way live. I believe Ariel Bender, Mott the Hoople's guitarist in '73/'74, was indulging in some horseplay, police were called, Ian tried to 'sort it out' but got arrested. In the holding cell, a guy kept shouting and keeping some Black Panthers (political civil rights group) awake. Love the imagery of the lyrics. "A head spouting noodles" could be Hunter's self-description! This song is quite close to the Mott the Hoople sound around '73, and especially in late '74 when Mick Ronson was IN Mott the Hoople. Rock'n'roll piano with powerchords, so quite heavy rock. Ian's unique, pre-punk vocals sear like burning newspaper. All the Way from Memphis, Mott's 3rd-biggest hit, connects well with this number.

I'd love to see you react to "Boy," off his first solo album, my favorite power-ballad this side of Sweet Thing/Candidate.

*ALLO*

Your next song from Queen- Sheer Heart Attack -Now I'm Here. Is a nod to Mott the Hoople. Whom Queen toured America with as the opening act in 1974.

When you check out Mott The Hoople Ian Hunter on Vocals Mick Ralphs on Guitar who when Mott broke up, He was Bad Company’s Lead Guitarist

Hey Justin! This album was popular when I was in college. You need to check out some Mott. Try All The Young Dudes.😎

Ian became the heart of Mott after Bowie became involved and encouraged him to take control of the band (they were ready to break up at the time). At the beginning, Mott was a more (dare I say it) schizophrenic band. Ian and Mick Ralphs shared writing credits and lead vocals and their styles couldn't have been more different. On their first album, Ian was very Dylanesque vocally, before he developed his own voice. Ralphs eventually left to form Bad Company with Paul Rodgers. The story was that Ralphs wrote what became Bad Company's first hit, "Can't Get Enough," but was frustrated because neither he nor Ian had the range to sing it. As others have stated, the album Mott (the final one with Ralphs) is the quintessental Mott the Hoople album. As far as this album's title is concerned, I remember reading that a more correct title should have been You're Never Alone If You're Schizophrenic.

If you liked Ellen Foley's voice, check out her debut album "Nightout". It has a Spector/Springsteen vibe and Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson were heavily involved. Also from 1979, when "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" appeared.

Wham bam thank you glam.

Definitely you should check Mott the Hoople. It's a great band. This song is much in the same vein. But in general, the band's songs are better than his solo stuff. Like others said before, there's a connection with David Bowie you'll appreciate. Bowie loved the band, that's why he produced them. Their albums Brain Capers, All the Young Dudes and Mott are among the best rock'n'roll albums of the era. But all of them are good. Thanks for the reaction!

😀

Mott The Hoople was Bowie's favourite band

This is the rocker side of Hunter. For a brilliant example of the other (schizophrenic?) side, check out 'Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack' from his second solo album, All American Alien Boy. (Which you'll certainly enjoy as a love of bass - as it has Jaco Pastorius on bass.)

The song was about a night he spent in jail. Mott the Hoople was a classic British rock band its criminal that they were not more successful

On his live album, Ian says “This is a song about a night in the Indianapolis city jail”

Not fer em or not agin em. Actually, I enjoyed it till about 3/4 of the way and thought (I know) it should be morning by now… this thing won’t end. I love a dirty sloppy piano stomper and this fits the bill. Try Ian McLagan’s Truly Peace and break of dawn Music

the voice

Ian Hunter Mick Ronson The E Street Band Great Album Great Album Title

The actual story is that the club handed the money over for a gig to Hunter's manager, who was robbed. Hunter then got into an altercation with the hotel management, wanting to lock down the hotel. The cops arrived and Hunter got into an altercation with them, and was arrested and spent a night in jail.

Next has to be Life after Death. You did open a can of worms. His solo work, Mott the Hoople, and then Meatloaf. You have a journey in front of you.

My Mott the Hoople playlist: Death May Be Your Santa Claus All the Young Dudes (Bowie wrote it for them and produced the album of the same name) All the Way from Memphis Honaloochie Boogie Ballad of Mott the Hoople (26th March 1972, Zürich) I'm a Cadillac/El Camino Dolo Roso I Wish I Was Your Mother The Golden Age of Rock & Roll Born Late '58 Crash Street Kidds

Time for a hearty, greasy, life changing helping of MEATLOAF for Christmas !

Ian Hunter's follow-up album was 1980's excellent "Short Back n Sides", wherein he went New Wave Punk. The first single was "Central Park and West" and the whole album is a great trip. Also try "Lisa Likes Rock n Roll".

Never heard his lps Always aware of this title And what du i ffink? I know now why i never bought it! Ronnie Wood’s classic Cover of Bob Dylan’s seven days From his great lp Gimme Some Neck is the closest i got to this vibe I love that lp So loose and yet tuneful happy mellow raunch! This? A part of me likes a bit of it. A trifle too mainstream rock & repetitive Alternatively Aerosmith’s I Wanna Know Why did it better in 77 Aerosmith Rocks JP (1976) Never 4get🤗

If you React To Mott The Hoople All the Young Dudes All the Way From Memphis Ian Hunter & Mick Ronson are mine and Joe Elliot’s Favorite Guitarist & Singer of All Time Check out Once Bitten Twice Shy off of their Live Album “Welcome to the Club” Absolutely Amazing

You need to do "All the Way From Memphis" from Mott.

Somehow I've always seen Ian Hunter as a Bob Dylan on steroids if that makes sense ! I really like his third album, the much contested and underrated Overnight Angels (which Hunter himself does not hold in high regard for various reasons) with Earl Slick as guitarist.

Hunter clearly loved Little Richard and Fats Domino.

True story when Ian Hunter spent a night in a Minneapolis jail

Chrome on my body.... handcuffs

Oh you got to do some meatloafParadise by the dashboard light baby love you

Mott the Hoople. Forget their hits and go straight to the Brain Caper Kids album. You're welcome.

Mott is like this one more so.

Ian Hunter is fanfuckingtastic. Mott The Hoople has tons of great rocking songs. Bowie wrote All the Young Dudes for Mott the Hoople to help them out. Barry Manilow covered Ian Hunter's song Two Ships That Pass in the Night. Try" Is there life after Death" off this album. My favorite

What a great song reaction to wake up to. Just a fun rocking song. The next song off this album I recommend is "Once Bitten, Twice Shy". Another fun rocker, which 80's Hair Metal band Great White later did a lame cover off. Avoid that one!!

I can see the appeal but it's not really for me. A little bit too conventional and feels like I've heard it before even though I know I haven't.

Justin I would recommend you to start with album Obscured by Clouds by Pink Floyd. Its an album before Dark Side and its brilliant 😁🙏

Started like Chas 'n' Dave, and didn't really get any better. Very repetitive, lacklustre solo, rather ordinary. Not impressed.

There's an awful lot of 'medium rock' out there. I call most of the music that I think is just plain not for me and likewise music that doesn't do enough to separate itself and make it's 'sound' unique in whatever that characteristic might be - medium rock. There's wwwwwaaaaayyyyyyyyy too much medium rock for me to know ...or care about. Mott and Ian Hunter are then somewhat noteworthy in that they/he do have 4 or 5 songs that are ....shall I say medium + rock. All The Way From Memphis and Once Bitten are OK but not really much more than medium + rock. I can't succumb to the possibilities of being a music collector and opening up my collection to those that I rate medium +. I just can't afford that - nor do I have the space for that. Hunter unfortunately falls into the respectable category of good enough to know - but not good enough to own.