All the Young Dudes

Mott the Hoople | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000024ZI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,603 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Collects material from 1971-74. Hand numbered and limited to 300 red vinyl. Cleopatra. 2007. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the Young Motts, September 14, 2002

By 

Kim Fletcher (Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: All the Young Dudes (Audio CD)

The album from Mott the Hoople that was considered by most fans to be the End, the Beginning and the End. Confused? Let me explain. After four critically acclaimed, but poorly selling albums, numerous sell out shows all across Europe and early forays into the United States, the group of five musicians collectively known as Mott the Hoople decided to call it a day after a particularly disastrous concert in Switzerland. "The End".

Upon hearing this, David Bowie a huge Mott the Hoople fan, persuaded them to keep at it, gave them the song "All The Young Dudes", offered to produce their next album, persuaded Tony Defines to take the band onto his management label Mainman, buy them out of their contract with Island, and got them re-signed on a new contract to C.B.S. The Beginning.

Although all this brought Mott the Hoople, and particularly Ian Hunter, international success, it also hastened the departure of keyboard player Verden Allen, never to be heard of again on the international rock scene; and guitar player/second vocalist Mick Ralphs, who went off to form "Bad Company" with Paul Rodgers and we all know what's happened to them. The End.

But free from the pressures of their Island contract, Mott, under Bowie's guidance, produced an absolute corker.

Opening with a Rockin cover of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane", taken much faster than "Velvet Underground" would ever have dared, gave the album an eye opening start. Mott had never heard the original version before recording it just following what Bowie strummed on guitar. In fact, bass player Overend Watts thought the song was called "C.J." until he saw the song title written down on the album cover. Nonetheless, a great song and a particular favorite of Mr. Rock 'n' Roll, the D.J. at Tahitian Queen.

After hard rockin' self-composed track "Momma's Little Jewel" comes the Bowie song "All The Young Dudes", released as a single proceeding the album it had been a top ten hit all over Europe and Motts first top thirty hit in the United States. Although a Bowie written song, Mott had made it their own with Mick Ralphs' guitar playing and Ian Hunter's fantastic rap outro. The album continues with three Mott rockers, all staying in their live set in one form or another until their demise three years later.

Then comes Verden Allen's moment of glory, his second solo composition to be released under the Mott the Hoople banner. Unfortunately it foretold of future trouble, as the title suggests poor old Verden felt he was on "Soft Ground". It is still one of my favorite Mott the Hoople tracks and is undoubtedly one of the heaviest keyboard sounds ever laid down in a recording studio. The lyrics perhaps tell their own story.
"Too many people about,
Telling me what to do with myself,
It's hard to get around
Walking on soft ground".

Mick Ralphs' contributed a superb composition with "Ready For Love", essentially one song with two hook lines, which Mick later took and re-recorded for Bad Company's debut album.

The album closes with the emotional "Sea Diver" (which was to give its name to Mott the Hoople's fan club). For this David Bowie brought in his co-producer and lead guitarist Mick Ronson, who arranged and conducted dramatic strings and brass for this Ian Hunter composed song ironically written about the difficulty of writing a hit single.

The album entered the U.K. charts on 23 September and stayed for four weeks reaching number 21. The Critics acknowledged that it was a much cleaner sounding Mott the Hoople and predictably noted a Rolling Stones "feel" on many tracks. The British album release contained black and white group photos, the back of the U.S. Jacket featured colour live shots of the band members. The original album sleeve concept had comprised a photo of a young boy brandishing a cardboard cut out guitar by Bob Rock. However, for some reason better known to record company executives, it was changed to a rather bland illustration of three finely attired but slightly threatening "Young Dudes". See which album cover you think suits Mott the Hoople best. Nonetheless, a ground breaking album setting Mott the Hoople on the fast lane to Rock 'n' Roll stardom.

Mott The Dog

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Streamlined, remade, remodeled Mott, October 23, 1999

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: All the Young Dudes (Audio CD)

Not as groundbreaking as Brain Capers (the blue print for punk rock), nor as biting as Mott, ATYD is David Bowie's version of Mott The Hopple. Bowie took the band's sound, tarted it up(as any good producer would) and gave them an "image" to sell to the public.

The result was an album that actually had a hit single (penned by Bowie but owned by Mott)and climbed the charts. That isn't to dismiss this classic album or Bowie's importance at rescuing Mott. Bowie suggested to Ian Hunter that since he was essentially the front man that he needed to take control of the band (creatively and in performance). While it spelled the end of the original line up, it also liberated Hunter and Ralphs allowing them to come up with some of their best songs on the follow up Mott.

If you're going to purchase ATYD search for the remastered import. The sound on the British edition is sharper, more focused and sounds almost like it was cut yesterday.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This maybe Mott The Hoople's Best L.P. ever., April 28, 2002

By 

highway_star (Hallandale, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All the Young Dudes (Audio CD)

Released in 1972 debuting on Columbia Records, "All The Young Dudes" was David Bowie's attempt to save this band from demise. Bowie wrote the title track "All The Young Dudes" for Mott and it became a hit for them, thus saving them from breaking up. The entire album (or cd in this case) is a gem of cleaverly written songs, some by Bowie, Lou Reed and Mott members Ian Hunter,Mick Ralphs, Verdon Allen and Overend Watts. This l.p. represents a more mature Mott than, say their previous releases. Songs such as "Jerkin Crokus", "Mamas Little Jewel","One Of The Boys", and "Ready For Love" show the creativity of the band. Ian Hunter's Dylanish voice is certainly up to par on this release as is guitarist Mick Ralphs guitar licks. Mott The Hoople was part of the glam rock scene that was emerging in England. Groups such as Bowie & his Spiders From Mars, T-Rex and The Sweet were some of the top glam groups at that time. This is one of those albums that seems to never grow old, but betters with age. A definate must for classic rock aficianados. Highly recommended!