Customer Reviews

Behind the Shades

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow! Great songs and great playing. Recorded 3 years ago at the London Astoria Theatre, this captures Ian on the RANT tour. And what a band - on guitar MICK RALPHS (BAD COMPANY, MOTT THE HOOPLE)and special guests Brian May (Queen) and Joe Eliot from Def Leppard). This is Ian at his best. A most underrated talent in a land of over hyped disposable music. Long Live Ian Hunter!

Given what folks have written...including the cameos/guest appearances, the dates from which these performances come, as well as the venue...it looks as though this is an abridged version of the 2 CD concert set (also available as a DVD) of THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (or JUST ANOTHER NIGHT in DVD format). It's not listed on Ian's offical discography and would hate to think that he's being robbed of much deserved royalties...

I agree 100% with the previous review. Ian Hunter has written some of the best music I have ever heard. Having seen him five times live, I am never ceased to be amazed at his diversity, range, talent and depth. From Mott The Hoople to his solo music of today, he stands head and shoulders above ALL the rest. As Cole said in his review, "A most underrated talent in a land of over hyped disposable music", I could not agree more. Ditto!
I feel sorry for those who are not aware of his music and haven't heard it, they are absolutely missing out. Truely a rock 'n' roll God!

First things first. Tracks 1-12 from this disc are taken from Ian Hunter's Truth the Whole Truth & Nuthin But the Truth, a 2-disc live album recorded at London's Astoria, 2004, issued by Snapper Music in '05. I'm not certain what the licensing agreement between Snapper and Airline Records (who released this disc) is but I do find it puzzling. Follow me closely here... It also appears as though Airline has a sister label called Great American Music Company (GARC) who released Ian Hunter Live in London in 2009. LIVE IN LONDON also contains 12 tracks from the original Truth the Whole Truth & Nuthin But the Truth album. The tracklisting on both of these single disc budget releases (BEHIND THE SHADES and Live in London) is slightly different, each containing 4 tracks not found on the other, and each sharing 8 of the same tracks. The reason I say Airline Records and GARC are related is that the liner notes on each are identical (verbatim), the Hunter cover photos on both CDs are derived from the same 1970's-era shot of Hunter AND the record label personnel are also identical for both Airline and GARC. Now I'm not necessarily questioning the legitimacy of Airline and GARC but assuming they both have authorization to release tracks from TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH & NOTHIN' BUT THE TRUTH why on earth did they share so many of the same tracks while omitting four? The shared tracks are: 1.) Once Bitten Twice Shy, 2.) I Wish I Was Your Mother, 3.) The Truth the Whole Truth Nothin' But the Truth, 4.) All the Young Dudes, 5.) Cleveland Rocks, 6.) Michael Picasso, 7.) Roll Away the Stone, 8.) All the way from Memphis. Songs found on neither BEHIND THE SHADES nor Live in London but included on the original Truth the Whole Truth & Nuthin But the Truth are: 1.) Twisted Steel, 2.) Knees of my Heart, 3.) 23a Swan Hill, 4.) A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. My feeling is, since these two affiliated budget labels are going to carve up the original album why not (between the two of them) include the entire concert?! I suppose because the 4 omitted tracks are regarded as later-period Hunter (nineties and beyond) the labels feared Hunter fans wouldn't recognize these newer tracks. If so, they drastically underestimate us. It's possible that Snapper specified to both Airline and GARC that they cannot release the entire 2-disc live album between them.

Another beef concerning both BEHIND THE SHADES and Live in London is the fact that Hunter's old Mott the Hoople mate Mick Ralphs shares lead guitar with Hunter's current lead guitarist Andy York for these recordings and there is no indication who plays lead on what song. Inquiring minds want to know. Now if you don't care about these details but merely want to hear a few Hunter and Mott classics performed live in the 21st century either BEHIND THE SHADES or Live in London might be to your liking. On the other hand if you, like me, are more concerned with program details and the entirety of the concert recording I suggest you purchase TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH & NOTHIN' BUT THE TRUTH.

I don't have any quibbles about the sound quality of these budget discs. They both sound fine. In fact I think this live album is even superior to Hunter's 1980 classic Welcome to the Club. And since I puchased them both for a grand total (including P&H) of $12.32 I don't have a real problem with them individually. Just bear in mind that they are truncated recordings, the complete program found on TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH & NOTHIN' BUT THE TRUTH.