The Hoople

Mott the Hoople | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 20, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000252N
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,584 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MOTT THE DOG, April 26, 2002

By 

Kim Fletcher (Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hoople (Audio CD)

"The Hoople" caught "Mott the Hoople" at the peak of their creative studio powers and is simply stunning in its songwriting, structure, musicianship, and most importantly, capturing the spirit of the times.

"The Hoople" was released in March 1974 and was certified gold in both Britain and the United States of America before its release.

All the songs were composed by Ian Hunter apart from one track "Born Late 58", where Overend Watts made his writing debut.

The album is topped and tailed by the two hit singles, opening track "The Golden Age Of Rock `n' Roll" with its pseudo Alan Freed introduction with Ariel Bender's manic guitar solo in the middle, giving the album a rousing beginning; and then closing with the Mott anthem "Roll Away The Stone".

Although there are many wonderful tracks in between it's the second song up that this review is going to concentrate on. Surely Mott the Hoople's best and most influential track, "Marionette", going straight for the jugular and the cornerstone of the album.

"Marionette" was a frantic operetta and a production masterpiece. It's about the business side of rock and the manner it could affect musicians manipulated by management. The song was a nightmarish mini opera of five minutes duration, a concept that would shortly be used by Queen for their multi-million-selling single "Bohemian Rhapsody". Ian Hunter said of his freshly penned ditty at the time "It's something I've always wanted to do as a songwriter, and that is to do a five minute opera, a hook all the time. I think we got it with Marionette. With this song one thing hits you, then another thing hits you straight away. You never get time to be distracted".

The song featured the boys in the band plus Andy Mackay and Howie Casey on saxophones; Mike Hurwitz on cello; Graham Preskitt of demonic violin, Hunter; Bender and Watts contributed "Voix grotesques a la Quasimodo" backing vocals; and Ariel Bender was responsible for the insane cackles of laughter in the middle.

Once heard this song is never forgotten, especially, I'm sure, by some of the record industry moguls it refers to. When played live the wicked gleam of venom in Hunter's eyes could be seen through his shades at the back of the hall.

The closing lines, as Hunter collapsed over his keyboards with guitarist Ariel Bender standing over him taunting as if cutting the strings, were very prophetic as three months later Ian Hunter had a physical and nervous breakdown and Mott the Hoople were no more.
"O.K., the show's been fun
But my wood's begun to warp
They won - I'm done
New one - begun
I did my best
It just couldn't last
Get me out of this mess
It all happened so fast
Now I need a rest
Where's my sanity - Mother?
I did my best
I'm just like all the rest.

They gambled with my life
And now I've lost my will to fight
Oh God, these wires are tight...
I'm just a marionette".
A fantastic track far more influential than anybody dared think at the time.

But "Marionette" is only one of many great tracks on "The Hoople". "Alice" is a song about a 42nd street lady of the night, while "Crash Street Kidds" is Mott the Hoople at their rockin' best. "Born Late 58" gave an inclining of what Overend Watts was capable of. Pearl and Roy showed they had not forgotten their roots, whilst "Trudi's Song" was a quiet gentle love song to Ian Hunter's wife, who is now his business manager. They remain married today - 30 years later. Quite unique in the world of Rock `n' Roll.

"The Hoople" was Mott the Hoople's biggest selling album worldwide deservedly so.

Mott the Dog.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Age Of Mott The Hoople!, April 30, 2005

By 

Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF" (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hoople (Audio CD)

Being one of the few seventies bands with more `live' albums than studio, "Mott The Hoople" remains one of the harder-edged, rough sounding, four chord groups that survived despite itself. This album (their best selling) shows the variety and range that Mott is capable of. Starting off the set with "The Golden Age Of Rock & Roll", with a borrowed piano intro, Mott charts a course of pure rockin' fun. "Marionette" follows closely with an almost "Queen"-like rock opera tilt, with lines and ad-libs that are mockingly hilarious. "Through The Looking Glass" is a rare combination of crass vocals, smashing guitars and orchestration that defies explanation - it just sounds good. The slowest song on the album, "Trudi's Song" will disarm you with it sincerity and brilliant arrangement. "Roll Away The Stone" closes this set perfectly and should have charted higher, but the hooks are there and it remains one of Mott's classics. It's no wonder this is still their best selling album - this IS Mott The Hoople at their best.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Lovely, May 9, 2000

By 

Richard Martin (FLORIDA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hoople (Audio CD)

While music critics the world over continue to slag poor ol' Ian Hunter, the fans can still rejoice in the glory that was "Mott the Hoople" This release is probably Mott's highlight. "Marionette" remains one of the great visionary song lyrics of all time. "Roll Away the Stone", "Through the Looking Glass" and of course "Pearl & Roy" are still Mott classics. This CD is a MUST for any serious music collector. Critics be damned, Long live Mott !