Two Miles From Heaven [Extra tracks, Import]

Mott the Hoople | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 12, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: ANGEL AIR
• ASIN: B0000AJ5TB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,742 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You Really Got Me

2. The Road To Birmingham

3. Thunderbuck Ram

4. Going Home

5. Little Christine

6. Keep A Knockin

7. Black Hills

8. Movin On

9. Ride On The Sun

10. Growin Man Blues

11. Until Im Gone

12. One Of The Boys

13. Surfin UK

14. Black Scorpio

15. (Theres An) Ill Wind Blowing

16. The Debt (Bonus Track)

17. Downtown (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews

During 1980 DALE GRIFFIN started to pester Island Records to consider releasing a new MOTT THE HOOPLE compilation album of really rare material. Having got the ""green light"" from the powers that be Dale set about his task with enthusiasm and thoroughness that he is renowned for and quickly moved to an 8 track recording studio near Reading, England where he researched early MTH recordings. His colleagues from BRITISH LIONS and MOTT helped out (RAY MAJORS and MORGAN FISHER) as well as long time friend and MTH colleague OVEREND WATTS who lent a hand wherever and whenever he could. Amongst the rarities that he unearthed were 1969 gems ""The Road To Birmingham"", ""Keep 'A' Knockin'(studio version), ""Ride On The Sun"" from 1972 as well as 12 other rare unreleased tracks. ""Two Miles From Heaven"" is released on CD for the first time ever and is much sought after by MTH fans throughout the world. Dale has written the CD notes with informative comments song by song. Musicians:DALE GRIFFIN, IAN HUNTER, MICK RALPHS, OVEREND WATTS and VERDEN ALLEN.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For the Fans, April 28, 2004

By 

T. McCool "old married guy" (Lafayette, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two Miles From Heaven (Audio CD)

In 1980, Island Records let Mott drummer Dale (Buffin) Griffin raid the vaults and compile this collection of rarities and outtakes. Many of these tracks appeared on the now out of print 3 CD anthology released exclusively in the UK by Sony. This one disc compilation presents the best of that box set plus other tracks here for the first time on CD. Standout tracks include a Mick Ralphs vocal version of the band's instrumental take on You Really Got Me from their first album. A very early demo of Moving On proves that Mott had the chops for this song before Ralphs left Mott to help found Bad Company. Demos from the band's breakthrough album, All the Young Dudes, proves that David Bowie didn't necessarily "make" this band as much as he "saved" it when he convinced them to reunited and produced the aforementioned classic. This CD also provides proof that Ian Hunter was not the only songwriter in the band. Ralphs shows an affinity for country rock as well as rock and roll on several tracks. The two bonus tracks are the most essential of any in this Angel Air series of releases. Highly recommended for fans, but not a proper introduction for the uninitiated.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Collection of demos and other unreleased tracks, December 14, 2009

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: Two Miles From Heaven (Audio CD)

"Two Miles From Heaven" (the title is taken from a line in Willard MacManus' novel MOTT THE HOOPLE)gathers up the singles that didn't chart, rare demos and unfinished material that Mott The Hoople tackled during their short but prolific life. Some of the material included here ended up on the Mott The Hoople anthology boxed set "All The Young Dudes" (sadly, out of print now)but there's still plenty of interesting material here that DIDN'T make that set and will make this worthwile for Mott The Hoople fans.

Mick Ralphs truly shines on this set. His previously unreleased tracks "Going Home" and "Black Hills" as well as the raritiy "Little Christine" appear here. We also get two Ian Hunter tracks that hadn't been released before now "Growin' Man Blues" and "(There's an)Ill Wind Blowing". All five tracks SHOULD have been released but Mott The Hoople rarely looked back as they were moving forward towards fame and glory with the Bowie/Glam years ahead. Add the studio version of the popular live favorite (which appeared on "Wildlife" in a killer live version) "Keep-A-Knockin'" which Guy Stevens HATED (it's quite marvelous actually)and you've got enough essential material for hardcore Mott The Hoople fans. It also covers enough of the material on the boxed set so that you won't truly be missing much if you can't get it for a decent price.

We also get the single b-side "The Debt" and the single A-side "Downtown" as bonus tracks.

The remastering is quite good here and the album despite the fact that the tracks range from 1969 (the vocal version of "You Really Got Me" to the demo recording of "Movin' On" which Mick Ralphs re-recorded with Bad Company)to 1972 holds together pretty well all things considered. There's truly not a bad track on here.

The liner notes are extensive covering each song, when it was recorded and how it was later completed by Pete "Overend" Watts, Dale Griffin and other former members of Mott The Hoople (or Mott) for this compilation. Recommended but pick up their core albums first.

5 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a really great cd ........., October 2, 2007

By 

Philip (Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Two Miles From Heaven (Audio CD)

Why do so called fans give hard , snobby reviews ?
This is a really great cd .........