The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

Hang in there, Ralpher.

by 2 Comments

Mick Ralphs family have announced that, following the end of the recent Bad Company tour, Mick has suffered a stroke. He is recovering in hospital, but no further information is forthcoming. Mick was Mott’s guitarist at my first ever live gig, in 1971. I was at the first night of the first Bad Company tour and Ralpher has always been one of my heroes. He was also responsible for the Greatest Guitar Solo Ever Recorded, on Mott’s David Bowie produced version of Sweet Jane which, as all right thinking people know, is the only version you need. Get well soon, Mick.

https://youtu.be/79m8FXz7GEE

Darkness Darkness

by 2 Comments

This cropped up today. Mott The Hoople were my first live gig, November 1971, the week that the Brain Capers album was released. I was 6 weeks past my 15th birthday. I know some people think their version of this Jesse Colin Young song is sacrilege, but, to me, it’s the only version that matters.

If all you know of Mott is All The Young Dudes, All The Way From Memphis and Roll Away The Stone, then 1971 Mott would have been quite a shock. They were punk, 5 years before punk. They were chaotic, anarchic, unbelievably loud, dressed to impress and the biggest live draw on the college circuit for a couple of years. At the gig, my senses were battered, bludgeoned and beaten to a pulp as song after rocking, raucous song blasted the old hall. I was hooked, and live music has been my oxygen ever since.

I have posted this particular YouTube video because it has some great old photos, not all of them from the early days but, for those that are – they looked exactly like that. In the comments is a video from a TV appearance in Paris, just 2 weeks before my » Continue Reading.

What will you be doing on your 76th birthday?

by 6 Comments

Ian Hunter Patterson was born on 3rd June 1939. Three months later, World War 2 started. He was already 30 years old when he joined Mott The Hoople, in 1969. I saw them at my very first live gig, in 1971. Ian was 32, I was 15. Mott have been just a memory for 41 years, now, yet Ian has kept on going. Amazingly his solo output has got better as he’s got older. His live band, The Rant Band, are a brilliant collection of grizzled veterans, who rock like a seething, angry, rocking thing.

Last night was Ian Hunter Patterson’s 76th birthday. How do you think he celebrated? Yup. Here’s the opener. Happy Birthday, H