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