In the words of should be "Sir" Ian Hunter, if you have stumbled upon this Stagehands Massage Blog, "Ello, ello, ello.". Each month I will be posting 10 tunes or artist links that I think are worth a listen. We will start off with a look at the amazing Mr. Hunter.
Ian Hunter is best known for leading the glam rock band Mott the Hoople in the 1970's and having a hit with the gift of one of David Bowie's best songs, All the Young Dude's. With it's immortal closing remark of "Hey, you with the glasses", this was a song I related to all too well as a 12 year old burdened with wearing my over sized black Mad Men glasses with the coke bottle lenses.
Ian had a second career as a solo artist in the mid to late 70's thru the early 80's, partnering up with David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson to put on a series of blistering live shows and writing songs that became hits for Great White (Once Bitten Twice Shy) and even Barry Manilow (Ships) along with the theme to the Drew Carey Show, Cleveland Rocks.
This creative period culminated with one of the best albums of the time, You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic (something I know all too well thanks to family history on my father's side, thank you very much). My mother figured this out one day when she was driving in the car with my father and he started muttering to himself and she said "Mowie, who are you talking to?". He then looked at her and said "They don't want you to know."
This post Mott period of the 70's was so strong that Ian's number one fan, Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott put together a fantastic tribute album called Joe Elliott's Down N Outz, My Regeneration where he sings Hunter tunes and other songs by post Mott the Hoople alumni from that era.
For an Elliott interview about Ian... http://bestclassicbands.com/joe-elliott-ian-hunter-11-17-16/
Once Mick Ronson left Ian Hunter, he went into a creative funk until re-emerging in 1995 with the solid Dirty Laundry and it's follow up Red Letter Days. Then in 2001, at the age of 62, he put out the spectacular Rant album, which has been followed by one amazing album after another with his Rant Band, culminating with this years release of one of his finest records, Fingers Crossed (at age 77!).
What ever kind of deal with the Devil this guy has made is fine with me because what he is doing during his senior years is pretty much unparalleled in Rock and Roll history.
Here's a couple of tracks to check out from Fingers Crossed. The title track and Bowie tribute Dandy...
https://youtu.be/gKo_ZrPC4iY (Fingers Crossed)
https://youtu.be/SqA5aDBk2Zc (Dandy)
Ian also has a 30 (yes 30!) disc career retrospective out called Stranded in Reality.
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Counting Ian as one track (math was never my strong point), here's a quick hit of nine other songs/links you will definitely love if you are lucky enough to have the exact same musical tastes as me...
.Hank Wangford...the harmonies on this are so good they should be illegal or if they make the ballot, decriminalized.
Jogging with Jesus
https://youtu.be/jlTtWZFixY0?list=PL8-mE-r1n5jgI4oth-I5nFOL4b8cdZ3aV&t=42
Vintage Trouble are a band with a sound more than songs who take everything to another level live. If you wanna see a band work a festival crowd like no other check out this Glastonbury footage......
Run Like the River/Nobody Told Me
https://youtu.be/GvjMqxGyuDo
The Record Company....Like Vintage Trouble this is a band with a sound more than songs who put on a fantastic live show with echo's of blues icons like John Lee Hooker and 70's stalwarts like the Allman Brothers, vintage Eric Clapton and even Foghat. This is a band you want to catch when they come to your town (and they will). Here they are on Colbert.
On the Move
https://youtu.be/K05bfDrcaNM
Christine and the Queens. The number one thing I love about this French chanteuse is that she is beyond quirky without piercings, crazy clothes, tattoos or any of the other usual rock and roll visual accoutrements.
Tilted
http://pitchfork.com/news/68988-watch-christine-and-the-queens-perform-tilted-on-fallon/
Miley Cyrus In case you haven't noticed, Bob Dylan songs tend to sound a lot better when someone else is singing them and this Miley Cyrus version of Baby I'm in the Mood For You is no exception.
https://youtu.be/7WeasWgSV8U
Wolf Parade Great to see them back together, maybe one day they will be filling the arenas they so deserve to have filled for them.
Mr. Startup
https://youtu.be/6uSAGeC9Ur4
Tommy Womack A rock and roll history lesson from the musical treasure that is Tommy Womack.
Darling let Your Freebird Fly
https://youtu.be/6nAbc63RCE8
Ron Pope There is no American artist putting out better music than this guy. This is one of 50 songs by him I could list for you.
One Grain of Sand
https://youtu.be/78D4YYvfoy4
Avett Brothers Who's better than the Avett Brothers? Nobody, that's who!
The Devil Song
https://youtu.be/vyDCoMNMqIA
* Yes, that's a Bubba Booey Nine!
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