5 Stars
Audio CD (paid link)
After Mott the Hoople’s first album was recorded, before the band had even played a live concert, this diamond of a rock collection was recorded in 1970 after some nearly 200 concerts including their first tour of America. (Putting this into perspective is the fact that it was released eleven months after their debut. Can you imagine any of today’s so-called bands equaling this work rate?)
By then, Mott the Hoople was one of the most popular working bands on the British Circuit (playing such diverse gigs as Friday – Hartlepool Grammar School, Saturday – Kirklevington Country Club… where is Kirklevington? Know where it is? I can’t even spell it! Sunday – Oswald Hotel Scunthorpe) causing riots wherever they went. A year later, when the band played London’s prestigious Albert Hall, the crowd reaction was so great that in fear, the hall’s management cancelled all rock concerts for the next sixteen years.
By that time, Mott the Hoople was a great rock ‘n’ roll band, capable of taking on anybody; on their night they were the best rock ‘n’ roll band in the world.
Mad Shadows captures a lot of what Mott was about live on stage. (Mad Shadows was originally going to be called ‘Sticky Fingers.’ However, the story goes that Mott the Hoople’s producer and mentor Guy Stevens gave it to the Rolling Stones, who were using the same studio. Hence the coda of ‘Jumpin Jack Flash’ at the end of ‘Walkin With A Mountain’ as Mick Jagger was in the studio when Mott laid this one down.)
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The album opens with Mick Ralphs stunning ‘Thunderbuck Ram’, a song that was to become the cornerstone of Mott the Hoople’s live set for the next couple of years. Although stamped like a stick of rock with Mott the Hoople all the way through it, this song showed the way that Ralphs was leaning and would show in its full effect when he later joined Bad Company.
‘No Wheels To Ride,’ the first of three Ian Hunter songs that filled up the original first side of the Vinyl edition, shows off all the facets of Mott the Hoople as it builds from its gently piano-led opening until its dramatic closing section. Track three is the jaunty ‘You Are One Of Us,’ followed by the rock ‘n’ roll track ‘Walkin With A Mountain’ recorded in one take in a crowded studio. During its nearly four-minute duration, Overend Watts breaks two of his bass strings but carries on regardless, and Buffin drops a drumstick. Producer Guy Stevens was so excited by the end result, he refused to allow any re-takes or overdubs, capturing the genuine excitement of rock ‘n’ roll.
Until Mott the Hoople’s demise four years later, ‘Walkin With A Mountain’ was to be the final encore, driving the fans into a frenzy. Ariel Bender joined the band in 1973 and took ‘Walkin With A Mountain’ to new heights making it his own despite Ian Hunter writing it.
Side two of the L.P. contained potent and powerful material. The gospel-tinged ‘I Can Feel,’ written by Ian Hunter, was dramatic and majestic with fine bass and tasteful Ralphs lead guitar with Hunter laying the dark side of his soul bare.
Mick Ralphs manic riffing on ‘Threads Of Iron,’ with lead vocals shared between Mick and Ian, is possibly the closest Mott the Hoople ever got to playing heavy metal. Starting out at a jaunty rate as the song builds towards its climax, the band plays harder and harder, the rhythm section playing with hammers, Verden Allen using his keyboards to put up that solid wall of Mott the Hoople sound, Mick Ralphs lead guitar is as if the devil himself is chasing his fingers, and Ian Hunter’s vocals scream at the end to be heard above it all.
‘Threads Of Iron’ gently leads into the album’s final song, ‘When My Mind’s Gone.’ According to legend recorded by Hunter, this was supposed to be a spontaneous composition and stream of consciousness under a spell put on him by Guy Stevens. Whatever, it’s a disturbing piece of music with Verden Allen laying down some eerie keyboards to fill out the sound behind Hunter’s vocals and piano. Every time this dog hears ‘When My Mind’s Gone’ the hair on the back of his shoulders sticks up.
‘Mad Shadows’ was Mott the Hoople’s white album. It is a bleak and sometimes chilling document enhanced by its cover (which received an award at the Art Directors Club of New York 50th Annual Exhibition).
Written by Mott The Dog on Pattaya’s Dark Side.
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