MOTT THE HOOPLE/ALL THE YOUNG DUDES S 65184 (-72) UK

I like the band's later glam period a lot, but the early rude rockers will always be closest to me heart. I see this as a transition album. There's a good story behind it and although only partly confirmed by band members it fits the disposition and I'm sticking with it until proven otherwise. After low sales of their previous LP:s the group was on the edge of break-up. There was bad blood between members and a growing discontent with Island's handeling of the group. They'd already recorded the bulk for a new album, produced by Muff Winwood, but things went slow. Then a former fan of the group - David Bowie - offered them the song "All The Young Dudes" and took over the sessions. It's still a matter of controversy what parts of the album were recorded in Island studios and how much was added subsequently, but Ian Hunter himself stated in a 1980 interveiw that the album was completed before they left and ready for release. However when Island's boss Chris Blackwell let the band go soon after, they "forgot" to tell him about the ready result, stole the tapes - and after getting a new contract with CBS released it as it was for their new label. True or not it explains a lot. Apart from the title track the impact is a lot more like Brain Capers and Mad Shadows than their later CBS stuff - simple, right on and no glam at all. The cuts are a little bit shorter and the sound somewhat more restained (probably due to CBS using more compression/limiting in their part of the process), but the songwriting and arrangements about the same. Title song shows where they were going - the rest is old style Mott The Hoople. First US on Columbia (KC 31750) came with slightly different front sleeve design and other pics on rear. Premiere UK had label as shown here and thin matt cover with a picture inner. (MÖHÖ*)