Day 16: Getting frustrated

"Oh God these wires are so tight." -- Marionette (1974)

Classic Rock's Web site is reporting that the support band for Day 5 at Hammersmith will be Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott backed by the Quireboys.

In an interview with Classic Rock, Elliott says he'll be doing songs recorded by the MTH members after the band split up. He says songs by Mott, British Lions and Ian Hunter will be included. I guess even Bad Company is fair game.

Great idea. It's great that those songs will be heard on at least one of the shows. Joe should be tuning up on "Shout it All Out" right now.

I've e-mailed the venue trying to find out who will support on the other four nights. No response. I guess this is still a state secret.

(By the way, I agree with one of the respondents to the Elliott story -- this band needs to open one of the shows. Click on the link to "Overend Watts" if you haven't heard it.)

I hate that festivities surrounding this reunion have been expanding at both ends, and in a haphazard manner.

First there was the Tracy Hunter-Jesse Hunter gig announced for Sunday, Oct. 4. That one I kind of understand. But then there were the Monmouth shows added piecemeal for the preceding week. Now there is the Elliott news, plus the earlier story that all MTH keyboard players not named Verden Allen will be performing Oct. 5-6 (with a "special guest," and if they're not hinting at Ariel Bender my name is Abraham Lincoln).

I do understand that Mick Bolton, Blue Weaver and Morgan Fisher are acting on their own, but geez -- why couldn't their shindig be offered on the weekend?

This started off as an Oct. 2-3 reunion. Now it's a Sept. 25-Oct. 6 Mottthehooplefest.

Many of us are traveling from the U.S., and the great majority of us can't change travel plans at this point to partake in these other offerings. And, if we're taking time off from a job to go to Europe, it's natural to assume that our travel window is Sept. 26-Oct. 4 -- one work week plus two weekends.

It's frustrating. We colonials who begged vacation time and locked in travel plans in January, immediately upon the announcement of this adventure, are being taken for granted.

So, speaking for those persons, how about throwing us a crumb?

Let us know who will support on the first three Hammersmith shows.

Let us know when we can meet the band. No if.

Stop announcing events we can't attend.

That is all. Thank you.

Day 18: Countdown No. 2, The Hoople (1974)

"Hear me swear, hear every word. I ain't just a number, I wanna be heard." -- Crash Street Kidds (1974)

I always considered this possibly the most theatric album of the early 1970s. It has such a showy feel to it, from the MC's introduction of the first track, through the operatic "Marionette" and the barroom sounds at the opening of "Pearl N Roy," and ending with the chat sequence and soaring guitars on "Roll Away the Stone."

I think it is underappreciated by fans who missed the old, raw MTH and also by fans who missed Mick Ralphs.

I understand the shortcomings. It's dominated by Ian Hunter's songwriting, with the only exception being the rush-job "Born Late '58" (which I love regardless). There is little guitar presence, with keyboards dominating. It's poppy. The one track that hearkens back to vintage MTH, "Crash Street Kidds," is somehow wimpy, with an out-of-place musical interlude at its core and poor effects on the machine gun fusillade that ends the track.

But it has so many guilty pleasures. "Pearl N Roy" is such a fun song, with great political lyrics. "Alice" is a neglected gem, one I know I'll never hear live because there's no way Ian Hunter will remember all the words. "Through the Looking Glass" -- my interpretation of it -- is inspirational, with its message to not fear looking at oneself. I was outraged when the profanity-laced out-take of this song was included in the MTH retrospective collection of the 1990s. Why spoil a beautiful track? It irritated the band as well.

And this is before you consider the masterpieces -- "Golden Age," "Marionette" and "Roll Away the Stone."

It's an unloved stepchild among many fans, but this is the only MTH alnum on which I love every track.

SONG RATINGS (OUT OF 5)

The Golden Age of Rock N Roll (5)
Marionette (5)
Alice (4.5)
Crash Street Kidds (3.5)
Born Late '58 (4)
Trudi's Song (3)
Pearl N Roy (England) (5)
Through the Looking Glass (4)
Roll Away the Stone (5)

Day 22: Countdown No. 5, Mad Shadows (1970)

"Anything's better than the life I've known, I can't face anything that low." -- Walkin with a Mountain (1970)

This one should have been Sticky Fingers. I assume you've heard that story.

Mad Shadows is a better title anyway for the lyrical content. And the cover, which looks like a Rorshack test, is perfect because some of the lyrics make you want to call a psychiatrist.

I think it's great. Of the early era MTH albums, which I basically bought in a pack, this one has grown on me the most.

Mick Ralphs' "Thunderbuck Ram" is an awesome opener, from its first chords to its abrupt denouement. I think it would even be a great opener for the reunion shows. It's the best song Mick wrote for Mott. I love the way "No Wheels to Ride" builds from a ballad into something a lot more. Of course I love "Walkin With a Mountain," maybe because I know what it became as a concert staple for Ariel Bender in later MTH days.

The lyrics here are as dark and angry as anything on Brain Capers. The difference is that Brain Capers suggested a more physical expression of violence. This one is more psychotic. Case in point: Ian Hunter's "When My Mind's Gone."

It held together well as a selection of songs and still holds up today, but there was a ceiling on how far they could go with it. And it wasn't far, as the successor, Wildlife, was much lighter.

SONG RATINGS (OUT OF FIVE)

Thunderbuck Ram (4.5)
No Wheels to Ride (4)
You Are One of Us (3)
Walkin With a Mountain (4.5)
I Can Feel (3)
Threads of Iron (2.5)
When My Mind's Gone (3)