Greatest Hits

by Mott the Hoople

Overview

A petty little package this is, and no mistake. It was no secret, of course, that the end of Mott the Hoople was a rancorous, bitter affair. But while former frontman Ian Hunter was igniting his solo career with an album of songs which could have been Mott's, did his erstwhile bandmates truly have nothing better to occupy their time with than compiling a collection which not only skews all that they really achieved during three years of hits, but also undermines those who played on them as well? True, guitarist Mick Ronson was a member of the band for a mere matter of months before he split for a new band with Hunter; true, too, that his contributions to Mott's recorded catalog amounted to just one minor hit single, the spookily valedictory "Saturday Gigs." But to see his name in the same tiny print reserved for the session players who appear elsewhere revises history with semi-Stalinist zeal -- or at least, spitefulness. So, though it now seems equally petty to suggest it, did the inclusion of "Born Late 58," written by one of the Hooplers who stayed behind (bassist Overend Watts), in place of any one of a dozen more deserving moments -- all of which, of course, were penned by the errant Hunter. Oh, the politics of pop, how important they all seemed at the time. Today, of course, Greatest Hits exists as a mere prelude to the flood of Mott compilations which have since hit the shelves, and one whose ten-song contents seem impossibly skimpy -- you can be in and out of the album in under 40 minutes. But, in fairness, that was all that was demanded of it. Each of the band's U.K. hits is here, including two ("Foxy Foxy" and the aforementioned "Saturday Gigs") which, at the time, had yet to appear on LP, while two slabs of unabashedly autobiography from the Mott album and one more from The Hoople basically appear as bonus tracks. Sharp and to the point -- would that all compilations could make their mark so unerringly! ~ Dave Thompson

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2008
Label:	Legacy
UPC:	0886972431826

Tracks

1. All the Way From Memphis
2. Honaloochie Boogie
3. Hymn for the Dudes
4. Born Late '58
5. All the Young Dudes
6. Roll Away the Stone
7. Ballad of Mott
8. Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll
9. Foxy Foxy
10. Saturday Gigs
11. Sweet Jane
12. One of the Boys

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mott the Hoople   Primary Artist
Pete "Overend" Watts   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Rhythm)
Paul Buckmaster   Cello
Andy Mackay   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Ian Hunter   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic)
Nick Graham   Handclapping
Mick Ronson   Guitar
Mick Ralphs   Organ,Guitar,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Electric)
David Bowie   Vocals,Choir/Chorus,Handclapping,Guitar (Rhythm)
Ariel Bender   Slide Guitar,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Electric)
Howie Casey   Sax (Tenor)
Dale "Buffin" Griffin   Drums,Handclapping,Vocals (Background)
Thunderthighs   Vocals (Background)
Morgan Fisher   Piano,Synthesizer
Verden Allen   Organ,Piano
Graham Preskett   Bells,Tubular Bells
Sunny   Choir/Chorus
Sue   Choir/Chorus
Mike Horowitz   Cello
Sonny   Choir/Chorus
A. Border   Slide Guitar
Sue & Sunny   Choir/Chorus
Donald Griffin   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Ghunderthighs   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Tracy Griffin   Composer
Bill Price   Mixing,Engineer
Ian Hunter   Composer
Lou Reed   Composer
Mick Ralphs   Composer
David Bowie   Composer,Producer
Alan Harris   Engineer
Verden Allen   Composer
Mike Dunne   Engineer
Keith Harewood   Mixing,Engineer
Pete "Overend" Watts   Composer
Norman Moore   Design
Stan Tippins   Compilation Producer
Arun Chakraverty   Engineer
Norman Seeff   Photography
Roslav Szaybo   Art Direction