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Two stylistically different bands from
two countries of the same era who share a passion for playing
good ol' rock and roll.
There had been many glitter rock acts from
the early '70s, but Mott the Hoople was the definitive glitter
rock band. Led by the charismatic raconteur Ian Hunter and guitarist
Mick Ralphs (later of Bad Company), Mott were a bunch of hooligans,
albeit lovable ones, who defined the bad boy aesthetic: that
being in a rock and roll band meant having a good time but also
examining the emotional toll it takes. This sampling of their
work makes a strong case for their inclusion in the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame: "Honaloochie Boogie," "Born
Late 58," and "One of the Boys" flat out smoke;
mellow tracks like "Hymn for the Dudes" and the autobiographical
"Ballad of Mott the Hoople" showed the band's sensitive
side with poignancy. Mott will be forever known for two of their
greatest songs here on this best-of, the roly poly "All
the Way From Memphis" and the glitter/gay anthem "All
The Young Dudes." Rock and roll was never this ballsy and
fun before Mott came along.
If you said American group Mountain sounded
like a cruder imitation of Cream, you are not off the mark. Bassist
Felix Pappalardi was the British power trio's producer on their
best works like "Disraeli Gears." Mountain may have
not possessed Cream's thinking man's approach, but when they
played, they really laid it on thick (and I'm not talking about
guitarist Leslie West's waistline). West's bone crunching riffs
and Corky Laing's adroit drumming propelled Mountain as a top-notch
rock act (for a while anyway), as evident on their signature
"Mississippi Queen," and the bombast fury on Never
In My Life, "Crossroader," "Boys in the Band,"
and a cover of "Roll Over Beethoven." The band would
once in a while offer some soulful moments as on "Nantucket
Sleigh Ride," "For Yasgur's Farm," and "Theme
from an Imaginary Western" on which Pappalardi sounds like
Cream's Jack Bruce (who in fact wrote the song). Mountain may
not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's not a bar band in middle
America who hasn't copped their thunderous riffs and hooks.
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