So looking forward to ordering and receiving the 6 cd box set "Mental Train"by Mott The Hoople which features their recordings from 1969-1971,which is an era of this band developing and which i find more interesting than their"all the young dudes"era.I have heard the first 4 albums,and i do have 2 cds of the debut album and 1970s "Mad Shadows",but the others "Wildlife"and "Brain Capers"i have only heard on the internet,and "Wildlife"to my ears sounds well good.This era of the band sounds as if its going to be very rewarding,with the early albums produced by Guy Stevens which by all accounts was a bit of a fractious relationship and who the band eventually disposed of his services!!This box set featured input from the likes of Phil Smee who has put the book together seemingly featuring loads of unseen photos etc and Kris Needs who contributes to certain mags like the marvellous Shindig mag!!I just wondered what the good folks thought of this era of Mott The Hooples music?I dont seem to recall this era of the group being discussed much on here through the years,and i have loitered about here for many many years.I am so very interested to hear all the unreleased material and hear "Wildlife"and "Brain Capers"for real on my hifi blasting through the speakers!!!This box set has really got me excited,i've not anticipated something so much for a long time,this could be one of the releases of the year,i'm a bit worried as Amazon are saying its not available,i really really hope theres not a problem with its release!!!!
Thanks for the heads up on this Stuart. I have the self titled lp and Mad Shadows. I agree about it being an under rated period of the band. Some great rock tracks like Walking With A Mountain, At The Crossroads(Doug Sahm cover) and my favourite, Thunderbuck Ram.
Think Kris Needs was their manager, publicist or something in the early days?
I’ve always liked those early Mott albums as well, even if they aren’t as polished or instantly engaging as “All the Young Dudes” or “Mott.” There’s a kind of punk urgency to those early albums. I particularly like “Mad Shadows” with its squeeky kick drum pedal and gloomy tone. It’s got some of that “Man Who Sold the World”-era heaviness mixed in with introspection.
Those early albums like to end with the nine minute or songs with long chanting codas, so I can see why they decided to evolve to shorter, carchy rock songs, but all the experiments on those first four albums are part of what makes Mott the Hoople stand out. And I always get a kick out of the great Sonny Bono cover version on the first album.
I pre-ordered this Mott The Hoople box when it was first listed on Amazon at its lowest price. Then I cancelled it as I have all those albums as Japanese mini LP CDs, mostly in thick card gatefold sleeves. and I think other than a few extra backing tracks the track list was much the same apart from a live CD in the new box. Due to a lack of space and the cost I thought it would be a prudent thing to do, even if this new set is re-mastered and has the booklet etc. Then when the beautiful new Kate Bush remasters were announced I pre-ordered them in spite of already having the older versions again as Japanese mini LP CDs. So I am now re-appraising weather to plump for the Mott set after all again, albeit at a tenner more than the earlier price. Doooh!!!