Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter (born Ian Hunter Patterson on June 3, 1939 in Oswestry, Shropshi… Read Full Bio ↴Ian Hunter (born Ian Hunter Patterson on June 3, 1939 in Oswestry, Shropshire, England) was the lead singer of the band Mott the Hoople from 1969 until the band broke up in 1974. He has since worked as a solo artist.
Hunter began his musical career on the bass guitar. An early foray into music was as an entrant in a talent competition at one of Butlin's holiday camps, performing "Blue Moon" as part of a skiffle group with Colen York and Colin Broome.
Hunter memorialized how he left his family in a later song, "23A Swan Hill," the address of his teenage home in Shrewsbury above a police station where his father was the Station Sergeant. He notes in concert that "my Dad was real mean" and did not approve of his son's artistic direction, in contrast to his "grand dad", referenced in "Cleveland Rocks", as "he was a rocker and I am, too".
So Hunter took off for Butlin's and "never looked back". Bandmates York and Broome came from Northampton, and were in a band called The Apex, which Hunter soon joined to play rhythm guitar. In 1963, while living in Northampton, he formed his own band, Hurricane Henry and the Shriekers. With Tony Marriott and guitarist Julian Coulter, the Shriekers worked steadily in Northampton, and by 1965 had picked up Freddie 'Fingers' Lee as a pianist and frontman. In a 2004 DVD interview Hunter volunteers Lee and their gigs in Hamburg as a major turning point, when he first began to "actually think maybe I could do this instead of working in factories".
In 1966 Hunter moved to London, where he joined The Scenery with guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Dave Dufort, and keyboard player Dante Smith. By 1967 Smith and Dufort had left the band while John Vernon Smith joined on drums. The Scenery recorded some material with Bill Farley at Regent Sound, which was released without the band's knowledge in France and Japan. In early 1968, The Scenery had run its course and Miller Anderson joined Dave Dufort in Paper Blitz Tissue.
Also in 1968 Hunter remained in the band to back up Freddie Lee in the At Last The 1958 Rock and Roll Show, along with drummer Pete Philips and guitarist Chris Mayfield. The group got a regular booking at The Angel in Edmonton, and drew interest from both Chrysalis and NEMS but the group was never signed by them. Mayfield was soon replaced by the ever traveling Miller Anderson, and the group released a single on CBS called "I Can't Drive." As the short-lived rock and roll revival began to wane, At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show changed its name to Charlie Woolfe and released a final single, "Dance, Dance, Dance".
Hunter played sporadically in various other bands throughout the 1960s, including The New Yardbirds, and backed Billy Fury, The Young Idea and David McWilliams. He also worked as a journalist and staff songwriter for the firm Francis, Day & Hunter (no relation). Other jobs he took during these years included road-digging for a local council, and reporting for a local newspaper.
By 1969 Hunter was married and had two children, but was still hoping for a return to making music full time. That year he auditioned for and joined yet another band, Silence. Silence soon renamed themselves after a novel by Willard Manus, published in 1966: Mott The Hoople. By this time Hunter had taken to wearing the sunglasses that have long since become his trademark (photos of him without his "shades" are rare). The band was a live smash in England although their early U.S. tours on the coasts were slow in building a following. Whilst a critical success and despite being renowned for being an excellent live act, Mott the Hoople did not achieve sustained commercial success. After a dreary 1972 concert in a "gas cylinder" in Switzerland, they announced their disbandment.
David Bowie, a longtime fan of the band, was upset and offered them a song he had just written. As Ian recalls in a 2004 DVD interview, "He offered us 'Suffragette City', which I didn't think was good enough. And then he sat down on the floor, Regent Street it was in a publisher's office and plays 'All The Young Dudes' on an acoustic guitar." It shot to No. 3 in the UK singles chart and Mott had new life.
Mott the Hoople then had considerable commercial success with the albums All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie); Mott (1973) and The Hoople (1974). The band began to score financially with songs such as "Roll Away The Stone," "Golden Age Of Rock ´N´ Roll," "Honaloochie Boogie," "All The Way From Memphis," "Saturday Gigs," and especially "All The Young Dudes." When in 1973 original lead guitarist Mick Ralphs left to form Bad Company, Hunter began to play guitar until a replacement could be found but at the same time he was increasingly pressured to write hits for the band. Luther Grosvenor took over as lead guitarist, Grosvenor, aka Ariel Bender, was briefly replaced by Mick Ronson after the release of a live album following The Hoople. However, Hunter left the band in December 1974. The remaining members carried on under the names Mott and British Lions. Hunter has written a memoir, Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, detailing a U.S. tour with Mott the Hoople.
In March 1975 Ian Hunter joined forces with Mick Ronson, formerly the leading member of David Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars and a member of Mott the Hoople for a brief time. Hunter's first single from his eponymous solo album was the UK Top 40 hit "Once Bitten Twice Shy". Hunter's best selling solo album was You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic. It was released in 1979 with Ronson and several members from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Two songs from You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic became successes for other artists. "Cleveland Rocks" was covered by the Presidents of the United States of America, whose version was used as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Also, "Ships" became a No. 9 pop hit in the USA in late 1979 for Barry Manilow.
During his solo career Hunter frequently worked with Ronson until the latter's death in 1993, but he has also had musical connections with many other artists, including Queen, Mick Jones (The Clash), Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Jaco Pastorius, Dennis Elliot (Foreigner), and David Bowie.
His album, Rant (2001), received wide critical acclaim and he won Classic Rock Magazine Songwriter's Award in October 2005.
In 2007 his latest album "Shrunken Heads" was released and it clearly shows that Ian Hunter is still very much alive.
Hunter began his musical career on the bass guitar. An early foray into music was as an entrant in a talent competition at one of Butlin's holiday camps, performing "Blue Moon" as part of a skiffle group with Colen York and Colin Broome.
Hunter memorialized how he left his family in a later song, "23A Swan Hill," the address of his teenage home in Shrewsbury above a police station where his father was the Station Sergeant. He notes in concert that "my Dad was real mean" and did not approve of his son's artistic direction, in contrast to his "grand dad", referenced in "Cleveland Rocks", as "he was a rocker and I am, too".
So Hunter took off for Butlin's and "never looked back". Bandmates York and Broome came from Northampton, and were in a band called The Apex, which Hunter soon joined to play rhythm guitar. In 1963, while living in Northampton, he formed his own band, Hurricane Henry and the Shriekers. With Tony Marriott and guitarist Julian Coulter, the Shriekers worked steadily in Northampton, and by 1965 had picked up Freddie 'Fingers' Lee as a pianist and frontman. In a 2004 DVD interview Hunter volunteers Lee and their gigs in Hamburg as a major turning point, when he first began to "actually think maybe I could do this instead of working in factories".
In 1966 Hunter moved to London, where he joined The Scenery with guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Dave Dufort, and keyboard player Dante Smith. By 1967 Smith and Dufort had left the band while John Vernon Smith joined on drums. The Scenery recorded some material with Bill Farley at Regent Sound, which was released without the band's knowledge in France and Japan. In early 1968, The Scenery had run its course and Miller Anderson joined Dave Dufort in Paper Blitz Tissue.
Also in 1968 Hunter remained in the band to back up Freddie Lee in the At Last The 1958 Rock and Roll Show, along with drummer Pete Philips and guitarist Chris Mayfield. The group got a regular booking at The Angel in Edmonton, and drew interest from both Chrysalis and NEMS but the group was never signed by them. Mayfield was soon replaced by the ever traveling Miller Anderson, and the group released a single on CBS called "I Can't Drive." As the short-lived rock and roll revival began to wane, At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show changed its name to Charlie Woolfe and released a final single, "Dance, Dance, Dance".
Hunter played sporadically in various other bands throughout the 1960s, including The New Yardbirds, and backed Billy Fury, The Young Idea and David McWilliams. He also worked as a journalist and staff songwriter for the firm Francis, Day & Hunter (no relation). Other jobs he took during these years included road-digging for a local council, and reporting for a local newspaper.
By 1969 Hunter was married and had two children, but was still hoping for a return to making music full time. That year he auditioned for and joined yet another band, Silence. Silence soon renamed themselves after a novel by Willard Manus, published in 1966: Mott The Hoople. By this time Hunter had taken to wearing the sunglasses that have long since become his trademark (photos of him without his "shades" are rare). The band was a live smash in England although their early U.S. tours on the coasts were slow in building a following. Whilst a critical success and despite being renowned for being an excellent live act, Mott the Hoople did not achieve sustained commercial success. After a dreary 1972 concert in a "gas cylinder" in Switzerland, they announced their disbandment.
David Bowie, a longtime fan of the band, was upset and offered them a song he had just written. As Ian recalls in a 2004 DVD interview, "He offered us 'Suffragette City', which I didn't think was good enough. And then he sat down on the floor, Regent Street it was in a publisher's office and plays 'All The Young Dudes' on an acoustic guitar." It shot to No. 3 in the UK singles chart and Mott had new life.
Mott the Hoople then had considerable commercial success with the albums All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie); Mott (1973) and The Hoople (1974). The band began to score financially with songs such as "Roll Away The Stone," "Golden Age Of Rock ´N´ Roll," "Honaloochie Boogie," "All The Way From Memphis," "Saturday Gigs," and especially "All The Young Dudes." When in 1973 original lead guitarist Mick Ralphs left to form Bad Company, Hunter began to play guitar until a replacement could be found but at the same time he was increasingly pressured to write hits for the band. Luther Grosvenor took over as lead guitarist, Grosvenor, aka Ariel Bender, was briefly replaced by Mick Ronson after the release of a live album following The Hoople. However, Hunter left the band in December 1974. The remaining members carried on under the names Mott and British Lions. Hunter has written a memoir, Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, detailing a U.S. tour with Mott the Hoople.
In March 1975 Ian Hunter joined forces with Mick Ronson, formerly the leading member of David Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars and a member of Mott the Hoople for a brief time. Hunter's first single from his eponymous solo album was the UK Top 40 hit "Once Bitten Twice Shy". Hunter's best selling solo album was You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic. It was released in 1979 with Ronson and several members from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Two songs from You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic became successes for other artists. "Cleveland Rocks" was covered by the Presidents of the United States of America, whose version was used as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Also, "Ships" became a No. 9 pop hit in the USA in late 1979 for Barry Manilow.
During his solo career Hunter frequently worked with Ronson until the latter's death in 1993, but he has also had musical connections with many other artists, including Queen, Mick Jones (The Clash), Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Jaco Pastorius, Dennis Elliot (Foreigner), and David Bowie.
His album, Rant (2001), received wide critical acclaim and he won Classic Rock Magazine Songwriter's Award in October 2005.
In 2007 his latest album "Shrunken Heads" was released and it clearly shows that Ian Hunter is still very much alive.
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Ian Hunter Lyrics
23 A Swan Hill Wrote this poem called, 'The Floods Roll On' He said, this…
3,000 Miles from Here (Ian Hunter) Fare thee well, gentle maid, I'll see you on y…
3000 Miles From Here Fare thee well, gentle maid, I'll see you on your way; And…
Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady I guess it was yourself you were involved with, I…
ALL AMERICAN ALIEN BOY I packed my bags - in the land of rags 'Cause…
All Is Forgiven I stood on a mountain and I looked down the…
All Of The Good Ones Are Taken Girl, things ain't been goin' too good for me Girl,…
All the Way From Memphis Forgot my six-string razor, hit the sky Half way to memphis…
All the Young Dudes Billy rapped all night 'bout his suicide How he'd kick…
All-American Alien Boy I packed my bags - in the land of rags 'Cause…
American Music I have a dream-its only one dream But I know dreams…
American Spy Neon lights in the pouring rain; it's just another Saturday …
Angeline (ian hunter) Oh angeline, I love you, your mouth is like…
Another Fine Mess Well, you rang me up you say you wanna get…
Apathy Standin` on the edge of Vesuvius - my mouth is…
Arms And Legs Hunter Up in the morning, unsteady on my feet I can't…
Babylon Blues Take a look at yourself baby – take a look…
Bastard Hmmc Vestal Virginia, ain't got a bad thought in ya, you're…
Beg A Little Love (hunter/mcnasty) Life takes a little piece of you away Most…
Big Time (ian hunter) One more town on the merry-go-round One more r…
Boy Genocidal tendencies are silly to extreme After all you're s…
Brainwashed Baby you bin brainwashed If you walk like a duck, quack…
Broadway Green lights on Broadway All the magic seems to say Come and…
Captain Void 'N' The Video Jets Captain to Candida - we just hit earth Everyone's strange h…
Central Park 'n' West Now come on in and sit right down and make…
China China, China, the evening's moving in See you, soon now, th…
Cleveland Rocks All this energy callin' me Back where it comes from It's suc…
Colwater High Hunter One, two, three, four One, two, three, four. S…
Cool You might be a celebrity, everybody sits up and begs You…
Dancing On The Moon (ian hunter/darrell bath/honest john plain) (transcribed by…
Day Tripper Got a good reason For taking the easy way out Got a…
Dead Man Walkin' I've been here before; this is where my fingers slipped…
Death 'N' Glory Boys Get your son, young 'n' dumb Give him a gun, make…
Death Of A Nation I was having a drink with Prince Charles and the…
Detroit He used to ride through the streets, crying through the…
Don't Let Go What's it gonna be 'Cause I can't pretend Don't you want t…
England Rocks All this energy callin' me Back where it comes from It's suc…
Every Step Of The Way I used to see you on the avenue You were the…
Everyone's A Fool (darrell bath/roig) He asked me home at a midnight Hey you'…
Flowers Danger lurks in every alleyway The top two percent out of…
Following In Your Footsteps Some folk leave you courage Some folk leave you hope Why am…
Foxy Foxy Baby Baby tried to phone you - they said you…
Fun I got a shower curtain stickin` to my back And the…
Fuss About Nothin' I got a bridge I can sell ya I got a…
Girl From The Office Everybody says that the girl from the office is the…
God God said to me "Gonna kick your ass - `cos…
Golden Opportunity The kids are ok They're telling you now But you're letting t…
Good Girls (honest john plain) It's cold outside - it looks like rain …
Good Man In A Bad Time Inside, closed quarters Night's calling under blood red ski…
Good Samaritan The sun shone through the window as I lay down…
Guiding Light Lost in the middle of nowhere As cold as a stone…
Gun Control All right Gun Control, we don't want no Gun Control, we don'…
How Much More Can I Take You're breakin' my heart Stealing my thunder How much more c…
How's Your House Now I'm runnin' outta water, there's nothing left to eat Th…
I Am What I Hated When I Was Young Well I don't follow any trend I don't sulk for hours…
I Get So Excited I hear a thousand drums a million miles away I feel…
I Need Your Love It was a cold, cold house, I was a cold, cold…
I Wish I Was Your Mother I scream at you for sharing I curse you just for…
Ill Wind Hunter Across the naked desert that housed a million hurt…
Invisible Strings One, two, three Well I woke up this morning, there`s a…
Irene Wilde When I was just sixteen - I stood waiting for…
It Ain't Easy When You Fall You used to float just like a boat upon the…
Junkee Love Give me magic misery Give me two shots, first one is…
Just Another Night Oh no, the fuzz, all in a line My oh my,…
Justice Of The Peace It's such a terrible shame it was only a game Then…
Keep On Burning Oh Well there ain't no sense In burning bridges. No, there a…
Knees of My Heart How do I begin, where do I start? When did you…
Laugh At Me Why can I be like any guy? Why do they try To…
Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack Poor Britannia, drowning in your waves With the Body of the…
Life Is there life, is there life? Is there life after…
Lisa Likes Rock 'n' Roll There's a wango-tango At the peppermint inn I'm gonna be the…
Listen to the Eight Track (mick, I've got a...) There must be one million stories in…
Lounge Lizard Well I picked her up on a Saturday night Pool hall…
Man O' War Hunter-Ronson I never brush my teeth and I never wash I …
Man Overboard I shiver and shake, every morning I wake to the…
Medley: All the Young Dudes Billy rapped all night 'bout his suicide How he'd kick…
Michael Picasso Once upon a time Not so long ago People used to stand…
Morons We were morons from the day we were born We believed…
My Revolution My Revolution (Steel HunterDangerfield) You were just a tw…
No One I used to come home each night to no one,…
Noises Noises are taking away my freedom. Noises seem to rob me…
Now Is the Time I can smile on a warm summer day I can laugh,…
Old Records Never Die Sometimes you realize That there is an end to life. Yesterda…
Once Bitten Twice Shy Well the times are gettin' hard for you little girl I'm…
Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Hunter)Well the times are gettin' hard For you little girl …
One Fine Day Hunter Well, we′re back on the street, back on the air,…
One More Time You're breakin' my heart Stealing my thunder How much more c…
One Of The Boys Know that I grow my hair just to scare the…
Open My Eyes (ian hunter/darrel bath) (transcribed by colin ford) On th…
Outsider Death be my mistress, guns be my wife Breath is my…
Overnight Angels In the heat of the Indian summer Out along the Appalachian…
Pain Well, I believe in magic Ain't it kinda tragic When you find…
Psycho Girl (honest john plain) If I'd known then what I know now I'd…
Purgatory Beautiful people got their beautiful lives, got their Beauti…
Rain Billy said this town is dying It's dying just to be…
Rape He searched through his love like a thief on the…
Read 'em 'n' Weep On a warm summer day, in the hour of my…
Red Letter Day (Ian Hunter) Red Letter Day (3) mmmm... Late at night I drif…
Rest in Peace Oh if my wheel could take another turn And if my…
Restless Youth He`s much the same as anyone - he don`t do…
Resurrection Mary In 1935, I was living in paradise, I had a…
Ripoff (Ian Hunter) I don't wanna be no traitor to the cause But…
River Of Tears Waiting on an elevator, in a hotel out in California Smog…
Roll Away the Stone Baby if you just say you still care Follow you most…
Rollerball (Ian Hunter) Just another day When everything goes wrong…
Rose It ain't so long ago since we were just two…
Saturday Gigs Sixty-nine was cheapo wine, Have a good time, What your sign…
Sea Diver On morning shadows you were ill-spent It's time, you said, …
Seeing Double Doctor, doctor, am I alright? I keep on stayin' up -…
Shades Off Where do you go when you've somewhere to run But the…
Shallow Crystals Her life gets smaller in his eyes And he wonders if…
Ships We walked to the sea, just my father 'n' me And…
Shrunken Heads Concrete steps, never swept It used to be fear, now they…
Silver Dime Alice was a drunken Mona Lisa Arching up some American wall …
Silver Needles You're just a stranger in the past Just another mug that…
Skeletons (Ian Hunter/Darrel Bath/Honest John Plain) (Transcribed b…
Somethin's Goin' On The spirit of war is all around us 'N' everybody knows…
Something to Believe In Well, I lay underneath an ageless sky I watched the universe…
Sons & Lovers I was your baby, you were my girl When I asked…
Sons And Daughters There's a place in the city they call the Archway Where…
Soul Of America Hunter The Alamo shuddered, Pearl Harbour as well The St…
Speechless Every time I watch you Gotta switch you off, you surely…
standin Well I finally found you out All through your mess of…
Standing in My Light You know you been bad to me And you ain't no…
Still Love Rock And Roll Way back in the 50's - you never said a…
Still the Same They say that some people never grow up Lost in time,…
Stretch I tried, but I could never, I tried but I…
Sunshine Eyes Let this morning like this moment Let the sun break through…
Sweet Angeline (ian hunter) Oh angeline, I love you, your mouth is like…
Sweet Jane Standin' on a corner, Suitcase in my hand. Jack's in his car…
Tell It Like It Is (ian hunter/mick ronson) Do you remember truth-you used to …
That Girl Is Rock 'N' Roll She dresses in leather She isn't too together She looks th…
The Artful Dodger How ya doin', all right? I-I-I spy with my little eye Somet…
The Ballad Of Little Star You don't look a day over ten so why be Do…
The Great Escape On the night of my 21st birthday I was playing…
The Journey Hunter There's a man on a bridge, called suicide And he …
The Loner I was born On the 3rd of June,hard labor,Gemini moon I was…
The Other Man I forgive you when you can't look straight into my…
The Outsider Death be my mistress, guns be my wife Breath is my…
The Truth the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth Lonely days lonely nights Hoping thing's gonna turn out righ…
The Truth, the Whole Truth, Nuthin’ but the Truth Lonely days, lonely nights Hoping thing's gonna turn out rig…
Theatre of the Absurd (Ian Hunter) My tea turned seven shades darker as I sit …
These Feelings I still got these feelings, these feelings, these feelings …
To Love A Woman To love a woman Lost and lonely through the night My baby…
To Rule Britannia From The Union Jack Poor Britannia, drowning in your waves With the Body of the…
Too Much All I ever wanted Was to lose myself in you All I…
Traitor Traitor, traitor, traitor, traitor Traitor, you don't know …
Truth The Whole Truth Nuthin' But The Truth Lonely days lonely nights Hoping thing's gonna turn out righ…
Twisted Steel Hunter Well, there ain't nothin' I can do To take the pa…
Up And Running Down in the basement wondering where the money went I get…
Violence I'm a missing link, poolroom stink, I can't talk (Well that…
Walk On Water Little flame tormented soul Tried to get lost in all that…
Walkin' With a Mountain (ian hunter) A mountain train's coming down the track She a…
Wash Us Away On the very first decade that we got to dream…
Waterlow Hunter I followed the night till the morning sunlight An…
Way With Words You don't have to raise your voice every time you…
We Gotta Get Out Of Here It's such a small town rodeo Such famous people here, with…
When I'm President Mother I,m a stranger in a strange land I feel like…
When the Daylight Comes Oo-Oo-Oo, Oo-Oo-Oo, Ooooo Oo-Oo-Oo, Oo-Oo-Oo, Ooooo Sweet w…
When The World Was Round But the monsters won't leave them alone You win some, you…
Who Do You Love Driving off in the rain and snow Oh the jets ain't…
Wild 'n' Free Wild 'n free wild 'n free Wild 'n free wild 'n…
Wild East Well it's Tuesday night How I'd like to be inside at…
Wild N' Free Wild 'n free wild 'n free Wild 'n free wild 'n…
Win It All In the morning, when you get up Free your mind…
Women's Intuition Through the haze the mirror cries-hits you right between the…
Words Hunter-York I got a big one. Well, it′s me, I didn't mean…
You Nearly Did Me In See lonely shadows - silver needles Abandoned in the evening…
You Stepped Into My Dreams (Ian Hunter) (Transcribed by Colin Ford) That's it baby, t…
Your Eyes I'm holding on, holding on to see you I'm cryin out,…