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.
Fuss About Nothin'
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a pyramid
I got a time share in Florida
How'd ya like a piece of it?
You're making a fuss about nothin'
Everything's under control
That bee in your bonnet's got liberal on it
Never forget, I got a direct line
I'm a man you can trust in
If it's left to the left, there won't be nothing left
You're making a fuss about nothin'
This world is a ball with a map on
We conquer, we buy and we sell
This world is a tank with a tap on
Business as usual
Now I'm just protecting your interests
I'm just defending your faith
Those guys that were caught with their hands in the till
Nothing to do with me, mate, nothing to do with me
Never forget, I got a direct line
I'm a man with a mission
If it's left to the left, there won't be nothing left
You're making a fuss about nothin'
Don't you worry, don't you worry
I'm sure I can come up with something'
When all's said and done, I am the one
You're making a fuss about nothin'
You're making a fuss about nothin'
I am just doing my job
You just gotta trust me on this one
'Cause when the time is right, we'll get outta Dodge
Never forget, I'm doing my best
I am a man with a vision
But if it's left to the left, there won't be nothing left
You're making a fuss about nothin'
Don't you worry, don't you worry
I'm sure we can figure out somethin'
Just leave it to me and one day you'll see
You're making a fuss about nothin'
Now never forget, I'm the man to respect
When you come to collect your commission
I said everything's cool, I make the rules
You're making a fuss about nothin'
Hear me now
Oh yeah
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on (hey, hey, hey)
Hey
The song "Fuss About Nothin'" by Ian Hunter is a satirical take on the promises made by politicians and the media to the common people. The song begins with Hunter appearing as a salesman who offers the listener a bridge, a pyramid, and a time-share in Florida. These are all metaphors for unrealistic promises made by people in power that are peddling empty ideas with no basis in reality. He then goes on to criticize the listener for making a fuss and believing in the things they are told without questioning their veracity. He suggests that they simply sit back and watch the world go by, while he takes care of everything.
Hunter then shifts his focus to defending his position as someone who is just doing his job and protecting the interests of the listener. He says that he is protecting their faith and interests, even though he may be associated with people who are corrupt or dishonest. The song ends with Hunter assuring the listener that they can trust him to come up with a solution to any problem that arises, and that they should leave everything to him.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the power dynamics that exist between the common people and those in positions of authority. It highlights the emptiness of promises made and how easily people can be fooled into believing in them without questioning their validity.
Line by Line Meaning
We're all the mercy of shrunken heads
We're all at the mercy of fate and circumstances that are beyond our control
Bells are ringing of a cleaner time
The past was better than the present, as evidenced by the nostalgia brought about by the ringing bells
There ain't no washing hangin' out on the line anymore
Times have changed and people no longer value airing their dirty laundry in public
Something died and I don't know when
Something good from the past is gone, and it's difficult to pinpoint when and how it disappeared
But it's funkier now that it ever was then
Despite the loss, there's a new kind of energy and vibe in the present that wasn't present before
Nothin' matters anymore
Life has lost its meaning and purpose
The rich get richer, and the poor get sorer
The wealthy keep getting richer while the less fortunate continue to suffer
The heart of the city is dilapidated
The center of urban life is rundown and falling apart
Who's gonna save us from these shrunken heads
Who will rescue us from the unpredictable nature of fate and the circumstances that life throws our way?
On a windy day where no one smiles
On a day where the weather is bad and people are unhappy
On a pleasure-less beach on a go-go-golden mile
Even in places that might seem enjoyable, such as a beach, there's a lack of pleasure or happiness
In a sad cafe eating day old bread
In a depressing place eating old, stale food
And I tip the angry actress
Trying to show kindness to someone who doesn't seem to appreciate it
With pockets full of shrunken heads
Despite trying to do good things, still feeling at the mercy of unpredictable circumstances
Windows barred, exhausted dull
Feeling trapped and exhausted in a life where everything seems colorless
The smell of decay is miserable
Living in a world where decay is evident and affects every aspect of life
Dangerous streets where the dealers rule
Living in a dangerous place where criminals have taken control
Lie litter strewn around a frozen school
A depressing scene where even the place of learning is neglected and littered with trash
You took our loyalty and you tore it to shreds
Feeling betrayed by those who were supposed to be loyal and supportive
And the heart of the city is red-carpeted
Even though the city center is rundown and sad, people still try to put on an air of luxury and glamor
Freaks of nature, shrunken heads
People who are different or don't fit in are at the mercy of unpredictable circumstances
Shrunken heads decide my fate
Still feeling that fate and circumstances are beyond one's control
It used to be 10, now it's 10:08
Even the passing of time seems uncertain and unpredictable
We ain't got the answers, it's complicated
Life is complex and even with all the information available, it's difficult to find answers to life's biggest questions
I wouldn't bet any money on shrunken heads
Despite feeling at the mercy of fate and circumstances, acknowledging that it's not worth putting faith in uncertain forces
Where you're born is the luck of the draw
One's birthplace and circumstances are completely random and beyond one's control
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ian Hunter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind