Personnel: ADD!
Ian Hunter - vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, percussion, backing vocal
Mick Ronson - lead guitar, organ, Mellotron, mouth organ, bass guitar
Geoff Appleby - bass guitar, backing vocals
Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion
Pete Arnesen – piano, keyboards
John Gustafson – bass guitar on "Lounge Lizard"
Release date: 4 September 2012
Running time: ? 40:38
Current edition: Proper Records
Highest chart places: UK #97, US #151.
Since Hunter was on a roll receiving critical acclaim, regaining fans again, and after successful releases the next next studio would begin. For his live sets in 2011 Ian changed things up again by playing songs from The Hoople LP and two standards: Ben E. King's, Stand By Me and Isolation. John Lennon had recorded both songs and when Ian was asked to do Lennon shows for tribute a tribute event that didn't happen he just incorporated them into his set. Paul Page on bass supplied a fresh interpretation to the standby All American Alien Boy; Page had arrived in the Rant Band after touring for Shrunken Heads and playing on Man Overboard.
In January 2012 work on When I'm President began. Two other titles were considered but then both were rejected: Recreational Skull Diving and Ancient Babies. For the first time, the release would be credited to "Ian Hunter and The Rant Band." With Ian's quickened pace the Band recorded in four days, Andy York and Hunter mixed in another nine days, so all in all, the process of recording only took about twelve days. It was a collective Band effort.
Live appearances continued unabated. On 13 March Ian joined rock notables at New York's Carnegie Hall to perform in "The Rolling Stones' Hot Rocks Tribute," with Hunter and the Ranters playing 19th Nervous Breakdown. 1 July the Band played at the Hop Farm Festival in Kent, UK. The Band was fresh and hot. Then, in September Ian helped launch "Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present, and Future" to support a venture to promote the Cleveland music scene.
When I'm President was released on 4 September 2012 and produced by Hunter and Andy York self-titled "The Prongs" Ian's pseudonyms for the pair. The release was not as personally reflective nor as political as his recent efforts but he expanded his insights into historical vignettes about Native American leader Crazy Horse, the outlaw Jesse James and the Civil War. The release was upbeat with eleven first-rate tracks. The CD was issued by Slimstyle Records in America, Universal in Scandinavia, and the Proper label in Britain.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me