Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan), Ian Hunter, Bag Of Tricks (Vol 2) (box set only).

The Bob Dylan song Knockin' On Heaven's Door reflects the widely acknowledged influence as Hunter's most inspirational and favorite artist. He used Dylan-like vocals to get his words across to listeners. Ian also thought The Rolling Stones influenced his writing when he was addressing the topic of those he admired. Dylan got Hunter off the ground and thinks he is absolutely wonderful. The only difference was that Ian was using his own vocals to get his words and messages across to audiences. It was recorded at The Life Cafe, Manchester UK 19th May 2002.

Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh

Mama take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore
It's getting dark, too dark to see
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

Mama put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door
Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Ian Hunter Box Set: "Stranded In Reality"

Sleeve and track listing

Proper SHADES1

• Ian Hunter
• All American Alien Boy
• Overnight Angels
• You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic
• Welcome To The Club
• Short Back and Sides
• All Of The Good Ones Are Taken
• YUI Orta
• Ian Hunter's Dirty Laundry
• BBC Live In Concert
• The Artful Dodger
• Rant
• Strings Attached
• Shrunken Heads
• Man Overboard
• When I'm President
• Live in the UK 2010
• Tilting The Mirror - Rarities
• If You Wait Long Enought For Anything, You Can Get It On Sale - Live 1979-81
• Bag Of Tricks - Live Rarities
• Acoustic Shadows - Live
• Experiments - Previously Unreleased Recordings
• It Never Happened - DVD
• (Go to the review)

Ian Hunter

1. Once Bitten Twice Shy
2. Who Do You Love
3. Lounge Lizard
4. Boy
5. 3,000 Miles From Here
6. The Truth, The Whole Truth, Nuthin' But The Truth
7. It Ain't Easy When You Fall/Shades Off
8. I Get So Excited
9. Colwater High
10. One Fine Day
11. Once Bitten Twice Shy (single edit)
12. Who Do You Love (single edit)
13. Shades Off (poem)
14. Boy (edit)

All American Alien Boy

1. Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack
2. All American Alien Boy
3. Irene Wilde
4. Restless Youth
5. Rape
6. You Nearly Did Me In
7. Apathy 83
8. God (Take 1)
9. To Rule Britannia From Union Jack (session outtake)
10. All American Alien Boy (early single version)
11. Irene Wilde (Number One) (session outtake)
12. Weary Anger (session outtake)
13. Apathy (session outtake)
14. (God) Advice To A Friend (session outtake)

Overnight Angels

1. Golden Opportunity (4:31)
2. Shallow Crystals (3:58)
3. Overnight Angels (5:12)
4. Broadway (3:46)
5. Justice of the Peace (3:01)
6. (Miss) Silver Dime (4:34)
7. Wild n' Free (3:08)
8. The Ballad of Little Star (2:32)
9. To Love a Woman (3:54)
10. England Rocks(2:53)

You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic

1. Just Another Night
2. Wild East
3. Cleveland Rocks
4. Ships
5. When the Daylight Comes
6. Life After Death
7. Standin' In My Light
8. Bastard
9. The Outsider
10. Don't Let Go (demo)
11. Ships (take 1)
12. When The Daylight Comes (early version)
13. The Other Side of Life (Just Another Night early version)
14. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Welcome To The Club

Disc 1

1. FBI
2. Once Bitten Twice Shy
3. Angeline
4. Laugh at Me
5. All the Way From Memphis
6. I Wish I Was Your Mother
7. Irene Wilde
8. Just Another Night
9. Cleveland Rocks
10. Standin' In My Light
11. Bastard

Disc 2

1. Walkin' With a Mountain/Rock 'n' Roll Queen
2. All the Young Dudes
3. Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
4. One of the Boys
5. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll
6. When the Daylight Comes
7. Once Bitten Twice Shy/Bastard/Cleveland Rocks (medley)
8. We Gotta Get Out of Here
9. Silver Needles
10. Man O' War
11. Sons and Daughters

Short Back And Sides

1. Central Park n' West 
2. Lisa Likes Rock n' Roll
3. I Need Your Love
4. Old Records Never Die
5. Noises
6. Rain
7. Gun Control
8. Theatre of the Absurd
9. Leave Me Alone
10. Keep on Burning
11. I Need Your Love (rough mix)
12. Old Records Never Die (version 1)
13. Rain (alternate mix)
14. Theatre of the Absurd (alternate version)

All Of The Good Ones Are Taken

1. All of the Good Ones Are Taken
2. Every Step of the Way
3. Fun
4. Speechless
5. Death 'n' Glory Boys 
6. That Girl Is Rock 'n' Roll
7. Somethin's Goin' On
8. Captain Void 'n' the Video Jets
9. Seeing Double
10. All of the Good Ones Are Taken
11. Traitor (12" single b-side)
12. Somethin's Goin' On (single radio edit)

YUI Orta

1. American Music
2. The Loner
3. Women's Intuition
4. Tell It Like It Is
5. Livin' In a Heart
6. Big Time
7. Cool
8. Beg a Little Love
9. Following In Your Footsteps
10. Sons 'n' Lovers
11. Pain
12. How Much More Can I Take
13. Sweet Dreamer

Ian Hunter's Dirty Laundry

1. Dancing on the Moon
2. Another Fine Mess
3. Scars
4. Never Trust a Blonde
5. Psycho Girl
6. My Revolution
7. Good Girls
8. Red Letter Day
9. Invisible Strings
10. Everyone's a Fool
11. Junkee Love
12. The Other Man

BBC Live In Concert

1. Once Bitten Twice Shy
2. How Much More Can I Take
3. Beg a Little Love
4. Following In Your Footsteps
5. Just Another Night
6. Sweet Dreamer
7. (Give Me Back My) Wings
8. Standin' In My Light
9. Bastard
10. The Loner
11. You're Never Too Old To Hit The Big Time
12. All The Way From Memphis
13. Irene Wilde

The Artful Dodger

1. Too Much
2. Now Is The Time
3. Something To Believe In
4. Resurrection Mary
5. Walk On Water
6. 23A, Swan Hill
7. Michael Picasso
8. Open My Eyes
9. The Artful Dodger
10. Skeletons (In Your Closet)
11. Still The Same
12. Fuck It Up (1996 single track)

Rant

1. Ripoff
2. Good Samaritan
3. Death of a Nation
4. Purgatory
5. American Spy
6. Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders)
7. Wash Us Away
8. Morons
9. Soap And Water
10. Knees Of My Heart 
11. No One
12. Still Love Rock 'n' Roll

Strings Attached

Disc 1

1. Rest In Peace
2. All Of The Good Ones Are Taken
3. I Wish I Was Your Mother
4. Twisted Steel
5. Boy
6. 23A Swan Hill
7. Waterlow
8. All The Young Dudes
9. Irene Wilde
10. Once Bitten Twice Shy

Disc 2

1. Rollerball
2. Ships
3. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
4. Michael Picasso
5. Wash Us Away
6. Don't Let Go
7. All The Way From Memphis
8. Roll Away The Stone
9. Saturday Gigs
10. Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders) (bonus track)
11. Your Way (bonus track)

Shrunken Heads

1. Words (Big Mouth)
2. Fuss About Nothin'
3. When The World Was Round
4. Brainwashed
5. Shrunken Heads
6. Soul Of America
7. How's Your House
8. Guiding Light
9. Stretch
10. I Am What I Hated When I Was Young
11. Read 'em 'n' Weep
12. Your Eyes (bonus EP track)
13. Wasted (bonus EP track)
14. Real Or Imaginary (bonus EP track)
15. When The World Was Round (single radio edit)

Man Overboard

1. The Great Escape
2. Arms And Legs
3. Up And Running
4. Man Overboard
5. Babylon Blues
6. Girl From The Office
7. Flowers
8. These Feelings
9. Win It All
10. Way With Words
11. River Of Tears

When I'm President

1. Comfortable (Flyin' Scotsman)
2. Fatally Flawed
3. When I'm President
4. What For
5. Black Tears
6. Saint
7. Just The Way You Look Tonight
8. Wild Bunch
9. Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse)
10. I Don't Know What You Want
11. Life
12. When I'm President (radio edit single)

Live In The UK 2010

1. Sea Diver
2. Arms And Legs
3. Words (Big Mouth)
4. The Great Escape
5. Ships
6. Irene Wilde
7. Flowers
8. Soul Of America
9. Man Overboard
10. Waterlow
11. Michael Picasso
12. Wash Us Away
13. 23A Swan Hill
14. Sweet Jane
15. All The Young Dudes

Tilting The Mirror - Rarities

Disc 1

1. All-American Alien Boy (Single A-side)
2. You Nearly Did Me In (Single A-side)
3. Common Disease (Alien Boy Outtake)
4. If the Slipper Don't Fit (Alien Boy Outtake)
5. The Outsider (Early Version)
6. Alibi (Schizophrenic Jam)
7. When the Daylight Comes (Single A-side)
8. Just Another Night (Electric version #3)
9. Detroit (Rough Mix Instrumental)
10. Na Na Na
11. I Believe in You
12. Listen to the Eight Track
13. You Stepped Into My Dreams
14. Venus in the Bathtub
15. China (Ronson Vocal)
16. Detroit (Outtake 5 - Vocal)
17. Na Na Na (Extended Mix)

Disc 2

1. Bluebirds (Demo)
2. All is Forgiven (Demo)
3. Sunshine Eyes (Demo)
4. (I'm the) Teacher
5. Great Expectations (You Never Know What To Expect)
6. Good Man in a Bad Time
7. Wake Up Call
8. Ill Wind (Demo)
9. Women's Intuition (Single Edit)
10. Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady (Artful Dodger Outtake)
11. Resurrection Mary (Trio Version)
12. Something To Believe In (Trio Version)
13. Waterlow (Trio Version)
14. I'm In Awe (Rant Outtake)
15. Avalanche (Rant Outtake)
16. Morons (Early Version)
17. One More Time

If You Wait Long Enough For Anything, You Can Get It On Sale

Disc 1

1. FBI¹
2. Once Bitten Twice Shy¹
3. One Of The Boys¹
4. Laugh At Me¹
5. I Wish I Was Your Mother¹
6. Sons and Daughters¹
7. Irene Wilde¹
8. Just Another Night¹
9. Life After Death¹
10. Sweet Angeline¹
11. Standin' in My Light¹
12. Bastard¹
13. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll¹
14. All The Way From Memphis¹

Disc 2

1. All The Young Dudes¹
2. Walkin' With A Mountain/Rock 'n' Roll Queen¹
3. Cleveland Rocks¹
4. When The Daylight Comes¹
5. Letter to Britannia From The Union Jack²
6. Ships³
7. Gun Control⁴
8. Violence⁴
9. Is Your Love In Vain⁴
10. Lisa Likes Rock n' Roll⁴
11. Theatre Of The Absurd⁴
12. Walkin' With A Mountain⁴

¹Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, London 22nd November 1979

²Recorded at Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley CA 7th July 1979

³Recorded at My Fathers Place, Long Island NY 12/13th June 1979

⁴Recorded at The Old Waldorf, San Francisco CA 26-28th October 1981

Bag Of Tricks - Live Rarities Vol 1

1. A Sane Revolution
2. Wild East¹
3. (I'm The) Teacher¹
4. While You Were Looking at Me¹
5. Day Tripper²
6. Pain³
7. Resurrection Mary⁴
8. Michael Picasso⁴
9. Shades Off/Boy⁵
10. Ill Wind⁵
11. Good Samaritan⁶
12. Purgatory⁶
13. American Spy⁶
14. Death of a Nation⁶

¹Recorded at Rock and Roll Heaven, Toronto ON 11th November 1987

²Recorded at Rock and Roll Heaven, Toronto ON 11th June 1988

³Recorded at The Caberet, San Jose CA 16th December 1989

⁴Recorded at Hammersmith Apollo, London 29th April 1994

⁵Recorded at The Robin 2, Bilston UK 19th May 2000

⁶Recorded at The Life Cafe, Manchester UK 19th May 2002

Bag Of Tricks - Live Rarities Vol 2

1. Rock And Roll Queen/Death May Be Your Santa Claus¹
2. One Of The Boys¹
3. The Original Mixed-Up Kid¹
4. Knockin' On Heaven's Door¹
5. Twisted Steel¹
6. 23a Swan Hill¹
7. Dead Man Walkin' (EastEnders)¹
8. Knees of My Heart²
9. The Truth, The Whole Truth And Nothing But the Truth²
10. Rollerball²
11. Irene Wilde²
12. Roll Away The Stone²
13. Lounge Lizard³
14. The Outsider⁴

¹Recorded at The Life Cafe, Manchester UK 19th May 2002

²Recorded at The Bikini, Barcerlona Spain 12th June 2004

³Recorded at SxSW, Town Lake Stage, Austin TX 18th March 2005

⁴Recorded at Nidaros Blues Festival, Kongressal, Trondheim Norway 29th April 2005

Bag Of Tricks - Live Rarities Vol 3

1. Hymn For The Dudes¹
2. All-American Alien Boy¹
3. Morons/Marionette/Broadway¹
4. Following In Your Footsteps²
5. Dancing On the Moon³
6. Shallow Crystals³
7. The Ballad of Little Star³
8. Just The Way You Look Tonight⁴
9. Black Tears⁴
10. Isolation⁴
11. Alice⁴
12. The Moon Upstairs⁴
13. (Ta Shunka Witco) Crazy Horse⁴
14. When I'm President⁵
15. Now Is The Time⁶
16. Shades Off

¹Recorded at Nidaros Blues Festival, Kongressal, Trondheim Norway 29th April 2005

²Recorded at the Lowry Theatre, Manchester England 23rd February 2008

³Recorded at The Journal Tyne Theatre, Newcastle England 11th October 2010

⁴Recorded at John Dee, Oslo Norway 8th October 2012

⁵Recorded at Memorial Hall, Sheffield England 20th March 2013

⁶Recorded at Garden Shimokitazawa, Tokyo Japan 16/17/18th January 2015

Acoustic Shadows - Live

1. Where Do You All Come From
2. Wash Us Away
3. The Other Man
4. Scars
5. Soul of America/I Wish I Was Your Mother
6. Shrunken Heads
7. Rain
8. Sons 'n' Lovers
9. Sweet Jane
10. Irene Wilde/Ships/Letter to Britannia from the Union Jack
11. Honaloochie Boogie/How's Your House
12. Twisted Steel
13. When the World Was Round
14. Once Bitten Twice Shy

Recorded at The Mick Jagger Theatre, Dartford, Kent 2nd March 2008

Experiments - Previously Unreleased Recordings

1. You're Messin' With The King Of Rock 'n' Roll
2. Money Can't Buy Love
3. More To Love
4. Look Before You Leap
5. My Love (The Jar)
6. Demolition Derby
7. Just Want It Real
8. Coincidence
9. Big Black Cadillac
10. San Diego Freeway
11. Nobody's Perfect
12. Too Much (All I Ever Wanted) (early version)
13. Artful Dodger (early version)
14. Michael Picasso (early version)
15. A Little Rock 'n' Roll (Artful Dodger outtake)
16. Testosterone (Artful Dodger outtake)
17. The Man In Me (Ian Hunter and Tribes)
18. Salvation

It Never Happened - DVD

DVD 1

1. Once Bitten Twice Shy (CBS promo video 1975)
2. All-American Alien Boy (Studio film 1975)
3. Standin' in My Light (Fragment) (Top Pop TV - Holland 1979
4. Irene Wilde (Chrysalis promo film 1980)
5. Once Bitten Twice Shy (Chrysalis promo film 1980)
6. We Gotta Get Out Of Here (Chrysalis promo film 1980)
7. Laugh at Me (Rockpalast 1980)
8. Irene Wilde (Rockpalast 1980)
9. I Wish I Was Your Mother (Rockpalast 1980)
10. All of The Good Ones Are Taken (CBS promo video 1983)
11. While You Were Looking At Me (Toronto 1988)
12. Day Tripper (Toronto 1988)
13. Beg a Little Love (The Dominion, London 1989)
14. Following in Your Footsteps (The Dominion, London 1989)
15. (Give Me Back My) Wings (The Dominion, London 1989)
16. The Loner (The Dominion, London 1989)
17. American Music (PolyGram promo video 1990)
18. My Revolution (Scandinavian NRK TV Session 1995)
19. Michael Picasso (MTV Take It To The Bridge Session 1997)
20. Irene Wilde (MTV Take It To The Bridge Session 1997)
21. When the World Was Round (Jerkin' Crocus Promo Video 2007)
22. Flowers (BBC Jools Holland Show 2009)
23. Once Bitten Twice Shy (BBC Jools Holland Show 2009)
24. When I'm President (Proper Promo Film 2012)

DVD 2

Ryerson Theatre Toronto, Canada 1979

1. Trailer and Interview
2. Life After Death
3. Just Another Night
4. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll
5. Standin' in My Light
6. Bastard
7. Cleveland Rocks
8. All The Young Dudes
9. When The Daylight Comes
10. Slaughter On 10th Avenue

Ian Hunter Rocks (Dr. Pepper Festival, New York 1981)

11. Once Bitten Twice Shy
12. Gun Control
13. Central Park n' West
14. All The Way From Memphis
15. I Need Your Love
16. Noises
17. Just Another Night
18. Cleveland Rocks
19. Irene Wilde
20. All the Young Dudes

Strings Attached (The Sentrum, Oslo, Norway 2002)

21. Rest in Peace
22. All of The Good Ones Are Taken
23. I Wish I Was Your Mother
24. Twisted Steel
25. Don't Let Go
26. Boy
27. Wash Us Away
28. 23a Swan Hill
29. Waterlow
30. All the Young Dudes
31. Irene Wilde
32. Once Bitten Twice Shy
33. Rollerball
34. Ships
35. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
36. All the Way from Memphis
37. Saturday Gigs
38. Michael Picasso
39. Roll Away the Stone

Review

It was 2013 when fans were first teased with "coming soon... the ultimate Ian Hunter box set". Well, over three years in the making and what was originally going to be a 24-disc set is now a 30-disc whopper. And yes, it has been worth the wait.

OK, so what's in the box? Well there's every (regular) album that Ian has ever released, with the exception of 2016's Fingers Crossed and 2004's live double The Truth...Every album has been remastered, in some cases with bonus tracks (eg single edits) that haven't appeared on previous issues. Each is presented in a mini-LP replica sleeve, complete with an inner sleeve (for the CD itself) and a booklet. Sound quality is excellent throughout.

In addition, there are a further nine discs of rare and previously-unreleased material. There is an acoustic gig (Acoustic Shadows) from 2008, which is an interesting contrast to the (also acoustic) Live In The UK 2010 disc (also included here). Two discs of rarities (Tilting The Mirror) gather together bonus tracks that have appeared on "bonus CDs" on previous releases. Bag Of Tricks gather together various live tracks recorded over the years, including the 2002 Manchester gig that was previously thought to be "lost". It neatly showcases the last 30 years of live shows, from Toronto in 1987 through to Sheffield in 2013 and Tokyo in 2015. Fascinating.

Then there's If You Wait Long Enough... which included for the first time the 1979 Hammersmith Odeon gig. OK, an hour of this show was broadcast on BBC Radio One but this is the full show (nearly two hours!) and an improvement on the original BBC mix. We also get a 1981 show recorded in San Fransisco. This is interesting because it features Robbie Alter on guitar and Mick Ronson - on keyboards!

Experiments is fascinating. These are demos and (complete) unreleased tracks from the past thirty or so years. Look Before You Leap is a great power ballad (is that Ronno on guitar?), while Salvation (written in 1997 but not recorded until 2008) is a great way to close the collection. Ian has said it would be on his last record, and Proper's track listing has Experiments as the last disc... if this is really the last one (and Ian says it's not) then there's no finer way to finish.

Then there's two DVDs. The first is a motley collection of promo films, TV appearances and concert clips from the past 40 years. Disc 2 includes the 1979 Rhyerson Theatre show from Toronto which was broadcast on TV and has circulated amonst fans for years. There's also the Ian Hunter Rocks show from 1981, previously only issued on VHS (and Laserdisc). Then there's the Strings Attached show from Oslo in 2002. This has two tracks not included on the original DVD and a great way to round off a fascination collection. The 'Strings Attached' show is also in real-time sequence (unlike the original).

There is also a lavish hard-cover book which presents a biography of Ian's career so far, together with a track-by-track run-down of all the material in this collection, with Ian's (at times) brutally honest opinion. The book ends with tributes from a whole host of fellow musicians, all of whom are unstinting in their praise. Whorrabloke!

There is also a replica music paper, which contains reproductions of album and gig reviews from the past forty years. Finally, there is an Alien Boy-era lithograph (why don't they call it a photo?), signed by Ian.

The whole is presented in a large presentation case, complete with Escher-inspired artwork.

The whole collection is limited to just 2500 copies and Proper have stated that none of the (extra) discs will be available separately. So if you want any of these extras, you need to buy this box!

The cost is a whopping £250. This collection, therefore, is not aimed at the casual fan but the dedicated Ian Hunter fan (albeit one with very deep pockets). Given that such a fan will already own most if not all of the regular discs, this works out at £250 for the just nine "new" CDs and two DVDs. Whether this is worth the cost is a question for the individual fan to answer.

Ian has said his career isn't yet finished (he turned 77 in 2016!), but if it were to end now this set is an excellent way to bring the curtain down on the career of one of Britain's finest-ever rock stars.

Unsurpassable.

Knockin' On Heaven's Door (live 19th May 2002)

5:04

This live track (recorded Life Cafe, Manchester England) was issued on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 2) (box set only).

Knees Of My Heart, Ian Hunter, Rant, Vol. 2

As a title the phrase Knees Of My Heart had been bandied about for some time but it finally showed up as a title. On a mostly political tinged release Ian still is known for his sensitive love ballads as well and this is the focus of this song. This one is emotional and strikes directly at the heart. To wit:

"Slipped the ring on your finger/It's still there to this day" and "Honest and faithful, loyal and true/Where would I be if it were not for you."

This tune is another directly written for Trudi celebrating their early life and marriage together at the Registrar's Office, Wembley life, and while upbeat there is a bit humor as well. The diminutive Anglia is painted black but it still looks like a stroller or baby carriage. And, Hunter got some flack for the line about a "house with a burglar alarm system" but he loves it and it works for the setting by the river with humming birds which fits pastorally, and peacefully, with a home that can be imagined as upstate New York, or Connecticut, USA. 

The song also came from a wrong note when Hunter was performing No One but it provided the idea for this tune. 

The song was also released live in twice in 2004.

Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

pram stroller or baby carriage

Wembley,
HA9 0FJ

Knees of my Heart

(Ian Hunter)

How do I begin - where do I start
When did you first scrape the knees of my heart
You said you would never marry a musician
I said that's all right - 'cos I ain't good enough to be one
You dragged this basket case - in out of the dark
And I fell for you - from the knees of my heart

The Registrar's Office was a bold council gray
I slipped the ring on your finger - it's there to this day
Oakington Avenue - corn flakes 'n' jam
I sprayed your Anglia black - but it still looks like a pram
You got the face of an angel - I felt Cupid's dart
All the way down to the knees of my heart

You love me - you hate me
You move me - you irritate me
When I go over the top you always drag me back
You fill in all the cracks - I guess opposite's attract
And I'm glad of that

Down by the river where the humming birds hum
I bought you house with a burglar alarm system
You're honest, you're faithful - you're loyal and true
Where would I be if it was not for you?

For always and ever - ''til death do us part
I will love you - from the knees of my heart

Ian Hunter CD: "Rant"

Sleeve and track listing

Fuel2000/True North TND 235. 

1. Still Love Rock 'n' Roll (4:34)
2. Wash Us Away (3:57)
3. Death of a Nation (5:35)
4. Morons (5:32)
5. Purgatory (4:46)
6. American Spy (4:30)
7. Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders) (6:20)
8. Good Samaritan (4:07)
9. Soap & Water (5:18)
10. Ripoff (4:50)
11. Knees Of My Heart (3:35)
12. No One (3:37)

Running time: 56m 47s

Sleeve variations

UK sleeve

Review

Ian's first studio album since The Artful Dodger finds him in a determined mood with a lot to say. Always at his best when he feels he has something to say, Ian is on the warpath with this one, his most politically charged in over 25 years. And boy has he delivered, an album that will stand the test of time mixing belting rockers with poingant ballads.

Opening track Still Love Rock 'n' Roll is a nod to the music that inspired Ian in the first place, a great mid-tempo rocker, Chuck Berry meets Little Richard covering all points in between but with a fresh perspective. I can see this being in the live set for years to come. Wash Us Away is a great slower number that grows on you, you'll soon find yourself humming the tune when you're busy doing something else.

Death Of A Nation is next, some of you may remember it from last year's tour. Almost folkish in places with acoustic guitar, Ian laments the decline of the England that (WW2 leader) Churchill would have known, and has a message for the politicians responsible for it all: "But you've been getting away with it for far too long/Your promises ain't worth the paper they're written on". In terms of pace and delivery it is reminiscent of God (Take 1), I can see it becoming another live favourite.

Morons is an up-tempo rocker, with plenty of piano, reminiscent musically of Marionette and lyrically Crash Street Kidds where Ian positively spits venom at the politicians and media for treating people like... well, morons: "Read moron newspapers, watch moron television... Etonians, Harovians think they're the chosen ones", and later "Look at those morons! They do nothing but whine and they're slow all the time... We can leave 'em behind, while we're dumbing them down we'll be robbing them blind!"

The subject of the high cost of living in England crops up again later, like in American Spy where Ian notes "Always in the red, never in the black/You make a bit of money and they take it all back/This ain't no way to spend the rest of my life" and in the more obvious Ripoff: "I really don't know why England's such a ripoff" and, he notes, "Some day you might win the lottery/Some day you might win the pools/But that's all you've got to live for" which for an awful lot of people isn't to far from the truth.

But it isn't all political, as Ian shows time and again he can write beautiful ballads that hit the emotional nail right on the head, such as Knees Of My Heart ("Slipped the ring on your finger/It's still there to this day" and "Honest and faithful, loyal and true/Where would I be if it were not for you".

Soap 'n' Water is direct and to the point, being directed at someone else entirely: "I can't believe what you did, you know how to hurt/All you do is drag old memories through the dirt".

This is a CD that takes a couple of plays to hit you (Ian never makes it easy for his fans!). But believe me, there is quality and depth here that will reward repeated playing. The (US) CD comes with an insert that folds out to reveal full lyrics and musician credits - I can only assume the UK CD will do likewise. All in all, highly recommended.

Knees Of My Heart	3:35	Originally issued on Rant, also on the compilation The Journey.
Knees Of My Heart (live 28th May 2004)	4:10	This live version (recorded The Astoria, London England) was released on The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nuthin' But The Truth. Not on the box set.
Knees Of My Heart (live 12th June 2004)	4:01	This live version (recorded at the Bikini, Barcelona, Spain) was released on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 2) (box set only).

Keep On Burning, Ian Hunter, Short Back and Sides

Keep On Burning closes out the album, originally entitled Burning Bridges and the chorus rocks providing a strong ending for the sequence of songs. Ian expresses admiration for gospel although he says the style is alien to him; however, the tune does build to a gospel-like frenzy. Hunter cites his love of Leon Russell's playing and the ending sounds like it could be him. And, despite the limitations expressed about the production of the album and Hunter describing this effort as an "odd" track this song is one that can stand on its own as a strong effort. It is a reflection on current love

Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

Keep On Burning

(Ian Hunter)

Oh
Well there ain't no sense
in burning bridges.
No, there ain't no sense
in burning bridges.
If we're sorry
then it's our failure
so says the jailor,
fade? away.
Now there ain't no debts,
just destinations.
Like birds made out of steel,
they fly by.
Lost lovers in a moonlit night,
broken lovers in a starless night.
I lay my clothes down at your feet
'cause all I want is for you

to keep on burning.
Keep on burning, babe,
keep on burning.
Yeah, keep on burning (burning).

And when that flame dies
becomes an ember,
remember, keep on burning (keep on burning).

Can you feel my warmth
inside of you, babe.
Oh can you feel my blood
running through your vains.
Don't lay the blame on me, girl,
just like lovers often will
I lay my heart down at your feet
Oh all I want is for you

to keep on burning,
keep on burning (burning)
Keep on burning, babe (yeah),
keep on burning (burning).

'Cause when that flame dies
becomes an ember,
remember, keep on (burning, keep on burning) burning.
Yeah, (you gotta) keep on burning (burning),
ooh, keep on burning.
Keep on, keep on, keep burning, babe,
ah (you gotta keep on burning, burning) keep on burning (burning),
baby (yeah) you gotta keep on burning, burning.

Keep on burning,
keep ...

Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Short Back 'n' Sides"

Sleeve and track listing

Chrysalis CDCHR 6074. 

Disc 1 (Short Back 'n' Sides)

1. Central Park n' West (4:00)
2. Lisa Likes Rock n' Roll (3:56)
3. I Need Your Love (3:34)
4. Old Records Never Die (4:18)
5. Noises (5:51)
6. Rain (5:54)
7. Gun Control (3:12)
8. Theatre of the Absurd (5:49)
9. Leave Me Alone (3:29)
10. Keep on Burning (4:46)

Running time: 44m 55s

Disc 2 (Long Odds And Out-takes)

1. Detroit (rough mix - instrumental) (3:42)
2. Na Na Na (4:13)
3. I Need Your Love (rough mix) (3:46)
4. Rain (alternate mix) (5:50)
5. I Believe In You (4:15)
6. Listen to the Eight Track (6:08)
7. You Stepped Into My Dreams (4:41)
8. Venus In The Bathtub (4:29)
9. Theatre of the Absurd (6:08)
10. Detroit (out take 5 - vocal) (4:00)
11. Na Na Na (extended mix) (4:29)
12. China (Ronson vocal) (4:36)
13. Old Records Never Die (version 1) (4:18)

Running time: 60m 43s

Review

At the end of 1980 Ian returned to the studio to record the follow-up to Schizophrenic and Welcome To The Club. Mick had effectively stopped playing live earlier in the year, and Ian himself was unsure which (musical) direction to take. He got Mick Jones as producer, and on paper the fusion of Mott The Hoople with The Clash should have produced a phenomenal album.

I'll make no bones about it - I hate this album. The material is mixed, and the production (and all the sound effects Mick Jones added) IMO ruined the good songs on it. At the time Ian liked the album, with Mick using different production techniques in the studio. But today he hardly ever plays material from it, a sure sign that it ain't up there with the best.

The 2-CD set offers excellent packaging and excellent sound quality. The original album is on one CD, and a second CD ("Long Odds and Out-takes") containing alternate mixes and unreleased material from the Chrysalis era.

Keep On Burning

4:46

Originally issued on Short Back and Sides and on the compilation From The Knees Of My Heart.

Justice Of The Peace, Ian Hunter, Overnight Angels

Justice Of The Peace is both a single and album track that Ian thought could be a hit but he related that is was fabricated. The track is marred by a mix that is too high for his voice; nonetheless, the song and lyrics are sound. It's a humorous song about a shotgun wedding and a calling for a Justice of the Peace to marry the unlucky couple. Oxendale samples Mendelssohn's Wedding March and the song had punch with power, a great pace, and a first-rate hook.  

Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

Mendelssohn's Wedding March

Justice of the Peace

(Ian Hunter)

Its such a terrible shame it was only a game
Then her brothers found out seven Johnny be Goode's
We was only pretending at mummys and daddys
They totally misunderstood
Oh what a terrible plight what a terrible fight
It was too much to bear her father said 'ere
I think you better sign it's a letter designed
To have you married by the first of the year
Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace
Oh Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace

If you want to play with fire
You'll get yourself burned
I was messing with the ashes
But look at how it turned out
Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace

Oh what a terrible waste such a shocking disgrace
To give me away I'm too young to die
A shotgun wedding heading straight for the sky
And I'm shy Mary Ellen I'm shy y y y Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
Come On!
Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace

When your chips go down
You came on the dice
Forget the Mississippi
Take some friendly advice

Get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
(Give it to me old chum)
Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice of the Peace
Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
If you want to play with fire
You'll get yourself burned
And I was messing with the ashes
And look at how it turned out
I'll Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice get the Justice of the Peace
I'll Get the Justice I'll get the Justice of the Peace

Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Overnight Angels"

Sleeve and track listing

Sony/Columbia 474781-2. 

1. Golden Opportunity (4:31)
2. Shallow Crystals (3:58)
3. Overnight Angels (5:12)
4. Broadway (3:46)
5. Justice of the Peace (3:01)
6. (Miss) Silver Dime (4:34)
7. Wild n' Free (3:08)
8. The Ballad of Little Star (2:32)
9. To Love a Woman (3:54)
10. England Rocks¹ (2:53)

Running time: 37m 33s

¹bonus track on the remastered CD.

Review

After receiving (and turning down) several offers in 1976, Ian realised he wanted to be in a band again. After the less than commercial success of Alien Boy, he went in to the studios wanting to record fast songs again (having recorded Alien Boy never wanting to do a fast song again!). With Roy Thomas Baker producing (he had produced several Queen albums), this should have been a monster.

The result could almost be described heavy metal - it is certainly not a typical Ian Hunter album. The rockers are certainly there, but the production is too thin - everything is at the same level in the mix (up front!), with Ian's voice almost drowned out at times.

Released when punk was at its height, the album and subsequent tour received mixed reviews. Columbia in the States was more forthright - they refused to release it (although a few test pressings exist). Ian would soon part company from CBS/Columbia and Fred Heller (his manager), and soon disowned the album, describing it as "that horrible album" and "a mistake", and hasn't played any track from it in concert since.

Terms and conditions.

Justice Of The Peace

3:01

Originally a single and album track. Originally released on Overnight Angels, and on the compilations Gold, The Journey, Old Records Never Die, Once Bitten - the CBS Collection, Once Bitten Twice Shy, Shades of Ian Hunter: The Ballad of Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople and The Singles Collection 1975-83.

Just When I Needed You Most (Randy Van Warmer), Ian Hunter, (Laing/Hunter/Ronson/Pappalardi) The Secret Sessions (not on the box set).

This song came from the Corky Laing, Felix Pappalardi connection from Mountain as well as Mick Ronson and Hunter. 

Laing/Hunter/Ronson/Pappalardi CD: "The Secret Sessions"

Sleeve and track listing

Pet Rock Records PET-CD-60042 

1. Easy Money
2. Silent Movie
3. I Ain't No Angel
4. The Best Thing
5. I Hate Dancin'
6. The Outsider
7. Just When I Needed You Most
8. Lowdown Freedom
9. On My Way To Georgia
10. Growing Old With Rock 'n' Roll

Review

In 1978 Corky Laing (of Mountain), acting on a suggestion from his record company, put a "supergroup" together featuring himself (drums/vocals), Ian Hunter (ex Mott The Hoople) on keyboards/vocals, Mick Ronson on guitar and Felix Peppalardi (Mountain) on bass. They started recording, but shortly after the record company lost interest and funding stopped. The sessions were completed at a different studio, but remained in the can - until now.

The CD opens strongly enough, with the superb Easy Money, but soon descends into ordinaryness. Although all the tracks are complete versions, they sound rushed or demo-like, with little standing out, apart from a brilliant, lengthy version of The Outsider, which of course Ian recorded for his Schizophrenic album.

The CD is filled out with two tracks from Corky's 1978 solo album, perhaps because originally once funding had stopped there wasn't the time or money to record a full album's worth of material.

In summary, a CD mainly of historical interest only. Ian Hunter completists will want it, ditto Corky Laing/Mountain fans, but I doubt if the casual fan would be persuaded to part with his cash.

Just When I Needed You Most

3:06

This collaboration (Laing/Hunter/Ronson/Pappalardi) can be found on The Secret Sessions (not on the box set).