MOTT the Hoople are playing two reunion gigs in London this October, with both shows long officially ‘sold out’. I know this fact courtesy of an email that arrived in my inbox this morning, inviting me to buy a ticket. You do the maths.
Don’t get me wrong. Once upon a time, I loved this band. More than anything else, it was vocalist Ian Hunter’s book ‘Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ that fuelled my adolescent dreams of endless US touring, en suite groupies, and scouring Memphis pawn shops for vintage Gibsons on sale for twenty lousy bucks. I ended up a minor league trade press journo instead, but that’s another story.
It’s just that Hunter celebrated his 70th birthday last month. Yes, as in the big seven-O, which otherwise put is threescore years and ten. Social care must surely beckon. How can a man of that age belt out the hits – which famously include ‘All the Young Dudes’ and ‘One of the Boys’ – and keep a straight face?
Thank goodness the Hammersmith Odeon – or Hammersmith Apollo, as I suppose we must learn to call it, even though Hammersmith is a long way from Harlem – has got wheelchair access.
It’ll probably come in handy for the band, as they leave the stage and head back to the dressing room for a richly deserved mug of cocoa rather than the long line of cocaine they would have been looking forward to back in the day.
Posted at 14:49, 16 July 2009
Comments (10)
Just in time to make the text I was about to send redundant....and I'm not worirg or whatever you typed, Mr Fatfinger.
Saw Hunter on his own several times in the late eighties and it was a nostalgia trip even then. Wish I'd heard about this comback ealier.
I wonder if Mott The Hoople will be performing the Little Feat number 'Old Folks Boogie' ?. Good lyrics on that one.
Isn't this what's called ageism?
How old is Leonard Cohen? 75????
Bit ageist dave......but shocking I agree that the guys are pushing 70. Hey, we all get old.Isn't Jagger 66? As in Route.....
"Isn't this what's called ageism?"
Possibly, but I'm not so sure. Some can do it, like James Brown, others, like Jagger look like tribute acts to their younger selves - he goes into training for fucks sake. It's not so much about 'act your age' as 'don't try so hard to act the age you are not'.
There's something about ethos, too. I had no problems watching Ornette Coleman the other week, and have seen gigs by bluesmen in their nineties. But with rockers, it just don't seem right.
Now you are depressing me. Next time I go to see Motorhead, I'll be expecting to see Lemmy on a Zimmer.
Mind you, as depressing thoughts go, a decrepit Iggy Pop selling car insurance takes some beating.
I know. Iggy selling car insurance, Johnny Rotten advertising Anchor Butter. We're getting old.
What's more, the insurance Iggy is selling is, apparently, specifically not available to musicians.
Good luck with your old age Dave - with an attitude like yours you're bound to have a blast!