I’m a big Ian Hunter fan and an old Mott the Hoople fan. “One of the boys” is one of my all-time favorites. It just always puts me in that 70s place. So many great musicians on these albums. I’m definitely going to get Defiance part 1 and give it a listen. Peaked my interest very much to see Mike Campbell involved. Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Great to see Ian Hunter appreciated, as you say he's sadly overlooked in the world of rock music, hopefully this will get him a few more fans.

Amazing at his age.

I just listened to Bed of Roses - never heard that wow - great!

Great detailed reviews. Absolutely agree that Ian has been in rich form for more than 30 years . His brilliant box set is very expensive but in my opinion worth every penny. BTW vinyl version (RSD) has 3 extra tracks that are quality!

Agree 100% !

I'm a big Hunter fan. Agree that he got on a roll the last 20 years. Some of his cds are kind of hard to find.

Ian hunter's solo work is fantastic and what's so crazy is his work with Mott the hoople is so well appreciated yet his solo work has gone totally under the radar which is so unfortunate and I'm still waiting for my favorite Ian Hunter album to get a proper remaster and that's his 1983 swan song all of the good ones are taken my favorite of his

Alan, you are my hero for covering Ian Hunter. But, there again, you have been my hero for quite a while now. Part 1 came out in March 2023 and Part 2 came out in April 2024. And you are totally right about the process. Ian and Andy York have produced all his albums this century, starting with 'Rant,' which most Hunter fans count as the start of his great revival, although I date it back to his 1998 'Artful Dodger' album featuring maybe his most extraordinary song, 'Michael Picasso,' about the death of Mick Ronson. You may also gather that Ian is a big fan of Picasso from 'Guernica' on Part 1. Anyway, it was Covid and Ian had been accumulating songs but couldn't get together with his Rant Band, and I think it was Joe Elliott's manager plus a photographer who pointed out that all these guys were sitting around with their own studios, bored silly. So Ian and Andy developed some guide tracks in Ian's basement. I think Slash was the first person to volunteer, then Johnny Drop and Jeff Beck. And Ian was once in a Ringo Starr All Star Band, and he said he would do 'Bed of Roses' if he liked it. Etc. From the reactions I have seen, Hunter fans generally prefer Part 2 to Part 1. I like them equally, but think they should be played together in reverse order. Actually, you can overrun and then listen to 'Fingers Crossed,' his most commercially successful album of the last 20 years. I agree with you that Ian is fundamentally a balladeer who writes the rocker songs so that the audience doesn't fall asleep live (and it doesn't, it surely doesn't). Unfortunately, it is very unlikely Ian will tour again. He has hearing problems, and he's 85. He has, however, laid down some tracks for Part 3, so that will do me. Yes, Ian's 1980s albums were a bit iffy. Well, some were excellent and some were mediocre, not so much for the songs as for the productions. 'Overnight Angels' (nicknamed at the time 'Overweight Angels'), had some excellent songs, including 'Shallow Crystals,' but the Roy Thomas Baker production was ridiculously bombastic. Then Mick Jones gave him a Clash sound on 'Short Back 'n' Sides' - listen to the alternative version called 'Long Odds & Outtakes' which is so much better - and then he went for a wall-of-sound on 'All the Good Ones are Taken.' 'Welcome to the Club,' which is half live and half studio, is an excellent album, as is 'Yui Orta' - both with Mick Ronson at his side. 'Dirty Laundry' is an odd album in that Ian didn't write many of the songs, but 'Dancing on the Moon' is one of his great rockers (fun accompanying video too). Back to Part 1, 'No Hard Feelings' and 'Ships' are related as they are both about his troubled relationship with his dad, who was in Britain's equivalent of the CIA (MI5). I really like 'Pavlov's Dog'- it's a really fun song, but my two favorite tracks are 'Angel' and 'Guernica.' The Ian Hunter sound was designed to be a cross between Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones, so some of the tracks on Part 2 come as no surprise. To me, there are a couple of tracks that reach back to Mott the Hoople, which I initially found disappointing, but really like now. The only song that I think doesn't work is 'What would I do without you?' I really don't think his and Lucinda Williams' voices mesh at all. The female voice needs to be lighter and less characterful - maybe Ellen Foley would have been better. What is interesting to me about Parts 1 and 2 is the guitarwork. Ian usually uses very tasteful guitarists - Mick Ralphs, Mick Ronson and Andy York - but here it is more slash and burn, fireworks style which I think lifts the more rocky tracks. All in all, an excellent show, as ever, Alan. And I'm delighted you liked 'All American Alien Boy,' or what Ian calls his commercial suicide album. Not artistic suicide, though, with Jack Pastorius and David Sanborn.

March 28 1971. The second evening gig I was allowed to go to (I was still only fourteen). Mott the Hoople at a 1,800 capacity packed-out local venue. Pre the glam days, of course. Wildlife would have been the latest album, I think. I remember bits of the show well. A lot of dancing, even though the venue was ostensibly seated, and I remember Ian Hunter telling us that the band was on the verge of splitting as they couldn't afford to continue. Little did he know who was on the horizon, eh? Supported by Bronco (Jess Roden again).

Hi Mate another great show. Have to give these a listen bought the first 3 albums years ago, then kind of forgot about him. Back in the day "Diary of a Rock and Roll star" was mandatory reading for us aspiring guitar slingers. The tales of pawn shop Fenders and Gibson's at pocket money prices. Ah those were the days. The Mick Ronson hair story after swim in the hotel pool 😂 Haven't read that book in 40 yrs.

As a casual fan of Ian Hunter, I am impressed by the strength of his latter-day albums. He is that very rare elderly music artist whose LPs belie his age. Despite the croakiness that old age brings to the vocal abilities of practically all singers, Ian’s 85-year-old voice does justice to the songs on both “Defiance” albums. I think the two LPs are on par with each other.

I will check out these new albums. I love Mott The Hoople. Mental Train ( The Island Years 1969-1971 ) box set is awesome. Cheers from Finland!

Shouldn't you be at the hotdog eating contest??? I love me some Ian Hunter. Love both of these albums. I have only seen him twice. Once with Mott The Hoople.....the opening act was your favorite band.....Queen. The second time was with Mick Ronson. They made a great pair. They had perfect chemistry. I miss his playing.

Great review Alan.Love it I went through my Ian Hunter and I don't have Short Back And Sides I don't know how I missed that one

Truly, one of the all-time most under-appreciated artists and songwriters . Make sure to add 'Rant' (early 2000's/American version might have a different title) to your collection. It's worth a purchase just for Dead Man Walkin'...classic angry Ian. 🎶

I've been following Ian Hunter since 1972 (age 11, older brother bought Dudes lp). I have all Mott and Ian Hunter albums. The new 2 part Defiance albums show that he has lost none of his superb songwriting skills. At age 85!

Hi, Alan. First off, it looks as if you don't have the album Rant. If so, you need to rectify that immediately, my friend! That's my third favorite Ian solo album, after Schizophrenic and the debut. I also don't see Short Back 'n' Sides either, or Yui Orta, the one he did with Mick Ronson shortly before he died of cancer, which are both winners and would round out my top five. I agree with you that the Defiance albums are really strong, and that in spite of their pedigree they sound remarkably cohesive. But I would rank all five of the albums with the Rant band higher, meaning I wish he would get back together with them now that the pandemic is over. I like both Defiance albums pretty much equally, four out of five stars for each, but I would probably rank the first one just a smidge higher. For one thing, Bed of Roses is the best song on both albums. I think Fiction starts out really strong, the first three tracks are truly amazing, but it doesn't maintain the momentum as well as the first. Sorry to disagree, but what puts the album a bit lower for me are the two songs you single out for praise, the side two ballads, which to my ears are disappointingly uninspired, especially Hope, kind of a bland closer, with an admirable but also kind of mundane sentiment. Not bad songs, just not particularly exciting to me. But again, great records...I was going to say especially for a dude who's 85, but that does them a disservice, they would be just as great coming from a 25-year-old. Thanks for posting this, Alan, I hope this helps give Ian the exposure he deserves!

Overnite angels? Your take. Saw hunter Ronson 1975. St. Louis touring on first lp. Small club date.

Ian was also part of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band. Of course, there was Mott.

We all have that one favorite artist that may not be at the top of most peoples lists - I.E. not The Beatles,Stones, etc.. And Ian Hunter is my *favorite* artist! And what a mighty long way down Rock 'n Roll indeed! I see a few essentials you didn't mention: Short, Back, '& Sides is the studio follow up to Schizophrenic (masterpiece!) And while its fine, has Ronson, and some songs are great, it suffers from a little over indulgence from producer Mick Jones YUIORTA is the last effort with Robson and by any metric shoulda been a bigger hit! Even if it suffers from CD overstuffing and, ya know, grunge. The missing JEWEL is Artful Dodger! Used to only be found as an import and a softer more contemplative record with his own tribute to the late, sorely missed Ronson ' Michael Picasso' This is a record of a man looking around to see he's out of time yet still feels the same way - GREAT record! And '23A Swan Hill' is perfect confessional Hunter! Can't miss! And Rant! Rant may be his BEST album! If he was at all lost during the previous decade, career wise, he bristled back up, remembered he was a freakin' rock star, and had some things to say! Not to mention that lest we forget, Hunter has always LOVED R&R! Still Love Rock and Roll from Rant and the beautiful American Music from YUIORTA tells us so! LOVE the new albums! Thanks for the video.🤘😎🤘