Greatest Hits

by

Mott The Hoople

Edit

Mott the Hoople became a "glam" band during their years with Columbia, but they never really fit that category musically. They released some of the best rock available in the early 70s, and the Mott LP is considered a 70s classic. This CD collects the singles from that era, including tracks from All The Young Dudes, Mott, and The Hoople. The tracks here are the single edits as they appeared on 45 and heard on the radio. The version of Roll Away The Stone is a rarity. Mick Ralphs plays the guitar solo in the single version included here. The solo was re-recorded by his replacement, Ariel Bender (nee Luther Grosvenor), for the version that appears on The Hoople LP. This CD is, indeed, a must for completists.

The bonus tracks are LP tracks that were edited for single release and used as b-sides. However, two excellent non-LP b-sides - Rose and Rest In Peace - are missing. They are available on the more comprehensive 2 CD The Ballad of Mott: A Retrospective.

If you're looking for "just the hits" presented as you heard them on the radio, this is a fine intro to one of the best, most influential, and often overlooked bands of the 1970s. If you'd like a broader overview (including a taste of the band's pre-glam era), pick up The Ballad of Mott.

I was so excited to see this at the record store as it was Mott's greatest hits finally remastered and expanded then i found out the truth.

There are cuts or edits in several of the songs and it just makes me furious because there was absolutely no reason for it!

The cd is about 45 minutes long so it's not like there wasn't enough room. What a rip off!

They also could have included many more songs to make this special...but the commitment just wasn't there.

The piano intro to "All the way from memphis" is cut then the explosive guitar solo that concludes the song is faded out.

How can you destroy such a classic!

There's also a cut in one of the so called BONUS tracks in "One of the boys".

The song is faded out before the silence then the final roaring climax!

Now the thing that gets me is that Columbia Legacy usually does a good job in compiling these colections but not this time.

What a shame because Mott The Hoople deserves so much better.

o.f.