Roll Away The Stone, Mott Reunites

Mott The Hoople, featuring Ian Hunter and Mick Ralphs is in the midst of their five night reunion run at the Hammersmith in London.  And, I sure wish I was there. 

As a teen, the band was one of my favorites.  I even looked like Hunter as I grew my hair long and curly and often sported shades.  In fact, the first rock concert I ever attended was a Mott The Hoople show at the Allen Theater in Cleveland.  Queen was to be the warm up that evening but Brian May contracted hepatitis and an unknown band named Kansas filled in. 

Then when Hunter went solo and recorded an ode to my fair city, Cleveland Rocks, well that was the topper.  Why would a Brit record a song about Cleveland.  We had the largest Mott fan base in the US thanks to WMMS. 

So, now the band has reunited, performing their first gig last night.  Here's the set list:

Hymn for the Dudes
Rock'n'roll Queen
Sweet Jane
One of the Boys
Sucker
The Moon Upstairs
The Original Mixed Up Kid
I Wish I Was Your Mother
Ready For Love/After Lights
Born Late 58
Ballad Of Mott
Sweet Angeline
Walking With a Mountain
Like a Rolling Stone
The Journey (ending into a little of Laugh at Me)
Golden Age of Rock'n'Roll
Honaloochie Boogie
All The Way From Memphis
Roll Away The Stone
All The Young Dudes
Keep a knocking
Saturday Gigs

Joe Elliott, lead singer of Def Leppard joined them on stage for All The Young Dudes.  The original drummer, Buffin, has been in poor health so Martin Chambers of The Pretenders is filling in for the reunion.  Though Buffin did come out for the encores and played a bit along with Chambers. 

You can hear snippets of a few songs from last night here and perhaps even purchase a limited edition recording of the show. 

And here's some bootleg video of the show.

And finally a review from The Telegraph