Mott the Hoople

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Apr 112009

“I wish I’d never wanted then what I want now twice as much”: Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter thought about his privileged position and double-edged love of the game in a way that seems alien in the early 21st century, when the most superficial trappings of rock-stardom are celebrated and coveted. How many of today’s young Jets or Vines would think to describe air flight (economy class) in detail for less-lucky fans, as Hunter did in his 1974 Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star? Mott the Hoople were a gang of hard rockers formed in late-1960s England, with the ever-besunglassed Hunter replacing original singer Stan Tippens (who moved into the road manager slot) in 1969. Their early albums were distinguished by Hunter’s Dylan-esque vocals and surprising covers of Sonny Bono’s “Laugh at Me” and Dion’s anti-drug “Your Own Back Yard.” Despite the artistic success of LP number four, Brain Capers (with the sizzling original “Death May Be Your Santa Claus”), and a steady following as a live act in the U.K. (Mick Jones, later of the Clash, was a fervent acolyte), the band was ready to quit in 1972. Enter David Bowie, who offered a choice of songs to the frustrated Hooples. Choosing “All the Young Dudes” over “Suffragette City,” they entered the studio with Bowie as producer of their first album for CBS/Columbia. Mott quickly became superstars, with “Dudes” an anthem of the new glam rock. The long-player of the same name is one of the ultimate documents of the era: tough, funny rock ‘n’ roll with a mile-wide groove. Though they were never as popular in the States as in their homeland, Mott the Hoople did place “Dudes” in the U.S. Top 40. Another masterpiece followed in 1973: Mott was a smart, verbally layered piece of English rock, keynoted by the wry “All the Way From Memphis” (“You look like a star but you’re still on the dole”) and, with “Violence,” presaging Kurt Cobain’s critique of the mass rock audience. Hunter is also heard struggling with the perils of getting what he wanted and losing what he had on “Hymn for the Dudes” and “Ballad of Mott the Hoople.” Guitarist Mick Ralphs left shortly after making the record, joining with ex-Free vocalist Paul Rodgers in the entertaining but simpler Bad Company. Mott the Hoople carried on with new guitarist Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor) for 1974′s weakened The Hoople. One-time Bowie sidekick Mick Ronson replaced Bender; soon he and Hunter kicked it in, teaming up for the latter’s solo debut as Mott staggered forward under the shortened moniker for two more albums. Ian Hunter’s “Once Bitten Twice Shy” later became metal hacks Great White’s biggest hit. Hunter and Mott’s imagination and drive remain near the height of ’70s rock. – Jaan Uhelszki

Apr 112009
The Postal Service

As crazy as it sounds, the two creative minds behind the Postal Service (Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard) never met before working together. It seems Tamborello, a Death Cab For Cutie fan, asked its lead singer to come to L.A. and record vocals for his Dntel project, and Gibbard did! Of course, it probably helped [...more info]

KISS

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Apr 112009
KISS

Scene: interior of house. Dad reading newspaper on recliner. Mother crocheting on couch. Television is on, Mary Tyler Moore is heard dimly in the background. A young man of about fifteen walks through front door carrying a plastic bag. He says nothing to his parents, walks down the hall into his bedroom. Posters of rock [...more info]

Apr 112009
The All-American Rejects

High school friends Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter formed the All-American Rejects in their hometown of Stillwater, Okla. By 2000, they had recorded a few demos that showcased their brand of scrappy, stylish guitar-pop. They self-released their debut album in 2000 and were immediately courted by major labels looking to bring their radio-ready power pop [...more info]

Air

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Apr 112009
Air

Originally gaining recognition for their down-tempo cocktail funk of “Modular Mix” and “Casanova 70″ on the French SourceLab compilations of 1997, Air released their full-length debut the following year. An incredibly ambitious and successful melange of Serge Gainsbourg by way of Vangelis, Moon Safari is awash in strings, vocoders, analog synths, fluttering electro pulses and [...more info]

Fall Out Boy

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Apr 112009
Fall Out Boy

Clever emo/pop-punk outfit Fall Out Boy rose from the ashes of several hard-core bands, in the throes of suburban ennui in Wilmette, Illinois. The band’s cathartic live shows — a carryover from their days of rocking the mosh pit — at venues like the Knights of Columbus Hall earned the boys a solid Midwestern fan [...more info]

Apr 112009
Bullet For My Valentine

Hailing from Bridgend, England, Bullet for My Valentine’s first incarnation was quite a bit different than the thematically immense, metal-clad rock of 2005′s debut, The Poison. Back in 1998, the quartet of lads from Bridgend College was churning out Metallica covers under the name Jeff Killed John. It wasn’t until 2003 that the band changed [...more info]

Watch Edgar Wright's video blog from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Edgar Wright, director of the upcoming graphic-novel adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, has posted his first behind-the-scenes video blog, which you can watch after the jump.> Share on Facebook

Xbox 360 | The Chronicles of Riddick:  Assault on Dark Athena Video Review

Watch the continuing Saga of a man named Riddick in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Video Review. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot “Xbox 360 | The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Video Review” was posted by DanM on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:07:17 -0700 [...more info]

Mike Judge is behind a little movie you may have heard of called Office Space, which can only be described as one of the biggest cult film I can imagine. If you work in an office, you’ve probably seen, liked and related to the movie. Needless to say, Mike Judge has some comedic clout… His [...more info]

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