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Issue #56, Part 2 - September 15, 2005

Krister: 'First there was 'Rant' then 'Strings' now there's 'The Astoria'. Didn't you read the book? You're not supposed to reach an artistic peak at this stage of your career. By now, you should be playing gigs in crappy joints in the countryside and selling low budget albums on your web site - since no one wants to record them and distribute them. Instead you release the best stuff in years - amazing - keep up the good work!' But I still do play 'crappy places' for no other reason than that's what rock music is. Whether I'll continue to do this is moot because I'm getting older, but I always believed that small sweaty places were the best venues. As far as selling records is concerned, I take them one by one. I don't have a deal with any label per se, but something seems to always turn up. Of course now I've said that - it probably won't. I know most kids what to sign to labels, but I find them terribly depressing over all and try to keep relationships to the minimum.

Mike Peters: When will we do Chicago? Probably next spring. Will MTH reunite? Well, you can never say never, but it's highly unlikely and probably not a good idea.

Andy Martin loves, 'I Don't Believe in Miracles' by Russ Ballard. Says I should do it. Lovely songwriter.

Marcus: 'Why did MTH break up?' Because the flame died.

Colin is pissed off at me. He says he doesn't want to be a pain, but apparently I 'borrowed' six fags from him at a gig in Weston Super Mare 32 years ago and he's still waiting for them back. Then his mate's girlfriend went missing and was found pinned to the floor at the back of the Winter Gardens having a great time with a certain long silvered haired bass player! Now I've got to play a gig in the South West of England or buy him a pint! I can't be responsible for my mate's reprehensible behavior Colin, but a pint now (I would point out) is infinitely more expensive than said fags were then. Ah memories (this one should have disappeared long ago).

Patrick Prior talk of the devil - what's Overend up to? Hopefully not what he was up to. Actually, he's a walker. He walks hundreds of miles up, down and across Britain.

Brian Maloney: I signed his album - the first one he ever bought and he was elated. The next day he saw some of the stuff I'd signed on eBay. See all these jokers pretend to be real fans - some of them even look like real fans. Brian's is framed on the wall. I hate it when people make money for doing nothing. It's a cheap out and it makes you want to stop signing altogether.

Janey Todd: Good luck with the foot.

Kevin: Any word of the Astoria show being released on DVD in the North American format? The short answer is I don't know. Their farting about with distribution companies trying to find the right one i.e. someone who'll actually distribute!

Anthony: There are tumultuous opinions on the music industry, but they all travel in small circles. When any major paper gets involved they only talk to the labels themselves who obviously paint a pretty picture. Media is lazy. It's not only music - it's everything.

Tom Villemaire: 'Do you listen to music when you reply to these questions in the Horse's Mouth ? No. 'Play Toronto.' I want to - maybe in the spring with the other dates.

Vincent Harte bumped into Todd Rundgren. Todd was very nice about me. Thanks Todd!

Mike Considine: Why not double up with Graham Parker? I dunno. He's a lovely chap. Maybe somewhere down the road. He's got my number.

Jim Huebner: Ever consider releasing recordings of your shows on download - for a fee? Not really, but it is germinating.

Paul D. Iffy for UK next year? If I do it would only be a few - not a lot. Blair Linthorne: Joe has emailed me telling me it's great and that he'll send it to me but I haven't heard it yet - I'm waiting and looking forward to it.

No more about the back kids - please!!! Your consideration has been great, but it's over! I don't want to think about it anymore.

Alexander Falk: Has anyone influenced the way I write or the way I generally act? Dylan influenced the writing - and the Stones. If you're going to be influenced be influenced by the best. A lot of people went into the influencing of how I 'act'. I started out with a very dull personality so I just filled it in with who I admired as I grew up. This would range from the cool looking dude in the billiard hall to stars in the movies. I was always stage struck. Stage was magical - another world - and you know it is. Once I got to where I thought I liked my personality I stuck to it and that (apart from the genes) is where I am. Actually, I don't think my personality was really dull - it was made that way by the times and by the area I lived in, by the school I went to and the people I knew. So - I moved.

Dave D: Detroit!!!

Mick/ Boston: Maybe in the spring.

Jo Nadar: 'What was the reason for buying and selling the place in Worthing?' Our mates Miller and Fiona Anderson lived in Shoreham. It was great in the summer with the kids, but the rest of the year it was expensive and empty. We sold up in 1990 and also moved out of New York. Times change.

Mike Madison: 'Are you like a lot of current bands where tour income has replaced lost revenue from lower record sales?' Never looked at it like that. Mainly because covers have always been my main income. I tour if I feel like it - which to me is the best reason to tour. Gets me out of the house. It's expensive to tour so unless you are mega it's a break-even type of deal.

Todd Miller: What time frame was the worst 60's/70's/80's/90's. The 80's without a doubt. The beginning of corporate labels and radio stations. The kind of people who run things everywhere now are profit fanatics. Everything has to make money or its crap - drop it. Pathetic and they all got their starts in the '80s.

Armand Repulles: Please do San Fran. We'll try - we'll try.

David Riske: No truth to this.

Keith: 'What do you think of INXS auditioning for a new singer on TV- I think it's great!' I don't. I think the show stinks; I think all of those reality shows stink.

Shawn (San Diego): Saw Cameron Crowe's film 'Almost Famous' made him think of MTH. All Shawn could think about was 'Diary'. Actually, Cameron Crowe was a reporter before directing and way back did his very first interview with MTH at the pool on top of the Hyatt in LA. Shawn then lists in depth reasons for wanting another studio album which makes me feel it's still worthwhile. Hope I don't let you down!

Louis: Don't drop 'Nightingale'. (I did get a few of those.) With regard to the cover situation, Louis says he's read in various reviews that I've been covered by more than 50 acts. In fact - according to his accounts - he'd say more than 150. To the best of his knowledge 98 of these covers have been officially released. The others are live versions, captured by fans - or private releases only shared between diehards. Well Louis is a French chap who's very thorough about stuff like this. Some time ago he sent me CDs with around 60 covers (much appreciated). I hadn't realized it had gone up so much. Good show and thanks, Louis!

Mike Pecucci: You got it right the first time! Plug it in - if you like it - buy it. It can be a Stratavarious, but if you don't get on with it, it's no use to you. I find musicianspeak emulsifyingly boring and I won't have it in the van/bus.

Bruce says you can hear Carbon Silicon at: http://gigvideo.co.uk/

Fiona: Yup - Scotland beat Norway. No mean feat. Norway are good - just look at Rosenborg. 'Stay With Me Baby' is one of the most amazing vocals I've ever heard.

Ron Poore was at a high school football (American) game and the marching band struck up 'Cleveland Rocks'. The crowd loved it (must have been in Ohio). Do I get royalties? Wish I did.

Joe S's music teacher showed him how to play 'Once Bitten' on the guitar. It's killing him. That's because it's written in open G (D, G, D, G, B, D). Try it - it's much easier.

Rooster: Re: my birthdate. Let's not get into that!

Bucks Burnett: Glad to be of assistance! You can send it to our esteemed webmaster who will then forward them to me. Thanks.

Freya: Well I think you're really neat, too! Lots of love…….

Cuddles: Scintillating turn of phrase one only gets from reading rather large newspapers (what are you going to do when they're all small?). Well, well, what a surprise. Congrats to all. I'm so glad it went well. I've been thinking I should give you a bell (really!!!) Should be in the old time shortly - perhaps we'll meet up for a laugh and a chat. Must be a madhouse.

Hope Campbell: I haven't got time have I? Too busy writing epics!

Renee: Whistle while you work, Renee. Keep whistling at all costs.

Tim Lee: Glad your disc arrived before mine did.

Rich B: Talking about 'Disco Sucks' on 'Welcome to the Club'. Was that based on Studio 54? Maybe. I only went to 54 once (by invitation) and passed the sorry line of hopefuls outside. What were they missing? There was a half empty room full of stupid flashing lights, lawyers, accountants, hookers, weekenders and lousy music. Donna Summer's the only one to come out of that. Most of those disco singers actually deny they ever sang it! What a joke.

Bill Mayo: Aaah! You noticed! Maybe you were just being polite although that's hardly how you'd categorize your average My Father's Place audience. Bill's had enough of 'Silver Needles' to last him a lifetime! But he does say the gig was great (re extra recorded tracks for 'Welcome to the Club' album at My Father's Place on Long Island).

Keikka: How was it working with Hanoi Rocks in 1984? Well, I didn't actually work with them. I was given songs to write lyrics to and so I took them home and wrote the lyrics and took them back the next day. They used them all. I don't think they ever recorded a Mott song, but they were big fans. Michael still rings me now and again. Lovely bloke.

Ellen Olsen: It's deleted. Your only shot would be eBay.

Peter/Australia: Got the Astoria DVD ('Just Another Night'). 'Absolutely superb!' Get busy converting!

Ed O'Neill: Do Philly/South Jersey again - Wake was great!

Steve O: 'How strange- missed your original comments about Lorraine Ellison, but I recently burned a CD and put 'AAAB' and 'Stay With Me Baby' as consecutive racks - spookie!'

Bob Defandorf: 'My partner, Amy, is a college professor and recently had an 18 year old student name Ian Hunter. Turns out he's actually named after you (his Dad's a big fan) although he says he's kind of embarrassed by it.' Well, it could have been worse.

Mark Turner recalls Mick's memorial in Hull being filmed - any idea where that footage is? I just asked Trudi - she thinks Ronno's sister, Maggie, has it or knows where it is kept.

Ed: I think your being played for a fool, but that's just my opinion.

David: Do, 'American Music.'

Dave Parry: Am I a Shrewsbury fan!? We're off the bottom! Nearly half way up. Can this be it! Cobblers not doing bad either.

And on that cheery note I'm off to the Indian. Sorry about the stuff I missed - some it was good it's just I do this totally off the cuff and if no answers immediately come to mind I move on. Keep 'em comin'.

IH
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