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Issue #69, Part 2 - November 13, 2006

My Mate Bob: 'Hi Ian - amused to hear Trudi going into FYE and trying to buy the Bob Dylan album only to be told it wasn't number one in the stores own chart. I the UK all the major retailers have operated their own charts for some time. This gives them the opportunity to 'sell' chart positions to the labels. I would guess that Sony/BMG wouldn't play ball with FYE - hence no high profile chart position. I don't know if you read Billboard, but FYE's parent company Transworld (they also own Musicland and Sam Goody) recently had a falling out with the Scissor Sisters and they ended up not stocking the new album at all. On saying that, Transworld have a reputation for not giving in to record companies and they are the only major record retailer left in the U.S. Last week they put in a 300 million pound plus offer for Tower and got beaten by a bunch of asset strippers who are liquidating the entire chain. RIP Tower Records - their day - when run by Russ Solomon they were the best. Looking at the UK Market it's interesting to note. HMV are being very proactive in adapting to the new world. Hopefully, that will mean High Street retailers will be here a while longer. Eventually, I suspect accessing music via the web will be the norm (it already is with kids) removing all costs except the cost of making the music and marketing it! (Yeah, but marketing is extortionate.) Still in the middle of it Bob.

Tim Hisock re: 'Drive in Saturday' We didn't record this. David always says he wanted us to, and I always say we wanted to do it, but somehow - he thought we turned it down and we thought he didn't want us to do it. Trouble at the office?

Fiona: We'll see.

Jeffrey went to FYE asked about Bob Dylan. Girl said Bob who. This is why you got such a great president.

Adam: Sham Morris was and probably is a very good writer who was working with Mick at the time. I've met him a couple of times. He seemed OK. I've no idea if DB attended the sessions. Sham and Mick were both living in Woodstock at that time. Adam loves Mick's playing and arranging - me too. Joe Brown's great. Always was and still is. I don't think Joe's underrated - believe it or not - some of us find most of the people the great masses adore to be overrated to say the least. Dunno about Joe, but it's much nicer being underrated than overrated by people who don't know any better! Ta-da!

Mike Saunders asks if I've seen Overend's - er - interesting videos? I saw one where he swings a cat (stuffed, I hope). Pete's hilarious. I spoke to him earlier today. Hilarious - in the best possible, English, eccentric fashion.

Chief Brody: 'Ever been to Martha's Vineyard?' Yup.

Michael: 'Did you know 'Ships' is being used for Canon camera commercials in the Far East - unfortunately, the Manilow version.' Hey, I wrote it - that's a bit of good news! Thanks, Michael.

Mets Girl: 'Any thoughts on '07 lineup and why we lost the NLCS? Did you see the play offs?' Can't be of help on this one. I was away during the playoffs. Hey, maybe this year. Willie's a great manager. It'll happen.

Roland says Glen Matlock gives my book a nice mention in a recent interview on www.sex-pistols.net

Greace + Madison Smith: 'Mr. Hunter - my Daddy adopted us from China when we were babies. He plays your music to us a lot. We think you're great. Signed, Greace 6 and Madison 3. How old were you when you started playing music?' Hi Greace and Madison. I started out playing in a harmonica band when I was 15. Love, IH xxx

Pat says there should be a Mott Uris T-shirt. A bit of a hassle actually Pat, although the idea is good.

Andy Allison: I wasn't working with Mick at the time of AOTGOAT, He just dropped by one day and did 'Death 'n' Glory Boys'. Brilliant guitar playing. I was sitting next to him and off he went. Soaring like an angel with a look of blind panic on his face. He'd forgotten the chords (as usual) and was winging it.

Keith Nickless: Noted. Emma Banks - CAA

Joe S. - Piano's great sometimes - guitars great sometimes. I'm not really a harmonica player. I blow - everybody else sucks.

Andrew Field: 'Why don't Sony spend money on your new stuff instead of spending money on rehashing your old stuff!' I was in Sony last week and asked that very question. They just kind of glaze over. It beats me - they have the catalog. It's not a question of even giving it a listen. And of course you get offered loads of press and radio etc. with old stuff - they force you into a corner that's very difficult to avoid. 'You're gone - play your hits - sod off!'

Dr. Arthur says 'Guthy-Renker has released a set of DVDs of the Midnight Special. Ian does 'Just Another Night' on Volume 2 1979 and Mott does 'All the Way from Memphis' on Volume 2 1973.' http://www.midnightspecial.com/

Patrik Hanson: Marketing. One word, marketing. Expensive.

Bill Martino - Noddy Holder. He credited MTH with the formation of Slade. They saw us at Wolverhampton Civic. He said if you lot can do it - we can. He's a DJ now.

John Anderson: Noted.

Bucks Burnett: The Journey - looks great. And Campbell Devine says it sounds great. So all in all - why not.

Dave Phillips, Andy's away at the moment. Should be back in a couple of weeks. I'll pass this along.

Manny P: Sony DVD - what happened? Like I said, the BBC want lots of money and they're 'negotiating' as we speak (this has been going on for three years). Don't hold your breath. (However, Trudi thinks with youtube now available - the beeb might see the light).

Jim Frauel: 'Radio sucks, music measures our life and times.'

Christina: 'Your song 'Dead Man Walkin' is so beautiful I had to put it on my profile song 0 you know 'my space'. Lovely.

Jeffrey: 'Trick or Treat?' Nah we were away.

Hope Campbell: See - I've just said what you're doing and already you're not doing it. Bust she says she's busy with other stuff - National Novel Writing Month. One month to write a novella. Good luck and stick to it.

Bucks Burnett continues his crusade against crap! He's established a new My Space site (barcode enemy) dedicated to the removal of barcodes and FBI logos from rock packaging (upon artists request). Protect Design! So that's myspace.com/barcodeenemy. The only problem with artists taking barcodes off their product is that without a barcode the almighty SOUNDSCAN will not be able to count their sales.

Tom McGarry: What is the process of getting distribution deals done for Shrunken Heads - do you avoid corporate stuff? Well, things are more complicated these days; the industry is in such a mess. Recently the much respected and admired Danny Goldberg has taken an interest in me and the record so I've more or less left it to Danny.

Rooster: It's a leg pull.

Julie Pietryla: '60 Minutes' did a piece on 'Resurrection Mary' and I thought it a beautiful title and it went from there. It's one of my favourites.

Chris Brockwell: Don't believe all the MTH rubbish. It's just people trying to make a buck. They've been told.

Fiona: I can't do this now time wise, but it looks OK as it is. Get back to me in the New Year.

Pete Jordan: Well, there's the old England and the New England - take your pick.

Gregory Slugocki: You know, Greg, I just do what comes next. No plan, that's the fun of it. I did a 'Dead Man Walkin' solo in Cleveland. Somebody came up to me and said, 'What the hell was that!'

Denise Lee: It's not down to me, Denise - it's what comes in. Hope we get there. 'Alien Boy' rap? I don't know. 'The Death of a Nation'.

George Miller: 'When next you play in New York can you do the Bowery and not BB's as it's touristy and they treat us fans like dirt.' Really? First I've heard. Anybody else feel this way?

Snake: Thanks for the input.

Sully: Recorder.

Lynne: Yes, I saw it, but I've completely forgotten it. Is it worth hurting your head for?

Jim Mcconnell: There was something, but I've forgotten. Stuff like that crops up all the time. It was fun on the Ross show despite being told that his show doesn't sell records!

Bill Miller: 'Does a band have to sell gold records and have hits to play MSG? Seem like the Zenith for performers.' Well, you've got to put 19,000 fannies in the seats for a start so you'd better be popular. It does have a certain tradition.

Rob Rawlinson: Hi Rob. Haven't seen Miller in ages. He's working pretty steadily, and we were unable to connect when I was over, but we've talked on the phone.

Susan: No dogs. Last one, Saffy, died a couple of years ago. We travel too much - it's no life for a dog!

Jeffrey: Just drying out as we landed at JFK.

Stefano Leonetti - More power to you! When am I coming to Italy? I've just been! Rome was incredible and the weather was perfect. We were totally amazed at some of the stuff. Little old cynic me, standing there just staring at some of the most incredible stuff on earth. Food's great too. We'll be back!

Richard Usher: Hey my mate, Ritchie! 'Do you know that June third is 'Tax Freedom Day' in this poxy country? One day we'll all be chipped. Got to get out of here. The moon upstairs - a song for everybody.' Doesn't get any better, does it?

Rick Graves: isn't Alejandro a delight. I'd love to work with him. A true believer.

Dennis: No, I've no idea about this, Dennis but it certainly sounds like Fred.

Mikey wants me to marry him to Susan. I don't think I'm really the right man for the job.

I know I've left sh**loads out and for this I humbly apologize.. I'll try to do better next time.

It was lovely to be away, and it's lovely to be back.

IH
The Horse's Mouth

P.S. For the record, I started this at 1:30 PM and it's now 9:25 (half an hour for dinner and I talked to Pete for 45 minutes) so that's 6 3/4 hours - not bad.