Horse’s Mouth
September 6, 2020
Here we go again.
Wayne Klein: ‘Anything left over from the big. Box set?’ Yup.
Jeffrey: We were out for three days (power).
Liz K: A day in the life. You write well, Liz – Long but well!
Seth Purvin would like me to do a zoom acoustic, but I’m not up for that at the moment. I’m in writing mode.
Alan Bailey – regarding an interview (with very interesting people!) I don’t recall.
John Frawley: ‘Re: video of Ronno, The Boyzz, Meatloaf, Ellen Foley and Karla Devito doing ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On’ – Agora, Cleveland. Did you see it?’ I remember being the last one out of the dressing room that night and there was a large piece of crumpled paper lying on the floor. I picked it up and it said, ‘Come on over baby – whole lotta shakin’ going on.’ Somebody didn’t know their Rock ‘n’ Roll.’
JC Finn: There was a piano in Swan Hill (still is) so I probably piddled about on that first. I had two lessons with a blind teacher and that was it. My Uncle Jack (Dad’s brother) gave me an old guitar (much to Dad’s chagrin) and then I bought a Yamaha from some guy at work. I’d say, piano first, I still prefer it. I’m still learning both!
Ooooer Wullie: All is OK here – the state of CT is below 1%. Tinnitis – getting used to it; better hearing aids lessen it.
Ray Mitten: Great band, Cheap Trick. We’re brothers! Like (and hate) the same stuff. Saw them at Jones Beach one time. We were in the cage above the stage watching their performance. Rick leapt
Upstairs and played a solo just for us. Lovely chaps.
David Wisener: The band 1975.
J.C. Finn: ‘Have you met Noddy Holder or Jeff Lynn’. Said hello to Jeff Lynne on ‘Top of the Pops’ and conversed with Noddy, but the memories fade.
Jerome Preisler: Everybody is healthy. Had a chat with Paul Page in the week. Regularly talk to DiBrizzi and James is busy at the shop. Bochie emails and Steve rings now and again. DiBrizzi said, ‘If we’re doing the Winery Saturday night – I will be there.’ Weird bloke!
Steve: ‘Well, Ian, you’re a crusty, old bastard and I think of you often. Any old Marc Bolen stories to share?’ First off – less of the crusty. I remember sitting in the bar at the Speakeasy one night. Guy Stevens was next to me and Mark was on the other side of Guy complaining about T-Rex (fake folk, fooled John Peel). Guy told him – in no uncertain terms – to get back to playing Rock ‘n’ Roll. He did!
Carl: Re: the squeak on ‘I Can Feel’ (Mad Shadows). Actually, I never noticed it, but Buff went berserk (and rightfully so). Once you heard it – you heard it. I saw somewhere recently where they did get rid of the squeak. They can do stuff nowadays they couldn’t do then.
J : ‘ Why wasn’t the sax player on Ellen Foley’s ‘Stupid Girl’ credited?’ Don’t remember. Actually, that huge rhythm guitar sound on that particular track was not Ronno – it was me. We’d been out to eat and I just picked up this guitar that was already plugged into an amp (don’t. remember if it was Mick’s or mine) and Mick shouted, ‘Stay there – do that!!’ and rushed into the control room to get it down on tape. Sorry, to the sax player!
Mark Doneen: Cheers, Mark.
David Imhoff: I dunno. Music’s funny in the USA. If you pay – you get seen and heard. If you don’t – you don’t!!
Frank Campagna: True story.
Allan Stromquist: Thanks, Allan
Margaret Finch ‘What music have you listened to during lock down?’ I’m listening to Paul Weller’s ‘On Sunset’. I don’t really listen to music – I write it.
Dave Griffiths MBE: ”Win It All’ played on Radio 2 Kate Botley show on Sunday 16th August. Great song. Don’t spend the royalties all at once!’ Yippee!
Stuart Long: Wishing me the best of health. Thank you, Stuart.
Ian Crawford: My health is fine – it’s just my head! All you good people hoping my tinnitus is getting better – thank you. It’s an adjustment and is better. ‘Shades Off’ was a poem I wrote in the Mott mobile on the way to Scotland one day.
Tom L: ‘I miss live music – I’m sure you do too.’ Yup – I was looking forward to the second MTH’74 shows. We had a blast with Luther and Morgan. That’s the spirit!!
Phil Holmes: The Nothings – ‘Sweet Angeline’ – https://youtu.be/Msl_yeZYzw I’ll have a look.
Jeffrey: Sorry to hear that, mate. Condolences to all.
Steve Rager: ‘Which 60’s band did you see?’ Beatles (no); Stones (yes – both live and at a rehearsal; Kinks (we supported them); The Who (we supported them); Zombies (we shared a bill); Hollies (no); Them (no); Searchers (supported them with Freddie Fingers Lee); Yardbirds (no); saw Neil Christian, Tommy Bruce, Johnny Kidd n’ the Pirates, Screamin’ Lord Sutch – and more!
Colin Thayer: ‘Have you ever been to or played in Hong Kong?’ Nope.
Tony Jay: Thanks for the plug Tony, and I wish you all the luck in the world!!
Bob Boyle sends his (and my) condolences to UFO who lost their bassist Pete Waye.
J: ‘Did you see the original New York Dolls live?’ They opened for us. They let them out too soon. Should have waited six months – they would have been huge. Always a fan of David – great personality.
Al Moore: ‘Have you read Overend’s book, ‘The Man Who Hated Walking’?’ Of course!! And I laughed out loud on numerous occasions – something I just don’t do. Brilliant. I’m more into the subject matter – as long as it’s good – I read it.
Matt Nojonen: Actually, I’d totally forgotten ‘Avalanche’ – I found it,
and had a listen. Not bad!
Sophie Dickinson: ‘How’s lockdown treating you? What are you listening to?’ (Curtis ‘n’ Jet Set Juliette) ‘TV?’ Netflix – Amazon – can’t stand regular TV. ‘How are you feeling about the world?’ Same as always – jaded!! America’s political farce etc. etc!!
Sophie’s moved to London – what were my favourite haunts? ‘The Ship – still there on Wardour Street in Soho, but everywhere else has disappeared. I lived North – but it was ‘The Speakeasy’ on Margaret Street is where bands used to hang out. I think the 100 club is still going but I’m not sure.
Marc F: Re ‘Ships’. Clive Davis loved the song and played it to him at a meeting.
Mark Garcia: ‘Are you still writing?’ You bet.
Ian: Thanks for the electric lines info. I still think they should do it. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper if they installed it simultaneously with cable TV? The weather isn’t getting any better! Buying me a generator!
Tom McCool: ‘So I thought there should be a ‘greatest hits’ compilation of your work from ‘Dirty Laundry’ to present and I’m putting together a list – any suggestions?’ Dead Man Walkin’.
Seth Purvin says ‘Diary’ is not in Rolling Stones top 50 autobiogs – must be crap then.
Anders Chevalier: I think it wouldn’t sell, but Trudi has been on about it for a while now.
Joe McGrath: You’ve got to keep after the little buggers!
Matt Nojonen: Publisher? I mean you’ve got a lot of good stuff.
Chris Semal: I don’t think I could teach. It’s just in me – I can’t really explain it myself. How do you teach an idea that suddenly comes to mind? You can’t ‘learn’ that.
Alastair: Wow! Acker Bilk did an instrumental of ‘Ships’! I remember him when I was growing up!! Traditional jazz guy – clarinet, right?
Tony S: Wants my diet!! Well, I’m actually easy to feed. I just eat what Tru puts in front of me. Weetabix and fruit in the morning. Salad, fish, curry, stew, soups in the evening. I don’t drink anymore; I don’t smoke anymore – which is actually ok when you get used to it. Never had McDonalds, but we’ll do an English breakfast once a week – a relic from the old days. Not a lunch eater. Quite keen on Noose yogurt with ice cream mixed in for desert and that’s about it.
Kev the Rev: The UK!!
Seth: on about ‘zoom’. Dunno about that.
Gerry: ‘Have you written any Covid 19 inspired stuff these last few months?’ No, for two reasons: 1) Everybody else could be doing that and 2) It’s a downer – we all know about it.
David Ratcliffe: ‘There’s tons of Mott and I.H. videos on U-tube these days and a lot of other people playing covers. Are there any cover versions you really like?’ Joe Elliott’s good at MTH covers and I like Maria McKee’s version of ‘I Wish I Was Your Mother’.
Connor Peters: Have you met anybody from Led Zeppelin? I’ve met and played with Robert and I’ve met Jimmy Page a few times. Extremely nice people.
Ray Harper: I just liked the title ‘Bow Street Runners’. It sings well and I was off from there.
Rob: ‘Is that real Champagne you drink during your concerts?’ Yes, – it was in the rider – and it had to be a good one too. I’d pop a cork 30 minute before showtime and the band would yell ‘What’s that sound’. Let the festivities begin!’
Matt Parrish – The true King of Pop – I’d say Elvis.
Rob T: ‘Re: undergrounding power lines – most new developments are undergrounded, but it’s expensive and quite a chore to underground existing lines. Cable and telecom cos won’t pay anything, so it’ll all fall on the electric bill.’ Storm damage may mean things are going to have to change. Nothing much to ‘pod’ about at the moment, Rob.
Otto Greenleaf: Who’s on kettle drums on ‘Hynm for the Dudes’? They were outside the studio door once day so Buff or Pete must have dragged them in and had a go. Didn’t know PW.
Ian Pearce: Having a go at ‘Rose’.
Bob Boyle: I don’t listen to all that stuff.
Ric: ‘Saw Mott with Queen – what a gig!!!’
Carlo F Matthews: 3 Jaco Pastorius questions: 1) ‘How did you hook up with him?’ He was staying at Bobby Columby’s house. Bobby found him in Florida. He got fed up there, so he moved in with Trudi and me for a while. He was 21 years old. 2) ‘What was your working relationship like’. Fine. He played 8 hours a day and then we’d have a laugh. 3) ‘Why didn’t you guys work together again?’ Well, he was heavily into Jazz. He liked rock – he liked all kinds of music, but jazz was his home.
Tom Greff: I really enjoyed Mott’74 – the Beacon was a good one. Morgan and Luther lifted the band more than I thought they would – both have strong (and eccentric personalities). It was a blast off stage and on.
Livingston: We were working with the E Street Band and the slower version was too ‘Bruce’ for Mick and me.
Paul Wren asks about tinnitus – better dealing with it.
Mike Costanza: Just finished a book on the New York Dolls and it was mentioned they opened for MTH a few times. Apparently the crowd wasn’t much into them, yet none of the Dolls expressed any negative feelings towards Mott. Any memories of working with them?’ As I’ve said before – too much, too soon. The years have been good to them. It’s almost like they are bigger now than they were back then. They represent something – not unlike the Ramones and the Pistols.
Keith Hollinshed: ‘When’s volume Two of the biography out?’ Due to Covid 19 – it’s been put back.
Phil Holmes: Prefer Gibson.
Greg Walsh: Weird, isn’t it.
Joe D: ‘If you were assembling a band from scratch, excluding you and the Rant Band – who would the players be – living or dead?’ Joe Walsh, Leon Russell, Paul McCartney, Levon Helm, Bob Dylan.
Si Beex: Australia!
John Dalton: Much appreciated, John
Margaret Cronin: ‘WMGK out of Philly played ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’ on my way to work this morning. ‘Strings Attached’ has been my Covid go to – thanks.’ Nice one.
Mike: Thanks, Mike. Make it all worthwhile.
Matt: Not yet, but I’ll check on this – thanks!!
Jim Coats: Never did it for the money – did it because I loved it. Obviously, money makes the world go round, but we were skint for a long, long time and it didn’t make one ounce of difference.
Martin Sirl: Same here – I’m still struggling and learning. If you knew everything then, it would be boring.
Fat Wally: ‘Ever go to YouTube? (sometimes) There’s a load of your shit there. Why do you live in the U.S. and not the U.K?’ Because at the time, they were taking 89% of my earnings? Plus, punk came in and now we were all old farts – time to go! By the time the punks started citing us as an influence – it was too late. The press didn’t help either.
Victor F Erwin – ‘Any chance of a ‘Fingers Crossed’ live album?’ Nah.
Caroline: Sorry, can’t clear this one up. No idea.
Mark F: Never worked with Joe Meek. Before my time.
Malcolm Lay: Re: Weeley Festival. That was Island Records era. Guy was with us – I think it ran very late. Usual cock ups. I’m not mad on festivals.
Craig Cahoon: ‘These days I feel like I’m ‘stranded in reality’ and ‘I think I liked it better when the world was round’.’ I’ve been like this forever.
Steve Kessel: My pleasure, Sir!
Martin Cook: ‘Do you know of any other song with the word ‘unexpurgated’? I had to look it up when I first heard it! How did that slip in?’ 1. No. 2. Sure – p.o. box 245, Bridgewater, CT
And on that happy note – I’m off!!
All of you seem healthy re CV-19.
Keep ’em comin’!
IH
The Horse’s Mouth
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