VIDEO
MOTT THE HOOPLE
MOTT IN AMERICA V2
Independent release
Mott the Hoople are the most cruelly under-filmed band from the 1970s. So much so that in the late 1990s when I went into one of the infamous bootleg shops in Japan, I bought a VHS tape of them only to discover upon playing it that the total running time was sixteen minutes. The quality was so bad I could only watch it once. Not only were they not filmed much but they were annoyingly underrated for their contribution to seventies music. The Ballad of Mott the Hoople film, released in 2010, went a long way to correcting both of those, finally putting the band up where they belong in rock history. The producers did an incredible job, assembling as much archival footage as possible but it was still a fraction of what would have been available for other rockumentaries.
Thank heavens for Morgan Fisher then. Mott’s ivory tinkler had the foresight to borrow his father’s 8mm camera and capture the band at their peak on their 1974 US tour. No live footage of course as he would have been onstage, his hands otherwise occupied but the reels are a delightful snapshot of the band having fun at a time when America was still a dream to visit for most people. Version 1, put out in 2009 to coincide with Mott's first reunion tour, was a straight transfer to DVD of the silent film accompanied by music and the odd comment by Morgan, Version 2, released on a USB stick, is a rather splendid upgrade.
Using video enhancing software the colours are much richer and vibrant and what’s more, Morgan spent three years, painstakingly removing every glitch and scratch from the 36,000 frames. V2 also has a full commentary from the man himself and is longer, Morgan adding some artistic flare at certain points. Whilst the purists may just prefer the original film – both are included on the stick anyway – the little changes do add to the overall enjoyment, especially with the new soundtrack. The extras are footage of the Brands Hatch All-Star Race from 1974 and British Lions on tour in 1977, both with commentaries, a PDF of sleeve notes and another about the pieces of music which Morgan has very thoughtfully added time-starts to. The USB stick is double-ended with both A and C plugs and comes in a custom-made durable box with a card signed by Morgan.
This upgrade, is not just an average upgrade. It’s labour of love that has been thought about and worked on with both a view to giving Mott fans something new and also to preserve a piece of rock history, the golden age of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Contents
Mott in America V2 with music (45 mins)
Mott in America V2 with commentary (45 mins)
Mott in America V1 (38 mins)
Brands Hatch 1974 featuring Mick Ralphs (9 mins)
British Lions UK Tour 1977 (3 mins)
ALBUM
BOBBIE DAZZLE
FANDABIDOZI
Rise Above Records
Prediction: Bobbie Dazzle are going to be very big indeed.
It’s not often an album comes out where every track is as good as every track but that is exactly what Bobbie Dazzle’s debut is. Ten, beautifully crafted and recorded songs that hark back to the golden era of Glam in the seventies but with a massive overhaul on the genre to bring it into the twenty-first century.
Back in the 1970s when the BBC were looking for a title for their new music show, the chose ‘Old Grey Whistle Test’ which came from the days of Tin Pan Alley when a new record would be played to the elderly gentlemen in grey suits who worked there. Known as ‘the old greys’ if they were still whistling the tune the next day, the record company knew it would be a hit. These days we have a noun for it – earworm.
I tell you this because on this album has earworms galore. Verses and hooks and choruses, that swirl through your head on the first listening and are firmly in there by the third - and very welcome they are too! "Lightening Fantasy" is a blistering opener with so much power musically it’s impossible to ignore but then slips down into a slower section before picking up the pace again with solos and a sprint to the end. It’s four and a half minutes of attention-grabbing energy, that vocalist Bobbie grabs and sours along with and speaking of Bobbie’s voice – wow! This lady is melodic, has expression, vibrato and a seemingly effortless, powerful range that many in the charts will envy. "Merry-Go-Round" is vocal dexterity at its finest; "Antique Time Machine" is a showcase for her control and ability to deliver at speed with diction.
The musicians are obviously all technically excellent and can play at supersonic speed as can be heard on "It’s Electric" but they also all know how to serve a song without over playing. It’s not ‘less is more’ as there is an awful lot going on, it’s that they have an ability to recognize light and shade, a characteristic that Rock and Pop songs used to have and most don’t these days. What this does is give the melody line and backing vocals, much more room and hence those marvellous hooks I mentioned previously. Listen to "April Showers" and "Flowers On Mars" you’ll see what I mean and there’s another thing: this is an album that you actually listen to. Excellently produced and mixed, the clarity of every part is an audio delight. That last song closes the album and it is a song that will leave you wanting more, taking you back to the start, so I will as well…
Prediction: Bobbie Dazzle are going to be very big indeed.
Track List
Lightning Fantasy
Merry-Go-Round
Revolution
Magic of Music
Back to the City
It’s Electric
Antique Time Machine
Lady on Fire
April Showers
Flowers on Mars