Ian Hunter Patterson (born June 3, 1939) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer of the rock band Mott the Hoople, from its beginning in 1969 to its ending in 1974. He also participated in the band’s reunions in 2009, 2013, and 2019. Before joining Mott the Hoople, Hunter worked as a musician and songwriter, and he continued doing so after leaving the band. He started a solo career despite health problems and disappointment with commercial success. He often worked with Mick Ronson, who was a musical assistant and arranger for David Bowie during the time of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

Mott the Hoople had some commercial success and gained a small but loyal group of fans. As a solo artist, Hunter created music that was less well-known but covered a wider range of styles outside the rock genre. His most famous solo songs are "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," later covered by Great White, and "England Rocks," which was changed to "Cleveland Rocks" and covered by The Presidents of the United States of America. This version of the song became one of the theme songs for the American TV show The Drew Carey Show.

Early years

Ian Hunter was born in Oswestry, Shropshire, England. Because of the war, his family moved to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, to live with his Scottish father's family. He grew up there until he was six years old. He has said he considers himself Scottish but also identifies as English.

Hunter began his music career after meeting Colin York and Colin Broom at a Butlin's holiday camp, where the three of them won a talent competition by performing "Blue Moon" on acoustic guitars. York and Broom were part of a band from Northampton called The Apex Group, led by bass player Frank Short. Hunter left his home in Shrewsbury, changed his apprenticeship from Sentinel/Rolls-Royce to British Timken in Northampton, and joined The Apex Group as a rhythm guitarist. He described performing on stage as "jumping around like a lunatic" and said, "Music affected me so much. The rest of them just stood there. It was funny, I had kids who came just to watch me do this, and I can't imagine what it looked like."

Hunter left The Apex Group in 1958, just before they recorded their first single, "Yorkshire Relish"/"Caravan," for John Lever Records. He played in a few local groups but eventually had to change because of financial problems. He said, "I wasn't making my hire-purchase payments, and 'little jobs' were getting done and people were getting smacked. I was never in the middle of it, but I was always somewhere in the area." He returned to Shrewsbury to become more responsible in his personal life and eventually had a steady girlfriend named Diane Coles. Outside of his job, he and Tony Wardle formed a harmonica duo inspired by Morton Fraser's Harmonica Gang, a local variety act.

In late 1963 or early 1964, The Apex Group recorded a second disc for John Lever Records, released as Apex Rhythm & Blues All Stars. The four-song EP included their own song "Tall Girl" and covers of Chuck Berry's "Reeling and a-Rocking" and "Down the Road a Piece," and Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs' "Sugar Shack." Hunter probably did not appear on this record, as it was recorded around the time he left the group for the second time.

At Freddie Lee's suggestion, Hunter's backing band, the Shriekers, began playing in German clubs where the Beatles had performed years earlier. In a 2004 interview, Hunter said that Lee and their time in Hamburg were a major turning point, as it was when he first thought, "Maybe I could do this instead of working in factories."

In 1966, Hunter moved to London and joined the Scenery, a band with guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Dave Dufort, and keyboard player Dante Smith. There, he met Mick Ronson, then a guitarist with the bands the Voice and the Rats, at the Flamingo Club in London. Anderson said, "Mick was coming down the stairs… and we were going up and I said, `Mick, this is my friend, Ian [Hunter] Patterson.'" The Scenery, now with John Vernon Smith on drums, recorded tracks with Bill Farley at Regent Sound. These tracks were licensed for international release without the band's knowledge. Hunter and Anderson recall writing and recording "To Make a Man Cry," but not the B-side, "Thread of Time." John Vernon Smith appears on the picture sleeve, but Johnny Banks of the Merseybeats played on the record. Johnny Gustafson also contributed to the session work. The songs were released on the Impact label, and it is unclear whether they originated from France or Belgium.

Hunter stayed in the band after Anderson left in early 1968. Anderson and J.V. Smith were replaced by guitarist Chris Mayfield and drummer Pete Phillipps, and the group backed up Freddie Lee in At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show. They had regular bookings at The Angel in Edmonton and attracted interest from Chrysalis Records and NEMS but were not signed by either. With Miller Anderson returning, the group released a single on CBS called "I Can't Drive." As the rock and roll revival faded, At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show changed its name to Charlie Woolfe and released a final single, "Dance, Dance, Dance."

During these early years, the Hereford band Shakedown Sound, which included future members of Mott (specific members are not named), performed in similar circles but without any record company interest.

Hunter played with various artists throughout the 1960s, including the Young Idea, Billy Fury, and David McWilliams. In late 1968, Mickie Most hired Hunter and Dufort to join a band called the New Yardbirds, a name previously used by Jimmy Page for his post-Yardbirds group before he changed it to Led Zeppelin. This caused confusion among fans, who mistakenly believed Hunter had been a member of Led Zeppelin. Hunter said, "See: this is rubbish, but people read it and believe it." He also worked as a journalist and staff songwriter for Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., did road-digging for a local council, and reported for a local newspaper.

Career

By 1969, Hunter had two children but still wanted to make music full-time. At the same time, guitarist Mick Ralphs joined organist Verden Allen in Jimmy Cliff’s backing band, the Shakedown Sound. Later, Ralphs, Allen, vocalist Stan Tippins, bassist Overend Watts, and drummer Dale Griffin came together to form a band called Silence. They auditioned for British music promoter Guy Stevens. Silence later changed their name to Mott the Hoople, inspired by a 1966 book by Willard Manus. The band needed a strong singer, and Hunter, who had started wearing sunglasses, auditioned for fun and was chosen. Mott the Hoople became popular in the UK, with future members of the Clash among their early fans. However, they struggled to gain lasting popularity in the United States. The band released several albums and had lively live shows, but their sales were low despite Stevens’ strong leadership. After a 1972 concert in Switzerland, the band ended their activities.

David Bowie, who liked the band, gave them a song he had written. Hunter later said in a 2004 interview that Bowie played "All the Young Dudes" on an acoustic guitar, which helped the band become successful again. The song reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. Bowie also taught the band recording techniques, but some of their most famous sounds came from Hunter’s ideas. Guitarist Mick Ronson, who played with Bowie, also helped shape Mott the Hoople’s music.

After working with Bowie, Mott the Hoople had commercial success with albums like All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie), Mott (1973), and The Hoople (1974). Their songs, such as "Roll Away the Stone" and "All the Young Dudes," were popular. Hunter wrote about his experiences touring in his book Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, which described a chaotic five-week American tour in 1972. In 1973, Ralphs left to form Bad Company, and Hunter started playing guitar until Luther Grosvenor took over. Hunter faced pressure to write hit songs for the band.

Grosvenor, also known as Ariel Bender, was briefly replaced by Ronson after a live album was released. Hunter left the band in December 1974. The remaining members—Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Pete "Overend" Watts, and Morgan Fisher—continued as Mott and the British Lions, which included members from another band called Medicine Head.

In 2009, Mott the Hoople reunited for concerts in London, selling out quickly. Additional shows were added, and the band played in Monmouth, London, and at a charity event in Glasgow. A 2013 tour in the UK included stops in Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Manchester, ending with a concert at The O2 arena.

In 1975, Hunter worked with Mick Ronson, his frequent collaborator until Ronson’s death in 1993. Hunter’s first solo single, "Once Bitten Twice Shy," was a top 40 hit in the UK. Hunter and Ronson later parted ways due to management issues.

Hunter’s second solo album, All American Alien Boy (1976), included soul music and featured saxophonist David Sanborn and bassist Jaco Pastorius. Queen, who had once opened for Mott the Hoople, provided backing vocals on one track.

Hunter’s 1977 album, Overnight Angels, was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and had a heavier guitar sound. Columbia Records in the U.S. did not release the album because of management problems.

In 1978, Hunter produced Generation X’s album Valley of the Dolls (1979). Ronson returned as producer and guitarist for Hunter’s 1979 album, You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic, which included John Cale and members of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Two songs from the album became hits for other artists: "Ships" by Barry Manilow and "Cleveland Rocks" by the Presidents of the United States of America. "Cleveland Rocks" became a popular anthem in Cleveland, Ohio, and Hunter was honored with a key to the city by Mayor Dennis Kucinich in 1979.

In 1980, Hunter’s album Welcome to the Club was released as a double album, featuring live performances and original songs. Todd Rundgren played guitar on Hunter’s 1980 U.S. tour but did not appear on the live album.

Hunter’s 1981 album, Short Back 'n' Sides, was produced with Ronson and Clash guitarist Mick Jones. Ronson’s role on Hunter’s 1983 album, All of the Good Ones Are Taken, was limited to playing guitar on one track. The title song became a minor hit in the U.S. after being played on MTV.

In 1990, Hunter and Ronson released a joint album called YUI Orta. They performed with David Bowie and Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. Ronson died of liver cancer in 1993, and Hunter gave a speech at his memorial. Hunter wrote a tribute song, "Michael Picasso," for Ronson, which appeared on his 1996 album The Artful Dodger.

In 2000, Hunter promoted a Sony anthology, Once Bitten Twice Shy, with a UK and U.S. tour. In 2001, he toured North America with Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band.

Discography

• Mott the Hoople (1969) – UK No. 66 / US No. 185
• Mad Shadows (1970) – UK No. 48
• Wildlife (1971) – UK No. 44
• Brain Capers (1971) – did not reach the charts
• All the Young Dudes (1972) – UK No. 21 / US No. 89
• Mott (1973) – UK No. 7 / US No. 35
• The Hoople (1974) – UK No. 11 / US No. 28
• Rock and Roll Queen (1974) – US No. 112
• Live (1974) – UK No. 32 / US No. 23
• Greatest Hits (1976)
• Shades of Ian Hunter: The Ballad of Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople (1979) 2-CD set – Mott on one disc, Hunter solo on the other
• Old Records Never Die: The Mott the Hoople/Ian Hunter Anthology (August 2008) 2-CD set – Mott on one disc, Hunter solo on the other

• "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" – UK No. 16 / US No. 96
• "One of the Boys" – US No. 96
• "All the Young Dudes" – UK No. 3 / US No. 37

Additional bibliography

• Cato, Philip. All The Way to Memphis, The Story of Mott the Hoople. Published by S.T. Publishing, Lockerbie, Scotland, 1997.
• Frame, Pete. The Complete Rock Family Trees. Published by Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-0465-0.
• Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, 16th edition. ISBN 0-85112-190-X.
• Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, 7th edition. ISBN 0-85112-619-7.
• Hunter, Ian. Diary of a Rock 'n' Roll Star. Published by Panther, 1974. ISBN 0-586-04041-2.
• Hunter, Ian. Horse's Mouth, Issue No. 33, 18 July 2003.
• Hunter, Ian. Horse's Mouth, Issue No. 70, Part 1, 19 December 2006.
• Ian Hunter and the Rant Band. Just Another Night, Live at the Astoria. Published in London, color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Region 1 (US and Canada only), 4 October 2005. 180 minutes. Includes bonus material, exclusive interview, band sound check, animated biography, and special live guest appearances.
• Short, Martin C. The Great Rock Discography, 5th edition. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
• Smith, Mick. On Track Ian Hunter. Published by Sonicbond Publishing, UK January 2024, US March 2024. ISBN 1789523044.
• Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony. Complete Guide to the British Charts.