Mott The Hoople: Ian Hunter (vocals, guitar, piano); Mick Ralphs, Ariel Bender (guitar); Morgan Fisher (piano); Verden Allen (organ); Dale Griffin (drums).
Producers: Mott The Hoople, David Bowie, Ian Hunter, Overend Watts, Dale Griffin.
Compilation producer: Bob Irwin.
Recorded between 1972 & 1974. Includes liner notes by Ben Edmonds.
Released in 1975, as Mott the Hoople was slowly disintegrating, GREATEST HITS is a slightly odd representation of the band's years at Columbia. Although the band's breakthrough hit was its 1972 version the David Bowie-penned "All the Young Dudes," no other songs from that glam-influenced album, the band's biggest seller, are found here. Instead, the 10 tracks focus on the follow-ups, dryly cynical bar-band rock cuts dominated by the piano-organ interplay of Ian Hunter and Verdun Allen (later replaced by Morgan Fisher), as well as Hunter's sneering vocals and caustic lyrics. "The Ballad of Mott the Hoople" is a clear highlight, as is the oddly somber "Hymn for the Dudes" and the hard-rocking "Honaloochie Boogie." Casual fans looking for "Young Dudes"-like glam rock will be disappointed, but this is probably a purer picture of the band.