As leader of Mott the Hoople and a highly renowned solo artist, Ian Hunter has produced a matchless repertoire of music combining homage, honesty and killer hooks. With the group, he quickly established himself as an incredibly inventive songwriter with his gritty and thought-provoking songs, which paved the way for the original wave of punk rock. As a solo performer he has also succeeded with an eclectic catalog of superbly intelligent albums and an immensely dedicated following.

In 1969, Mott the Hoople, named after a book by American author Willard Manus were signed to Island Records whose blossoming roster already included King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Free. With Mott, Ian recorded four albums for the label between 1969 and 1971 – Mott the Hoople, Mad Shadows,Wildlife and Brain Capers. The records featured a range of astounding Hunter compositions including “Backsliding Fearlessly,” “Half Moon Boy,” Walking with a Mountain,” “I Can Feel,” and many more highlights, allowing the band to often break new ground. The four Island albums had made no real impression on the charts, however, their performances were often explosive and their acclaim was largely limited to an utterly devoted following. This inexplicable failure to gain mass acceptance led to growing frustration and the band split in Switzerland in March 1972. However, Mott were forced to play a final tour for Island when David Bowie, a secret admirer of the group, learned of their demise and offered them a song called “All The Young Dudes,” unknowingly breathing new life into the band and giving them another shot at greatness.

During the revitalization of Mott the Hoople, the band then moved to CBS/Columbia Records to release the critically acclaimed and widely received David Bowie produced All the Young Dudes LP. The album’s title track instantly became their biggest and most distinctive single, propelling the group towards a mainstream audience, catapulting them into the British Top 10 and the American Top 40. Bowie had written an amazing song but it was Mott’s treatment and particularly Hunter’s stunning vocal embellishments that made it such an infectious classic track.

The band considered engaging John Lennon to produce their next LP but, encouraged by Roxy Music who was recording For Your Pleasure in an adjacent room at AIR Studios, they took the reins themselves and delivered their masterpiece. Mott is still regarded as a classic album of the 70s chronicling the trials, tribulations, inspirations and desperation of rock and roll. Sell out tours of America and Europe followed, and Hunter blazed across the front pages of the world’s music press as Mott the Hoople’s popularity soared. The Mott album hit #7 in the UK and #35 in the US. After band members Verden Allen and Mick Ralph left the group, Hunter was now the undisputed group leader and virtual sole songwriter. He was up to the task and composed some fearsome and percipient songs for Mott’s final studio album. The Hoople (UK #11 and US #28) contained an eclectic mix and marked a solid progression and in the spring of 1974, Mott played a lengthy American tour with Queen as support and became the first rock band to sell out a week of Broadway concerts in New York. Hunter’s book Diary of a Rock ‘N’ Roll Star, (written on Mott’s 1972 US tour) saw publication and was subsequently acclaimed by Q Magazine as “the greatest music book ever written.” It was a peak period for Ian and the group but pressure was building and the band started to dissolve. Later that year, Ian quit the group and Mott the Hoople ceased to exist.

In 1975, Hunter returned to the scene and re-launched his musical career as a solo artist. His eponymous debut included the hit “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and was an exceptional masterwork that exceeded all expectations. It’s follow up, 1976s’ All-American Alien Boy was a virtual concept album as Ian laid bare his frustrations about England and his thoughts on being hit by America where he was now residing. “Irene Wilde” and “You Nearly Did Me In,” the latter with Queen on backing vocals, were particular high points. A third and final CBS LP (before a move to Chrysalis Records), Overnight Angels, garnered excellent UK Reviews and contained the sure-fire hit single “Justice of the Peace.” Additionally, “Wild ‘N’ Free” showed that Ian could still rock with power and intelligence. 1979’s You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic, one of Ian’s best albums produced exceptional tracks “Bastard,” “Standin’ In My Light,” and “Cleveland Rocks” (which went on to become the theme song for the 90s ABC hit series The Drew Carey Show). The album went on to become one of Chrysalis’ biggest sellers. 1981s Short Back N Sides was another forward thinking progression as Hunter invited Mick Jones of The Clash to assist with production, resulting in what Hunter calls his “garage album.”

Flash forward 26 years and five critically acclaimed studio releases including 1983’s All of the Good Ones Are Taken, 1989’s YUI Orta, 1995’s Dirty Laundry, 1996’s Artful Dodgerand 2001’s Rant . After a period of six years without a release featuring new material, Ian Hunter returns to the fold with his astounding Yep Roc Records debut Shrunken Heads. Recorded in 2006 in Pawling, NY, the 11-song studio album covers a wide-range of honest emotions and wry observations that we’ve come to expect from Mr. Hunter. The album touches on such topics as late-night soul-searching to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and today’s political climate. Produced by Andy York (veteran guitarist for John Mellencamp) and himself, Hunter stated “The record was done quickly and very much as a band effort. It’s more relaxed than usual for some reason and all in all a most enjoyable experience.”

The recording also features Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy performing backing vocals on three tracks, “Words (Big Mouth),” “Fuss About Nothing,” and “Guiding Light.” E-Street Band Violinist Soozie Tyrell also appears on “Words (Big Mouth),” and “Brainwashed.” Additionally, the backing band on Shrunken Heads is comprised of superstar talent with Steve Holley (Wings, Joe Cocker) on drums, Graham Maby (Joe Jackson, Natalie Merchant, Joan Baez) on bass, Jack Petruzzelli (Rufus Wainwright, Joan Osbourne) on guitar, James Mastro (John Cale) on guitar, Andy Burton (The dB’s) on keyboards and producer Andy York on guitar and keyboards.

Over the years, Hunter has rejected lucrative offers to reform Mott the Hoople and join Uriah Heep and The Doors and we should be thankful for that as his commitment to his craft enables Ian to produce further new and refreshing work as heavily presented on Shrunken Heads.

Ian Hunter’s work as a solo artist and with Mott the Hoople has been cited as a major inspiration for numerous artists including The Clash, Kiss, R.E.M, Oasis, Motley Crue, Blur and Primal Scream among many others. Hunter’s influence on modern rock and roll music has been immeasurable, with over 150 different cover versions of his songs.

With the release of Shrunken Heads, Ian Hunter remains a remarkable testament to the cult of personality that the former Mott singer continues to command more than 30 years after his departure from that legendary group. For five years, Ian Hunter was the musical powerhouse and visually arresting focal point in one of rock’s most important and valuable bands. His solo repertoire, spanning over three decades, contains some of the most eclectic and intelligent lyrics ever penned in rock and roll and he remains a unique and priceless figure on the musical and cultural landscape.

–Campbell Devine, Author of All The Young Dudes – Mott the Hoople & Ian Hunter – The Official Biography