Mott the Hoople

The Ballad of Mott the Hoople (Start Productions)

Mott the Hoople was a force of rock & roll without direction, and while this documentary arrives loaded with flaws, it threads a narrative through the British band’s numerous twists and turns in the early Seventies. Even if The Ballad of… never allows its footage to speak for itself, what’s revealed is a band propelled by the outrageousness of the stage. Focusing heavily on interviews with the core members – Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Pete Watts, Dale Buffin Griffin, and late addition Ariel Bender – there’s little nostalgia for or even anecdotal recounting of the chaos that surrounded the band, to the point that they look back on the experience as trying. The crazed influence of producer Guy Stevens gets heavy due, from wrangling the group together in 1968 to the stylistic schizophrenia of its first four albums, but neither David Bowie (responsible for Mott’s successful turn to glam) nor many of the band’s contemporaries make appearances to provide context or praise. Informative and rewarding for fans, the documentary ultimately provides little for Mott the Hoople’s legacy.

This article appears in December 21 • 2012.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.