Search - Ian Hunter :: Behind the Shades

Ian Hunter is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Mott The Hoople, whose original rendition of ALL THE YOUNG DUDES, written for them by David Bowie, received a boost in popularity when it appeared on the hit soundtrack for the movie JUNO. When Mott the Hoople disbanded after 5 fruitful years in 1974, Hunter embarked on a solo career, often in collaboration with Mott's final guitarist Mick Ronson, who himself was well known as David Bowie's sideman and arranger from the Ziggy Stardust era. Like his career with Mott, Ian's solo outings featured chart hits as well as almost-classics that were often made into hits when covered by other artists. After almost four decades as a performer and songwriter, Ian has built a devoted fan base, which regards him somewhere between rock star and cult hero. Among his most well-known solo recordings are ONE BITTEN, TWICE SHY and CLEVELAND ROCKS, the latter made famous by a cover version on the Drew Carey Show. Behind the Shades, recorded live at the Astoria, London in May of 2004, is a healthy mix of newer material and older nuggets. The consistency of his songwriting ability is clear, with a great mix of songs from Mott through his entire solo career. is band was in top form for this performance and the whole set is outstanding, but the biggest surprise is saved for the final number, ALL THE WAY FROM MEMPHIS, where Ian is joined onstage by Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) and Brian May (Queen). This is an excellent live album. If you were there, it'll bring back memories of a great night. If you weren't (and didn't catch any of the other dates on the tour) then this is what you've been missing all these years.