Bass legend and pioneer of the “This bass is gonna fuck my back up its so heavy club” Pete Overend Watts passed away on this day in 2017. Pete was the bass player in Mott The Hoople and not afraid to don a pair of stack-heeled, thigh high boots and play a weird bluebird headstocked bass that more than likely weighed a tonne. He also made the Gibson Thunderbird his weapon of choice.
Watts was born in the Midlands in 1947 and joined Mott The Hoople at the start and played on ‘Mott The Hoople’ in 69 and everything until ‘The Hoople’ in 74. he remained in the band when they went to being called Mott then subsequently British Lions for their two albums. As well as his playing career Pete also turned his hand to production and co-produced ‘Back To Mystery City’ for Hanoi Rocks
He died at the age of 69 from throat cancer. Rest in peace Pete RPM loves Mott The Hoople and now seems a good time to pay tribute to Pete and his band with a classic video.
So as it’s not all sad news today is the birthday of Steven Adler formerly the guy responsible for Guns N Roses swing and groove when they were a top rock n roll band and not just another hard rock act. Shame that anyway, Happy Birthday Steven. or should we say, Michael Coletti. Age 53. Keep on rockin fella.
Also born today – Michael Hutchence and Malcolm McLaren both sadly also passed. To celebrate Mr. Adlers birthday here’s a video from when Guns N Roses were half tidy.
Terence Dale “Buffin” Griffin (24 October 1948 – 17 January 2016) Buffin was a founder member of Mott The Hoople and also famed producer of bands on the John Peel show between 81 and 94. Most famously he produced sessions for Nirvana, Pulp and the smashing pumpkins and also in his own right he noticeably produced Hanoi Rocks album ‘Back To Mystery City’.
As a founder member of Mott The Hoople Dale managed to attend the Hammersmith reunion shows back in 2009 but had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers so only played on the encores of the shows which were extended from three to five after an incredible demand although he didn’t feature at all in the warm-up shows the band did near Rockfield studios prior to the London gigs. his place was taken by Martin Chambers. Diagnosed at 58 he sadly passed away in his sleep back in 2016 at the young age of 67.
Rest In Peace Buffin 24 October 1948 – 17 January 2016
On a brighter note on this day in history, The Rolling Stones released their first EP, which included, ‘You Better Move On’, ‘Poison Ivy’, ‘Bye Bye Johnny’ and ‘Money’. It peaked at No.15 on the UK chart. Also by some coincidence, Happy Birthday today to Mick Taylor, Mick joined The Stonesin 1969 (aged 20), replacing Brian and left the Stones in 1974. He has appeared on some of the Stones’ classic albums and widely regarded as their finest period of songwriting including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. Taylor has also worked with Bob Dylan, Mike Oldfield, Jack Bruce and Ronnie Wood.
Richards gave Taylor this fine appraisal when recording Its Only Rock And Roll’ during the Munich sessions, Richards confronted him and said, “Oi! Taylor! You’re playing too fuckin’ loud. I mean, you’re really good live, man, but you’re fucking useless in the studio. Lay out, play later, whatever.” Richards erased some of the tapes where Taylor had recorded guitar parts too.
Taylor responded by saying “I was a bit peeved about not getting credit for a couple of songs, but that wasn’t the whole reason [I left the band]. I guess I just felt like I had enough” Yeah right so you just leave The Stones and that’s it? He later said of his time in the band – “We used to fight and argue all the time. And one of the things I got angry about was that Mick had promised to give me some credit for some of the songs – and he didn’t. I believed I’d contributed enough. Let’s put it this way – without my contribution, those songs would not have existed. There’s not many but enough, things like “Sway” and “Moonlight Mile” on Sticky Fingers and a couple of others” Oh well your contribution was recognised by the fans for sure and with the power of hindsight I doubt the band would have existed had Mick Taylor not joined the band.
They must have made their peace because Taylor has joined the band on stage many times since so Happy Birthday Mick aged 70 Today!
Recorded back in 1976 in Woodstock the late Great Mick Ronsons ‘Just Like This’ finally get the release this posthumous collection of recorded songs deserves. Sure it only contains seven songs but the quality is awesome and the tracks themselves aren’t too shabby either.
The title track is a great riff that just seems to glide as the band hammer down that groove. It sort of sets the tone for what we are about to hear to be fair and on ‘Hard Life’ I love the way the band throws in a snippet of ‘Ziggy’ in the middle of the track as the band is locked in and jamming out.
Ronson is joined by Mick Barakan on Guitar & Backing Vocals, Jay Davis on Bass and Backing Vocals plus lead vocal on Takin’ a Train & Hey Grandma, whilst Bobby Chen plays Drums and Backing Vocals. The songs are described as having a harder edge which is fair to say but the playing remains the (Not So) secret weapon and the players involved recollect that they didn’t realise how good Mick was as a player until they got up close to the guy in the studio but you don’t get to work with the likes of Bowie, Hunter and Dylan by being average I guess. It’s also mad to think that these tapes and songs might never have seen the light of day due to lack of funds at the time and the classic record label unhappy with what they were hearing now that would have been a tragedy had we never have been able to drop the needle on these tunes..
Original ‘1998’ tape restoration & mastering was re-done in 2018 Re-Mastering duties were handled by Anders Peterson at Ghost Mastering & Post, Sweden. It’s great that recordings like this aren’t lost forever and still people care enough to preserve them and sadly in Ronson’s absence us folks out on the high street can finally enjoy some fantastic musicians making music.
Officially endorsed by Ronsons family this edition comes on blood red vinyl and with great sleeve notes reminiscing about the recording of these tracks by the people who mattered but its the music that is captured in the grooves that shine brightest. I love the laid-back groove of ‘I’d Give Anything To See You’ which has some amazing restrained playing and then to follow it up with ‘Takin’ A Train’ is sublime.
who wouldn’t love the full-tilt groove of ‘Hey Grandma’ but my favourite has to be the epic ‘Crazy Love’ where you can easily get lost inside some fantastic guitar playing. Long live the music of Mick Ronson – Ronno On! indeed such a cool talent that’s greatly missed.
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