Mott the Hoople was one of my all-time favourite bands in the '70s. I would play the shit out of albums like All the Young Dudes and Mott, reveling in the incisive lyrics of singer Ian Hunter and the choice riffs of guitarist Mick Ralphs.

But I never went back and discovered much of the band's earlier work, before David Bowie saved their career by offering them the hit-to-be, "All the Young Dudes", in 1972.

Anyone else who's missed out on early Hoople might want to consider scoring the six-disc box set, Mott the Hoople: Mental Train (The Island Years 1969-1971), which Universal Music Canada has just announced will be released on November 2. It includes the group's first four albums--Mott the Hoople, Mad Shadows, Wildlife, and Brain Capers, all with bonus tracks--plus two discs of rare and/or unreleased ballads and live tracks.

"The studio albums have all been remastered from the original tapes (where available) by renowned engineer Andy Pearce," reads the UMC press release, "and have been complemented by bonus tracks selected by Mott the Hoople expert, Kris Needs. Disc 5 comprises more unheard and, in some cases, unreleased music from the Island archive while Disc 6 rounds everything off with live material recorded at Fairfield Hall, Croydon on September 13, 1970 and a BBC Radio One In Concert from the Paris Theatre, London on December 30, 1971.

"The CDs are housed in a shoe box style package with a 50-page booklet designed by Phil Smee who scoured the archives for rare photos and memorabilia, tracing the evolution of the band. It is completed with comprehensive sleeve notes by Kris Needs."

TRACK LISTING

CD1 ~ MOTT THE HOOPLE

Originally released November 22, 1969 – Island Records ILPS 9108

You Really Got Me

At the Crossroads

Laugh at Me

Backsliding Fearlessly

Rock and Roll Queen

Rabbit Foot and Toby Time

Half Moon Bay

Wrath and Wroll

Bonus Tracks:

If Your Heart Lay with the Rebel (Would You Cheer the Underdog?) (Instrumental Take 2)

Rock and Roll Queen (Single A side)

Road to Birmingham (Single B side)

Road to Birmingham (Guy Steven’s Mix)

You Really Got Me (Complete take)

You Really Got Me (Vocal mix) 

Rock and Roll Queen (Guy Steven’s Mono Mix)

Rock and Roll Queen (Kitchen Sink Instrumental)

Little Christine (2 Miles)

CD2 ~ MAD SHADOWS 

Originally released September 1970 – Island Records ILPS 9119

Thunderbuck Ram

No Wheels to Ride

You Are One of Us

Walking with a Mountain

I Can Feel

Threads of Iron

When My Mind’s Gone

Bonus Tracks

Thunderbuck Ram (BBC Session)

Thunderbuck Ram (Original Take with Organ)

No Wheels to Ride (Demo)

Moonbus (Baby’s Got a Down on Me)

The Hunchback Fish (Vocal Rehearsal)

You Are One of Us (Take 9)

Going Home (2 Miles)

Keep A-Knockin’ (Studio version)

CD3 ~ WILDLIFE

Originally released March 1971 – Island Records ILPS 9144

Whiskey Women

Angel of Eighth Avenue

Wrong Side of the River

Waterlow

Lay Down

It Must Be Love

The Original Mixed Up Kid

Home Is Where I Want to Be

Keep A-Knockin’ (Live)

Bonus Tracks

Midnight Lady (Single A side)  

The Debt (Single B side)

Downtown (Single A side)

Brain Haulage (Whiskey Woman)

Growing Man Blues (Take 10)

Long Red (Demo)

The Ballad of Billy Joe

Lay Down (Take 8)

CD4 ~ BRAIN CAPERS  

Originally released December 1971 – Island Records - ILPS 9178

Death May Be Your Santa Claus

Your Own Backyard

Darkness, Darkness

The Journey

Sweet Angeline

Second Love

The Moon Upstairs

The Wheel of the Quivering Meat Conception

Bonus Tracks

Mental Train (The Moon Upstairs)

How Long? (Death May Your Santa Claus)

Darkness, Darkness

Your Own Backyard (Complete Take)

Where Do You All Come From (Backing Track)

One of the Boys (Take 2)

Movin’ On (2 Miles)

Black Scorpio (Mommas Little Jewel)

CD5 ~ The Ballads of Mott The Hoople

Like a Rolling Stone (Fragment) 

No Wheels to Ride (1st House)

Angel Of 8^th Avenue (Tape 816)

The Journey

Blue Broken Tears (Tape 816)

Black Hills (Full Ralph’s Version)

Can You Sing the Song That I Sing (Full Take)

Till I’m Gone (2 Miles)

The Original Mixed Up Kid (BBC Session)

Ill Wind Blowing (2 Miles)

I’m A River (Vocal Rehearsal) 

Ride on The Sun (Sea Diver) (2 Miles)

CD6 ~ It’s Live And Live Only

Rock and Roll Queen

Ohio

No Wheels to Ride / Hey Jude

Thunderbuck Ram

Keep A-Knockin’

You Really Got Me

The Moon Upstairs

Whiskey Women

Your Own Backyard

Darkness, Darkness 10

The Journey

Death May Be Your Santa Claus

Recording data:

Tracks 1 - 7: Fairfield Hall, Croydon, 13 September 1970

Tracks 8 to 12: Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, 30 December 1971