November 2nd sees the release of a superb, new six disc boxed set encapsulating legendary English rock-band Mott the Hoople’s recorded output for Island Records, to whom they were signed, between 1969 and 1971. Mental Train (The Best Of The Island Years 1969-1971 includes every previously and unpreviously heard music the band ever recorded on the label.

Bringing together all of their albums from the period, the set also includes bonus material plus BBC sessions and live concerts. The studio albums have all been remastered from the original tapes (where available) by renowned engineer Andy Pearce and have been complemented by bonus tracks selected by Mott the Hoople expert, Kris Needs.

Disc five comprises more unheard and, in some cases, unreleased music from the Island archive and disc six rounds everything off with live material recorded at Fairfield Hall, Croydon on September 13, 1970 plus 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.

Mott the Hoople were one of the most prolific and important British rock bands of the early 1970s and have been cited as a major influence by members of a raft of subsequent groups, including Queen, Def Leppard, Oasis, R.E.M., Kiss, Motley Crue and The Clash. They continue to perform, in their current line-up, with Ian Hunter at the helm.

The package’s first single, “Rock & Roll Queen” is available instantly with all pre-orders.

6 CD

CD 1: Mott The Hoople (Originally released November 22 1969)

  1. You Really Got Me
  2. At the Crossroads
  3. Laugh at Me
  4. Backsliding Fearlessly
  5. Rock and Roll Queen
  6. Rabbit Foot and Toby Time
  7. Half Moon Bay
  8. Wrath and Wroll
  9. If Your Heart Lay with the Rebel (Would You Cheer the Underdog?) (Instrumental Take 2) [Bonus Track]
  10. Rock and Roll Queen (Single A side) [Bonus Track]
  11. Road to Birmingham (Single B side) [Bonus Track]
  12. Road to Birmingham (Guy Steven’s Mix) [Bonus Track]
  13. You Really Got Me (Complete take) [Bonus Track]
  14. You Really Got Me (Vocal mix) [Bonus Track]
  15. Rock and Roll Queen (Guy Steven’s Mono Mix) [Bonus Track]
  16. Rock and Roll Queen (Kitchen Sink Instrumental) [Bonus Track]
  17. Little Christine (2 Miles) [Bonus Track]

CD 2: Mad Shadows (Originally released September 1970)

  1. Thunderbuck Ram
  2. No Wheels to Ride
  3. You Are One of Us
  4. Walking with a Mountain
  5. I Can Feel
  6. Threads of Iron
  7. When My Mind’s Gone
  8. Thunderbuck Ram (BBC Session) [Bonus Track]
  9. Thunderbuck Ram (Original Take with Organ) [Bonus Track]
  10. No Wheels to Ride (Demo) [Bonus Track]
  11. Moonbus (Baby’s Got a Down on Me) [Bonus Track]
  12. The Hunchback Fish (Vocal Rehearsal) [Bonus Track]
  13. You Are One of Us (Take 9) [Bonus Track]
  14. Going Home (2 Miles) [Bonus Track]
  15. Keep A-Knockin’ (Studio version) [Bonus Track]

CD 3: Wildlife (Originally released March 1971)

  1. Whiskey Women
  2. Angel of Eighth Avenue
  3. Wrong Side of the River
  4. Waterlow
  5. Lay Down
  6. It Must Be Love
  7. The Original Mixed Up Kid
  8. Home Is Where I Want to Be
  9. Keep A-Knockin’ (Live)
  10. Midnight Lady (Single A side) [Bonus Track]
  11. The Debt (Single B side) [Bonus Track]
  12. Downtown (Single A side) [Bonus Track]
  13. Brain Haulage (Whiskey Woman) [Bonus Track]
  14. Growing Man Blues (Take 10) [Bonus Track]
  15. Long Red (Demo) [Bonus Track]
  16. The Ballad of Bily Joe [Bonus Track]
  17. Lay Down (Take 8) [Bonus Track]

CD 4: Brian Capers (Originally released December 1971)

  1. Death May Be Your Santa Claus
  2. Your Own Backyard
  3. Darkness, Darkness
  4. The Journey
  5. Sweet Angeline
  6. Second Love
  7. The Moon Upstairs
  8. The Wheel of the Quivering Meat Conception
  9. Mental Train (The Moon Upstairs) [Bonus Track]
  10. How Long? (Death May Your Santa Claus) [Bonus Track]
  11. Darkness, Darkness [Bonus Track]
  12. Your Own Backyard (Complete Take) [Bonus Track]
  13. Where Do You All Come From (Backing Track) [Bonus Track]
  14. One of the Boys (Take 2) [Bonus Track]
  15. Movin’ On (2 Miles) [Bonus Track]
  16. Black Scorpio (Mommas Little Jewel) [Bonus Track]

CD 5: The Ballads of Mott The Hoople (Unheard and unreleased music from the Island archive)

  1. Like a Rolling Stone (Fragment)
  2. No Wheels to Ride (1st House)
  3. Angel Of 8th Avenue (Tape 816)
  4. The Journey
  5. Blue Broken Tears (Tape 816)
  6. Black Hills (Full Ralph’s Version)
  7. Can You Sing the Song That I Sing (Full Take)
  8. Till I’m Gone (2 Miles)
  9. The Original Mixed Up Kid (BBC Session)
  10. I’ll Wind Blowing (2 Miles)
  11. I’m A River (Vocal Rehearsal)
  12. Ride on The Sun (Sea Diver) (2 Miles)

CD 6: It’s Live and Live Only

  1. Rock and Roll Queen [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, 13 September 1970]
  2. Ohio [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, 13 September 1970]
  3. No Wheels to Ride / Hey Jude [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, September 13, 1970]
  4. Thunderbuck Ram [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, September 13, 1970]
  5. Keep A-Knockin’ [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, September 13, 1970]
  6. You Really Got Me [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, September 13, 1970]
  7. The Moon Upstairs [Fairfield Hall, Croydon, September 13, 1970]
  8. Whiskey Women [Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, December 30, 1971]
  9. Your Own Backyard [Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, December 30, 1971]
  10. Darkness, Darkness [Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, December 30, 1971]
  11. The Journey [Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, December 30, 1971]
  12. Death May Be Your Santa Claus [Paris Theatre, London, BBC Radio One, In Concert, December 30, 1971]