Mott the Hoople rocker lived in Hamilton

Dec 3 2009 by John Rowbotham, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON can boast few footnotes in rock history.

The Rolling Stones’ performance before an audience of 2000 at the town’s former Chantinghall Hotel on May 18, 1964, would be one.

A second goes back to 1994 when 50,000 music fans descended on what is now the Palace Grounds to see Oasis headline T in the Park.

Now, however, another has emerged ... it seems Ian Hunter, lead singer of 1970s glamrock band Mott the Hoople, spent some of his early years in a tenement in Peacock Cross.

With his shoulder-length perm and wrap around shades, Ian fronted a band famous for their cover of David Bowie’s ‘All the Young Dudes’ and hits such as ‘Roll Away the Stone’ and ‘All the Way from Memphis’.

However, although born in Shropshire, Ian, who’s now 70 years old, considers himself a Scot because his dad was born and brought up in Hamilton. His parents also took the decision to ‘evacuate’ him to Hamilton during World War Two.

He said: “My mother was 19 and had never been out of England and all she wanted to do was to get me out of harm’s way, so she brought me up to Scotland to be with my dad’s family.

“I was brought up in Hamilton until I was six. My dad’s sister looked after me for five or six years.

“Aunt Nettie’s family lived in Peacock Cross and my dad’s brother stayed in the same tenement building.”

Ian explained that while his mother worked in Boots, in Glasgow, Nettie looked after him.

“My uncle Willie lived with us too and he would sneak out and go to the pub and I would say ‘Nettie, he’s going out the door.’

“She would ask him where he was going at night, and he would say ‘Oot.’

“And she would say ‘Where oot?’ and he’d say ‘just oot.’ They were great times.”

He added: “The great thing about tenements for the little ones was that there were so many of us and the women would be arguing over the washing. It was full of life and I loved it.

“I drag the band to Hamilton whenever I come up. It’s a bit more knackered now. In those days it was clean. The steps were white. People seemed to take more pride in their houses than they do nowadays.”

Ian Hunter was in Scotland last week to collect this year’s Nordoff Robbins Tartan Clef Legend Award.

He was honoured 40 years after Mott the Hoople formed with a line-up of Ian, lead guitarist Mick Ralphs (who later joined Bad Company), organist Verden Allan, drummer Dale Griffin and bassist Overend Watts.

Mott the Hoople were given their name by producer Guy Stevens, who took it from a largely-unknown novel by US author William Manus.

After splitting in 1974, Mott reformed earlier this year for sell-out shows in London. Ian Hunter released a new album entitled ‘Man Overboard’ in the summer.