Mott The Hoople gave up the ghost with their last album, The Hoople. Issued in 1974, it sadly signaled the departure of primary songwriter, Ian Hunter. But the other members (Dale Griffin, Morgan Fisher, Pete Overend Watts) had other things in mind. They reformed as Mott for two Columbia Records albums that performed better for the obliging UK markets than for the US markets. After those two sets, they changed their moniker to British Lions and drew in a US market share that liked change but alienated the UK market for it. British Lions released two full studio albums before closing the book.
On November 17, Think Like A Key Music UK will revisit the original British Lions debut with a newly remastered set that will provide the original album along with a collection of demos and live performance tracks (11 from their San Francisco (?) August 7, 1978 (?) show at the Old Waldorf). The demos and Old Waldorf show has been replicated previously so this is not previously unreleased. BUT…they are newly remastered; the original tapes were good to begin with as Morgan Fisher has previously stated.
The British Lions debut remaster will be known as the Roaring Edition and will be issued on 2CD in a six-panel gatefold jacket. It will include a nice 12-page booklet that should prove to be interesting as it has plenty to cover about this effort by the old Mott clan. You can pre-order here.
British Lions (Roaring Edition) – British Lions
CD1 (British Lions)
01 One More Chance To Run
02 Wild in The Streets
03 Break This Fool
04 International Heroes
05 Fork Talkin’ Man
06 My Life in Your Hands
07 Big Drift Away
08 Booster
09 Eat The Rich
Bonus – Demo Tracks
10 Eat The Rich (Demo)
11 Can’t Get Over You (Demo)
12 Long Distance Love (Demo)
13 You Got Everything (Demo)
CD2 (Live In San Francisco 1978 – The Old Waldorf)
01 One More Chance To Run
02 Fork Talkin’ Man
03 Break This Fool
04 Come On
05 International Heroes
06 My Life In Your Hands
07 Love Now
08 Wild In The Streets
09 Booster
10 Medley: So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star/It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll/Pretty Vacant
11 Eat The Rich