Rock 'n' Roll Sweepstakes: Rock'n'Roll Sweepstakes: The Authorised Biography of Ian Hunter Volume 1

by Campbell Devine

Rock 'n' Roll Sweepstakes is a frank and comprehensive biography of a remarkable man, an amazing life and an incredible musical legacy. It covers Ian Hunter's youth and formative rock 'n' roll years in the Sixties, Mott the Hoople's formation, David Bowie's intervention as 'a fan' of the band and Mott's rise to international stardom. Sitting alongside Ian Hunter's Diary of a Rock 'n' Roll Star, this Authorised Biography shines a light on the highs and lows of stardom and the music business lifestyle. It also tells how Ian, at Mott's peak, found a friction with fame and jettisoned what he had achieved with the band to pursue a sparkling forty-year solo career. Biographer Campbell Devine has collaborated with Ian Hunter, all of Mott the Hoople and their personnel, and dozens of other significant groups, performers and celebrity fans including Gene Simmons (Kiss), Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Brian May (Queen), Andy Mackay (Roxy Music) and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick). Containing candid first-hand revealing accounts, unseen images and in-depth observations and musical commentaries, this is the ultimate biography of one of rock's greatest writers, performers and influencers.

Genres: Music

607 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2020

Reviews

[Allan Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent first volume of a biography of Ian Hunter. This volume covers Hunter's career up to the fracturing of Mott The Hoople; the second will cover his solo career since then.

An authorised biography with a lot of input from Ian, his comments are very fair and balanced. There's lots of input from the other characters that were in and around MTH which helps make for a very satisfactory read.

[James Geary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative account of Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter, one of the great unsung rock balladeers. To be read in conjunction with Diary of A Rock n Roll Star (or Reflections of A Rock Star, depending on what country the book was published in), Ian Hunter's witty, insightful record of Mott the Hoople's 1972 US tour.

[jboyg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four Stars With A Bullet!

Were you a Mott the Hoople fan. I was, bought all their albums and used to listen to them all the time. Excellent band and this voluminous band bio is rather excellent, too--albeit a few tedious sections will bore the glam right out of you. I enjoyed it but then I am rather a fanatic about these things.