BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Even as Mott the Hoople were announcing Mick Ronson as their new guitarist at a fancy New York press conference, plans were underway for the group to break up again with Ian Hunter pursuing a solo career backed by Ronson.

Originally, the idea was to do European, British, and American tours, record a follow up to the live album, and then pursue solo activities a la The Who. However, two days before the British tour started, Hunter collapsed at the home of Fred Heller, Mott’s American manager, and in the wake of the tour cancellation the ‘Mott splits’ rumors began to grow: Hunter had become increasingly tense and high strung - in Amsterdam he threatened to fire the roadies (who had been with them for years) simply because the monitors weren’t working - and the pressure had become too great; there had been fights with Buffin over production of The Hoople’ and ‘Live,’ since denied, though Buffin admits to disliking “Marionette,” “Judy’s Song,”