Way back in 1974, the perma-permed Ian Hunter wrote Diary Of A Rock’N’Roll Star, a frank, intriguing diary of Mott The Hoople’s 1972 US tour. It’s a cool classic of the genre and now reads as an incredible period piece. Fast forward, and glam survivor Hunter is now the subject of a chunky authorised biography, of which Rock’N’Roll Sweepstakes is only the first volume.
Hunter was clearly generous with his time (as were his bandmates) when talking to author Campbell Devine, and the biog greatly benefits from an intricate level of insight and detail.
Hunter was a war baby, whose family moved to Scotland during the conflict, and tales of this time over the border are recounted with great affection. Fame took its time to knock on Hunter’s door and he’d been plugging away in the music business since the late 50s in various bands, before teaming up with Mott The Hoople. This slowburn struggle adds depth to this account of Hunter’s fascinating journey, where all of rock’s bumps and jumps have been captured along the way.
8/10
Gary Tipp