Ian Hunter (w/ The Down 'n' Outz) "Who Do You Love" (Bonus Video Friday)

Astute readers may note that last week's Bonus Video Friday selection - "Once Bitten Twice Shy" - was the opening track on Ian Hunter's eponymous first solo album back in 1975.  This week's tune - "Who Do You Love" - was the second song off that record.  I don't plan on recreating that whole disc here, but I'm tempted.  If I thought I could find all eight (or nine if you count "Shades Off" as a separate track, which I don't) songs on YouTube I might give it a shot.  It was a GREAT debut album.

Anyway, we're jumping from 1979 last week to 2010 for this track.  The backing band for Hunter in this video - The Down 'n' Outz - was formed (I discovered on Wikipedia) by Joe Elliott, once and probably still occasionally the lead singer of Def Leppard.  I never really had much use for the Lepp, as it were, but any frontman of a HUGE 1980's candy-metal act that forms a band just to play Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter covers is going to get a thumbs-up from me any day of any week.  Joe Elliott HAS to have sold millions more records than Hunter.  To mount that kind of tribute truly shows Elliott to possess the heart & soul of a rocker.  And I intend to raise my next glass of Bailey's to the man.

inspirational verse; "There's a deep-red glow in the early morning sky /
Who do you love, better make up your mind" - Ian Hunter, 1975  

p.s. By the way, I've been roundly (and rightly) castigated by close (Irish) friends over the omission of Bruce Springsteen in last week's Bonus Video Friday write-up of hallowed performer favorites of mine.  It was an oversight, but only partly.  I didn't see Springsteen live until April 5th, 1976, and I was mainly detailing performers I saw in the 1960's or early in 1970 in that list.  However, to suggest that Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are not a VITAL force in the Ricki C. Growing Old With Rock & Roll Process is just wrong.  Without Bruce Springsteen singing, "Walk tall / Or baby, don't walk at all" in 1973, there might not have been a First Act to the Ricki C. Life of Rock & Roll.  And without him singing, "For the ones who had a notion, a notion deep inside / That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive" in 1978 there definitely would not have been a Second Act.  Bruce Springsteen has been my Number One Rock & Roll Hero of all time since Pete Townshend abdicated that throne with those endless, tedious "Farewell Tours of America" he's been launching since sometime in the 1980's and still lumbers around on now, fully 30 years later.  (A Rock & Roll Question I'm not about to research: Which band has mounted more "Farewell - No, This Time We Really Mean It - Tours":  Kiss, Eagles or The Who?)  (My money is on Pete and Roger.)     

© 2013 Ricki C.