Worshipping at the altar of Mott

I can't really say I have been *listening* to MOTT THE HOOPLE the past two days. It's more akin to *worshipping* the vastly underrated 1970s band.
Most of the people who have heard me chattering about how much I love the band vaguely remember "ALL THE YOUNG DUDES," the anthemic single penned and produced by DAVID BOWIE midway through Mott's career, when they seemed on the verge of splitting.
"All The Young Dudes" only tells part of the story of this great band.
"Combining the swagger of a heavier Rolling Stones and the poetic fervor of a 1966 Bob Dylan sounds like an audacious idea," writes Paul Evans in the New Rolling Stone Album Guide. "The amazing thing is that Mott The Hoople pulled it off with remarkable consistency."
Besides "All The Young Dudes," which peaked at No. 3 in August 1972, Mott reached the British Top 40 five times in 1972-74 -- "Honaloochie Boogie" (No. 12), "All The Way From Memphis" (No. 10), "Roll Away The Stone" (No. 8), "Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll" (No. 16) and "Foxy Foxy" (No. 33).
As I listen to an iPod playlist of 45 Mott songs (including the entire "Brain Capers" album and the compilation, "The Ballad of Mott The Hoople"), I can't understand why more of these songs were not huge hits.
The musicianship is incredible, particularly with the first lineup of the band -- Ian Hunter (vocals, guitar, piano), future Bad Company founder Mick Ralphs (guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Verden Allen (organ, backing vocals), Pete "Overend" Watts (bass, backing vocals, guitar), and Dale "Buffin" Griffin (drums, backing vocals, percussion).
Subsequent members included guitarists Ariel Bender (actually former Spooky Tooth member Luther Grosvenor) and Mick Ronson (former Bowie sideman) and keyboardist extraordinaire Morgan Fisher.
Do whatever you can to hear some Mott The Hoople. The reward is well worth the effort with this fine band.