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Long-time admirers of Mott the Hoople are being encouraged to show their appreciation by contributing photos and personal anecdotes to You Are One of Us — a fan-led book celebrating the iconic rock band’s enduring legacy.
The group first came together in 1969 and developed a special relationship with their fanbase that many argue was unlike any other. Although the band officially disbanded in 1974, their influence lives on, with loyal followers embracing their reunion tours in 2009, 2013, and 2019.
Kris Needs — music journalist and former Sea Divers fan club president — hailed the group’s unique accessibility, saying Mott became “the approachable face of rock, transforming it into a thing we could reach out and touch.”
The book’s name comes from a track on the band’s Mad Shadows album and is a fitting tribute to the mutual affection between band and fans — a connection also cherished by Kris Needs, alongside high-profile devotees like Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and The Clash’s Mick Jones.
“This is our chance to thank the entire extended Mott family for the music and the magic with our cherished memories,” explained Andrew Field, co-editor of the book and publisher at Hit the North. In 2013, he privately published We Rocked, You Rolled, which documented the band’s final European tour from the perspective of road crew member Phil John.
“If fans want to be in the book, simply visit the Hit the North website and send their online word-and-image submissions. We’ll publish the definitive fans perspective, written by the fans for all the other fans and the surviving band, the crew and their families,” added Andrew, who is collaborating on the project with dedicated fans including David Crisfield, Keith Hollinshed, Simon Rowberry, David Rowe, and Andrew Whalley.
Reflecting on the band’s impact, Andrew said: “Mott The Hoople kept me sane when I was at military boarding school in the seventies. They were the big brothers with attitude I never had. I thought they’d been virtually forgotten about until the internet revealed loyal fans were still very much in love with everyone in the Mott wider family. Concerts not only celebrated the group, but also became great social gatherings in their own right … two fans from either side of the Atlantic met at a concert and are now happily married.”
Despite achieving international stardom — performing in New York’s Broadway theatres, appearing on Top of the Pops, and rubbing shoulders with legends like David Bowie, Queen, and Led Zeppelin — Mott the Hoople always stayed close to their Herefordshire roots and their devoted supporters. Their legacy has inspired countless musicians and even earned lyrical shoutouts from Queen, REM, and the Mambo Sons.
You Are One Of Us will be published this Autumn to mark MottFest 2025, a major fan event happening on 3rd and 4th October 2025 in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. A possible special event is also planned for 5th October.
Fans wishing to get involved can visit https://www.hitthenorth.co.uk/mott-the-hoople or email Andrew Field at andrewfield3@me.com. The deadline for all contributions is Friday, 1st August 2025.