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Mott the Hoople people
Dale Griffin History Along with Mick Ralphs, Buff had sort of been my favourite Mott (well, I'm a bit of an 'air' drummer on the quiet, and he seemed to be one pretty good drummer to mime along with) so imagine my naive shock when I first saw 'The Hoople' in the shops. I knew that Ariel Benders name would be in the line-up, but who was Morgan Fisher and what had happened to Buffin? This was too much. First Mick, now Buffin! Investigation put my mind at rest. Buff was in for a name change as well as this Bender bloke, although he was changing back from a nickname to a real name, Terence Dale Griffin. During the Wild Dog's Hellhound days, he had been known as Sniffin' Griff Griffin, being smaller than the others he was often referred to as "that little b*gger Sniffin'" until Overend changed it to "that little snigger Buffin". And there it remained, much to his embarrassment. Maybe he was starting to flex his muscles a bit (he would produce the 'Live' album later on in 1974) and saw the name change as a means of conveying this. In his book 'Diary of a Rock 'n' Roll Star', Ian Hunter alludes to the fact that Buffin was popular with the female members of a Mott audience. This fact is substantiated on the 'Live' album during One of the Boys, as the band join in for the final build up one by one, extra screams are heard and Hunter chuckles… I have always assumed that it was Buffin joining in.
Mott September 1975, from Left to right, Dale Griffin, Nigel
Benjamin, Along with Overend Watts and Morgan Fisher, Griffin stayed with the remnants of Mott the Hoople He had apparently caused ructions within the camp by producing the 'Live' lp, and I have read reports that this contributed in some way to Hunters exit. Can't see why, I think Terence did a good job. He even got a line on the track 'Boy' on Hunters first solo album —"…cheer up mate, the drummers in the past…" — for his pains. An absolutely brilliant drummer, his work on 'Great White Wail' on the first Mott lp 'Drive On' is tremendous. Once the steam finally ran out of the Mott the Hoople/Mott/British Lions kettle, Dale Griffin re-surfaced as a producer of many — in fact he holds the record for most sessions produced — BBC Radio One sessions during the eighties. In 1990, he helped put together the Island CD compilation 'Walking With A Mountain' IMCD 87 also contributing excellent sleeve notes. Following this, Dale was instrumental and a driving force behind the Sony 3-CD Anthology boxed-set. In fact, through most of the bands career, the drummer has been the one keen that history sees, or hears, the real Mott the Hoople and that their memory is well served. Sadly, Dale has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. It was due to this illness that he only managed to sit on the drum stool for the re-union showencores at Hammersmith. He has subsequently used his profile to help raise awarness of the desease in the UK press and in radio interviews: Visit Buffin The Stix Slayer, Dale Griffins web site More »
Mott the Hoople Singles All singles recorded by Mott the Hoople between 1969 and 1974. Albums All albums recorded by Mott the Hoople between 1969 and 1974, and all of the subsequent compilations put out over the years by both Island and CBS.
Mott Singles All singles recorded by Mott for CBS between 1974 and 1976. Albums All albums recorded by Mott for CBS between 1974 and 1976 and any subsequent compilations.
British Lions All albums recorded and released by British Lions.
The Silence
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Last update September 2010 ©2010 Half Moon Bay
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