Editing Mott the Hoople (section)

===Early years===
The group came to the attention of [[Guy Stevens]] at [[Island Records]], who liked the group but not with Tippins as lead singer. Advertisements were placed ("Singer wanted, must be image-minded and hungry"), and [[Ian Hunter (singer)|Ian Hunter]] was selected as lead singer and piano player. Tippins assumed the role of [[road manager]].<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/>
While in prison for a drug offence, Stevens read the [[Willard Manus]] novel ''[[Mott the Hoople (novel)|Mott the Hoople]]'', about an eccentric who works in a [[circus]] [[freak show]], and decided to use it as a band name.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia">{{Cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 1998
| title= Guinness Rockopedia
| edition= 1st
| publisher= Guinness Publishing Ltd.
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/282 282]
| isbn= 0-85112-072-5
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/282
}}</ref> Silence reluctantly agreed to change the band's name to Mott the Hoople following their audition for Stevens in early 1969.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> Manus's novel's title was in turn a reference to "Martha Hoople", which was the name of character from a comic strip called ''[[Our Boarding House]]'', which was widely syndicated in American newspapers from 1921 to 1984.

The band's debut album, ''Mott the Hoople'' (1969), [[sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] in only a week,<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> was a [[cult]] success. Their [[repertoire]] included [[cover version]]s of "Laugh at Me" ([[Sonny Bono]]) and "At the Crossroads" ([[Doug Sahm]]'s [[Sir Douglas Quintet]]), and an [[instrumental]] cover of "[[You Really Got Me]]" ([[The Kinks]]).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{Cite book
| first= Martin C.
| last= Strong
| year= 2000
| title= The Great Rock Discography
| edition= 5th
| publisher=Mojo Books
| location= Edinburgh
| pages= 671–2
| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref>

The second album, ''[[Mad Shadows (album)|Mad Shadows]]'' (1970), sold poorly and received generally negative reviews. ''[[Wildlife (Mott the Hoople album)|Wildlife]]'' (1971) fared even worse, despite gaining the highest UK album chart position of the band's pre-Glam years. It featured an overtly country-[[hippie]] stance and more acoustic instrumentation on some Ralphs-penned songs. 

On 10 October 1970, Mott the Hoople, the Senator (aka the Walrus), and [[Bridget St John]] were showcased on [[BBC2]]'s ''[[Disco 2 (TV series)|Disco 2]]''.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{Cite book
| first= John
| last= Tobler
| year= 1992
| title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years
| edition= 1st
| publisher=Reed International Books Ltd
| location= London
| page= 217
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> Even though the group were building a decent following, ''[[Brain Capers]]'' (1971) failed to sell well. The group decided to split following a depressing concert in a former [[gas holder]] in Switzerland.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> When their UK tour with The Lothringers was aborted, the band were close to breaking up.