''Short Back 'n' Sides'' is the fifth studio album by Ian Hunter. Unsure of which direction he should take, Ian Hunter finally decided to collaborate with Mick Jones, who gave Hunter's songs a tougher and heavier touch. Fellow Clash member

Topper Headon Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon (born 30 May 1955) is an English drummer, best known as the drummer of punk rock band the Clash. Known for his instrumental contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fam ...

as well as

Mick Ronson Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session music ...

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band U ...

and

Ellen Foley Ellen Foley (born 1951) is an American singer and actress who has appeared on Broadway and television, where she co-starred in the sitcom ''Night Court'' for one season. In music, she has released five solo albums but is best known for her collab ...

also appeared on this album. In 1995,

Chrysalis A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...

released a 2 CD set with a remastered version of the album and bonus CD with outtakes of the Chrysalis period. The track "Noises" is an experimental track with many samples used as part of the song and "Theatre of the Absurd" is Ian's only reggae song, inspired by the Ladbroke Grove area of London.

Track listing

All songs written by Ian Hunter; except where indicated #"Central Park n' West" – 4:00 #"Lisa Likes Rock n' Roll" – 3:56 #"I Need Your Love" – 3:34 #"Old Records Never Die" – 4:18 #"Noises" (Ian Hunter, Tommy Morrongiello) – 5:51 #"Rain" – 5:54 #"Gun Control" – 3:12 #"Theatre of the Absurd" – 5:49 #"Leave Me Alone" – 3:29 #"Keep on Burning" – 4:46

1995 Bonus CD (Long Odds and Out-takes)

#"Detroit" (rough mix – instrumental) – 3:42 #"Na Na Na" – 4:13 #"I Need Your Love" (rough mix) – 3:46 #"Rain" (alternative mix) – 5:50 #"I Believe in You" – 4:15 #"Listen to the Eight Track" – 6:08 #"You Stepped Into My Dreams" – 4:41 #"Venus in the Bathtub" – 4:29 #"Theatre of the Absurd" – 6:08 #"Detroit" (out take 5 – vocal) – 4:00 #"Na Na Na" (extended mix) – 4:29 #"China" (

vocal) – 4:36 #"Old Records Never Die" (version 1) – 4:18

Personnel

*Ian Hunter - lead vocals, guitars, piano *

- lead guitar, keyboards, vocals *

Tommy Mandel Tommy Mandel (born June 2, 1949) is a keyboardist most notable for playing with Bryan Adams from 1981 to 1998, starting with the album '' You Want It You Got It''. Life and career Prior to joining Bryan Adams' band, Mandel released a self-title ...

- keyboards *Tommy Morrongiello - bass, vocals *

Martin Briley Martin Steven Briley (born 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist. He was born in London and has recorded with and written for a variety of well-known musicians, as well as releasing several solo albums. Music career B ...

- bass *Eric Parker - drums *George Meyer - keyboards, vocals * Mick Jones - guitars, vocals *

- drums, percussion *

Tymon Dogg Tymon Dogg (born Stephen John Murray) is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Dogg's career started early with shows at the Cavern and Peppermint Lounge in Liverpool when he was 15. As well as pursuing a solo career, he colla ...

- violin *

- vocals * Miller Anderson - vocals *Mick Baraken - guitar on "Gun Control" *

Wells Kelly Orleans is an American pop rock band best known for its hits " Dance with Me" (No. 6 in 1975); "Still the One" (No. 5 in 1976), from the album ''Waking and Dreaming''; and " Love Takes Time" (No. 11 in 1979). The group's name evolved from th ...

- drums on "Gun Control" *John Holbrook - bass on "Gun Control" *

Gary Windo Gary Windo (7 November 1941, in Brighton, England – 25 July 1992, in New York City) was an English jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Windo came from a musical family in England. By age six he took up drums and accordion, then guitar at twelve an ...

- alto saxophone on "I Need Your Love" * Roger Powell - backing vocals on "I Need Your Love" *

- bass, backing vocals on "I Need Your Love" ;Technical *Mixed by

Bob Clearmountain Bob Clearmountain (born January 15, 1953) is an American recording engineer, mixer and record producer. He has worked with many major acts, including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Toto, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, with whom he has a very l ...

; David Tickle on "Rain" *

Lynn Goldsmith Lynn Goldsmith (born 1948) is an American recording artist, film director, celebrity portrait photographer, and rock and roll photographer. She has also made fine art photography with conceptual images and with her painting. Books of her wor ...

- photography

References

{{Authority control 1981 albums Ian Hunter (singer) albums Albums produced by Mick Ronson Chrysalis Records albums